By: Andrew Gavin (@GBGavin)
VALPARAISO, Ind. (GreenBayPhoenix.com) – Going cold from the field at an inopportune time, second-seeded Green Bay (24-8) fell 54-44 to top-seeded Valparaiso (28-5) on Tuesday night in the title game of the 2015 Horizon League Championships at the Athletics and Recreation Center. Head coach Brian Wardle had led the Phoenix to the championship game for the first time in 17 years.
Senior Keifer Sykes (Chicago, Ill.) scored 14 points to lead the Phoenix, but no other Green Bay player reached double figures as the visitors finished the game 16-of-53 from the field for 30.2 percent, including 7-of-28 in the second half.
Green Bay jumped out quickly in the first half, jumping ahead 25-15 and taking a 25-19 lead into halftime. The Crusaders were held to just 8-of-27 shots in the opening half.
The Phoenix led 33-31 before freshman Daeshon Francis (Indianapolis, Ind.) converted a three-point play to start a 6-0 run that put Green Bay in front 39-31 with 11:43 to play. Green Bay made just 1-of-14 shots from the field to end the game.
Valpo used a 15-0 run to take a 46-39 lead, but senior Alfonzo McKinnie (Chicago, Ill.) drained a three-pointer and Sykes made two free throws to close the gap to 46-44 with 3:24 to play. The Crusaders scored the final eight points to put the game away.
McKinnie added nine points and six rebounds, and junior Jordan Fouse (Racine, Wis.) tallied six points, eight rebounds and four assists. Junior Carrington Love (Milwaukee, Wis.) tallied a career-high five steals.
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