Valparaiso (8-20, 4-13 Horizon)
at UIC (12-16, 3-14 Horizon)
Game #29 - Saturday, March 5 - 3 p.m. CT
UIC Pavilion (8,000) - Chicago, Ill.
Next Up in Crusader Basketball: The regular season comes to a halt Saturday in Chicago for the Valpo women’s basketball team. With all ten teams coming down the home stretch, Green Bay, the host institution for next week’s Horizon League Championship, is the only club with its seed locked up. A win Saturday would guarantee the Crusaders no lower than the No. 9 seed.
Last Time Out: Cleveland State opened a 19-point lead in the first quarter before the Crusaders mounted a comeback that cut the margin to one point in the fourth quarter. However, that was as close as the Brown and Gold would get in a 72-65 setback to the Vikings. Freshman Meredith Hamlet paced Valpo with 19 points while Imani Scott-Thompson knocked down a trio of threes to finish with 13 points.
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 (31-89) 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: UIC leads the all-time series, 23-21, in a rivalry that began in 1980. The Crusaders have faced the Flames more than any other team. UIC is 13-7 versus the Brown and Gold at the Pavilion and has been victorious in five straight at home against the Crusaders. The Flames also carry a five-game overall winning streak into Saturday’s contest, a stretch that expanded with a 54-50 victory over Valpo back on Jan. 30th at the Athletics-Recreation Center.
Storylines
- The loser of Saturday’s game will receive the 10th seed in next week’s Horizon League Championship at Green Bay.
- UIC boasts five players on its roster 6’0’’ or taller, and three that are at least 6’3’’.
- Valpo has won one game away from home in league play. UIC has one Horizon League win at home.
- Saturday will mark Ruvanna Campbell’s final game at the UIC Pavilion.
- With six rejections at Cleveland State this past Monday, freshman Amber Lindfors moved into a tie for 8th place on Valpo’s leaderboard for career blocks with 62 (also 3rd-most in a single season).
@ValpoWBB
- In its 44th season, @ValpoWBB is 510-607 all-time (as of Mar. 4th).
- @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 48-107 (as of Mar. 4th).
- @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.
@UIC_WBasketball
- @UIC_WBasketball enters Saturday’s affair with a 12-16 overall record, and a 3-14 mark in Horizon League play.
- @UIC_WBasketball has lost five in a row and seven of its last eight.
- Despite its 3-14 record in HL play, @UIC_WBasketball owns just a -6.3 scoring margin in conference (higher than Valpo and Cleveland State).
- Nine of @UIC_WBasketball’s 14 losses in league play have been by single digits.
- Of the 664 field goals @UIC_WBasketball has made this season, 547 have come inside the arc (82.4%).
- One of the top rebounding teams in the Horizon League, @UIC_WBasketball averages a league-leading 16.4 offensive boards/game.
- Ruvanna Campbell leads @UIC_WBasketball with 17.9 points and 13.6 rebounds per game in addition to 37 blocks and 54 steals.
- Campbell’s 380 total rebounds are second-most in the nation.
- Only three players in all of Division I women’s basketball have accumulated more double-doubles than Campbell (20).
- Campbell is the only player in the Horizon League to have played over 1,000 minutes this season (1,038).
- Last season, Campbell set the Horizon League record for highest rebounding average in league play in a season (15.4 RPG).
- Campbell was voted the 2015-16 HL Preseason Player of the Year after garnering HL Defensive Player of the Year accolades, and a First Team All-Horizon League Team nod in 2014-15.
- Redshirt junior Kendyl Nunn is adding 13.0 points and 5.0 rebounds per game in her first season with @UIC_WBasketball.
@UICCoachMiller
- @UICCoachMiller is in her fifth season as head coach of the Flames.
- @UICCoachMiller owns a 316-299 career record, including a 81-73 mark at UIC.
- In her 21st season as a head coach, @UICCoachMiller’s teams have gone 169-129 in non-conference play, and 147-170 in conference.
- @UICCoachMiller led the Flames to a WBI Championship in 2013-14.
- @UICCoachMiller’s first head coaching job was at Western Illinois from 1992-1998.
- @UICCoachMiller guided the Leathernecks to an NCAA appearance in 1995, one year after earning Mid-Continent Conference Coach of the Year honors.
- Following her six seasons in Macomb, @UICCoachMiller was bench boss at UNLV from 1998-2008.
- The Runnin’ Rebels made six postseason appearances under @UICCoachMiller, including an NCAA Tournament berth in 2002.
- @UICCoachMiller went 175-125 in ten seasons at UNLV.
- @UICCoachMiller played collegiately at Old Dominion, where she helped lead the Lady Monarchs to a Final Four appearance in 1983.
Meredith Hamlet
- Finished in double figures 14 times this season (10.4 PPG).
- Averaging a team-best 11.4 points/game on the road.
- 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 28 contests this season.
Hannah Schaub
- Team leader in assists (87) and steals (29).
- Has racked up multiple assists in eight of her last nine 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
- Three games shy of joining Valpo’s Top 10 for career games played (113).
- Averaged 16.0 PPG and shot 65% from the floor from Jan. 16th-23rd.
- Logged the most minutes (2,492) 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) vs. YSU on Feb. 26th.
Lexi Miller
- Has been perfect from the free-throw line since Feb. 11th (five games).
- Possesses 237 career rebounds and 237 career assists.
- Tied a career high in assists (8) at Wright State on Jan. 1st.
Imani Scott-Thompson
- Has pitched in 13 points off the bench twice in the last four games.
- Amassed a season-high four steals last time out vs. Cleveland State.
- 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
- Leads the Horizon League in blocked shots per game (2.4).
- Shooting a team-best 51.6% from the field.
- Currently in 3rd place in program history for blocks in a season and 8th on the all-time career list (62).
- Swatted six shots on three 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.
- Snapped a career-long, four-game 3FG drought last time out at CSU.
- 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).
- 16 rebounds shy of obtaining 250 for the second straight season.
- Currently in 19th place in career rebounds at Valpo with 484.
- Led the Crusaders in rebounding 20 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 dozen games (N. Colorado, Miami, UDM, Oakland, CSU, YSU, WSU).
- Has started all 58 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.
