Valparaiso 67, Youngstown St. 61
1/17/2008 9:35 PM
YOUNGSTOWN, Ohio (AP) -Brandon McPherson scored 20 points, including four 3-pointers, to lead Valparaiso past Youngstown State 67-61 in a tightly played game that had five lead changes Thursday night.
The teams played even in the first half, with Youngstown State (7-10, 3-4 Horizon League) leading for most of the period but by no more than five points.
Valparaiso (13-5, 4-2) took the lead for good with 12:58 to play when Bryan Bouchie made two free throws. But the Penguins wouldn't lead Valparaiso pull away.
With the Crusaders up 61-53 with 58 seconds left, Vytas Sulskis and Byron Davis both hit 3-pointers for Youngstown State. That made it 61-59 with 39 seconds left, but Valparaiso used free throw shooting to hold on as the Penguins could only manage another Davis layup.
Davis scored a game-high 23 points, while John Barber had 18 points and Jack Liles had 13 for Youngstown State. Sulskis grabbed 11 rebounds for the Penguins.
Bouchie and Shawn Huff each had 15 points for Valparaiso.
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