Smits, Golder lift Valpo past UC Riverside 82-73
VALPARAISO, Ind. (AP) — Derrik Smits scored 18 points with six rebounds and Markus Golder scored 16 and Valparaiso beat UC Riverside 82-73 on Sunday.
Valparaiso (5-3) has won three of its last four and has scored at least 72 points in those games.
The Crusaders never trailed and used an early 15-5 run to make it 30-16 on Bakari Evelyn's 3-pointer with 6:47 before halftime. Valpo led 44-35 at the break. Menno Dijkstra and Ajani Kennedy made back-to-back 3s for UC Riverside (2-7) and reduced the Highlanders' deficit to 57-52 with 12:23 to play but couldn't get closer.
Ryan Fazekas scored 14 points for the Crusaders, Deion Lavender scored 12 with seven rebounds and seven assists and Evelyn 10.
Dikymbe Martin led the Highlanders with 21 points and Dragan Elkaz scored 12. UC Riverside has lost four of its last five games and is 0-5 on the road this season.
