VALPO beats UWGB, back in the NCAA Tournament

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VALPARAISO—Going back to the NCAA Tournament, Valparaiso won the Horizon League with a 23-5 run in the final 11:30 to erase UW-Green Bay’s eight-point lead and win 54-44.Valpo has been one of the few opponents that two-time conference player of the year Keifer Sykes has not been able to dominate. Sykes finished with a team-high 14 points but shot the ball well below his normal percentage and has been held to a combined 11 for 45 from the field in all three matchups this season.The Crusaders retook the lead with a patented all-around effort from their deep rotation, but David Skara (team-high 12 points on 5-for-8 shooting off the bench) was the star for stepping up big moments while the regular season champs stormed back and took the lead.When the Phoenix fell behind, they turned to the 3-pointer to try and cut the deficit. The Phoenix are not a great 3-point shooting team, and it showed with a 2-for-15 showing. As Green Bay missed shots on one end, Valpo extended the lead by hitting free throws at the other (13 for 17 for the game). Riding a wave of momentum powered by the home crowd, Valpo closed out the win for its second NCAA tournament bid in three years.