Valparaiso (0-0, 0-0 Horizon)
Game #1 - Friday, November 8 - 7:30 p.m.
Murray State (0-0, 0-0 OVC)
Athletics-Recreation Center (5,000) - Valparaiso, Ind.
Next Up in Crusader Basketball: Valparaiso opens the 2013-14 season on Friday night as the Crusaders welcome Murray State to the ARC for a 7:30 p.m. tip. Prior to the game, the Crusaders will unveil their Horizon League champions and NCAA Tournament banners and raise them to the rafters, forever commemorating last year’s championship squad.
Last Time Out: Facing an up-tempo style of play from Robert Morris (Ill.), the Valparaiso men's basketball team led nearly start-to-finish last Saturday night at the ARC in claiming a 90-82 victory in its final exhibition game prior to the start of the 2013-14 regular season. The balanced effort saw five players finish in double figures, led by 18 points from LaVonte Dority.
Following the Crusaders: Audio - Valpo Sports Radio Network (WVUR, 95.1 FM, Valparaiso) - Todd Ickow (PxP) and David Huseman (Color)
Video - Horizon League Network
Links for the audio and video, as well as live stats, will be available at ValpoAthletics.com. In addition, ValpoGameday.com is a one-stop shop for live video, stats and social media interaction, all on the same page.
Head Coach Bryce Drew: Bryce Drew (48-20) is in his third season at the helm of the Valparaiso men’s basketball program in 2013-14. Over his first two seasons, Drew has led the Crusaders to 49 victories, including a school-record 26 last season, as well as two Horizon League regular season titles and one tournament championship. The 2012 HL Coach of the Year, Drew ascended to the head coaching position on May 17, 2011 after spending six seasons as an assistant and associate head coach with the Crusaders.
Series Notes: Valpo and Murray State have met just twice previously in program history, with each team claiming one victory. This is the second straight season the Crusaders and Racers have met on the hardwood, however, as the two squads battled in Murray, Ky. last season. Valpo came out 66-64 victors, led by 18 points and eight rebounds from Ryan Broekhoff. The Crusaders overcame an 11-point first-half deficit in the win.
@ValpoBasketball...
...and the @HorizonLeague
- @ValpoBasketball has won the #HLMBB regular season title each of the last two years and claimed the tournament title last year.
- The Crusaders were picked to finish in sixth place in the league standings in 2013-14 in preseason polling.
- After having a pair of All-League honorees the last two years, Valpo was one of just two teams not to have a preseason All-League choice.
...looking back at last year
- @ValpoBasketball won its first #HLMBB tournament championship last year and returned to the NCAA Tournament for the first time since 2004.
- The Crusaders claimed their second straight Horizon League regular season title in 2012-13, going 13-3 in league play.
- Valpo earned a 14 seed in the Midwest Region of the NCAA Tournament, falling to Michigan State in second round action, 65-54.
- The Crusaders set new program records for total wins (26), home wins (16) and Division I true road wins (10) last year.
- Ryan Broekhoff was a First Team All-League and All-Region honoree, while Kevin Van Wijk earned Second Team honors both places.
- LaVonte Dority was tabbed the Horizon League’s Sixth Man of the Year.
...in the exhibitions
- Valpo went 2-0 in exhibition play, downing Hillsdale 69-60 and Robert Morris, 90-82.
- The Crusaders claimed the lead for good against Hillsdale with an 11-0 run early in the second half.
- Alec Peters led the Crusaders against the Chargers with 17 points in his first game in a Valpo uniform.
- Valpo led nearly start to finish in the win over Robert Morris, leading by as many as 11 points.
- Five players scored in double figures in the victory over the Eagles, led by 18 points from LaVonte Dority.
- Valpo scored better than a point per possession in both exhibition wins, including 1.22 ppp versus Robert Morris.
...looking ahead
- @ValpoBasketball closes out the opening weekend at home against North Park on Sunday afternoon.
- The Crusaders then travel to Illinois for a Wednesday night game, live on the Big Ten Network.
...at the ARC
- @ValpoBasketball has 16 regular season home games scheduled for the ARC in 2013-14. #ValpoGameday
- The Crusaders set a new record for home victories in 2012-13, going 16-2 at the ARC last season.
- Over the last 19 years, @ValpoBasketball owns a 223-50 (.817) record on its home court.
...in home openers
- @ValpoBasketball has won its home opener in each of the last eight seasons, all by double digits. #ValpoGameday
- Last season, the Crusaders defeated Georgia Southern 85-54 in the home opener, which doubled as the regular season opener.
- The last time Valpo lost a home opener was Nov. 27, 2004, falling to Charlotte by an 85-71 final.
@RacerHoops
- Murray State must replace its four leading scorers from last season entering the 2013-14 season, including All-American Isaiah Canaan.
- Murray State went 21-10 a season ago, including a 10-6 mark in OVC play.
- The Racers played one closed scrimmage and defeated Freed-Hardeman 95-68 in exhibition play.
