Valparaiso (8-19, 4-12 Horizon)
at Cleveland State (7-18, 4-11 Horizon)
Game #28 - Monday, February 29 - 4:30 p.m. CT
Wolstein Center (8,500) - Cleveland, Ohio
Next Up in Crusader Basketball: Valpo’s penultimate game of the 2015-16 regular season takes it to Wolstein Center in Cleveland, an arena that has treated the Crusaders well over the years. The Brown and Gold are 10-5 all-time there and hope the success continues Monday night as they seek a season sweep of the Vikings.
Last Time Out: The Crusaders amassed 28 points in the fourth quarter of their game against Youngstown State on Friday evening, but it was too little, too late, as the Penguins shot 52.6% from the field in an 87-66 win over Valpo at Beeghly Center. Freshman Meredith Hamlet registered a team-high 13 points (3-6 3FG) while Jasmyn Walker dropped in 10 points and six rebounds. Sarah Cash posted a game-high 21 points for YSU while Janae Jackson and Nikki Arbanas pitched in 15 points each.
Following the Crusaders: Audio: WVUR (95.1 FM, Valparaiso) - Brandon Vickrey (PxP), Parker Gatewood (Color), 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 (31-88) 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 Crusaders own a 15-14 edge over the Vikings in a back-and-forth series. Valpo won ten of the first twelve tilts, but Cleveland State began to reverse the narrative in 2010. The Vikings had gone 10-2 versus the Brown and Gold since that season, but the Crusaders snapped a five-game skid with CSU last month by virtue of a 66-59 triumph at the Athletics-Recreation Center.
Storylines
- Monday’s game represents the fourth time the Crusaders have played on a leap day (1-2 record in previous three).
- Cleveland State head coach Kate Peterson Abiad gave birth to her second daughter last week.
- Valpo is in search of its first victory in the state of Ohio since Dec. 7th, 2013 (at Toledo).
- The Crusaders have taken 223 fewer shots than their opponents. Cleveland State has attempted 40 more field goals than its foes.
- Teams have shot 45 percent or higher each of the last five games vs. Valpo. CSU’s offense has shot at least 45% from the field just once this season (Nov. 27th at Niagara).
@ValpoWBB
- In its 44th season, @ValpoWBB is 510-606 all-time (as of Feb. 28th).
- @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 reached the eight-win mark for the first time since the 2012-13 season.
- Last season, @ValpoWBB did not record its fifth win until February 5th. It did so on Dec. 30th this season.
@ValpoWBB in the @HorizonLeague
- Since joining the Horizon League in 2007-08, @ValpoWBB is 48-106 (as of Feb. 28th).
- @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’s win at Northern Kentucky on Dec. 30th gave it its first road win in a Horizon League opener since becoming a member.
@ClevelandStWBB
- @ClevelandStWBB enters Monday’s contest with a 7-18 overall record, and a 4-11 mark in Horizon League play.
- @ClevelandStWBB currently stands one-half game ahead of @ValpoWBB in the standings.
- @ClevelandStWBB comes into this tilt with the lowest-scoring offense in the league (61.4 PPG).
- Opponents are shooting a league-best 42.3% versus @ClevelandStWBB.
- @ClevelandStWBB accumulates 10.1 steals per game. Only Oakland averages more (10.2 SPG).
- @ClevelandStWBB’s Ashanti Abshaw has been named Horizon League Freshman of the Week four times already.
- Abshaw is fifth in the league in scoring (15.8 PPG), second in rebounding (9.3 RPG), and fifth in steals (2.2 SPG).
- Abshaw is averaging a double-double (15.7 PPG, 10.1 RPG) in league play.
- Abshaw owns the @ClevelandStWBB’s freshman scoring record.
- UIC’s Ruvanna Campbell (19) is the only player in the Horizon League with more double-doubles than Abshaw (8).
- Having done most of her damage from beyond the arc, @ClevelandStWBB’s Khayla Livingston is posting 11.8 points per game.
- Livingston is second in the league in 3-point FG percentage (41.3%).
- Brooke Smith leads the league with 77 thefts this season, a figure that equals the 12th-highest in the nation.
- Smith led @ClevelandStWBB at the ARC on Jan. 21st with 18 points (10-11 FTs).
- Sophomore Olivia Voskuhl (10.1 PPG, 6.4 RPG) is shooting 46.5% from the field in the month of February.
@CoachP_CSU (Kate Peterson Abiad)
- @CoachP_CSU is in her 13th season as head coach of the Vikings.
- Thursday represents @CoachP_CSU’s 395th game at the helm of Cleveland State.
