Updated at 8:43 p.m., Saturday, December 23, 2006
Valparaiso over S.F. for 7th place in Rainbow Classic
Associated Press
Brandon McPherson scored 24 points on 6-of-9 shooting from the field to lead Valparaiso to a 64-59 win over San Francisco in the seventh-place game of the Rainbow Classic today.Shawn Huff added 14 points for the Crusaders (4-8) and Samuel Haanpaa, 13.
Armondo Surratt led San Francisco (4-10) — which lost to Hawai'i in the first round on Wednesday — with 23 points, and Antonio Kellogg added 19.
San Francisco's pressure defense late helped the Dons come back from a 15-point second-half deficit to pull to within two, 60-58, on a jumper by Jesse Byrd with 17.2 seconds remaining.
But Surratt was called for an intentional foul on the following inbounds play, and McPherson made four free throws in the final 16 seconds to secure the win for Valparaiso.
Three Valparaiso 3-pointers in less than a minute, two by McPherson, midway through the second half gave the Crusaders a 52-37 lead with 9:23 remaining. Valparaiso led 28-24 at the break.
Valparaiso out-rebounded San Francisco 38-25. The win snapped an eight-game losing streak for Valparaiso. San Francisco has lost six in a row.
