Valparaiso (5-7, 1-0 Horizon)
at Wright State (11-3, 1-0 Horizon)
Game #13 - Friday, January 1 - 1:00 p.m. CT
Ervin J. Nutter Center (10,449) - Dayton, Ohio
Next Up in Crusader Basketball: Fourteen hours after the ball drops in Times Square, the ball will be tipped at the Nutter Center in Dayton, Ohio. Valpo will put its four-game winning streak on the line Friday afternoon against the Wright State Raiders in what will represent the Brown and Gold’s first-ever New Year’s Day contest. Led by Kim Demmings, one of the top players in all of mid-major basketball, Wright State has won six straight over the Crusaders.
Last Time Out: Freshman Meredith Hamlet erupted for 29 points in a wild 61-60 win Wednesday night at Northern Kentucky. Hamlet was 10-of-11 from the field to match the third-best shooting performance in program history. The victory, which extended the Brown and Gold’s winning streak to four, represented their first ever in a Horizon League road opener. Valpo shot 24-of-45 (.533) from the floor, including an 8-for-18 (.444) mark from downtown.
Following the Crusaders: Audio: UStream.TV - Brandon Vickrey (PxP), Jake Wulbert (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 (28-75) 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: Wright State leads the all-time series, 14-12. The Raiders are on a six-game winning streak over the Brown and Gold, dating back to January of 2013. Valpo is 3-9 all-time at the Nutter Center. Jessica Carr’s desperation halfcourt fling gave the Crusaders a 42-40 halftime lead last season, but the Raiders roared back to down Valpo, 95-66, in Dayton.
Storylines
- Friday is the first time the Crusaders have ever played on New Year’s Day.
- Raider guard Kim Demmings is 90 points away from becoming the Horizon League’s all-time leading scorer.
- After a 5-3 December, Valpo is coming off its first winning month since November of 2009.
- Two of the Horizon League’s premier shot blockers are expected to square off in WSU’s Richelle van der Keijl and Valpo’s Amber Lindfors.
@ValpoWBB
- In its 44th season, @ValpoWBB is 507-594 all-time (as of Dec. 31st).
- @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.
- This season is the fastest head coach Tracey Dorow has gotten to five wins (previously Jan. 5th of 2012-13 season).
- Last season, @ValpoWBB did not record its fifth win until February 5th.
- @ValpoWBB was stuck on four wins during the 2013-14 season until March 5th.
@ValpoWBB in the @HorizonLeague
- Since joining the Horizon League in 2007-08, @ValpoWBB is 45-94 (through Dec. 31st, 2015).
- @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).
- Wednesday’s win at Northern Kentucky gave @ValpoWBB its first road win in a Horizon League opener since becoming a member.
- @ValpoWBB has opened Horizon League play 2-0 just once since earning membership.
@WSUWBasketball
- @WSUWBasketball enters Friday’s contest with an 11-3 record.
- @WSUWBasketball was picked to finish 2nd in the Horizon League Preseason Poll, but received four first-place votes.
- @WSUWBasketball has taken 333 more field goal attempts (1,000) than @ValpoWBB (667).
-@WSUWBasketball owns a +262 point differential through 14 games.
- @WSUWBasketball’s 683 rebounds leads the nation.
- @WSUWBasketball boasts non-league wins over Houston, #24 George Washington, Butler, Eastern Kentucky, and Kent State.
- @WSUWBasketball leads the Horizon League in 13 statistical categories, including scoring (81.1 PPG), rebounding (48.8 RPG), steals (124), blocks (60), and both free throws attempted (277) and made (188).
- Kim Demmings leads @WSUWBasketball with 19.5 PPG (1st in HL).
- Demmings, who has scored 2,250 career points, has taken 25.3% of @WSUBasketball’s shots this season.
- Demmings has attempted 110 three-pointers through 14 games. Meredith Hamlet is the only Crusader who has attempted more total FGs (112).
- @WSUWBasketball’s Antania Hayes, a transfer from Kennedy-King College, is averaging 12.3 points and 7.9 rebounds per game.
- At 6’5’’, @WSUBasketball’s Richelle van der Keijl (55.1% FG shooter) is the tallest player in the Horizon League.
- Van der Keijl has rejected a League-most 27 shots.
- @WSUWBasketball’s Emily Vogelpohl, a freshman, owns 38 steals, the 15th-highest total in the nation.