- @CoachP_CSU enters this contest with a 171-223 mark for her career, but is 143-136 since the beginning of the 2007-08 season.
- @CoachP_CSU has led the Vikings to a 21-win campaign (2010-11) in addition to four 19-win seasons (2014-15 the most recent).
- @CoachP_CSU guided CSU to NCAA berths in 2008 and 2010.
- Last season’s 19-13 year landed @CoachP_CSU and the Vikings their first WNIT bid.
- @CoachP_CSU arrived in Cleveland in April of 2003 after serving stints at Indiana, Eastern Illinois, and Wisconsin as an assistant coach.
- @CoachP_CSU was on the sidelines for the Badgers’ 1999-2000 WNIT Championship team.
- During her playing days, @CoachP_CSU was an honorable mention All-American at Wisconsin-Stevens Point.
- @CoachP_CSU, who set the Division III record for three-pointers made per game, was inducted into the UW-Stevens Point Hall of Fame in 1991.
Meredith Hamlet
- Finished in double figures for the 13th time this season last time out versus Youngstown State (10.0 PPG this season).
- Went off for 22 points at Oakland (Feb. 11) thanks to a season-high six three-pointers.
- Exploded for 29 points at NKU (Dec. 30) on 10-of-11 shooting, the third-highest single-game FG percentage in program history.
- Started in all 27 contests this season.
Hannah Schaub
- Team leader in assists (82) and steals (28).
- Has racked up multiple assists in seven of her last eight tilts.
- Speared a season-high eight rebounds at Detroit on Feb. 13th.
- 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).
Abby Dean
- Dropped in 16 points on 5-of-8 shooting versus Cleveland State on Jan. 21st.
- Averaged 16.0 PPG and shot 65% from the floor from Jan. 16th-23rd.
- Logged the most minutes (2,465) of any Crusader on the roster.
- Has shot over 80% from the charity stripe and started 27 games each of the last two seasons.
Annemarie Hamlet
- Has not appeared yet this season.
Georgi Donchetz
- Set season highs in points (4) and assists (2) last time out vs. YSU.
Lexi Miller
- Team leader in assist-to-turnover ratio (1.3).
- Owns 17 assists opposite 9 TOs in six career games vs. the Penguins.
- Possesses 234 career rebounds and 233 career assists.
- Tied a career high in assists (8) at Wright State on Jan. 1st.
Imani Scott-Thompson
- Averaging 8.0 PPG off the bench over the last three affairs.
- Tossed in 13 points (3-5 3FG) vs. Milwaukee (Feb. 18).
- Went off for a game-high 12 points versus Louisville on Dec. 5th.
- Set the NJCAA record for three-pointers in a single season (143) last year at Dakota College at Bottineau.
Amber Lindfors
- On a 13-game blocked shot streak.
- Has shot a team-best 51.1% from the field
- Second in the Horizon League in blocks per game (2.2).
- Currently in 3rd place in program history for blocks in a season (56).
- Swatted six shots on two different occasions this year.
- Accumulated 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
- Shooting 42.1% from the field away from the ARC.
- Squeezed her 100th rebound of the season last Saturday vs. GB.
- Matched a career high in points (25) at Oakland on Feb. 11th.
- Has not missed a free-throw on the road since 3/5/15 (25 for last 25).
- After shooting 50% or higher from the field just once in the first six games of the season, Franklin did so in 12 straight from Dec.7-Jan. 21.
- Named to Preseason All-Horizon League Second Team.
- Has led the team in scoring on six different occasions this year. She did so 12 times last season.
- Reigning HL 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 at Green Bay (2-2 FG, 1-1 3FG) on Jan. 14th.
Jasmyn Walker
- Valpo’s leading scorer (12.0 PPG) and rebounder (8.4 RPG).
- Posted 14.7 PPG and 12.3 RPG in three career contests vs. CSU.
- Currently in 19th place in career rebounds at Valpo with 478.
- Led the Crusaders in rebounding 19 times this year.
- Cradled a career-high 16 boards vs. Detroit on Jan. 7th.
- Possesses seven double-doubles this season, and five in her last 11 games (N. Colorado, Miami, UDM, Oakland, CSU, YSU, WSU).
- Has started all 57 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
- Finished in double figures at Detroit (10 pts on 4-6 FGs) on Feb. 13th.
- Posted a career-high 16 points on 6-of-7 shooting in the Crusaders’ 63-62 win over Cardinal Stritch on Dec. 7th.
Jessi Wiedemann
- Poured in 14 points (5-9 FG, 3-5 3FG) in 12 minutes off the bench at Butler.
