IUPUI (3-14, 1-5 Mid-Con) at VALPARAISO (10-7, 4-2 Mid-Con)

WHEN: Monday, January 24, 2005, 5 p.m. CST.

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

RADIO: WVUR (95.1-FM) and on the internet at www.valpo.edu/athletics. Baron Brendel and Ken LaVicka will call all of the action.

TV: Tape Delay. Comcast Cablevision Local Access. Dick Harlan and Paul Curtis broadcasting. The game will air on January 27 at 7 p.m. and January 28 at 12 p.m.

THE COACHES: Valparaiso is led by Keith Freeman, who is in his 17th season of coaching, and 11th with the Crusaders. He is 314-172 overall and 185-125 at Valpo. IUPUI is led by Shann Hart, who is 130-109 in her 9th season overall and 3-14 in her first season with the Jaguars.

SERIES RECORD: Valparaiso leads the all-time series with IUPUI 15-3. The Crusaders hold a 9-1 advantage at the ARC and have won three straight at home.

LAST SEASON: The Crusaders won all three meetings against IUPUI. Valpo won 67-49 on January 6 at the ARC and 75-52 on January 19 in Indianapolis. The Brown and Gold then won 53-52 on March 6 in Kansas City, Mo. in the quarterfinals of the Mid-Continent Conference Tournament.

Valparaiso will look to rebound from a heartbreaking overtime loss at Western Illinois as the Crusaders host IUPUI on Monday evening. Valpo enters the game tied with Oakland for second place in the Mid-Continent Conference standings nearing the midway point in league play.

PLAYING DEFENSE IN LEAGUE PLAY: Valpo is allowing just 54.2 points per game since Mid-Continent Conference action began on January 3. In five of the six games, the Crusaders have held opponents below 60 points, including just 47 and 48 points respectively in contests against UMKC and Chicago State. Saturday against Western Illinois, Valpo allowed just 56 points even while playing overtime. Opponents are shooting just 36.6% from the floor against Valpo in conference play as well.

BOONE ON VERGE OF MID-CON ASSIST LIST: Katie Boone is just three assists shy of moving into tenth place in Mid-Continent Conference history in assists. The senior guard has dished out 409 helpers during her career, and is nearing Katie Wolfe's (Oakland, 1999-2003) total of 412.

CRUSADERS AMONG NATION'S BEST: The Crusaders' 13.0 turnovers per game through January 17 ranked as the third fewest in the country. Valpo is also tenth in fewest personal fouls committed at 13.5 per contest. Individually, Tamra Braun's 2.2 blocks per contest rank her 39th in rejections, while Jenna Stangler is 48th in free throw shooting, making 84.3% of her attempts from the line.

BAUGHER COMES OFF THE BENCH AND GRABS 11 BOARDS: Meredith Baugher grabbed a season-high 11 rebounds on Saturday night at Western Illinois. Coming off the bench and playing 33 minutes, the season was just one board shy of her career high.

BOONE AND BRAUN PROVIDE INSIDE OUTSIDE GAME: Guard Katie Boone has averaged 15.0 points, 8.0 rebounds, and 4.5 assists over the past two games. Meanwhile, inside, Tamra Braun has added 8.5 points, 8.5 rebounds, and 3.0 blocks over the same span.

IUPUI NOTES: IUPUI snapped a seven-game losing streak on Saturday evening as the Jaguars defeated Centenary 67-54 for their first Mid-Continent Conference victory of the season. The Jaguars are still looking for their first road win of the year, though, as IUPUI has started the season 0-8 away from IUPUI Gymnasium.

Karima Davies leads the Jaguars in scoring and rebounding averaging 12.7 points and 9.1 rebounds per game, but has missed the last five games. Kia Hayes has added 11.4 points per contest and has stepped it up in conference play, pouring in 14.0 points per league game.

Brooke McAfee is scoring 9.9 points per night, while adding 6.2 rebounds. She is fifth in the country averaging 3.9 blocks per contest. Jasmine Baines led IUPUI on Saturday night with 17 points and ten rebounds against the Ladies.

IUPUI will stay on the road on Saturday as the Jaguars head to Chicago State.