VALPARAISO, Ind. (Jan. 2, 2010) - The Green Bay Phoenix (11-5, 4-1 HL) picked up a crucial Horizon League road victory over the Valparaiso Crusaders (6-9, 1-2) by a 64-58 final Saturday night at the Athletics-Recreation Center. With the win, the Phoenix improved to 4-1 in league play for the second consecutive season.

"I really liked our enthusiasm and energy tonight," head coach Tod Kowalczyk said. "We defended for 40 minutes. That was a hard-fought college basketball game tonight. Both teams competed. I challenged our guys to make this a 1-1 road trip and they responded with great effort."

Green Bay led 32-29 at intermission, closing with an 8-2 run over the final 2:12 of the half. Valpo had just gone on a 10-0 spurt to take its first lead of the game at the 4-minute mark.

The Phoenix held the Crusaders, the league's top shooting team (46.9 percent), to just one made field goal over the first nine minutes of the contest. For the game, Valparaiso shot just 37.5 percent (18 of 48).

Valpo made another 10-point run in the second half. After Green Bay grabbed a 48-40 advantage, the largest lead by either team, the Crusaders held the Phoenix scoreless for the next six-plus minutes, taking a 50-48 lead with under six to play.

The Phoenix rallied back, however, and Bryquis Perine (Milwaukee, Wis.) gave the Phoenix the lead for good (53-52) with a leaner in the paint with 3:54 left. Perine finished with a team-best 16 points, totaling six in the final four minutes, to lead the way.

Valparaiso did not go down without a fight. A Brandon McPherson 3-pointer with 15 ticks remaining pulled Valpo within two, 60-58, but Green Bay iced the game with 4 of 4 free-throw shooting the rest of the way.

The Phoenix scored its last 10 points of the game from the charity stripe and connected on 22 of 28 attempts (.768) on the evening.

Randy Berry (Plover, Wis.) recorded his fifth double-double of the season with 10 points and a game-high 10 rebounds. Freshman Matt Smith (Whitewright, Texas) netted a career-high nine points and added six boards.

The Phoenix completes its three-game Horizon League road swing at Milwaukee Saturday at 1 p.m.