January 22, 20171st2ndFinal
UIC263965
Valparaiso504696
Stats at a GlanceUICVALPO
FG Percentage.328 (19-58) .542 (32-59)
3P FG Percentage.313 (5-16) .429 (6-14)
FT Percentage.710 (22-31) .867 (26-30)
Offensive Rebounds115
Defensive Rebounds2432
Total Rebounds3537
Turnovers169
Steals36
Bench Points2737
LeadersUICVALPO
PointsMATTHEWS - 12
FERGUSON - 12
PETERS - 30
ReboundsMATTHEWS - 5
FERGUSON - 5
BOAHEN - 5
PETERS - 10
AssistsFERGUSON - 6
HAMMINK - 5
StealsMATTHEWS - 1
FERGUSON - 1
ODIASE - 1
WALKER - 2
BlocksSANTOS - 1
ROBINSON - 1
SMITS - 3
BoxscorePlay-by-Play1st Half2nd Half
Peters Sets Career Scoring Mark; Valpo Takes Down UIC
Sunday, January 22, 2017
Peters Sets Career Scoring Mark; Valpo Takes Down UIC
Alec Peters is saluted by the Crusader fans immediately following his record-breaking basket.
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Valparaiso University senior Alec Peters (Washington, Ill./Washington) became the Crusaders’ career scoring leader with a basket 4:31 into Sunday afternoon’s game at the ARC against UIC, surpassing Bryce Drew’s record, and went on to finish with 30 points and 10 rebounds as Valpo rolled the Flames by a 96-65 final.

Peters entered Sunday with 2,136 career points, just six points shy of Drew’s record of 2,142 points, and wasted little time breaking the mark. The senior scored five points in the first three minutes, and then a little over a minute later, posted up on the left block and drop-stepped to the basket for a layup for the record-breaker.

How It Happened

  • The Crusaders never trailed on Sunday, as Peters scored on Valpo’s second possession and Valpo limited UIC to just one basket in the first three and a half minutes. Peters scored seven of Valpo’s first 11 points to help the Crusaders to the early lead.
  • Junior Max Joseph (Montreal, Quebec/Vanier College) capped an early 9-2 spurt with a 3-pointer to give the Crusaders an 18-9 lead seven minutes into the game. The lead would remain in the high single digits for the next few minutes.
  • Leading 22-16 as the clock ticked under nine minutes, senior Shane Hammink (Millingen aan de Rijn, Netherlands/Oakley College [LSU]) connected on a 3-pointer which sparked a big run late in the half. The Crusaders would out-score the Flames 22-2 over a stretch of five minutes to pull away to a 44-18 lead with less than four minutes remaining in the half.
  • Valpo went 7-of-8 from the field and 7-of-7 from the foul line, led by eight points from Hammink and six by Peters, during the run. Meanwhile, the Crusader defense forced five turnovers by the Flames and held UIC to 0-of-5 shooting over the same stretch.
  • The Crusaders took a 50-26 lead into the locker room at halftime after freshman Jaume Sorolla (Tortosa, Spain/Sunrise Christian [Kan.] Academy) capped an eight-point first half with a short jumper in the paint on Valpo’s final possession.
  • UIC scored the first six points of the second half, but the Crusaders responded with six points of their own in less than 30 seconds – a free throw from junior Tevonn Walker (Montreal, Quebec/Vanier College), a putback by Peters and a 3-pointer by junior Lexus Williams (Chicago, Ill./Marist).
  • The lead remained around either side of 25 points as the second half crept past the halfway mark, but one final Crusader spurt – a 12-3 run over a stretch of three minutes – pushed the advantage to 35 points with 6:39 to play and put the game away.

Inside the Game

  • Peters’ record-breaking point came on the 457th two-point basket of his career. Through the end of play today, the senior has made 438 free throws, 465 two-point baskets and 266 3-pointers for 2,166 career points.
  • Peters finished Sunday’s win with 30 points on 12-of-20 shooting from the field, his 10th career effort of at least 30 points and his second in the Crusaders’ last three games. He also finished with 10 rebounds, picking up his 13th double-double of the season.
  • After scoring exactly 23 points for his career high four times this season, Hammink finally set a new career best, as he hit a pair of free throws with 7:04 remaining to finish with a career-high 24 points. The senior went 7-of-13 from the field and a perfect 9-of-9 from the foul line, and handed out five assists as well to match his career best.
  • Sorolla also tied his career high, finishing with 12 points on 5-of-8 shooting while also pulling down six rebounds.
  • Joseph scored in double figures for the third time this year, chipping in 10 points and not missing a shot.
  • 11 Crusaders saw the floor in all on Sunday, with 10 of those players playing at least 10 minutes. 10 different Crusaders scored as well.
  • The Crusaders shot a season-best 54.2% (32-of-59) from the field and also continued their strong season at the foul line, going 26-of-30 (86.7%) at the charity stripe.
  • Valpo committed just nine turnovers while forcing 16 UIC miscues. The Crusaders enjoyed a significant 26-10 advantage in points off of turnovers.
  • UIC (11-9, 4-3 Horizon) shot just 32.8% from the field. Tarkus Ferguson and Dominique Matthews tied for team-high honors with 12 points apiece.

Next Up

The Crusaders (16-4, 6-1 Horizon) continue their four-game homestand next weekend as they host Wright State at the ARC Friday evening at 7 p.m. World-famous anthem singer Jim Cornelison will be singing the anthem prior to the game, while there will also be a special pregame ceremony honoring Peters for surpassing the career scoring and rebounding records. The game can be seen live on ESPN3, WatchESPN and the ESPN app, and as always, heard on the Valpo Sports Network (WVUR, 95.1 FM, Valparaiso; WVLP, 103.1 FM, Valparaiso). Links for the live coverage will be available via ValpoAthletics.com.