Valparaiso shot just 26.7% from the floor for the game and went
more 11:40 without a field goal in the first half, falling 62-47 to Detroit on Friday evening at the Athletics-Recreation Center.
Valpo made just 16-of-60
shots from the field, including just 4-of-18 (22.2%) from three-point range, on
the night. The Crusaders, the top free
throw shooting team in the Horizon League entering the evening’s play at nearly
75%, also shot just 68.8% (11-of-16) from the charity stripe.
“You have to give Detroit credit,” head
coach Keith Freeman said. “They are slightly bigger than us and they
contested shots. (Heather) Hatter
bothered us, getting all of our posts in foul trouble.”
Things started off strong for
the Brown and Gold, as Valpo raced out to a 13-3 just over eight minutes into
the game. The Crusader defense held the
Titans without a field goal for the first 9:11 of the game, as Detroit started 0-of-7
from the floor while committing seven turnovers, five coming on Valpo steals.
Launa Hochstetler (Berlin, Ohio/Hiland
H.S.) made a pair of three-pointers and Lauren
Kenney (Mooresville, Ind./Mooresville H.S.) added four points
inside.
“I thought we got off to a
good start,” Freeman added. “I think we
just lost confidence offensively.”
From there Valpo went cold,
not scoring again from the floor until Sylwia
Zabielewicz (Warsaw, Poland/Generala Wladyslawa Andersa
H.S.) converted on a lay-in in the paint with 1:11 to play before intermission.
A 14-3 run put Detroit on top for the
first time, 17-16, with 2:30 to play following a three-pointer by Lauren
Allen. The game remained tight the rest
of the half and the teams went into the locker room tied at 23.
Out of the break, the Titans
built a 30-25 lead in the first five minutes of the second stanza following a
triple by Chanica Hall. The Crusaders
answered with six straight points, taking a 31-30 lead on a three by Leah Hochstetler (Berlin, Ohio/Hiland
H.S.).
Detroit answered with a Hatter lay-up on the next possession
to start a 10-0 over the next two-and-a-half minutes and Valpo would not lead
again the rest of the way.
Valpo whittled the lead down
to three, 44-41, following a three-pointer by Aimee Litka (South Bend, Ind./Saint Joseph’s H.S.)
with 7:08 to play before Detroit
scored 10 straight points yet again to put the game out of reach.
Kenney led Valpo with her
third double-double as a Crusader, scoring 13 points and 10 rebounds, while
Launa Hochstetler added 12 points.
Brigid Mulroy and Hatter had
13 points to pace Detroit
(7-14, 3-7 Horizon League), while Hall added 11 points and eight assists. Sandi Brown grabbed a game-high 12 rebounds,
five on the offensive end, and had all eight of her points in the second half.
Detroit shot just 32.7% from the floor as a team as well, but
made 25-of-30 free throws (83.3%), including 16-of-17 (94.1%) in the second
half.
After committing just seven
turnovers in the first half, Valpo committed 10 in the second, leading to 11 Detroit points.
Valparaiso (10-10, 5-5) will remain at home on Sunday afternoon
for a 1:35 p.m. contest as the Crusaders welcome Wright State to the ARC. The game can be seen live on the Horizon
League Network and will also be carried live on WVUR (95.1-FM, Valparaiso).
Game Notes: Litka
moved into 19th place all-time at Valpo in scoring with 841 points,
passing Mo Drabicki (1994-1998) … she also tied Jamie Gutowski (2002-2006) for
fifth all-time with 151 career three-pointers… Gutowski was present at the game
… the all-time series is tied 4-4, with each school holding a 3-1 edge on the
other’s home court.
