TERRE HAUTE, Ind.  – Indiana State rode the strength of a 7-of-11 shooting performance by senior Christian Williams and Jordan Barnes continued his climb up the Sycamore record book as ISU defeated Valparaiso 71-58 in front of 4,131 fans inside Hulman Center on Senior Day.
ISU finishes the regular season with an 18-11 overall record and an 11-7 mark in MVC play. Valpo fell to 16-15, 9-9 MVC.
The 11-7 MVC record is the program's best since the 2014-15 campaign and marks just the 8th time that the program has recorded 11 wins or more in 42 seasons of league play. ISU recorded its third winning streak of at least four games this season by defeating Valparaiso.
It was the play of reigning Missouri Valley Conference Player of the Week Christian Williams which paced the Sycamores once again. He finished with a career-best 20 points, hit a pair of 3-pointers and led the Sycamores on the glass with seven rebounds. He added three assists in the winning effort. Off the bench, Cooper Neese hit a pair of 3-pointers to finish with 10 points. ISU is now 10-1 this season when Neese hits at least two 3-pointers.
Jordan Barnes tallied eight points in the game but hit a pair of 3-pointers which gives him 271 for his career as he passed Brenton Scott for 2nd all-time at Indiana State. He is now only 12 behind Michael Menser's school record of 283 as he heads into the postseason. Barnes' 271 career 3-pointers is also now 7th-best in the history of the MVC. Bronson Kessinger also played in his final home game and posted six points with five rebounds in the winning effort.
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The Sycamores limited the Crusaders to just 10-of-27 shooting over the opening 20 minutes (37 percent) and used 10 Valpo turnovers to hold a 14-0 edge in points off turnovers. The Sycamores also held a 10-5 edge in second chance points as well as 35-34 edge on the glass. The Sycamores hit 51.9 percent of their shots in the second half to build upon their 37-27 lead at the break and finished the game 27-of-56 from the field (48.2 percent). ISU hit seven 3-pointers in the contest.
This was Indiana State's first game on February 29 since a 1992 victory over Northern Iowa – also at Hulman Center which resulted in a 55-50 victory.
Indiana State used a 3-pointer from Christian Williams to take a quick 3-0 lead and Tyreke Key's two free throws pushed the advantage out to 5-0. An Eron Gordon lay-up cut the Sycamore lead down to four points, but Tyreke Key scored at the basket and Neese hit a 3-pointer with 10:05 remaining to give ISU an 18-9 lead. Jake LaRavia hit a 3-pointer and scored inside to kick start a 7-0 run which gave the Sycamores a 27-14 advantage with 6:04 on the clock.
ISU would get back-to-back 3-pointers from Neese and Christian Williams as the first half wound down to push the lead out to 37-21 on the 8-0 run with 1:20 remaining. Valparaiso scored the final six points of the opening half and the Sycamores went to the locker room up 37-27.
The Sycamores went inside the paint on their first three possessions to take a 43-27 lead with 17:34 on the clock off a hook shot by Tre Williams near the basket. Fazekas used up jumper in the paint to draw within 64-52 as the clock ticked towards the three minute mark, but the Sycamores hot a 3-pointer by Jordan Barnes and then a pair of charity tosses to lead 69-52 with 2:24 to go.
One-by-one the Sycamore seniors all exited the floor for the final time in the last two minutes to applause from the gathered crowd. The Sycamores were victorious 71-58 in the contest.
Valparaiso was led by 11 points each from Donovan Clay and Daniel Sackey.
The Sycamores have finished in a tie for third place with Bradley and lead the Braves by seven spots in the latest NCAA NET Rankings. If that lead holds as expected, the Sycamores will be the No. 3 seed at the 30th Anniversary of Arch Madness at the Enterprise Center in St. Louis. Tip-off for the No. 3 seed is set for 9:38 p.m. (ET) on Friday, March 6.
