Valparaiso (1-0, 0-0 Horizon)
Game #2: Wednesday, November 14 - 7:05 p.m.
Purdue Calumet (1-3, 1-1 CCAC)
Athletics-Recreation Center (5,000)
Next Up in Crusader Basketball: Valparaiso closes out a brief two-game homestand to open the regular season on Wednesday evening as the Crusaders host Purdue Calumet at the ARC at 7:05 p.m. Valpo is attempting to improve to 2-0 on the season before hitting the road for the first time.
Last Time Out: The Valparaiso women's basketball team made sure head coach Tracey Dorow's debut on the Crusader sidelines would be one she would remember for a lifetime, as Valpo never trailed in defeating Big Ten foe Indiana 64-52 Friday evening at the Athletics-Recreation Center. Shaquira Scott led the way for Valpo with 17 points.
The Road Ahead: Valpo kicks off a four-game road trip with a pair of games in Indianapolis, starting off this Saturday, Nov. 17 game at IUPUI at 3:30 p.m. CT. The Crusaders then remain in the state capital to take on former league rival Butler Monday evening at 6 p.m. CT.
Following the Crusaders: Wednesday night’s game will be broadcast live on WVUR, 95.1 FM, Valparaiso. The game will also be video streamed online through the Horizon League Network. Links for the live audio and video, as well as live stats, will be available through www.valpoathletics.com
Head Coach Tracey Dorow: Tracey Dorow was named the seventh head women’s basketball coach in Crusader program history in April of 2012. Dorow arrived at Valpo after spending 14 seasons as the head coach at Ferris State University, guiding the Bulldogs to four NCAA Division II Tournament appearances, two Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (GLIAC) North Division championships, and four 20-win seasons. In her 14 seasons at Ferris State, Dorow compiled a 232-163 (.587) record, including a 23-7 mark in 2011-2012 while guiding the Bulldogs to the second round of the NCAA Tournament.
Series Notes: Wednesday marks the tenth meeting in the all-time series between the Peregrines and the Crusaders, a series PUC leads 5-4. But most of those meetings came in the mid-1980s, as the teams have met just once on the hardwood during the regular season since 1987. That matchup resulted in a 98-49 Crusader victory at the ARC on Dec. 9, 1999.
Scouting Purdue Calumet: The Peregrines went 23-10 last season, including 12-2 in CCAC play, and advanced to their conference championship game. This season, PUC is just 1-3 through its first four games, earning its lone win in league play at Trinity Christian. The Peregrines boast two double-digit scorers through four games, as senior Alex Starr is averaging 19.3 ppg and sophomore Kami Graber is averaging 18.8 ppg.
Winning Her Debut: Head coach Tracey Dorow made her regular season debut a winning one on Friday by defeating Indiana. Dorow became just the second coach in Crusader women’s basketball history to win their Valpo debut on the sidelines, joining Dick Briars, whose 1983-1984 squad downed Hillsdale 71-67 in its season opener.
Downing the Big Ten: Valpo’s win over Indiana was just the second in program history over the Hoosiers, both of which have come at the ARC. The Crusaders previously defeated IU on Dec. 7, 1999 by a final of 64-60. Valpo’s last victory against a Big Ten team also came at the ARC on Dec. 10, 2008 over Purdue.
Looking to Go 2-0: With a win over Purdue Calumet on Wednesday, the Crusaders would improve to 2-0. It would be just the fourth time in program history that Valpo has started 2-0 - only the 1974-1975, 1985-1986 and 2009-2010 Valpo teams have won at least their first two games, with the 2009-2010 squad holding the program record for longest win streak to start a season at three.
Roster Makeup: In her first season, Dorow is leading a squad which features eight returning letterwinners, including a trio of starters from last season. Five players are donning the Crusader uniform for the first time alongside the eight returnees as well.
Gerardot Named Preseason Second Team: Leading the returning starters is junior forward Tabitha Gerardot, a preseason Second Team All-League choice. Gerardot, an All-Newcomer Team selection following her freshman season, led the Crusaders and finished tenth in the league in scoring at 13.0 points per game in 2011-2012. Gerardot also averaged 6.8 rebounds per contest, second-best on the team
More Returning Experience: A pair of seniors join Gerardot as returning starters entering the 2012-2013 season. Forward Gina Lange is back for her final year after posting 8.7 points and 5.3 rebounds per game as a junior. Meanwhile, guard Laura Richards led the Horizon League in minutes played (37.5
mpg) and finished second in the league in steals (2.8 spg) en route to a spot on the All-Defensive Team.
A Tough Schedule: The Crusaders have put together a challenging slate for the 2012-2013 campaign, including five contests against NCAA Tournament
teams from a season ago. Highlights include the season opener at the ARC against Indiana, a game at perennial top-ten program Duke, and contests on the road versus 2012 NCAA Tournament qualifiers Michigan and Louisville.
Hitting the Glass: Valpo owned a +24 rebound margin in its exhibition victory, but really showcased its ability on the glass in the season opener against the Hoosiers. Facing a front line which had numerous players check in at 6’0” or taller, the Crusaders were undaunted, finishing the night with a 41-29 edge on the boards, including 13 offensive rebounds out of 31 chances. It was a team effort as well, as four different players ended the night with at least five boards.
Keeping the Scoreboard Busy: Valpo’s 98 points in its exhibition win marked something that hadn’t happened in a Crusader women’s basketball game in quite some time. The 98 points were the most by a Valpo women’s squad, in exhibition or regular season play, since the Crusaders won by an identical 98-49 score on Dec. 9, 1999 in regular season action against Purdue Calumet.
Earning League Honors: Sophomore Shaquira Scott showed little rust on the basketball court after playing just 10 games last season due to injury. Scott was named the Horizon League Player of the Week after leading the Crusaders with 17 points on 7-of-12 shooting in the win over IU. The sophomore was Valpo’s first player to earn weekly honors from the league office since Ashley Varner on Dec. 28, 2009.
The Same Old Gerardot: Junior Tabitha Gerardot has produced typical games for her in the Crusaders’ first two outings. Gerardot scored 19 points and also led Valpo with eight rebounds, five of which came on the offensive end, in the exhbition win over Holy Cross. The junior then started the regular season with an 11-point, 7-rebound effort in the win over Indiana. Last season, Gerardot led the Crusaders in scoring and finished second on the team in rebounding.
Filling the Stat Sheet: Senior Laura Richards scored just five wins in Valpo’s win over Indiana on Friday night, but contributed mightily in a couple of other ways. Richards led all players with nine rebounds, just two shy of her career high in the category. She also matched her career-best output wtih eight assists in the victory.
A Helping Hand: Valpo has shared the ball well in its first two outings of the season. In the exhibition victory over Holy Cross, the Crusaders racked up 20 assists on its 32 field goals, and then against Indiana totaled 16 assists on 23 buckets. Richards paced Valpo in the assist column in the Indiana win, while a pair of freshmen led the way in the exhibition game. Lexi Miller handed out six assists in 18 minutes of play off the bench against Holy Cross, while Jessi Wiedemann dished out four assists in her 17 minutes of action.
Jansone Stands Out: Senior Ieva Jansone was limited to just 1.7 points and 1.2 rebounds per game last season as a junior after missing the season’s first 12 games due to injury, but stood out in the exhibition win. Jansone came off the bench to play a team-high 23 minutes, hitting 7-of-9 from the floor and 7-of-8 from the foul line for a game-high 22 points. The senior also grabbed six rebounds in the winning effort.
