Tuesday Is Showdown Night

(St. Louis, MO) – It is a pivotal night in the Missouri Valley Conference race. Tuesday is showdown night. First place Valparaiso travels to Chicago for a game with second place and defending champion Loyola. The two former Horizon League rivals are battling for the Valley’s top spot.

A win by Valpo gives them a two-game lead in the race while a Loyola victory would tie the race and give the Ramblers the tie-breaker edge over the Crusaders.

Let’s look at the matchups.

In the Post

This might be the most interesting of this game’s showdowns. Reigning ‘Freshman of the Year’  and preseason all conference center Cameron Krutwig will battle Valpo’s two seven-footers. Derrik Smits and Jaume Sorolla bring different styles and a tag-team combination that will challenge the Loyola lefty.

Krutwig averages 13.4 points and 7.4 rebounds while playing 26.4 minutes per game. Smits and Sorolla combine to score 16.3 points and 9.7 rebounds in 38.2 minutes per game. How Krutwig holds up against that rotation will be a key to the outcome of this game.

On the Wings

Freshman Javon Freeman has emerged as a Crusader offensive leader. With the injury to leading scorer Ryan Fazekas, the Chicago-Whitney Young graduate native has stepped up his offensive game. He scored 17 points in the game when Fazekas went out and followed up an 11-point performance. He’s made 11 of 17 shots since the Fazekas injury.

Junior Markus Golder is one of four Crusaders averaging double figures in scoring (10.2) and is building a reputation for hitting big shots. His half-court heave defeated Illinois State in the league opener. The 6’6 junior is also contributing 4.1 rebounds per game

Returning from injury is Loyola wing Lucas Williamson. After missing eight games with a hand injury the Chicago-Whitney Young graduate is working his way back in to ‘game shape’, but the 6’4 sophomore can be a difference-maker. He is joined at the wing by the athletic Aher Uguak who has been dynamic (19 points against Indiana State) and MIA. He has scored a combined eight points in Loyola’s last three games.

Three Guards

Reigning ‘Player of the Year’ Clayton Custer has taken a back seat to teammate Marques Townes this season. Townes leads the Ramblers in scoring (14.3 ppg) and in assists (3.8) and has become their ‘go to’ offensive weapon. Custer’s assists are down and his turnovers are up from last season. He is still scoring 13.9 points.

Finding that third guard has been a problem. Ben Richardson was a stabilizing factor and a great defender with the knack for making big shots. Bruno Skokna, Cooper Kaifes and Isaiah Bujdoso all man that spot at times, but the Ramblers lack production from that spot.

Valparaiso’s guard rotation contains players with roles. Deion Lavender is a distributor, Daniel Sackey a defender and Bakari Evelyn a ‘Swiss-army-knife’. UAB transfer Lavendar is a box score stuffer. He averages 7.9 points, 4.8 rebounds and 5.1 assists, but isn’t a threat from deep.

Eveland has struggled offensively during league play. At first he was deferring to the emerging Fazekas in so doing he has seemed to ‘settle’ for three point shots. In league action the 6’2 junior has made eight of 20 from long distance and just one of eight from inside the arc.

Sackey has become a fixture on the defensive end.

Fazekas Factor

As we write this, there is no indication on the availability of Fazekas. He sprained his ankle during Valpo’s win over Bradley. The Providence transfer was playing his best basketball when he went down, averaging 17 points per game in the previous three contests. Valpo’s leading scorer has been listed as ‘day-to-day’ by head coach Matt Lottich. He did not play in Valpo’s Saturday victory at Southern Illinois.

Home Court Advantage

This first of two matchups will be played in Loyola’s Gentile Arena. Those crowds are growing and growing in intensity. Tuesday is showdown night and it is what college basketball is all about.

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