Miami (Ohio) (2-2, 0-0 MAC)
at Valparaiso (0-4, 0-0 Horizon)
Game #5 - Wednesday, December 2 - 7:00 p.m. CT
Athletics-Recreation Center (5,000) - Valparaiso, Ind.
Next Up in Crusader Basketball: After spending the majority of its Thanksgiving break in picturesque Southern California, the Valpo women’s basketball team returns to Northwest Indiana to face Miami (Ohio) at the Athletics-Recreation Center. Wednesday evening’s tilt marks the first of five games over the next ten days for the Crusaders.
Last Time Out: The Crusaders dropped both tilts at last weekend’s USD-Courtyard San Diego Central Classic. San Diego parlayed a 49-24 rebounding margin into a 76-60 victory over the Brown and Gold at the Jenny Craig Pavilion on Friday. Jasmyn Walker pulled down 13 boards to go with 13 points, but Valpo’s unlucky streak continued on Saturday. Northern Colorado’s Savannah Scott scored 21 points (6-7 FG, 4-4 3FG, 5-5 FT) to overshadow Hannah Schaub’s 15-point (5-7 3FG) effort for Valpo in a 77-63 defeat.
Following the Crusaders: Audio - WVUR (95.1 FM, Valparaiso) Brandon Vickrey (PxP), Parker Gatewood and Renee’ Turpa (Color). Video - ESPN3. Links for the audio, video, and live stats are available at ValpoAthletics.com. In addition, follow @ValpoWBB on Twitter for in-game updates and a behind-the-scenes look at the Crusaders throughout the season.
Head Coach Tracey Dorow: Tracey Dorow (23-73) is in her fourth season at the helm of the Valparaiso women’s basketball program in 2015-16. She collected her 250th career victory on November 14th, 2014 after a 91-57 defeat of Butler. In her first season, Dorow led the Crusaders to eleven victories overall, including five in Horizon League play. Dorow arrived in Valparaiso after 14 seasons at Ferris State. She compiled a 232-163 record while with the Bulldogs. Furthermore, Ferris State posted the #1 grade point average in all of Division II for the 1999-2000 women’s basketball season as well as the #2 ranking in 2002-03.
Series Notes: The RedHawks have won all seven games in a series that began in 1992. Two of the seven tilts have required overtime and another was a one-point contest. Miami (Ohio) trailed 40-39 at halftime in last season’s Dec. 3rd meeting in Oxford before rallying for an 82-59 victory. MU’s Hannah McCue was 7-of-16 from downtown as part of a 26-point, 15-rebound performance.
Storylines
- Wednesday night will mark the first road game this season for Miami (Ohio).
- Valpo head coach Tracey Dorow and Miami head coach Cleve Wright faced each other seven times when both were at Great Lakes Valley Conference (GLVC) schools. Dorow led Ferris State to a 6-1 record over Wright’s Gannon Golden Knights in those games.
- Valpo is last in the Horizon League in rebounding margin at -15.3. Miami paces the MAC with a +10.8 rebounding margin.
- Miami’s Jessica Rupright and Valpo’s Abby Dean were teammates on the Junior All-Star Core Team following the 2010-11 prep season.
- Miami is the first of two Mid-American Conference (MAC) teams to visit the ARC in December (Akron, Dec. 9).
@ValpoWBB
- In its 44th season, @ValpoWBB is 502-591 all-time (as of Dec. 1st).
- @ValpoWBB has made two NCAA Tournament appearances (2002-03, 2003-04) and earned one WNIT berth (2001-02).
- @ValpoWBB closed out the 2014-15 season slate with a 6-24 overall record, 2-14 in the Horizon League.
- @ValpoWBB was picked to finish 10th in the Horizon League in the 2015-16 Preseason Poll.
- @ValpoWBB’s Dani Franklin was a Preseason Second Team All-Horizon League selection.
- @ValpoWBB returns its three leading scorers (Franklin, Jasmyn Walker, Lexi Miller) in addition to its two top rebounders (Walker, Franklin).
