Valparaiso (0-2, 0-0 MVC)
Game #3 - November 12, 2024 - 11 a.m.
Trinity Christian (0-3, 0-0 CCAC)
Athletics-Recreation Center (5,000) - Valparaiso, Ind.

Next Up in Valpo Basketball: It's a rare morning tipoff for the Valpo women's basketball team Tuesday at the ARC, as the Beacons host Trinity Christian for a Kids Day game.

Previously: Nevaeh Jackson surpassed her career high with 20 points and Leah Earnest posted a double-double with 17 points and 11 rebounds, in the process cracking the program's career top-10 in rebounding, as the Beacons dropped their home opener to Purdue Fort Wayne Saturday, 72-56.

Following Valpo Basketball: Video: ESPN+
Radio: WVUR, 95.1 FM, Valparaiso
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Links for live coverage: Available via ValpoAthletics.com

Head Coach Mary Evans: Mary Evans is in her seventh year at the helm of the program in 2024-25 and owns a record of 60-118. Evans' first six seasons at the helm have seen Valpo's six of the top-eight single-season 3-pointers made marks, including each of the top five, while defensively, her teams have racked up steals at a high rate, averaging at least 7.7 steals/game in five of her six seasons. Under her guidance, Valpo players have earned an MVC Sixth Player of the Year honor, five All-Conference accolades, three All-Freshman/Newcomer Team awards and three All-Defensive Team honors.

Series Notes: This marks the first meeting in a regular season matchup between Valpo and Trinity Christian. It is the first time Valpo has taken on a non-Division I opponent in the regular season since the 2017-18 campaign.

@ValpoWBB...
...and @ValleyHoops
- Valpo was picked to finish in eighth place in the MVC preseason poll, totaling 193 points to edge out Indiana State.
- The eighth-place projection is two spots ahead of the Beacons' regular-season finish last year.
- Valpo is in its eighth season as a member of the Missouri Valley Conference.
- The Valley was ranked 13th in conference NET last season. In Valpo's time in the MVC, the conference has been ranked as high as seventh in NET (2020-21).

...looking back at last year
- Valpo finished last season with a 5-25 overall record and finished at 4-16 in MVC play, good for 10th in the Valley standings.
- Leah Earnest was a Second Team All-MVC honoree. 
- Valpo won three consecutive road games in Valley play, the second straight year the Beacons have accomplished that - prior to that, the program had last accomplished that feat against three different opponents since 2007.

...versus Purdue Fort Wayne
- The Mastodons got out to an 11-2 lead, which Valpo was able to cut to 16-11 at the end of the first quarter.
- The Beacons used a 7-1 run early in the second quarter to take their first lead and extended their lead to five just past the midway point of the frame before PFW went 14-5 over the final 4:34 of the first half to regain the lead heading into halftime, 36-32.
- An 8-0 spurt for the Mastodons extended their advantage to 44-32 just two minutes into the second half, prompting a Valpo timeout.
The Beacons responded out of the stoppage with the next seven points.
- PFW led 54-46 at the end of the third quarter, and while the Beacons got the deficit down to four points with 6:45 to play, the Mastodons pulled away late.
- Valpo held the advantage shooting from the field, hitting at a 46.7% (21-45) clip to the Mastodons' 40.7% (24-59) clip. Purdue Fort Wayne did knock down 11 3-pointers to the Beacons' seven.
- The Beacons held a 28-24 edge in points in the paint, but turnovers were the bugaboo on Saturday night. Valpo committed 26 turnovers to Purdue Fort Wayne's 18, and the Mastodons held a 29-16 edge in points off the miscues.
- Nevaeh Jackson led all players with a 20-point night, edging her previous career best of 19 set last year against Illinois State.
- Leah Earnest notched the 17th double-double of her career, shooting 8-of-15 from the floor for 17 points and leading all players with 11 rebounds.

...versus Liberty
- Liberty led 16-15 at the end of a first quarter which was a one-possession game the entire way.
- Valpo edged in front, 21-20, with 5:41 to play in the first half before Liberty scored eight in a row - the Flames eventually took a 38-29 lead into intermission.
- Liberty opened the second half on a 10-2 run to lead 48-31 with 7:35 to play in the third quarter.
- The Beacons outscored the Flames 18-6 over the next seven minutes, led by seven points from Nevaeh Jackson, to cut what was a 17-point deficit to five. 
- Valpo was within 56-51 with 10 minutes to play and had a shot to move within two on the first possession of the fourth quarter, but the Beacons' shot didn't fall and Liberty came down and hit a 3-pointer. Valpo got no closer than seven points the rest of the way.
- Valpo shot just 33.3% from the field for the game (14-for-42) to Liberty's 53.7% (29-of-54) clip. The Flames were 13-for-20 from 3-point range as well.
- The Beacons did take advantage of numerous trips to the foul line, ending the afternoon 23-of-32 at the charity stripe. The 23 made free throws were the most by a Valpo team since going 24-of-29 at the line against Missouri State Jan. 14, 2023.
- A pair of Valpo players set career bests with double-digit scoring efforts Monday. Katie Beyer surpassed her previous best of 11 with a 14-point game, including a 3-for-6 effort from 3-point range after coming into the game with just five career 3-point makes.
- Layla Gold delivered multiple triples for the second time in her career en route to a career-best 11-point game.

...looking ahead
- Valpo turns around for a quick road trip to take on former Horizon League rival Milwaukee on Thursday.
- The Beacons then face another familiar foe next Tuesday, as they make the short trip to Chicago to face Loyola. 

...at the ARC
- Tuesday's game is the second of 15 home games this season for the Beacons, as Valpo will host five nonconference games and 10 MVC games.
- Valpo is 0-1 at the ARC this season and went 2-10 at home last season.

@TrollsWBball
- Trinity Christian comes into Tuesday's game with an 0-3 record on the year, most recently falling at Goshen Saturday, 60-45.
- The Trolls posted a 4-22 record last year and finished at 4-16 in CCAC play.

Get Going Early
- Tuesday marks the fourth time in head coach Mary Evans' tenure that Valpo will tip off before the clock strikes noon local time.
- The Beacons fell at Stetson last season on Dec. 20 with an 11 a.m. tip.
- Valpo went on the road and defeated Detroit Mercy while tipping at 11 a.m. Dec. 5, 2019.
- The last time the Valpo women played this early at the ARC was an MVC meeting with UNI on Feb. 10, 2019.

Setting New Bests
- Three Valpo players have posted career highs in the scoring column in the Beacons' first two games.
- Senior Katie Beyer, who entered the season with five career 3-pointers, hit three triples on her way to a 14-point game off the bench in the season opener versus Liberty.
- Beyer surpassed her previous career best of 11 points, which notably also came in a season opener, two years ago at Central Michigan.
- Sophomore Layla Gold scored in double figures for the first time in her collegiate career against Liberty, ending with 11 points, including a pair of 3-pointers.
- Gold's two highest-scoring games of her career came in back-to-back games, as her previous career high was nine points in last season's MVC Tournament game against UIC.
- Last time out against Purdue Fort Wayne, Neveah Jackson hit four 3-pointers as she scored a game-high 20 points, surpassing her 19-point effort last year versus Illinois State.

Defending the Interior
- Valpo was strong defensively inside the arc against Purdue Fort Wayne in Saturday night's game.
- The Beacons limited the Mastodons to 8-for-23 shooting on layups and 13-for-33 shooting in all from 2-point range.
- Valpo ended the night with a 28-24 advantage in points in the paint, the first time in their last 10 games dating back to last season the Beacons have outscored their opponent in that category.