VALPARAISO, Ind. (GreenBayPhoenix.com) – Battling until the end and making things difficult for the defending league champion at times, the Green Bay men's basketball team still fell 85-70 at Valparaiso on Saturday night at the ARC.
The Phoenix (11-7, 4-2 HL) couldn't overcome a 32.4 percent (23-of-71) shooting night, surrendering a pair of 7-0 runs and a 14-2 run at one point in the second half to the Crusaders (15-3, 5-0 HL), who have now won 22-straight games at home. The ARC was a difficult atmosphere (announced attendance of 4,939) all night for Green Bay, which finished 7-of-24 from three-point range.
A trio of players finished in double figures for the Phoenix, which suffered just its third loss in its last 10 games. Charles Cooper and Carrington Love each scored 22 points, with Cooper's being a career-high. The junior from just up the road in Gary, Ind., went 15-of-19 from the free throw line, finishing a free throw attempt shy of the school-record 20 set by Jeff Nordgaard in 1995. Cooper also added eight rebounds in the game.
Jordan Fouse did his best to carry his team midway through the second half, going on a run of seven-straight points by himself. The senior finished with 14 points, six rebounds and four assists.
Green Bay forced Valpo into 19 turnovers, grabbing 11 steals out of the 19. That total is the most an opponent has forced the Crusaders into this year.
The closest the Phoenix would get in the second half would be four points, but with the home court advantage and final rebounding edge of 52-35 for Valpo, Green Bay would come away on the losing end.
The Green and White will now step out of league play for a nonconference tilt at Chicago State on Tuesday night. Green Bay returns home next weekend, welcoming Oakland and Detroit to the Resch Center on Saturday and Monday, respectively.
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