- @ValpoWBB brings back 1,469 points, 767 rebounds, and 4,304 minutes played from the 2014-15 squad.
@ValpoWBB in the @HorizonLeague
- Since joining the Horizon League in 2007-08, @ValpoWBB is 44-94 (through end of 2014-15 season).
- @ValpoWBB has had one First Team All-League selection (Launa Hochstetler, 2008-09) and two Second Team All-League players (Agnieszka Kulaga, 2007-08; Tabitha Gerardot, 2012-13).
- @ValpoWBB also boasts four representatives on the All-Newcomer Team (Lauren Kenney, 2008-09; Gerardot, 2010-11; Dani Franklin, 2014-15; Jasmyn Walker, 2014-15), an All-Defensive Team member (Laura Richards, 2011-12), one Freshman of the Year (Franklin, 2014-15), and one Sixth Player of the Year (Franklin, 2014-15).
@ValpoWBB vs. @MACSports
- @ValpoWBB has had at least one @MACSports opponent on its schedule every season since 1998-99.
- @ValpoWBB has played exactly 100 games versus teams from the @MACSports (36-64).
- @ValpoWBB has taken on every @MACSports school except Ohio.
- Miami (Ohio) is the only @MACSports team @ValpoWBB has gone winless against.
- @ValpoWBB has recorded a win over a @MACSports team each of the last four seasons.
- @ValpoWBB made five trips to the state of Ohio last season.
- @ValpoWBB defeated Toledo, 63-61, at Savage Arena in December of 2013 to capture the Toledo Invite.
@MiamiOH_WBB
- @MiamiOH_WBB was picked to finish 4th in the East Division of the MAC Preseason Poll.
- @MiamiOH_WBB is off to a 3-2 start with victories over Evansville, Austin Peay, and Morehead State.
- @MiamiOH_WBB dropped a 71-57 to Horizon League newcomer Northern Kentucky.
- After facing the Crusaders Wednesday, @MiamiOH_WBB returns home to face Oakland on Friday - its third Horizon League opponent in seven games.
- @MiamiOH_WBB’s roster contains five freshmen, six sophomores, and three seniors.
- Ten of @MiamiOH_WBB’s 14 players are Ohio natives.
- @MiamiOH_WBB has played two overtime games already and has had another decided by two points.
- @MiamiOH_WBB has outrebounded opponents 154 to 110.
- @MiamiOH_WBB has three players averaging 12 or more points per game.
- @MiamiOH_WBB’s Baleigh Reid is 7th in the MAC with 17.6 PPG; Leah Purvis is 11th at 15.6 PPG.
- Morehead State held Reid to 2-of-17 shooting Sunday afternoon at Millett Hall.
- @MiamiOH_WBB’s Kristen Levering is averaging 2.0 blocks per game (60th-most in nation).
- @MiamiOH_WBB’s Megan Galloway played her freshman season at Detroit before transferring to Oxford in 2014.
@Cleve_Wright
- @Cleve_Wright is in his third season at Miami (Ohio).
- @Cleve_Wright enters Wednesday’s game with a 251-147 career coaching record, but an 18-47 mark while at the helm of the RedHawks.
- @Cleve_Wright led D-II Gannon to a 233-100 (.700) record in his 11 seasons there.
- @Cleve_Wright was named Division II National Coach of the Year in 2009-10 after leading the Golden Knights to a Final Four appearance.
- @Cleve_Wright served as the top assistant at Northwestern for three seasons before taking over at Gannon.
- @Cleve_Wright’s first collegiate coaching job was as an assistant at Butler.
- @Cleve_Wright oversaw the youngest team in D-I last season (freshmen combined for 53.5% of all minutes played).
Meredith Hamlet
- Has finished in double figures the last three games.
- Converted her last 13 consecutive free-throw attempts.
- Third Hamlet to play for head coach Tracey Dorow.
