Valley ends HAAC slump

The Missouri Valley College men's basketball team took an eight-point lead into halftime and made it hold up the rest of the way Saturday for an 81-67 Heart of America Conference home win over Baker.

The victory ended a six-game losing streak in league play for the Vikings, who did a solid job of taking care of the ball with only six turnovers and a 44-27 control of the glass. Valley's 14-4 advantage in offensive rebounds gave it a 19-2 edge in second-chance points.

The Vikings used a 10-3 spurt midway through the first half to build an 11-point lead with 9:10 to go.

The closest the Wildcats would before the half was over was six points, a mere minute later, on senior Heath Baird's three-pointer.

However, Valley answered with a bomb by junior J.D. Devault and senior Craig Jones' lay-up.

Two Devault free throws and another by junior Patrick McDermott extended the margin to 14 points, but Baird would strike again from outside the narrow Baker's deficit at the break.

Baird began the second half with a perimeter jumper to make it 41-36 in favor of the Vikings, responding with nine straight points on two buckets by sophomore Josh Boswell, who then fed junior Rouven Haenig inside, and junior Roc Rogers' three.

The 'Cats would get to within eight points twice, and then to seven on a Baird trey with 4:40 left in the game, but Valley didn't give up big runs.

Boswell made one of two from the charity stripe and Jones connected from long range for the second time in the half to widen the gap to 11 points with 3:42 remaining.

A triple by Haenig in the final minute put an exclamation point on the Vikings' victory, ending a four-game skid.

Baird's five three-pointers accounted for all 15 of his points to lead Baker (5-12, 3-4 HAAC).

Five Valley players reached double figures, led by Haenig with 16 points and Rogers with 15 -- to go along with his game-high nine rebounds. Junior Bryant Porter dished out eight assists and came up with three steals for the Vikings (6-8, 2-6).

The Valley women lost their seventh straight conference game, Baker (8-9, 2-5) getting 13 points each from senior Lauren Shufelberger and sophomore Aubree Gustin for a 70-61 decision.

The Lady Vikings trailed by only two points at halftime, but the visitors made five three-pointers during the second half to compensate for an eight-for-18 performance from the free-throw line which allowed Valley to stay close.

Junior Jordanne Walker scored 15 points and dealt seven assists and senior Ashley Sequeira had 14 points and seven rebounds for the Lady Vikings (2-16, 1-7).