CHICAGO (Interstat) — Valparaiso held off Illinois-Chicago 71-67 in a Missouri Valley Conference men’s basketball game Saturday at UIC Pavilion. The Beacons led 31-29 at halftime and maintained a narrow advantage throughout the second half before a crowd of 2,247. Valparaiso’s efficiency proved decisive, posting an offensive rating of 111.2. The Beacons made eight 3-pointers and 19 free throws, while the Flames hit only four from beyond the arc and 11 from the line. Rashund Washington led Illinois-Chicago with 13 points and 12 rebounds. Elijah Crawford scored a game-high 22 points for the Flames. Sader Servilus came off the bench to lead Valparaiso with 13 points. Both teams are now 16-13 overall. Valparaiso swept the season series, having also won on Jan. 4.

CHICAGO (Interstat) — In a game defined by a decisive opening salvo and a tense, foul-filled finish, the Valparaiso Beacons held off a furious second-half rally by the Illinois-Chicago Flames to secure a 71-67 victory in Missouri Valley Conference men’s basketball on Saturday afternoon at UIC Pavilion. The most critical phase of the contest was its beginning. Valparaiso erupted with a stunning 15-0 run to start the game, capitalizing on a flurry of early UIC mistakes. The Flames committed turnovers on three of their first four possessions, which the Beacons swiftly converted into points. JT Pettigrew opened the scoring with a jumper, Rakim Chaney followed with a three-pointer, and after another UIC turnover, Chaney buried another three, forcing a Flames timeout just over three minutes into the game with Valparaiso leading 8-0. The onslaught continued out of the timeout. Owen Dease hit a three-pointer, and Pettigrew added a tip-in to push the lead to 13-0 before UIC’s Abdul Momoh finally got the Flames on the board with a layup at the 16:36 mark. The early cushion proved vital, as Valparaiso never relinquished the lead, though Illinois-Chicago spent the remaining 36 minutes chipping away at it. Valparaiso led 31-29 at halftime, but the Flames, powered by the interior duo of Rashund Washington and Abdul Momoh and the scoring of Elijah Crawford, consistently threatened in the second half. UIC cut the deficit to a single possession on multiple occasions, using a 42-22 advantage in points in the paint to bully their way back. The final minute encapsulated the game’s frantic nature. With Valparaiso clinging to a 65-63 lead, UIC’s Elijah Crawford drove for a potential tying layup but missed. Washington, however, was there for the tip-in with 32 seconds left, knotting the score at 65 and setting up a dramatic finish. On the ensuing possession, Valparaiso’s Rakim Chaney was fouled and calmly sank both free throws with 23 seconds remaining to put the Beacons back up 67-65. Crawford then drew a foul on the other end and made both of his free throws to tie it again at 67 with eight seconds left. The final sequence belonged to Chaney. The guard from Rockford, Illinois, was fouled with seven seconds on the clock. He made the first free throw to break the tie, and after an Illinois-Chicago timeout meant to ice him, he swished the second for a 69-67 lead. UIC’s last chance, a rushed three-point attempt by Crawford, was off the mark, and Valparaiso’s Sader Servilus secured the defensive rebound. Servilus was fouled and made two final free throws with less than a second left to seal the four-point margin. Chaney finished with 12 points and seven rebounds, but his clutch performance at the line was paramount. The Beacons were led by a balanced scoring effort, with Sader Servilus contributing 13 points off the bench, and Pettigrew and Justus McNair each adding 11. Valparaiso won despite being outshot from the field, as UIC made 26 of 56 attempts compared to Valparaiso’s 22 of 56. The difference came from beyond the arc and at the free-throw line. The Beacons hit eight three-pointers to UIC’s four and made 19 of 25 free throws, while the Flames converted just 11 of 18. Illinois-Chicago was led by a standout double-double from Rashund Washington of Dublin, Georgia, who posted 13 points and 12 rebounds. Elijah Crawford from Augusta, Georgia, led all scorers with 22 points, and Abdul Momoh of Carteret, New Jersey, recorded a double-double with 10 points and 10 rebounds. The victory improved Valparaiso to 16-13 overall and evened the season series after UIC’s win earlier in the year. Illinois-Chicago also moved to 16-13. An announced crowd of 2,247 watched the Beacons snap a two-game road losing streak and hand the Flames a rare home loss in conference play. Valparaiso’s early explosion and its composure in the final 30 seconds, executing under pressure at the free-throw line, were the defining elements of a game that saw 11 lead changes and six ties after the initial run. The Beacons’ ability to withstand UIC’s persistent interior attack and counter with timely perimeter shooting and free throws provided the narrow margin for victory in a pivotal late-season conference matchup.

Preview: Valparaiso Beacons at Illinois-Chicago Flames CHICAGO (Interstat) — A pivotal Missouri Valley Conference matchup with postseason implications is set for Saturday when the Illinois-Chicago Flames host the Valparaiso Beacons at UIC Pavilion. Both teams enter with momentum and nearly identical records. The Flames (16-12) are riding a three-game winning streak, most recently an 84-46 road rout of Evansville on Wednesday. The Beacons (15-13) have won two straight and four of their last six, including a 79-72 victory over Bradley on Wednesday. The game features a compelling head-to-head narrative. Valparaiso won the season’s first meeting, 66-59, at home on Jan. 4. Saturday provides the Flames an opportunity to level the series on their home court. A key matchup will be Valparaiso’s high-scoring JT Pettigrew against a stout Illinois-Chicago defense. Pettigrew is averaging 18.1 points over his last seven games, including a 22-point performance against Bradley. His versatility was on full display in a Feb. 15 win over Indiana State, where he posted 14 points, eight rebounds and six assists. Illinois-Chicago will counter with guard Andy Johnson, who is coming off a 17-point effort in 21 minutes against Evansville. The Flames have shown balance, with Elijah Crawford recording a double-double (10 points, 10 assists) in that same game. Valparaiso has shown resilience in close games, with three overtime victories in conference play this season. Illinois-Chicago has relied on defensive pressure, holding opponents under 70 points in five of their last six wins. The outcome will impact seeding for the upcoming Missouri Valley Conference tournament. Valparaiso visits Evansville on Feb. 28, while Illinois-Chicago hosts Bradley on Tuesday before traveling to Indiana State on March 1. Tipoff is scheduled for 7 p.m. CST at UIC Pavilion.