The Valparaiso University men’s basketball team was engaged in a 62-62 deadlock with 8:20 remaining, but UIC’s defense did not allow a made field goal for the game’s duration in a 70-64 win for the Flames at Credit Union 1 Arena in Chicago. Isaiah Stafford (Bolingbrook, Ill. / Crispus Attucks [John A. Logan / Southern Indiana]) returned to the floor after missing the previous two games with an injury and paced the team with 19 points.

How It Happened

• For the second straight game, Kaspar Sepp (Tartu, Estonia / Fairmont Academy) knocked down a 3, this one coming early to give Valpo a 6-4 lead.
• UIC held the lead for much of the game’s early stages, but Valpo got back to even when Stafford dropped in a triple to tie the game at 13 with 11:30 to go in the first half, then a second-chance bucket for Cooper Schwieger (Overland Park, Kan. / Blue Valley Southwest [Link Year]) put the Beacons back in front.  
• An electric dunk by Jaxon Edwards (Indianapolis, Ind. / Cathedral [Murray State]) tied the game at 24 with 7:29 to go in the half. Valpo once again moved in front when Darius DeAveiro (Kanata, Ontario, Canada / Orangeville Prep) drilled from distance at the 6:52 mark to make it 27-26, but UIC used an 8-0 run to open up a nine-point lead with 2:40 on the clock. The Flames led 42-36 at halftime.
• Valpo took its first lead of the second half on a 3-point make by Stafford at the 17:01 mark to put the guests ahead 49-48. That was part of a strong shooting start to the half that saw Stafford, Schwieger and Edwards all connect from long range.
• The lead swayed back and forth for much of the second half. Stafford’s layup at the 8:20 mark tied the game at 62 and at the time appeared to set the stage for a thrilling finish, but Valpo went cold offensively down the stretch.
• The Beacons didn’t score for over seven minutes during which time UIC inched ahead with an 8-0 run. Stafford’s bucket at 8:20 proved to be the team’s final made field goal of the evening before the final 10 shots were off the mark.  
• Valpo stayed in it late by holding UIC to just one made field goal in its final eight attempts including a Flames scoring drought of over two minutes to close the game.

Inside the Game

• Stafford led four Beacons in double figures as DeAveiro (11), Edwards (10) and Sepp (10) joined him.
• Edwards posted the first double-double of his collegiate career with 10 points and 11 rebounds. This marked Valpo’s second double-double of the season and first since Jerome Palm’s 12 points and 10 rebounds on Nov. 17 at No. 23 Illinois.
• Sophomore Ola Ajiboye (Chicago, Ill. / Evanston Township [Central Michigan / Bosco Institute]) provided a boost on the boards, recording seven rebounds to go along with seven points.
• Sepp’s 10 points tied a season high for the freshman, while DeAveiro was in double figures for the third straight game, the first such stretch of the junior’s collegiate career. Sepp was a perfect 4-for-4 from the field.
• Valpo put together a strong effort on the glass, outrebounding UIC 44-33 including a 15-8 advantage in offensive caroms. This was Valpo’s biggest rebounding edge of the season and biggest since Feb. 11, 2023 vs. Illinois State (+11).
• The game featured eight ties and 18 lead changes.

Up Next

The Beacons (4-11, 0-4 MVC) will return home to host Southern Illinois on Wednesday night. The game tips off at 7 p.m. at the Athletics-Recreation Center with tickets available on ValpoAthletics.com/tickets.