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CONWAY, S.C. (AP) - Deion Lavender scored 15 points on 7-of-8 shooting to help Valparaiso beat Monmouth 64-53 on Friday night in the Myrtle Beach Invitational.
Lavender also had eight rebounds and five assists. Ryan Fazekas added 13 points, including three 3-pointers, and Javon Freeman scored 12 for Valpo (2-1).
Freeman, Fazekas and Markus Golder each hit a 3-pointer during 12-2 run that was capped by Lavender's layup and made it 18-8 midway through the first half. Deion Hammond hit a 3-pointer that trimmed Monmouth's deficit to seven points with 5:20 to go but Fazekas answered with a 3 and Derrik Smits and Fazekas made back-to-back jumpers before Golder added a 3-pointer that made it 61-44 with less than three minutes remaining.
Mustapha Traore led Monmouth (0-5) with 14 points on 7-of-7 shooting. The rest of the Hawks shot just 30 percent (14 of 46) from the field.
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