VALPARAISO (9-8, 2-2 Mid-Con) at IUPUI (7-10, 2-2 Mid-Con)

WHEN: Monday, January 27, 2003, 6 p.m. CST.

WHERE: IUPUI Gymnasium (2,000), Indianapolis, Ind.

RADIO: WVUR (95.1-FM), Valparaiso. Ed Schillinger will provide the play-by-play, with Andrew Stem 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 275-148 overall and 146-101 with Valpo. IUPUI is led by Kris Simpson, who is 89-117 in her 8th season overall and with the Jaguars.

SERIES RECORD: Valparaiso leads the overall series with IUPUI 10-3. The Crusaders have won the last two meetings with the Jaguars.

LAST SEASON: Valparaiso swept the season series from the Jags last season. The Crusaders won the first meeting 64-46 in Indianapolis behind 16 points each from Suzie Hammel and Marlous Nieuwveen. Tiffany Kyser led IUPUI with 19 points. In the rematch at the ARC, Valpo emerged as a 70-54 victor as Kathyrn Knoester tallied 17 points for the Brown and Gold. Kyser again led the Jaguars scoring 18 points.

The Valparaiso Crusaders will try to put Saturday's 53-46 loss to Oakland behind them as they travel to Indianapolis on Monday evening for a match-up with IUPUI.

BAUGHER NAMED MID-CON PLAYER OF THE WEEK: Meredith Baugher was named the Mid-Con Player of the Week after averaging 14.5 points and 10.0 rebounds last week. The sophomore recorded her first collegiate double-double against Chicago State with career highs in scoring (18) and rebounding (12). She added 11 points and eight boards in just 13 minutes against Southern Utah.

DE-FENSE, DE-FENSE, DE-FENSE: Valpo's defense has turned up the pressure on its opponents over the last six weeks. The Crusaders have played ten straight games in which they have not allowed opponents to reach the 60 point mark, and have allowed an average of just 50.6 points per game during the span beginning with the December 13 game against DePaul.

KNOCKING THEM DOWN: Jamie Gutowski maybe a freshman, but she is anything but a rookie at the free throw line. She ranks second in the conference from the charity stripe, making 84.8% of her tosses on the season. She leads Valpo in trips to the line and makes, converting on 39-of-46 attempts from the stripe.

SHARPSHOOTERS NEEDED: After shooting well from three-point range during the non-conference season (35%), the Crusaders have struggled shooting threes in Mid-Con play. Valpo is shooting just 15.6% (10-of-64) from long range over their last four games to open up conference play.

TAKING CARE OF THE BASKETBALL: The Crusaders are +5.4 in turnover margin on the season, in part due to the fact that the Brown and Gold are averaging just 15.9 giveaways per night. Valpo is forcing 21.3 turnovers from their opposition.

DOUBLE TROUBLE: Sophomore Jenna Stangler posted her first career double-double on Saturday afternoon against Oakland. The St. Michael, Minn. native tallied 13 points while grabbing a career-high 11 rebounds.

IUPUI NOTES: IUPUI enters the contest having dropped two-straight Mid-Con games after winning their previous four contests overall. The Jaguars fell to Western Illinois 72-49 on Saturday afternoon.

Tiffany Kyser leads IUPUI in both scoring and rebounding. The senior forward is the only Jag averaging in double-figures in scoring, tallying 17.4 points per night. She is also grabbing 8.2 boards per contest. She tallied 15 points and five rebounds against Western Illinois.

Freshman Brooke McAfee is second in the team in scoring knocking home 9.5 points per contest. She recorded a double-double, 13 points and 12 boards, in the loss to the Westerwinds.

The Jaguars averaged just 43 points per game in the two losses. IUPUI will begin a three-game road trip on Saturday heading to Chicago State.

DOWN THE ROAD: The Crusaders will return to the Athletics-Recreation Center on Saturday afternoon for a brief two-game homestand beginning with a 2:05 p.m. contest against UMKC. Valpo will then close out the first half of conference play on Monday, February 3 entertaining Oral Roberts in a 7:05 p.m. start. The Brown and Gold will begin the second half of Mid-Con action on February 8 at Western Illinois at 4 p.m.