Mid-Con leading IUPUI erased a 22-point second half lead and stormed back to beat the Crusaders 87-82 in overtime Saturday night at the Athletics-Recreation Center. Valpo had a 20-point halftime lead but saw the Jaguars shoot 68.0% in the second half to force the extra period.

Ali Berdiel (Ponce, Puerto Rico/Andrean) scored the first two points of the second stanza, and Valpo's lead was still 21, 60-39, with 11:58 to go. But from there, the Jaguars took over, going on a 15-4 run to close within 10 with 6:48 to go. Two minutes later, the lead was five on Maushae Byles' second three-pointer of the second half.

With 4:02 left, Dan Oppland (Saint Louis, Mo./Whitfield) knocked down a jumper in the lane that appeared to ice the game, putting Valpo up 71-63. But that would be Valpo's last field goal in regulation, as IUPUI scored the next four points to get it down to 71-67. After Oppland split a pair of free throws, the Jaguars scored five more unanswered, tying the game at 72 on a George Hill layup with 42 seconds left. IUPUI had a chance to win the game in regulation, but Brandon Cole's jumper was off the mark and the game went to overtime.

In the extra period, the Jaguars made a killing from the free throw line, hitting 13-of-14 free throw attempts, and outscoring Valpo 15-10 despite making 1-of-3 field goals. Seth Colclasure's (Decatur, Ind./Bellmont) fifth three-pointer of the night got Valpo within 83-82 with 14 seconds left, but Jimmie Miles' (Country Club Hills, Ill./Rich Central) three-pointer with two seconds left was blocked, and Hill provided the final margin from the charity stripe.

IUPUI opened the game on a 7-0 run before the Crusaders blew back to score 17 of the next 20 points, and take a 17-10 lead with 11:23 to go. After the Jaguars trimmed it back to four, Valpo ratted off a 12-2 run to surge ahead 32-18 with 5:03 left in the half. Valpo's 45-point half was capped by a Colclasure three-pointer with 28 seconds left to make it 45-25 at the break. The Brown and Gold ended the first half on a 41-15 spurt.

Oppland, who scored 13 combined points in two meetings with the Jaguars last year, led the Crusader attack with 27 points and eight rebounds. The senior shot 12-of-17 from the field and had six of Valpo's ten points in the overtime. Mohamed Kone (Lyon, France/Jean Paul Sartre) had 13 points and 10 rebounds, his fifth double-double of the season, before fouling out two minutes into the overtime. Kone was one of three Crusaders to foul out, as the Brown and Gold committed 28 fouls to IUPUI's 18 and attempted 24 fewer foul shots than the visitors.

Colclasure and Berdiel joined Kone and Oppland in double-figures, with Colclasure hitting on 5-of-9 three-pointers and finishing with 15 points and four assists in a team-high 42 minutes. Berdiel had 11 points, five rebounds, four assists and three steals.

Valpo shot 42.3% in the second half and finished at 53.2% for the game. IUPUI finished at 48.1% from the field, including a 10-of-17 night from three-point range. The Crusaders hit 7-of-17 triples and out-rebounded the Jaguars 35-32. Valpo had 19 assists, but turned it over 19 times, while IUPUI committed only 13 turnovers.

Hill led the Jaguars (13-7, 8-1 Mid-Con) with 26 points on 12-of-16 free throws. Burks finished with 17 along with Brandon Cole, while Byles chipped in 12. Three Jaguars played at least 40 minutes, led by Hill who was one the court for the entire 45 minutes.

The Crusaders (11-8, 4-5 Mid-Con) have five days off before getting another shot to end their four-game losing streak. The Centenary Gents come to the Athletics-Recreation Center Thursday night for a 7:05 p.m. tip. Pregame coverage on the Valpo Sports Radio Network and online at www.valpo.edu/athletics begins at 6:50 p.m.

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