LEHIGH (1-6, 0-0 Patriot) at VALPARAISO (5-5, 0-0 Mid-Con)

WHEN: Sunday, December 29, 2002, 2:05 p.m. CST.

WHERE: Athletics-Recreation Center (5,000), Valparaiso, Ind.

RADIO: WVUR (95.1-FM), Valparaiso. Andrew Stem will provide the play-by-play, with Andy Viano adding the color commentary.

TV: None.

THE COACHES: Valparaiso is led by Keith Freeman, who is in his 15th season of coaching, and 9th with the Crusaders. He is 271-145 overall and 142-98 with Valpo. Lehigh is led by Sue Troyan, who is 96-105 in her 8th season overall and with the Mountain Hawks.

SERIES RECORD: This is the first meeting between Lehigh and Valparaiso.

The Valparaiso Crusaders look to close the 2002 calendar year with their third straight victory as they host Lehigh on Sunday afternoon at the Athletics-Recreation Center. Valpo is coming off of a 76-39 victory over Indiana Wesleyan.

RECORD SETTING NIGHT: Valparaiso tied a school record since becoming Division I with the 39 points allowed last Saturday night against Indiana Wesleyan. The Crusaders also allowed 39 points Prairie View A&M in the 1998-1999 season. Valpo has not given up fewer than 39 points since the 1985-1986 season when the Brown and Gold yielded just 34 to Manchester.

MORE DEFENSE: The Crusaders have not allowed more than 47 points in each of its last three contests.

GRAY SURPASSES 1,200/600: Jeanette Gray surpassed the 1,200 point plateau for her career last Friday evening with her 13 point effort against DePaul. She now has 1,215 career points. The senior then went over the 600 career rebound mark with her 14 boards at Loyola. Gray now has 608 rebounds while wearing the Brown and Gold.

BAUGHER HAS CAREER NIGHT: Meredith Baugher had a career day last Saturday against Indiana Wesleyan. Baugher tallied bests in both scoring (11 points) and rebounding (eight boards).

VANDER MEER HAS CAREER BEST ON THE GLASS: Dawn Vander Meer pulled down a career-best eight rebounds against Indiana Wesleyan, the second straight game she has set a career best on the glass.

SHOOTING FOR 100 STRAIGHT: Entering today's game, Valpo has made at least one three-pointer in 99 consecutive contests and look to make today the 100th straight with a triple. The last time the Crusaders failed to knock down a trey was Nov. 23, 1999 against Purdue. Valpo has hit at least one in 127 of its last 128 games.

VALPO IN 2002: The Crusaders end the 2002 calendar year looking for its 24th victory. Valpo is 23-8 in 2002 entering today's contest.

LEHIGH NOTES: Lehigh enters today's game looking to snap a four-game losing skid after falling to Loyola (Ill.) 60-56 in Chicago on Friday evening.

The Mountain Hawks committed 17 first half turnovers while falling behind 33-25 at intermission against the Ramblers, but rallied to tie the game in the second half. Loyola went on one more run to push the lead back to 11 and Lehigh could not respond. Dawn Gorynski led the Mountain Hawks with 12 points.

On the season, Lehigh has been led by Anne Tierney, the only Mountain Hawk averaging in double figures. She has poured in 10.1 points per outing while grabbing a team-high 6.0 rebounds per game. Jana Ransom is second in scoring for Lehigh with 8.7 points per game.

The Mountain Hawks utilize their bench as well, as only two players are averaging more than 23 minutes per game.

Following the game, Lehigh will travel to St. Francis (N.Y.) for a Thursday night contest.

DOWN THE ROAD: The Crusaders will take to the road for their final two non-conference games of the season. Valpo will begin the 2003 calendar year by travelling to Jacksonville for a 6 p.m. CST contest on January 3 before heading to Nashville, Tenn. to battle Lipscomb on January 6 in a 7 p.m. game. Valparaiso will open Mid-Continent Conference action at home on January 11 by hosting Western Illinois in a 2:05 p.m. contest.