Monday, January 16, 2006

Valpo senior Dan Oppland (Saint Louis, Mo./Whitfield), coming off a career-night Saturday, has been named the Mid-Continent Conference's Men's Basketball Player of the Week, the league announced today.

Oppland capped a 3-0 week for the Crusaders with a career-high 35 points Saturday against Western Illinois. The senior made 13-of-16 shots, including 3-of-4 from three-point range, and pulled down six rebounds in Valpo's 82-68 win over the Leathernecks.

Monday night, in a critical Mid-Con tilt with preseason favorite Oral Roberts, Oppland posted his second double-double of the season with 23 points and 11 rebounds, pacing the Crusaders to an 80-60 victory at the Athletics-Recreation Center. Wednesday, Oppland played only 24 minutes but scored 13 points and pulled down seven boards as Valpo dropped IPFW 88-72.

The 6'8" forward also passed several milestones during the week, scoring the 1,500th point of his career in the first half on Saturday. Oppland also moved into sixth place on the all-time scoring list at Valpo, surpassing Harry Bell and Dick Jones. With 1,521 points and 660 career rebounds, Oppland is just 18 behind Bruce Lindner for fifth all-time in scoring and 21 rebounds shy of Jeff Simmons for sixth all-time.

Oppland, December's Mid-Con Male Athlete of the Month, is the first Crusader to earn Player of the Week honors from the league this season. It is the third time in his career Oppland has been so honored.

The Crusaders, on a six-game winning streak, continue a four-game road trip Thursday night at Chicago State. The game, scheduled to tip-off at 7:00 p.m., can be seen live throughout Chicagoland on WYIN 56 and on WHME, channel 46 in South Bend, Ind. All the action will also be carried live on the Valpo Sports Radio Network and online at www.valpo.edu/athletics.