The Valparaiso University men’s basketball team received a career-high 14 points from senior Jerome Palm (Almere, Netherlands / Echnaton [Hillsborough CC]) and junior Isaiah Stafford (Bolingbrook, Ill. / Crispus Attucks [John A. Logan / Southern Indiana]) enjoyed another big day with 23 points, but visiting Indiana State prevailed 83-64 on Wednesday night at the Athletics-Recreation Center. This marked a step forward from the team’s visit to Terre Haute earlier this month as this time Valpo trailed by only three midway through the second half.
How It Happened
- The game was played within one possession early but Indiana State used a 7-0 run to go ahead 19-10 at the 12:21 mark. Julian Larry hit a 3 to make it a double-figure Sycamore lead with 11:03 on the first-half clock.
- Valpo responded by scoring the game’s next seven points, including a hook shot by Palm that cut the lead to 22-19 with 9:49 left in the half.
- Valpo shrunk the lead to three when Darius DeAveiro (Kanata, Ottawa, Canada / Orangeville Prep) made a jumper at the 6:40 mark. The Beacons got even thanks to a fastbreak dunk by Palm that tied the game at 27 with 5:54 left in the half.
- Two 3s were knocked down by Sherman Weatherspoon IV (Bowie, Md. / Bethesda-Chevy Chase [Golden State Prep]) late in the half, the second of which made it a three-point game with 2:16 left before the break. The Sycamores scored the final five points of the half to make it 45-37 at the intermission.
- The second half started with a Stafford burst in which he scored the team’s first 11 points of the half. The deficit was down to three at 55-52 with 12:50 to play after Cooper Schwieger (Overland Park, Kan. / Blue Valley Southwest [Link Year]) made a pair of free throws. It was a three-point game with 11:12 to play after a Palm dunk to make it 59-56.
- A 14-1 burst boosted the Indiana State lead to 16 at 73-57 with 5:07 left. The Sycamores built the lead as high as 21 and led by 19 when the final horn sounded.
Inside the Game
- Palm’s 14 points eclipsed his previous personal best of 12, which came on Nov. 17 of this season at No. 23 Illinois. His two highest scoring outputs have come against teams that were nationally ranked at some point this year. Palm went 7-of-11 from the field on Wednesday.
- Weatherspoon IV knocked down four of his five field-goal attempts including 3-of-4 from 3, totaling 11 points. This marked his third double-figure scoring output of the season, his first in conference play and his first since Dec. 19 vs. Samford.
- Stafford’s 23 points came on 9-of-18 shooting and 5-of-7 from the foul line. He has surpassed 20 points in three straight games. Stafford scored 19 of his points after halftime.
- Schwieger battled foul trouble, the third time in the last four games that he’s either fouled out or finished with four. He’s had at least four fouls in five of his last eight games.
- The 3-point arc was not friendly to either team after halftime as the two teams went a combined 0-for-15 from long range after the break.
- DeAveiro gave out four assists, lifting his career total to 271 and surpassing Daniel Sackey (2018-2021, 269) for 19th in program history.
- Valpo won the turnover battle 14-11, the team’s eighth straight outing in which it has been even or ahead in turnovers.
Postgame Press Conference
Click here for postgame press conference.
Up Next
The Beacons (6-22, 2-15 MVC) will hit the road for the next two games including a visit to Murray State on Saturday for a 3 p.m. tip time from Murray, Ky.
