VALPARAISO (3-2, 0-0 Mid-Con) at BALL STATE (5-0, 0-0 MAC)

WHAT: State Farm Hoosier State Classic.

WHEN: Sunday, December 4, 2005, 3:30 p.m. CST.

WHERE: John E. Worthen Arena (11,500), Muncie, Ind.

RADIO: WVUR (95.1-FM-Valparaiso) and on the internet at www.valpo.edu/athletics. Joey Favata and Andrew Hansen will call all of the action.

TV: None.

THE COACHES: Valparaiso is led by Keith Freeman, who is in his 18th season of coaching, and 12th with the Crusaders. He is 325-177 overall and 196-130 at Valpo. Ball State is led by Tracy Roller, who is 79-47 in her 5th season overall and with the Cardinals.

SERIES RECORD: Ball State leads the overall series with the Crusaders 5-3. Valpo has won the last three meetings between the two schools, including a WNIT game in Muncie in 2002. The Cardinals and Crusaders have split four meetings 2-2 in Muncie.

LAST MEETING: Valparaiso defeated Ball State 88-82 on December 7, 2002 at the Hoosier State Classic held at Butler in Indianapolis, Ind.

Valparaiso will look for its first victory on an opponent's home floor Sunday afternoon as the Crusaders travel to Muncie, Ind. for the State Farm Hoosier Classic to take on undefeated Ball State. Valpo is coming off of a 57-51 victory over Northwestern on Wednesday night at the Athletics-Recreation Center.

MYERS EARNS MID-CON HONOR: Carrie Myers has been named the Mid-Continent Conference co-Player of the Week after averaging 19.5 points and 5.5 rebounds per game at the Xavier Invitational. She scored 23 points in the win against Kent State while grabbing a career-high eight rebounds. Myers added 16 points in the loss to Xavier.

WHO MADE THIS SCHEDULE?: Ball State is the sixth straight team that the Crusaders are facing that have a winning record at the time of competition. Valpo's next three opponents (Ball State, Central Michigan and Purdue) are a combined 12-1. Valpo is currently 42nd in the RPI according to collegerpi.com.

MYERS IS A SCORING MACHINE: Carrie Myers has tallied double-figures in each of the last four games for the Crusaders after scoring 11 points against Northwestern and is now averaging 13.8 points per contest.

BRAUN IS DOUBLE-TROUBLE: Tamra Braun posted her 11th career double-double on Wednesday in the Crusaders' win against Northwestern. She posted a season-high 18 points and grabbed ten rebounds.

RIETEMA JUST MISSES A DOUBLE-DOUBLE: Betsy Rietema just missed a double-double with 12 points and nine boards against Northwestern. It is the third time this season she has been within two rebounds of a double-double.

VALPO AND THE HOOSIER CLASSIC: Valpo is 4-1 all-time at the Hoosier Classic, having won the last four years. Last season, Valpo posted a 61-51 overtime win against Butler. This is the first time in the classic's history Valpo will be the true road team.

BALL STATE NOTES: Ball State enters the Hoosier State Classic on a high note having won its first five contests of the season after posting a 65-61 victory over Illinois State at home on Wednesday evening. The 5-0 start is the best in Cardinal history.

This will be the fifth home game of the season for the Cardinals and the final appearance at Worthen Arena until January 11 as Ball State heads out onto the road for six straight games.

The Cardinals have four players averaging in double figures on the season. Julie DeMuth leads the team in scoring and rebounding, averaging a double-double with 14.4 points and 10.0 boards per night. Krista Stewart, who is shooting 52.3% from the floor, has added 12.2 points per game.

Tina Bolte adds 11.0 points per contest while Porchia Green has chipped in 10.5 points while playing in just two games.

Ball State was selected to finish third in the Mid-American Conference's West Division in the preseason poll.