- Junior Jarvis Williams led Murray State with 19 points and 11 rebounds in the exhibition victory.
Looking to Reload
- @ValpoBasketball enters this season with eight newcomers after losing seven players, including six seniors, from last year’s team.
- In all, only 22.8% of the scoring, 27.3% of the rebounding and 24.2% of the minutes played from last year’s squad return in 2013-14.
- Among the losses were 2012 #HLMBB Player of the Year Ryan Broekhoff and two-time All-League honoree Kevin Van Wijk.
- Only four players on this year’s roster have played for the Crusaders, all of whom started playing for Valpo just last year.
- The 8 newcomers include 5 freshmen and 3 transfers - one eligible immediately, one eligible after sitting out and one eligible in December.
- This marks the first time in the last three seasons that the Crusaders have had a true freshman play for them.
Bryce Drew
- Bryce Drew is in his third season as head coach of @ValpoBasketball and is in his ninth season overall on the coaching staff.
- Last season, Drew guided Valpo to its second straight regular season title, its first tournament title and a school record 26 wins.
- Drew was named #HLMBB Coach of the Year in 2011-12 in his first season as head coach.
- Drew was the first Crusader men’s basketball Coach of the Year since 2001-02, when dad Homer won the honor in the Mid-Con.
- Drew led the Crusaders to 22 wins and the Horizon League regular season title in his first year at the helm.
- Prior to coaching, Drew spent seven seasons playing professionally, including six seasons in the NBA.
- Drew was a two-time Mid-Con MVP in his playing days with Valparaiso, helping the team to three NCAA tournament appearances.
- Drew hit “The Shot”, a buzzer-beating 3-pointer in the first round of the 1998 NCAA tournament, to lift the Crusaders over Ole Miss.
- “The Shot” was named one of the top-35 All-Time Madness Moments by the NCAA as part of the celebration of 75 Years of March Madness.
#DrewFamilyDynasty
- Bryce is the third member of the Drew family to serve as head coach of @ValpoBasketball.
- Father Homer was head coach from 1988-2002, and then returned to lead Valpo from 2003-11.
- Brother Scott (current head coach of @BaylorMBB) led the Crusaders during the 2002-03 season after nine seasons as an assistant under Homer.
- A Drew has been at the helm of the Crusaders for the last 25 years. #DrewFamilyDynasty
- The Drew family has combined to lead @ValpoBasketball to 439 victories and 11 postseason appearances. #DrewFamilyDynasty
- Overall, the trio of Drews owns 886 collegiate victories over a combined 45+ seasons of head coaching. #DrewFamilyDynasty
#CoachesWhoCanPlay
- @ValpoBasketball boasts one of the nation’s highest-scoring staffs, as a trio of coaches combined for 4,211 points during their D-I careers.
- The Crusaders’ coaching staff ranks fifth in the nation for most points scored on the Division I level as players.
- Head coach Bryce Drew scored 2,142 points during his four-year career with the Crusaders.
- Assistant coach Roger Powell Jr. tallied 1,178 points during his four-year career with Illinois.
- Assistant coach Matt Lottich poured in 891 points over his four-year career at Stanford.
- Assistant coach Luke Gore also played collegiately at NAIA Bethel [Tenn.] College.
LaVonte Dority
- Dority was named the Horizon League Sixth Man of the Year last season.
- Dority scored in double figures in both of Valpo’s exhibition wins - 15 pts vs. Hillsdale; 18 pts vs. Robert Morris.
- Dority also handed out four assists without a turnover in the latter victory.
- Dority appeared in each of Valpo’s last 25 games after becoming eligible last season, averaging 8.6 ppg, third-most on the team.
- Dority earned Valpo’s Homer W. Drew Sr. Memorial Award, honoring the program’s most improved player.
- Dority scored in double figures nine times and led Valpo in scoring on three occasions.
- Dority was named Horizon League Newcomer of the Week following a 20-point game at Missouri State in his Crusader debut.
- Dority transferred to Valpo from South Florida, where he appeared in 35 games, at the semester break in 2011-12.
Bobby Capobianco
- Capobianco enters his senior year after averaging 5.9 points and 4.5 rebounds per game last year in his first season as a Crusader.
- Capobianco played just 20 minutes combined in Valpo’s two exhibition games.
- Capobianco traveled with an Athletes in Action squad to Jamaica this past summer.
- Capobianco shot at a 55.1% clip from the field and scored in double figures six times last season.
- Capobianco became the first Crusader to debut with a double-double since 2005 (10 pts/11 reb vs. Chicago State).
- Capobianco was twice named Horizon League Newcomer of the Week.
- Capobianco approached a triple-double off the bench (10 pts/9 reb/9 ast) against UIC, becoming first player in NCAA to post that stat line off the bench in nearly 5 years.
- Capobianco played his first two seasons at Indiana and sat out the 2011-12 season after transferring to Valpo.
