The Basics
Final: (RV) Evangel 95, Missouri Valley 73 | Final Stats
Records: Evangel (19-7, 12-5); Missouri Valley (13-13, 5-11)
Site: Burns Athletic Center

MARSHALL, Mo. – Evangel turned in another big second-half performance to overcome a stiff challenge from Missouri Valley Saturday afternoon, as Josh Pritchett scored 16 of his game-high 25 points in the second period to lead the Valor to a 95-73 victory at the Burns Athletic Center.

Pritchett finished the day 9-of-16 from the floor to go along with six rebounds and six assists to lead a potent Valor offense that featured four different players who scored 15 points or more. Cade Coffman and Stephen Salvi each added 19-point performances, while Manrique Alvarado tallied 15 points and six assists for EU, which closed the game on a 54-27 run to pull away with its fourth-straight victory.

With the win, the Valor maintained its two-game lead in the Heart Conference South Division standings with just two regular-season games left on the schedule.

Evangel, which has now rallied from second-half deficits to post victories in each of its last three games, overcame a strong start by the Vikings to take a two-point lead into the break, thanks in large part to a 10-0 run in the closing minutes of the half. MVC started the game with seven unanswered points, then built a 33-26 lead with just under five minutes left in the period.

Pritchett ignited the key EU run with a three-pointer at the 3:41 mark, before knocking down a jumper on the Valor's next trip down the court. Next, it was Coffman's turn to carry the offensive load, as the senior scored five-straight points of his own, including the go-ahead three with 2:22 to play.

But just as MVC started the game with a scoring run, the home club reeled off the first six points of the second half as well. Dwaine Simmons accounted for four of those points to stake the Vikings to a four-point lead, before Jonathan Hall's basket made it a 46-41 game with 16:41 remaining on the clock.

From there, it was all Evangel, as Salvi heated up from long range with a trio of three-pointers over a two-minute stretch to swing the tide in the Valor's favor. His second trey of the half with 11:09 left in the game gave EU a 58-56 lead that it would not relinquish.

Pritchett converted a three-point play to make it a five-point game, before Salvi delivered another critical triple with 10:23 to play to give Evangel a 64-56 cushion. After Salvi and MVC's Jace Lance traded baskets, Pritchett pushed the EU lead into double digits with a pair of free throws.

Evangel's decisive 25-5 run over a five-and-a-half minute stretch effectively sealed the outcome. Edriel Martinborough connected from beyond the arc, before Coffman's three-point play and buckets by Pritchett and Alvarado stretched the EU margin to 80-61 with just under six minutes to play.

The Valor, which shot 50-percent (32-of-64) from the floor and buried 11 three-point attempts, extended its lead to as many as 24 points in the closing minutes.

EU also matched a season high with 20 successful free-throw attempts and outscored MVC 28-6 in points off of turnovers. The Valor defense forced 20 Viking turnovers while EU committed just eight giveaways for the contest.

Coffman (1,627 points) moved into the Valor's all-time top 10 scoring list, passing Spud Harbour (1,618) and Tim Dial (1,620) to climb to the No. 9 position on EU's career chart.

LOOKING AHEAD
Evangel will embark on its final road trip of the regular season Wednesday (Feb. 16), when it takes on Grand View in a 7:30 p.m., Heart Conference contest in Des Moines.

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—#OneValor—