March 07, 20241st2ndFinal
Valparaiso223961
Belmont483886
Stats at a GlanceVALPOBEL
FG Percentage.275 (22-80) .524 (33-63)
3P FG Percentage.182 (6-33) .357 (10-28)
FT Percentage.647 (11-17) .588 (10-17)
Offensive Rebounds215
Defensive Rebounds2939
Total Rebounds5044
Turnovers1011
Steals109
Bench Points839
LeadersVALPOBEL
PointsStafford - 20
Dia - 22
ReboundsPalm - 14
Dia - 10
AssistsPalm - 2
DeAveiro - 2
Schwieger - 2
Stafford - 2
Davidson - 8
StealsStafford - 4
Rogers - 3
BlocksSchwieger - 3
Rogers - 2
BoxscorePlay-by-Play1st Half2nd Half
Valpo Falls to Belmont in MVC Tournament Opener
Thursday, March 7, 2024
Valpo Falls to Belmont in MVC Tournament Opener
Isaiah Stafford posted 20 points in Thursday's season finale.
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The Valparaiso University men’s basketball team saw its season come to an end on Thursday afternoon in the opening round of the State Farm Missouri Valley Conference Tournament at the Enterprise Center in St. Louis. Isaiah Stafford (Bolingbrook, Ill. / Crispus Attucks [John A. Logan / Southern Indiana]) scored a team-high 20 points, while Jerome Palm (Almere, The Netherlands / Echnaton [Hillsborough CC]) turned in a double-double in an 86-61 loss to Belmont.

How It Happened

  • Belmont scored the game’s first six points before a triple by Darius DeAveiro (Kanata, Ottawa, Canada / Orangeville Prep) cut the early lead to 6-3.
  • The Bruins used a 10-0 run to extend an 11-4 lead to 21-4 with 14:18 left in the opening half.
  • A traditional 3-point play was completed by Stafford at the 13:37 mark of the half.
  • Freshman Cooper Schwieger (Overland Park, Kan. / Blue Valley Southwest [Link Year]) got going with two baskets in succession late in the half.
  • Belmont’s lead peaked at 42 with 7:51 to play. Valpo finished the game on a 12-0 run with Schwieger and Stafford combining for 11 of those. Valpo outscored Belmont in the second half 39-38.

Inside the Game

  • Stafford scored 20 points, his fourth time in the last six games scoring 20 or more. He finished the season with 12 20-point performances. Stafford swiped four steals as well, tying a career high.
  • Schwieger crossed the 400-point threshold for the season on Thursday, becoming just the 26th Missouri Valley Conference freshman of all-time to score 400 points. He tallied 12 points on Thursday to finish his rookie campaign with 409.
  • DeAveiro finished the season with 170 assists, the third most in single-season program history. He finished the year with 290 career assists, moving up into a tie for 16th in program history on Thursday.
  • Palm closed out his senior season with his second double-double of the season, compiling 10 points and a career-high 14 rebounds. He outdid his previous career high of 12 achieved on Nov. 10 of this season vs. IUPUI.
  • Sepp had a solid day rebounding the ball as well, squeezing eight boards. This was his fourth game with eight or more rebounds this season including two of the last three games.  
  • Valpo outscored Belmont 17-2 on second-chance points in the second half and took that category 19-6 for the game.

Postgame Press Conference

Click here for postgame press conference.