Two of the Missouri Valley Conference's hottest teams faced off on Saturday afternoon in Murray, Ky., and it was host Murray State that extended its winning streak to three as the Racers prevailed 58-47 to stop the Valparaiso University men's basketball team's three-game winning streak. Sophomore Cooper Schwieger (Overland Park, Kan. / Blue Valley Southwest [Link Year]) and senior Darius DeAveiro (Kanata, Ottawa, Canada / Orangeville Prep) paced the Beacons with 12 and 11 points, respectively.  
 
How It Happened

• The Racers raced out to the early lead by scoring the game's first seven points, and led by nine with 11:49 on the first-half clock as the Beacons had scored just four points – all by Tyler Schmidt (Valparaiso, Ind. / Victory Christian Academy [Olivet Nazarene]) – in the first eight minutes.
• That early lead for the hosts would not hold up for long, as Valpo roared back with nine straight points, a run capped by a DeAveiro triple with 8:39 on the clock to put the Beacons ahead 16-15.
• The lead was short-lived as Murray State scored the next six points to go up five at 21-16. Jefferson De La Cruz Monegro (LaSalle, Quebec, Canada / Orangeville Prep [Western Michigan]) drove to the basket and cut the lead to three at 21-18 with 3:09 left in the half, but Murray State scored the next five and it required a 3 by All Wright (Durango, Mexico / Link Year) in the final minute of the half to get Valpo back within five at 26-21 at the break.
• The Murray State lead fluctuated between five and eight for the first 10 minutes of the half before it finally reached nine midway through the second stanza. Valpo got stops in stretches but couldn't do enough on the offensive end to fully cut into the deficit.
• With 8:04 left in the second half, Murray State opened up its first double-figure lead, and the gap was 14 with four minutes to play. DeAveiro hit two 3s and Justus McNair (Joliet, Ill. / Joliet West) knocked one in from long range as Valpo heated up from distance down the final stretch, but it was too late to mount a rally as Murray State held on for the 11-point victory.

Inside the Game

• Valpo's first five conference games had each been decided by seven points or fewer prior to Saturday.
• The Beacons were outscored 18-2 at the free-throw line in a game that marked just their third time in 17 games shooting at a lower free-throw percentage than the opponent. Valpo made just two free throws after making 32 in the previous game and averaging 19.1 makes at the stripe per game this season. Schwieger's streak of 23 consecutive made free throws came to an end. The team's two made free throws and three attempted free throws were both season lows.
• Schwieger scored in double figures for the eighth straight games. He was 6-of-11 from the field and also pulled down seven rebounds, his ninth game with at least seven this year including his second straight.
• DeAveiro's 11 points represented his third straight game with at least seven points and his third time this season in double figures. He has scored in double figures twice in his last three games. The senior point guard tied a season high with three made 3s.
• McNair had five points and five rebounds off the bench, logging 16 minutes, his highest total in league play.
• This marked Valpo's first loss since holding the opponent to 58 points or fewer since Feb. 26, 2021 vs. Indiana State.

Up Next
Valpo (10-7, 3-3 MVC) will continue the road swing by traveling to Nashville on Sunday in advance of Tuesday's 6:30 p.m. game at Belmont. The game will air on ESPN+.