Box score
VALPARAISO, Ind.- UIndy's starting five all scored in double digits to down NCAA Division I Valparaiso, 88-83 in exhibition play at the Athletics-Recreation Center Sunday afternoon. UIndy got contributions from its newcomers, but it was
Larry Woods (Robbins, Ill./Shepard / Moraine Valley C.C.) that led the way for Indianapolis, leading all scorers in points and rebounds.
UIndy was held off the scoreboard until the 17:22 mark when
Ryan Sims (Fort Wayne, Ind./Fort Wayne Snider / Bowling Green State) drove the lane and was fouled. He converted on the conventional three-point play, part of his 11 points over the next three minutes as UIndy built a 17-9 lead.
Darius Adams (Decatur, Ill./MacArthur / Lincoln College) hit a three,
Nate Blank (Terre Haute, Ind./Terre Haute North / Gardner-Webb) dropped in a long triple and
Sergey Struck (Wabash, Ind./Southwood / Danville Area C.C.) victimized the Crusaders twice from deep as the Hounds connected on six of their first eight tries from downtown. A physical first half saw 25 personal fouls combined by both squads with UIndy's Blank and Parrish both collecting three fouls, but the Hounds went into the locker room at the break, up 42-35.
Struck hit a three from the left wing and then made a move on the baseline for another bucket, putting the Hound advantage in double digits.
Brian Johnson (Chicago, Ill./Marian Catholic) later went coast-to-coast and off-the-glass to give the Hounds their biggest lead at 60-44, forcing Valpo head coach Homer Drew to call a timeout.
Valparaiso used full-court pressure to help chip away at the Greyhound lead. After Woods scored on back-to-back possessions with power moves underneath, the Crusaders went to work on the deficit. Valpo whittled the lead all the way down to three with just under six minutes remaining.
The physical play continued with both teams scoring the bulk of their points form the charity stripe. UIndy went nearly five minutes without a field goal and playing defense with three players carrying four fouls for a good portion of the second half.
Struck hit a lefty hook in the paint to put it at 78-73. On the next Hounds possession, Woods hammered home the exclamation point with an emphatic two-handed dunk with 2:11 to play for a seven-point Greyhound advantage. Woods would foul out, but finished the night with game-highs in points (20) and rebounds (8).
UIndy had to fend-off a furious rally by the home team and Blank drew an offensive charge underneath the Valpo backet with 20 seconds left to help seal it. Struck iced it with a free throw make and a blocked shot at the
Indianapolis will finish-off its exhibition slate Saturday with a 2:05 p.m. tip at Indiana State.
Notes: The Greyhounds dressed 11 players for the contest with nine logging minutes (
Alec Dye (Indianapolis, Ind./Decatur Central) and
Wesley Smith (Greenwood, Ind./Greenwood Christian) did not play) ... Valparaiso was picked to finish eighth in the Horizon League Preseason poll.