VALPARAISO, Ind. — Jefferson Monegro led the charge for the Beacons, scoring 20 points in their 80-73 win against Northern Iowa on Saturday evening.
Monegro also contributed five rebounds in the effort, helping Valparaiso improve to a record of 9-6 overall and 2-2 in the Missouri Valley Conference. Tyler Schmidt made a solid impact, adding 15 points along with five rebounds and three steals, while Cooper Schwieger was effective, sinking all seven of his free throws to finish with 13 points.

On the other side, Tytan Anderson stood out for the Panthers, notching 27 points and securing nine rebounds, making him the top performer for Northern Iowa, which recorded a similar overall record of 9-6 and held a conference record of 3-1. Max Weisbrod and Leon Bond III added additional contributions, with Weisbrod scoring 10 points and Bond finishing with nine points and two blocked shots.

Valparaiso gained the upper hand with just under 15 minutes left in the first half and maintained their lead throughout the game. They entered halftime ahead at 43-36, with Monegro making his mark by scoring nine points by that point. In the second half, the Beacons seized control, launching a 7-0 scoring streak to extend their advantage to 14 points, bringing the score to 53-39 with 15:44 remaining in the game. The Beacons ultimately secured the victory, capping off a strong performance.