Damian Eargle Scores 1000th Career Point in 73-64 Loss at Valparaiso

by YSU

Wednesday, Feb 27, 2013 11:47 am

Valparaiso, Ind. -- Senior Damian Eargle became the 34th Youngstown State men's basketball player to score 1,000 points in a career after scoring 12 in a 73-64 loss to Valparaiso on Tuesday evening at the Athletics Recreation Center.

Senior Blake Allen led the Penguins with a season-high 22 points. Junior DJ Cole added 15 points with six rebounds. Eargle also added six boards and three blocks against the Crusaders.

The Penguins fall to 16-13 overall and 7-8 in the Horizon League while the Crusaders clinched the No. 1 seed in the Horizon League Championship and improve to 23-7 overall and 12-3 in league play.

The Penguins, after shooting a blistering 58.6 percent in the first half (17-of-29), shot just 23.5 percent after halftime, making just eight field goals on 34 attempts.

Valparaiso used a 20-5 run to start the second half and shot 45.8 percent (11-of-24) after the intermission. Valpo grabbed the lead for good at 47-45 with just over 10 minutes remaining.

Eargle scored his 1,00th and 1,001st point at the 8:52 mark of the second half that got the Penguins within 53-47.

In the first half, the Guins' stingy defense forced six Crusaders turnovers that led to 10 points.

The Crusaders jumped out hot making their first two 3's and three of their first four shots to take a 10-4 lead. A jumper by Eargle, who had 10 points in the first half, and a 3-pointer by Kamren Belin got the Penguins within one, 13-12, at the 15:10 mark.

Layups by Eargle and Shawn Amiker gave the Penguins their first lead of the game 18-17, with 11:21 to go.

After the Crusaders tied the game at 18-18 on a made free throw, the Penguins used a 14-2 run over a five minute span to take a 10-point, 32-22 lead with 5:15 to go. Allen had a jumper and a 3-pointer and Cole drained a 3-pointer to spark the run.

The Penguins led by as many as 13, 39-26 after a three-point play by Allen at the 2:46 mark.

The Crusaders scored seven of the next eight points to cut the Penguins' advantage down to seven, 40-33, at the intermission.

Ryan Broekhoff scored 21 points and grabbed 10 rebounds while Kevin Van Wijk had 15 points and 14 boards. Will Bogan contributed 10 as well for Valpo.

The Penguins close out the regular season against Wright State, Saturday, March 2, at 2 p.m. in Dayton, Ohio.

No comments posted...