IPFW Out-Lasts In-State Rival Valparaiso 85-76

Wednesday, December 7

Memorial Coliseum

7:00 p.m.

Purdue Fort Wayne

4-3

Valparaiso

6-3

Valparaiso

IPFW

Photo by: Lucas Carter

IPFW Out-Lasts In-State Rival Valparaiso 85-76

12/7/2011 9:57:00 PM | Men's Basketball

Box Score

FORT WAYNE, Ind. - Leading by one with 2:09 to play in the game, Frank Gaines scored six straight IPFW points on a three-pointer from the left wing and an old-fashioned three-point play, spearheading a 10-2 game-ending Mastodon run, as the Blue and White scored the game's final seven points in an 85-76 victory over in-state rival Valparaiso on Wednesday (December 7) evening.

IPFW picked up its third win in the last four games against the Crusaders in front of 1,550 loud Mastodon fans at the Memorial Coliseum, improving the IPFW record to 4-3 on the year, while Valparaiso falls to 6-3.

Frank Gaines scored a game-high 24 points, while Trey McCorkle added 16, John Peckinpaugh topped his career-high for the second straight game with 13, as Jonny Marlin also scored a career-high 10 points. Marlin dished out seven assists, while Gaines pulled down seven board to lead the team.

Valparaiso led early at 2-1 before IPFW rattled off nine straight points to take a lead they would not give up until late in the second half. The lead grew to as many as 14, and was cut to as few as four in the first half, with the Mastodons taking a seven-point, 44-37 lead into the locker room at halftime.

IPFW's lead reached nine in the second half after a Jason Smeathers three-point basket with 16:06 to play in the game, before Valparaiso scored the next 10 points, capped by an Ryan Broekhoff three-point basket, three of the juniors' 20 team-high 20 points, giving the visitors a one-point, 56-55 lead.

A John Peckinpaugh 5-0 run on a mid-range jumper and a three-pointer pushed the Mastodon advantage to four, and IPFW didn't trail again in the game.

Valparaiso closed to within one at 73-72, but came up empty on the front end of three straight one-and-the-bonus free throws, and Gaines' heroics late coupled with a 5-for-6 effort from the 'Dons at the charity stripe in the final two minutes closed the door on the comeback attempt.

Isaiah McCray nabbed a team-best three steals for the Mastodons, who made 31-of-51 shots from the field, a 60.8 field goal percentage, while making 7-of-12 (58.3 percent) from three-point range, and 16-of-20 (80 percent) from the free throw line.

Will Bogan and Kevin Van Wijk each scored 15 for Valparaiso, while Van Wijk pulled down a game-high nine rebounds, as Valparaiso out-rebounded the Mastodons 31-to-26, the first time since November 15 that the Mastodons have been out-rebounded, and just the second time this season. Valparaiso made 29-of-57 shots (50.9 percent) from the field, but were only able to make 10-of-19 (52.6 percent) from the free throw line in the loss.

The Mastodons return to action when the squad travels to Omaha, Neb., to face off against the Mavericks of Nebraska Omaha. Tip-off is slated for 8:00 p.m. EST, and the game can be heard live on WKJG ESPN Radio 1380 AM.

~Dons~