Box Score

Season Stats

KALAMAZOO ? Joe Reitz scored eight of his game-high 24 points in overtime to give Western Michigan the win over Valparaiso, 89-80, in an O'Reilly ESPNU BracketBusters game in front of 3,116 fans Saturday afternoon at University Arena.

The Broncos (12-14, 6-6 MAC) are now 2-2 in ESPN BracketBusters games and will return to Valparaiso (14-14, 7-5 Mid-Con) next year.

Reitz, who also added a game-high 10 rebounds giving him his seventh double-double of the season, scored the Broncos' first six points in overtime to jump out to an 81-78 lead. Valparaiso would not score again until there were only 11 seconds left on the clock. The Broncos were able to open overtime on a 12-3 run to quickly put the game out of reach.

The Broncos started off slow in the second half, with their first basket occurring 3:19 after the start. However, their defense was able to hold Valparaiso to only two points during the drought, keeping the Broncos within three, 47-44.

At the 13:27 mark, Samuel Haanpaa hit a free throw to give the Crusaders a six point lead, 55-49. The Broncos quickly responded with a Silver Laku three-point basket. After a Broncos' turnover, Andrew Hershberger stole the ball back and took it coast-to-coast for a layup bringing WMU back within one.

After a Reitz layup, Calum MacLeod threw an errant pass and it was stolen by Shawntes Gary, who was able to pass it to Michael Redell as he was falling out of bounds. Redell was able to find David Kool for an open three pointer, giving the Broncos their first lead since the 4:56 mark of the first half, 59-57. A pair of Gary free throws would extend the lead, 61-57.

Valparaiso would go on a 9-1 run to reclaim the lead from the Broncos, 72-65, with 3:38 to go.

The Broncos would hold Valparaiso to three points over the final 3:20 of the second half and go on a 10-3 run to tie the game at 75. Kool scored on an old-fashioned three-point play with 1:09 to knot the score at 75 and missed a jump shot at the buzzer that would have won the game.

The two teams were neck-and-neck in the first half until Derek Fracalossi went on an 8-2 run for the Broncos, pushing their lead to four, 30-26. The Crusaders countered back with a 10-1 run to give them a four-point lead, 38-34. Brandon McPherson was able to sink a diving lay up at the end of the half to put Valparaiso up, 45-42.

Fracalossi scored 11 of his 16 points in the first half, while Gary also scored 11 of his 19 in the first half. The Broncos shot 46 percent (11-24) from the field and 84 percent (16-19) from the charity stripe in the first half. Valparaiso's bench stepped up in the first half scoring 21 of its 45 points.

The Broncos tied a University Arena record with 36 free throws made, and Reitz set a personal career-best with 14 free throws made and 18 attempted. Kool also pitched in 16 points and a career-high four steals for the Broncos.

Urule Igbavboa led the Crusaders with 21 points and nine rebounds, while Samuel Haanpaa contributed 19 points off of the bench.

Western Michigan University will resume play on Thursday, Feb. 22 at 7 p.m., when they travel to Ypsilanti to take on in-state rival Eastern Michigan (10-16, 4-8 MAC).

QUOTES

Valparaiso head coach Homer Drew

(On the game) "I just saw a wonderful game. I thought it was a really good basketball game. Both teams played very intense, very hard and we were very proud of our team.

"In the overtime, we're 2-0 in overtime, we were kind of excited about getting in there, but you have to compliment Western and Joe just took over inside. He just had his way on the inside and a couple of key baskets. Western was really good. There defense in the overtime just made it difficult for us to pass and get a good look at the basket. Western really forced their will. Their physicalness and their size wore us down and we didn't execute. You have to credit Western."

WMU center Joe Reitz

(On the game) "Today we were going to win this ballgame. Across the board we really got out and defended in overtime and played with a lot of energy and that helped us get this win. The last four minutes of regulation and overtime, we really stepped us. Our toughness down the stretch was the key to the win."

(On his scoring) "The free throw shooting I've been shooting a lot of extra shots and Coach Bates has been helping me with my form and I got my confidence back. Offensively, I thought they didn't come and double me and our guards did a really good job of getting me the ball in a position to score. I felt confident making my moves and shots went in the net for me tonight."

WMU guard Shawntes Gary

(On shutting Valpo down in overtime) "We just needed to pick up our defensive intensity. We just wanted to come out and stay solid in overtime."

(On what the team takes from winning a nonconference game this late in the season) "We just wanted to come out and play hard and get our momentum back going into MAC play. Winning a close game like this is kind of what we needed. It's big for us to win this game."

(On making a University Arena record 36 free throws) "We were attacking a lot today either from penetration or getting the ball to Joe and they were having a tough time guarding him and we just stepped up and knocked the free throws down today and that's something we need to do in the future because we're going to get to the line a lot."

WMU head coach Steve Hawkins

(On the game) "I was as proud of this win as I've been of any other win this year because of the manner in which we had to win the game. To be down seven with about 3:40 to go and have to show some poise, show some composure, to get some quality possessions offensively and get some quality stops defensively. That showed a lot of moxie. That's something at points and times we've had, and points and times we haven't had this year. To get the win in the manner we got the win against a very solid basketball team in Valpo was something for me that I was very encouraged to see."

(Can you build on winning a nonconference game this late in the season) "I think it is something you can build on. There's an inner confidence that goes with being able to pull out games in tight situations. To be in tight situations and know that you are capable of doing it if you just concentrate on the possession at hand. Our focus was very good in that last three-and-a-half minutes and in overtime I thought we played great."

(On Joe Reitz' game) "The thing that I thought Joe did a great job of today was that he worked with a tremendous base. He's so used to getting hammered in there that he works off of pressure. Joe was almost leaning in expecting contact over the last couple of weeks and he would get himself off-balance. Today, he worked with a very solid base, good balance and played through the contact. If there wasn't contact he finished, if there was contact he was able to get to the free throw line. Balance was a huge key for Joe today. He just wasn't out of control with his body as much as he had the last couple of weeks with all the banging and all the abuse he had been taking.

"For any center having success, the guards are heavily involved. They got him the ball where he could do something with it and I thought we made some pretty good decisions."