Faith in the Freshman

Crusaders dominate Loyola for fourth Horizon League win

This article originally appeared in the Northwest Indiana Times.  View the original here.

PAUL JANKOWSKI
Times Correspondent | Posted: Saturday, February 14, 2009 12:00 am

VALPARAISO | After a three-week wait, Valparaiso finally came through Friday night to give coach Homer Drew his 600th career victory.

The Crusaders put together their most dominant performance of the season, drilling Loyola 71-47 before 3,196 at the Athletics-Recreation Center who chanted, “Homer, Homer,” as the final seconds ticked away.

“Six hundred is just a number,” Drew told the crowd after the game. “I’m just happy for these guys because we still have a chance to host a first-round conference tournament game.”

Valpo (7-18, 4-10 Horizon League) led from start to finish in ending a four-game losing streak. Sophomore Howard Little scored 17 points to lead the Crusaders, while Michael Rogers came through with a double-double of 12 points and 10 rebounds.

Senior Jake Diebler, who started his school-record 92nd consecutive game, had eight points, four rebounds and three assists. His consecutive minutes streak ended at 278 when Drew was able to take Diebler out with 1:41 remaining.

But that didn’t concern him. Helping Drew hit No. 600 did.

“I’m tired,” Diebler said. “But if we could have this kind of outcome I will sit the last three or four minutes of every game the rest of the way out.

“I knew this was coming before the season, and it’s been bugging me for a long time. There’s not a more deserving person than Coach Drew.”

The Crusaders had not won since upsetting Milwaukee 63-51 on Jan. 22. But you’d never know the way they played against the Ramblers.

Loyola (12-15, 4-11) is the one Horizon team that may be struggling more at this point of the season than Valpo, and has now lost six in a row.

Leading scorer J.R. Blount was held to just eight points on 4-for-11 shooting.

But after the Crusaders jumped out to a 33-19 halftime lead, Loyola made just one serious run in the second half. The Ramblers got within 10 at 51-41 with 8:19 remaining, but Valpo put together a quick 8-2 run highlighted by an Erik Buggs 3-pointer to put the game away.

Valpo’s biggest lead was 25 late in the game. And even walk-on Andrew Ferry contributed, scoring a career-high seven points which included five in the first half.

“Now I’d like to see us get on a roll,” said Drew, who is in his 32nd year of coaching and had several of his former Bethel players in attendance. “I was really happy for our team. It’s nice to have it over and done with.”