Led by a big performance from point guard Nick Edwards (Atlanta, Ga. / Grayson [Glenville State]), the Valparaiso University men’s basketball team coasted to a 96-60 victory over Trinity Christian College on Tuesday night at the Athletics-Recreation Center. Edwards stuffed the stat sheet with 21 points, five rebounds, seven assists and three steals, while Ben Krikke (Edmonton, Alberta, Canada [Jasper Place]) poured in 20 points in just 19 minutes of action. All 13 Beacons who saw the floor scored.
How It Happened
- The Trolls got off to a strong start, jumping out to a 9-4 lead through four minutes. A pair of Krikke baskets later, the game was even at nine.
- The contest was a seesaw affair for the first 10 minutes and the Valpo lead was three at 24-21 with 9:26 left in the first half. The Beacons scored the next five including a 3 by Preston Ruedinger (Oshkosh, Wis. / Lourdes Academy) to open up an eight-point edge.
- Sixth-year senior Quinton Green (Columbus, Ohio / Homeschool [Cedarville]) connected from long distance at the 7:19 mark, then a Kobe King (La Crosse, Wis. / La Crosse Central [Wisconsin]) dunk lifted the lead to 34-23.
- The lead stretched to 13 when Connor Barrett (Chicago, Ill. / Lourdes Academy]) buried a 3 with 3:53 left in the half, and Valpo eventually went into the locker room up 50-32.
- One highlight of the second half was a monster dunk by Ibra Bayu (Flevoland, The Netherlands [Perkiomen]) despite being fouled at the 8:22 mark to extend the lead to 30.
- Another second-half highlight occurred at the 3:46 mark, when Joe Hedstrom (Hopkins, Minn. / Hopkins [Wisconsin]) tallied his first basket of the evening on a Bayu assist. Hedstrom finished through contact and eventually completed the 3-point play.
- A third highlight of Half 2 occurred at the 1:51 mark, when senior walk-on Luke Morrill (Lombard, Ill. / Montini Catholic) drilled a 3 to lift the lead to 94-57.
Inside the Game
- The 21 points by Edwards shattered his previous season best of 15 established on Nov. 16 at Chicago State.
- Edwards also achieved a season high in the assist department with seven. He had handed out six twice this season, most recently Nov. 27 vs. James Madison.
- The three steals were also an outright season high for Edwards.
- Edwards became the first Valpo player since at least 2010 with 20+ points, 5+ rebounds,7 + assists and 3+ steals in a game.
- Krikke had his fifth 20-point output of the season and his ninth double-figure scoring effort in 10 contests. He has scored 20+ points 14 times in his collegiate career. Krikke’s scoring came on an efficient 8-of-11 shooting.
- Krikke played in his 100th game in a Valpo uniform on Tuesday.
- King contributed 17 points and has been in double figures in all 10 games this season. He has scored 15+ points in eight of those 10 contests.
- Jerome Palm (Almere, Netherlands / Echnaton [Hillsbourough CC]) grabbed a team-high eight rebounds in 15 minutes, his fourth straight game with seven rebounds or more and his sixth time in nine games with 7+ boards.
- Valpo shot over 50 percent from the field and 43 percent from the 3-point arc en route to the season-high 96 points, the team’s highest point total in 364 days. Valpo scored 101 on Dec. 7, 2021 vs. East West.
Postgame Comments
Click here for postgame press conference.
Up Next
The Beacons (4-6) will make their way to Oxford, Miss. to take on Ole Miss on Saturday at 2 p.m. The game will be televised nationally on SEC Network.