- Broke McBain High School’s scoring record previously held by older sisters, Annemarie and Elizabeth (1,856).
- Received the starting assignment in her collegiate debut on Nov. 13th at Butler, scoring nine points and grabbing five rebounds.
Hannah Schaub
- Led a second-half charge vs. Northern Colorado, scoring 12 of her team-high 15 points from the 3rd quarter on (4-5 second half 3FG).
- Paces the Crusaders in steals (7).
- Was a five-year letterwinner at Park Center HS (Minn.).
- Has over 2,600 followers on Twitter (@xoxolouise21).
Abby Dean
- Has shot over 80% from the charity stripe and started 27 games each of the last two seasons.
- Finished in double figures Saturday vs. Northern Colorado for the first time since Feb. 25th versus Cleveland State.
- Eclipsed the 100-assist plateau at San Diego (Nov. 27).
- Owns a 42.0% career field-goal percentage in 85 career tilts.
Annemarie Hamlet
- Has not appeared in any of the first four games of the season.
Georgi Donchetz
- Spent much of her rookie campaign rehabbing from a knee injury.
- Scored a season-high nine points at Green Bay on Jan. 29th.
Lexi Miller
- Racked up four assists and knocked down three treys at San Diego.
- Has logged more minutes than any Crusader on the roster (1,852).
- Finished in double figures eight times last season, including a career-high 21 points at Milwaukee on Jan. 21st.
Imani Scott-Thompson
- Nailed a pair of threes at San Diego
- Set the NJCAA record for three-pointers in a single season (143) last year at Dakota College at Bottineau.
- Averaged 22.4 PPG for the 2014-15 Ladyjacks.
Amber Lindfors
- Received the start in her college debut on Nov. 13th.
- Amassed seven points and six rebounds against No. 3 Notre Dame (Nov. 23rd).
- Fell victim to foul trouble at Butler and played only eleven minutes.
- Ranked 30th top prospect in Chicago area by Bret McCormick All-Star Girls Report.
- At 6’4’’, she is the tallest Crusader since Stefanie Lang (2010-12).
Dani Franklin
- Shot 5-of-10 from the field on her way to an 11-point game at San Diego.
- Preseason All-Horizon League Second Team member.
- Reigning Horizon League Freshman of the Year and Sixth Player of the Year.
- Valpo’s top scorer (13.0 PPG) and field-goal shooter (47.3%) last season.
- Finished in double figures 21 times last season including five tilts of 20 points or more.
- Led the Brown and Gold in scoring on 11 separate occasions in 2014-15.
- Shot a team-high 85.7% (42-49) from the foul line as a freshman.
Allison Schofield
- Made her first appearance in a Crusader uniform in the season opener at Butler.
- Helped lead her AAU team, Indiana Blizzard, to a national championship.
Jasmyn Walker
- Notched her first double-double of 2015-16 last time out versus Northern Colorado (13 points, 13 rebounds).
- Picked up right where she left off in the season debut, collecting eight rebounds and two blocks to go with 13 points.
- Has started all 34 games since arriving to Valparaiso.
- Recorded most rebounds ever by a freshman (250) and the sixth-most ever in a single season in program history.
- Amassed nine double-doubles in Horizon League play in 2014-15.
- Elected to 2014-15 Horizon League All-Freshmen Team.
- Named HL Freshman of the Week three times last season.
- Collected team watermark in rebounds in 14 contests.
Haylee Thompson
- Tallied back-to-back double-doubles on Dec. 30th and Jan. 3rd last season.
- Averaged 5.2 rebounds per game in non-league games a year ago.
- Spent her freshman season at Utah State.
Jessi Wiedemann
- Returned to 2013-14 form in the season opener at Butler, pouring in 14 points (5-9 FG, 3-5 3FG) in 12 minutes off the bench.
- Finished in double figures in scoring 16 times in 2013-14 (10.4 PPG).
- Missed 23 games last season due to a back injury.
- Canned three triples at Purcell Pavilion the last time the Crusaders and Irish played.
