Box Score
Box score (.pdf)
Post-game press conference  

DETROIT-- A layup by Erik Buggs as the buzzer sounded gave visiting Valparaiso (10-6, 3-1 Horizon League) a 73-71 win over Detroit (7-10, 1-4 HL) Friday night at Calihan Hall.  After senior Eli Holman gave the Titans a 71-69 lead with under a minute to play, Jay Harris hit a jumper with 26 seconds left to tie it and Buggs' coast-to-coast lay-in gave the Crusaders the win.

The final-seconds drama came after the Titans trailed by four with two-and-a-half to play.  Senior Chase Simon pumped in a triple from the top of the key then Holman got a block on the other end and converted on a layup on the ensuing possession to give Detroit a 68-67 advantage with 1:28 showing.

Ryan Broekhoff hit a jumper to reclaim the lead for Valpo, but Holman got his own rebound, scored and was fouled for the 13th lead change of the night.  His free throw put UDM up by two with 47 seconds remaining.  Following Harris' bucket to tie the score for the ninth time on the night, Simon drove the lane but was called for an offensive foul to return the ball back to Valpo with 4.7 seconds left and a chance to win.

Buggs took full advantage, driving the length of the floor and laying it off the glass as the horn sounded to provide the winning points.  

The second half was hotly contested both ways after an opening stanza that featured several long runs for both teams.  Valpo started on a 12-4 run, but Detroit immediately answered with a 16-1 spurt to grab a seven-point cushion.  That lead grew to as many as a dozen before the Crusaders scored ten of the final 11 points of the half to slice into the deficit and go into halftime trailing by just three, 35-32.  

The see-saw second half witnessed the lead change hands three times before the first media timeout.  Will Bogan connected on his sixth triple in seven tries early in the second period as Valpo led by five just over five minutes in.  

A key sequence came for Detroit when P.J. Boutte skied for an offensive rebound and dished to Holman for an easy deuce.  Back-to-back Jason Calliste three-pointers swung the tide back to the home team as Detroit held a 51-48 lead.

Neither team led by more than a possession until  Valpo scored six straight for a 64-58 margin with 4:29 to play.  From there, a conventional three-point play from Simon and a Donavan Foster layup helped closed the gap to two with under three minutes to go.  Detroit held its final advantage with 47 seconds left on Holman's second bucket in as many trips before Harris' tying jumper and Buggs' winner.

Sophomore Ray McCallum, on the strength of 15 first-half points, led the Detroit offense with 22 points with 11 of those coming from the line.  Holman finished the night 8-of-12 from the field for 17 points to go along with seven rebounds, two blocks and an assist.  Calliste chipped-in 14 for the Titans.

Bogan, who made his first five three-pointers en route to 19 first-half points, led all scorers with 23 points.  He was 7-for-8 from deep while his teammates combined to go 1-for-12 from distance.  Van Wijk added 17 points with 14 for Broekhoff.

Detroit battles back-to-back national finalist Butler Sunday in a 4:00 p.m. game broadcast live on ESPN3.com.