December 07, 20231st2nd3rd4thFinal
Ind.-Northwest1316181360
Valparaiso1117221565
Stats at a GlanceIUNWVALPO
FG Percentage.414 (24-58) .410 (25-61)
3P FG Percentage.250 (3-12) .227 (5-22)
FT Percentage.600 (9-15) .333 (10-30)
Offensive Rebounds815
Defensive Rebounds3128
Total Rebounds3943
Turnovers1713
Steals78
Bench Points2810
LeadersIUNWVALPO
PointsCarrothers - 17
Interrante - 15
Jackson - 15
ReboundsJackson - 10
Interrante - 12
AssistsCarrothers - 3
Jackson - 5
StealsBest - 2
Carrothers - 2
Raye-Redmond - 4
BlocksMartin - 1
Carrothers - 1
Earnest - 1
BoxscorePlay-by-Play1st Half2nd Half
Women’s Basketball Picks Up Exhibition Win Over IU Northwest
Thursday, December 7, 2023
Women’s Basketball Picks Up Exhibition Win Over IU Northwest
Ava Interrante had 15 points and 12 rebounds on Thursday night.

The Valpo women’s basketball team returned home to the ARC for the first time in nearly three weeks on Thursday evening, taking down IU Northwest in exhibition action, 65-60.

How It Happened

  • IU Northwest jumped out to an 11-3 lead 5:32 into the opening period. The Beacons countered with an 8-2 run over the remainder of the first quarter — including 3-pointers from Emma Tecca (Tallmadge, Ohio/Archbishop Hoban [Akron]) and Ava Interrante (McHenry, Ill./McHenry) — to close to within 13-11 at the end of the quarter.
  • Valpo outscored the RedHawks 12-4 over the first four-plus minutes of the second quarter, including six more points for Interrante, to pull out to a 23-17 lead.
  • IU Northwest came back to outscore the Beacons 12-5 in the final five-plus minutes of the period, taking a one-point lead at intermission, 29-28.
  • Valpo scored on six of its first seven possessions of the second half, led by six points from Leah Earnest (Stevens Point, Wis./SPASH) and a pair of fast-break baskets for Nevaeh Jackson (Fort Wayne, Ind./Northrop), to take the lead for good as it extended the advantage to 40-31 with 6:47 to play in the period.
  • The Beacons’ lead was still eight inside the final minute of the quarter, but IU Northwest scored five points in the final 20 seconds of the period — including a buzzer-beating 3-pointer — to close to within 50-47 with 10 minutes to play.
  • An 8-2 spurt to start the final quarter, capped by another triple by Interrante, pushed the Beacons’ lead out to 58-49 with 7:38 remaining.
  • Jackson converted a layup to beat the shot clock off a feed from twin Saniya Jackson (Fort Wayne, Ind./Northrop) with 2:36 to play as Valpo’s lead reached its apex at 62-52. IU Northwest scored the next five points, but the Beacons kept the RedHawks from closing the deficit any further the rest of the way.

Inside the Game

  • Interrante knocked down four 3-pointers en route to 15 points, tying for team-high honors. She also paced the Beacons on the glass with 12 rebounds.
  • Saniya Jackson went 6-of-11 from the floor to tie Interrante with a 15-point night. Jackson also handed out five assists while committing just one turnover and added a pair of steals as well.
  • All five Valpo starters contributed at least eight points to the scoring column. Olivia Brown (East Grand Rapids, Mich./East Grand Rapids [St. Bonaventure]) finished with nine points.
  • Nevaeh Jackson tallied eight points, four rebounds and three assists.
  • Earnest finished with eight points and hit the boards as well, grabbing 11 caroms.
  • Raeven Raye-Redmond (Trotwood, Ohio/Trotwood Madison) tallied four steals off the bench to lead the way as the Beacons forced 17 IU Northwest turnovers, which they converted into 21 points.
  • Valpo shot just 6-of-17 from inside the 3-point line in the first half, but flipped that into a 14-of-22 effort inside the arc in the second half.

Postgame Press Conference - Head Coach Mary Evans, Ava Interrante, Saniya Jackson

https://youtu.be/HqYv6VV1Bx8

Next Up

Valpo returns to regular season action on Saturday afternoon when it hosts Chicago State at 1 p.m. Come on out and be part of the Region’s biggest Christmas party!