- @WSUWBasketball’s Symone Denham, who has started all 14 games, is in search of her first offensive rebound this season.
@CoachBradbury
- @CoachBradbury is in his sixth season as head coach of the Raiders.
- @CoachBradbury enters Friday’s contest with a 165-110 career record, and a 115-66 mark with Wright State.
- @CoachBradbury was voted Horizon League Coach of the Year following last season’s 25-9 campaign.
- @CoachBradbury has experienced just one losing season in his previous eight.
- @CoachBradbury has led teams to postseason appearances five times in the last six seasons.
- Under @CoachBradbury’s tutelage, Kim Demmings (2013-14) and Tay’ler Mingo (2014-15) have garnered the last two Horizon League Players of the Year.
- @CoachBradbury owns a .635 winning percentage (54-31) in Horizon League play.
- @CoachBradbury served as bench boss at Morehead State for three seasons (2007-10) before taking over at Wright State.
- @CoachBradbury led the Eagles to a WBI berth in 2009-10.
- Before accepting his first head coaching position, @CoachBradbury was an assistant at Xavier and Cincinnati.
Meredith Hamlet
- Exploded for 29 points at Northern Kentucky on 10-of-11 shooting, the third-highest single-game FG percentage in program history.
- Has scored in double figures nine times this season (12.4 PPG).
- Canned 10 of her last 21 attempts from beyond the arc since Dec. 12th.
- Made no fewer than two field goals in her first twelve career games.
- 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).
Hannah Schaub
- Team leader in assists (41) and steals (20).
- Eleven of her 12 games have been multi-assist affairs.
- 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).
- Has over 2,600 followers on Twitter (@xoxolouise21).
Abby Dean
- Logged the most minutes (2,053) of any Crusader on the roster.
- Has already matched her 2014-15 steals total (13).
- Recorded a field goal in every game this season.
- Has shot over 80% from the charity stripe and started 27 games each of the last two seasons.
Annemarie Hamlet
- Has not appeared in any of the first twelve games of the season.
Georgi Donchetz
- Corralled a career-high five rebounds last time out vs. IU-Northwest.
- Spent much of her rookie campaign rehabbing from a knee injury.
Lexi Miller
- Distributed 17 assists in her last five games.
- Connected on 11 of her last 20 FG attempts (55%) since Dec. 7th.
- Has logged multiple assists in eight of her last nine games played.
- Finished in double figures eight times last season, including a career-high 21 points at Milwaukee on Jan. 21st.
Imani Scott-Thompson
- Went off for a game-high 12 points versus Louisville on Dec. 5th.
- Nailed a pair of threes at San Diego (Nov. 27).
- 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
- Leads the Horizon League in blocks per game (2.1).
- Swatted six shots on two different occasions this year.
- Six blocks shy of cracking Valpo’s top 10 for rejections in a season.
- Amassed more blocks through ten games (22) than any Crusader in an entire season over the past eight years.
- At 6’4’’, she is the tallest Crusader since Stefanie Lang (2010-12).
Dani Franklin
- Has scored in double figures in five straight tilts.
- Enters Friday’s game 22 points shy of 500 for her career.
- Her 1.57 +-/40 rating is highest on the team.
- Named to Preseason All-Horizon League Second Team.
- Led Valpo in scoring against Miami (Ohio) for the first time this season with 18 points. She did so 12 times last season.
- 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.
- Shot a team-high 85.7% (42-49) from the foul line as a freshman.
Allison Schofield
- Scored five points in Valpo’s 88-22 win over IU-Kokomo (Dec. 21).
- Made her first appearance in a Crusader uniform in the season opener at Butler.
Jasmyn Walker
- Valpo’s leading rebounder (8.0 RPG) and second-leading scorer (11.3 PPG).
- Like Dean, Walker has already matched her 2014-15 steals total (14).
- Has two double-doubles on the season (13 pts, 13 rebs vs. Northern Colorado; 11 pts, 11 rebs vs. Miami [Ohio]).
- Has started all 42 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
- Rejected two shots, a career-high, in Valpo’s 61-60 win at NKU on Wednesday.
- Posted for a career-high 16 points on 6-of-7 shooting in the Crusaders’ 63-62 win over Cardinal Stritch on Dec. 7th.
Jessi Wiedemann
- Reverted 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.
- Missed 23 games last season due to a back injury.
