Report: Valparaiso’s Alec Peters to miss rest of season with leg injury

A great career has come to a brutally unfair end.

Valparaiso’s Alec Peters will miss the rest of the season, according to the Post-Tribune’s Michael Osipoff. The senior had not played in the Crusaders’ last two games after being diagnosed with a stress reaction in his leg.

The news comes on the same day that Peters was named the Horizon League Player of the Year, and closes the book on a historic career.

Peters finishes as Valpo’s all-time leading scorer (2,348 points), surpassing the man that recruited him, Bryce Drew. He also finishes first in total rebounds (996), second in made three-pointers (289) and seventh in three-point percentage (41.6%).

Peters was a key part of three regular season title-winning teams. He also fueled the Crusaders’ run to the NIT championship game last season, with wins over Florida State, Saint Mary’s and BYU.

But it’s March, and the NIT isn’t what Valpo fans are dreaming of. Peters played in the 2014-15 NCAA Tournament, and his absence puts a massive dent in the Crusaders’ bid to return to that stage.

Matt Lottich talked about playing without his star after Valpo’s loss to Northern Kentucky on Feb. 26.

"We haven't been defending well," Lottich said. "Any time you're playing without Alec, you expect a dip in offense and maybe a dip in rebounding. But I did think we could make it tough for teams to score, and right now we're not executing at all on that end of the floor.

Second-seeded Valpo plays the winner of Detroit Mercy and Milwaukee on March 4. Fellow senior Shane Hammink (15.8 PPG, 4.1 RPG) will need to lead a surprising run in a tournament that now appears to favor top-seeded Oakland.