VIDEO: Highlights | Postgame Press Conference

CLEVELAND, Ohio – Cleveland State rallied from a 14 point second half deficit, but it fell just short in a 56-53 loss to Valparaiso in the regular season finale on Friday night in the Wolstein Center.

The Vikings fell to 17-13 overall and finished league play with an 11-5 record. Valparaiso moved to 26-5 overall and clinched the outright Horizon League title with a 13-3 mark and will host the second round and semifinals of the league tournament next Friday and Saturday.

It was the first home loss in Horizon League play for the Vikings (7-1).

Trey Lewis scored 13 points with four rebounds, while Marlin Mason had 12 points and six rebounds. Andre Yates finished with 11 points, while Anton Grady grabbed a game-high 13 rebounds, one shy of his career-high.

Alec Peters led the Crusaders with 15 points, while Darien Walker added 13 points and eight rebounds.

Both teams struggled from the field in the opening 20 minutes as Valparaiso took a 23-17 lead into the locker room, closing the half on a 6-0 run over the final five minutes.

The Crusaders opened their largest lead of the night (40-26) with 9:24 to play on a Walker jumper, but eight straight points from CSU sliced the Valpo lead to six points (40-34) with six minutes to play.

But the Crusaders used three baskets in the paint to push the lead back to double figures (47-37) with 3:41 left. Back-to-back three-pointers from Yates and Mason pulled the Vikings within four (49-45) with 1:35 left, but Peters nailed a three-pointer from the corner and was fouled, completing the four-point play with a free throw that gave the Crusaders a 53-45 lead with 1:11 left.

The Vikings are back in action next week for the Horizon League tournament. The League will announce the bracket at the conclusion of the regular season which ends on Saturday with three games.