Jordan Coleman
- Coleman started both of Valpo’s exhibition wins, scoring in double figures both times.
- Coleman went 8-of-10 from the foul line en route to 12 points in the win over Hillsdale.
- Coleman posted a double-double in the win over Robert Morris with 10 points and 11 rebounds.
- Coleman appeared in 29 games off the bench in his first season as a Crusader, averaging 14.9 minutes and 4.4 points per game.
- Coleman scored a season-high 15 points in his Crusader debut against Georgia Southern.
- Coleman was immediately eligible to play for Valpo last season after transferring from Southwestern Illinois College.
- Coleman was an All-Conference selection for SWIC during the 2011-12 season, finishing second on the team with 10.2 ppg.
- Coleman started his collegiate career as a freshman at Hawai’i.
Vashil Fernandez
- Fernandez totaled 11 points, 12 rebounds and nine blocked shots in a combined 40 minutes in Valpo’s two exhibition wins.
- Fernandez played for Jamaica in its first-ever appearance at the FIBA Americas Championship in September.
- Fernandez appeared in four games, including a victory over Argentina, the world’s third-ranked team.
- Fernandez also traveled with an Athletes in Action squad to New Zealand this past August.
- Fernandez made 27 appearances off the bench last season in his first season of action, totaling 30 points and 38 rebounds.
- Fernandez averaged one blocked shot per 11 minutes of playing time last season.
- Fernandez made his senior international debut in the summer of 2012 for Jamaica at the FIBA Centrobasket tournament.
- Fernandez helped Jamaica to a 3rd place finish, its best ever at Centrobasket.
- Fernandez debuted in a win over the USVI and also played in the bronze-medal win over Panama.
Moussa Gueye
- Gueye started both of Valpo’s exhibition wins, including a 12-point, six-rebound effort in the victory over Robert Morris.
- Gueye is eligible to play immediately at Valpo as a fifth-year senior after earning his bachelor’s degree from Alabama.
- Gueye started 27 games as a junior last season for the Crimson Tide, helping Alabama to 23 wins and a spot in the NIT quarterfinals.
- Gueye averaged 3.9 rebounds and 1.4 blocks per game, and posted 1.9 blocks per game within SEC play, ranking third in the league.
- Gueye appeared in 12 games for Alabama as a sophomore in 2011-12 after recovering from an offseason injury.
- Gueye, a consensus pick as one of the top JuCo centers in the nation, was Conference Freshman of the Year at Lake Land [Ill.] College in 2009-10.
David Chadwick
- Chadwick totaled six points and eight rebounds in 22 minutes of action in the Crusaders’ two exhibition wins.
- Chadwick is eligible to play this season after sitting out last year as a transfer from Rice, and has two seasons of eligibility remaining.
- Chadwick traveled with an Athletes in Action squad on a tour of Lithuania this past summer.
- Chadwick appeared in 52 games over his two seasons at Rice.
- Chadwick was a starter at Hargrave Military Academy for a squad which reached the #1 ranking nationally.
Jubril Adekoya
- Adekoya picked up three points and 10 rebounds off the bench in Valpo’s pair of exhibition victories.
- Adekoya was a Third Team All-State honoree as a senior at Andrew [Ill.] H.S.
- Adekoya finished his career with the Thunderbolts as the program’s all-time leading scorer and rebounds.
Nick Davidson
- Davidson saw 11 minutes of action in the Crusaders’ pair of exhibition games.
- Davidson was named Area Player of the Year by both the NWI Times and the Post-Tribune as a senior.
- Davidson helped Andrean [Ind.] H.S. to the regional title in 2013 as a senior.
Alec Peters
- Peters started both of Valpo’s exhibition wins, posting a team-high 17 points, six rebounds and two blocks in the win over Hillsdale.
- Peters finished fifth in Illinois Mr. Basketball voting as a senior at Washington H.S.
- Peters was a two-time First Team All-State honoree and led the Panthers to a spot in the regional finals as a senior.
Lexus Williams
- Williams played 36 minutes off the bench over Valpo’s two exhibition wins, scoring 14 points on 6-of-7 shooting against Robert Morris.
- Williams was an All-Conference honoree at Marist [Ill.] H.S. as a senior.
- Williams led Marist to regional final during his final season after helping program capture the regional championship as a junior.
Clay Yeo
- Yeo played 47 minutes over the Crusaders’ pair of exhibition wins, tallying 16 points on 7-of-10 shooting versus Robert Morris.
- Yeo was named an Indiana All-Star as a senior after earning Junior All-Star recognition the previous season.
- Yeo led Triton [Ind.] H.S. to the 1A state championship game as a senior.
Keith Carter
- Carter will be eligible to play Dec. 21 for the Crusaders and will have three seasons of eligibility at Valpo.
- Carter transferred to Valpo from Saint Louis at the semester break last season.
- Carter was runner-up for Illinois Mr. Basketball 2012 at Proviso East H.S. to Jabari Parker, who now plays for Duke.
