Valparaiso (3-19, 1-8 Horizon)
at Cleveland State (11-11, 6-3 Horizon)

Game #23 - Thursday, February 13 - 4:30 p.m.
Wolstein Center (8,500) - Cleveland, Ohio

Next Up in Crusader Basketball: Valpo embarks on its final swing trip of the regular season Thursday as the Brown and Gold sweep through northeast Ohio to face Cleveland State and Youngstown State. The Crusaders are trying to stave off their fifth consecutive 20-loss season, but the Vikings have other ideas as they are one of three teams deadlocked in second place in the Horizon League at 6-3.

Last Time Out: Valpo shot 50% or better as a team Monday night for the fourth time in the last seven games, but UIC gobbled up 19 offensive rebounds which translated into 24 second chance points. The Flames swept the regular season series with an 82-73 win at the ARC. The Crusaders finished with four players in double figures as Jessi Wiedemann tossed in 17, Liz Horton scored exactly 15 points for the third time in the last four tilts, Richardson registered 12, and Karungi contributed 10 points off the bench. UIC’s Katie Hannemann was a Crusader killer again as the redshirt senior accumulated 29 points on 11-of-13 shooting.

Following the Crusaders: Audio - WVUR (95.1 FM, Valparaiso) - Parker Gatewood (play-by-play) and Brandon Vickrey (color). Video - Horizon League Network. Links for the audio, video and 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 Tracey Dorow: Tracey Dorow (14-39) is in her second season at the helm of the Valparaiso women’s basketball program in 2013-14. 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 2002-2003.

Series Notes: Valparaiso leads the all-time series 14-11 over Cleveland State. The series began in 1989, and Valpo won the first eight meetings in Cleveland, but the Vikings have taken three of the last four at home versus the Crusaders. Cleveland State came away winners of a 76-66 affair against Valpo on Jan. 27th.

Storylines...
- Cleveland State’s Imani Gordon is averaging 20.2 points and 10.4 rebounds per game through her first nine conference games.
- For the entire season, opponents (1,659) have outscored Cleveland State (1,658) by exactly one point.
- Furthermore, while the Vikings have scored 1,658 points, the Crusaders have surrendered 1,658 points.
- Despite a close 14-11 overall series count, Valpo is 9-3 vs. CSU away from the ARC.
- Thursday afternoon’s game features the two best free-throw shooting teams in the Horizon League (Valpo 78.2%, CSU 71.6%).

@CSUWBBVIKINGS
- Since Jan. 21st, @CSUWBBVIKINGS has lost three games, won three games, lost three games, and are now on a three-game winning streak.
- Three @CSUWBBVIKINGS combine to average 47.6 points/game (Imani Gordon 17.2, Cori Coleman 15.5, Kiersten Green 14.9).
- @CSUWBBVIKINGS have gone with the same starting five for 21 of 22 games (Gordon/Aideyman/Coleman/Green/Schmitt).
- @CSUWBBVIKINGS lead the HL in three-point shooting (35.7%).
- @CSUWBBVIKINGS is ranked last in the conference in rebounding.
- Kate Peterson Abiad is in her 11th season as head coach of the Vikings.
- Peterson Abiad graduated from University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point where she has an honorable mention All-American.
- She’s served as an assistant at Indiana, Eastern Illinois, and Wisconsin.

Jessica Carr
- Notched five assists to just one turnover versus UIC on 2/10/14.
- Tallied seven steals versus Detroit on 1/23/14.
- Gave out a career-high six assists at UIC on 1/21/14.
- Scored 12 points and had four assists in just her second game of the season.
- Made her season debut versus Western Michigan on Dec. 29th, where she scored five points and notched an assist, steal, and rebound.

Elizabeth Hamlet
- Scored a season-high 12 points versus her alma mater (Oakland) on Jan. 15.
- Shot 3-for-5 from the field in Valpo’s 63-61 defeat of Toledo at the Toledo Invite.

Abby Dean
- Averaged 14.0 PPG in a four-game stretch from 1/21 to 2/1.
- Poured in a career high 20 points and six steals vs. Detroit on 1/23/14.
- Has knocked down exactly five field goals in seven different contests.
- Only Crusader to start every game thus far.
- Tallied a then career-high 17 points at Tennessee Tech on Nov. 24th.
- Scored first collegiate points at Cameron Indoor Stadium on 11/23/12.
- Made collegiate debut on November 14th versus Purdue-Calumet.
- Tossed in 11 points in 19 minutes vs.Western Michigan last season.

Lexi Miller
- Scored 13 points off the bench on 5-of-6 shooting at Green Bay on 2/3.
- Tallied 13 assists to five turnovers during the Toledo Invite.
- Scored a career-high 18 points vs. Tennessee Tech on 11/24/13.
- Accumulated 15 points, four rebounds, four assists, and three steals (all career highs at the time) at Saint Louis on 11/10/13.
- Made collegiate debut against the Indiana Hoosiers 11/9/12.
- Made first start in Hinkle Fieldhouse versus the Butler Bulldogs.
- Scored 13 points in Valpo’s 88-62 victory over UIC on 2/16/13.

Charae Richardson
- Valpo’s leading scorer (10.9 PPG).
- Has recorded at least one steal in each of her last eleven games.
- Has scored 13 or more points in eight of team’s 21 games.
- Scored a career-high 23 points versus Montana State.
- Dished out a season-high seven assists at Tennessee Tech.
- Leads team in total assists (66) and steals (28).
- Scored 15 points in the season opener at Saint Louis on Nov. 10th.
- Played in all 31 games for the Crusaders last season, including 28 starts.
- Carried an 84.1 free-throw percentage.
- Finished second on the team last season in 3-pointers (24) and assists (95).

Liz Horton
- Has scored exactly 15 points in three of the last four games.
- Made five of six three-point attempts en route to a career-high 20 points at Tulsa on 1/4/14.
- Snapped an eight-game three-point streak at Oakland on 1/15/14.
- Shot 23-of-45 from the field in December including 10-for-19 from behind the arc.
- Leads team in three-point field goal percentage (40%) and in total FG% (47.3%)
- Scored exactly 11 points on four different occasions this season (Illinois, #6 Notre Dame, Montana State, Toledo).
- Appeared in 30 games for the Brown and Gold a season ago.
- Named Crusaders’ Most Improved Player in 2012-13.
- Scored 19 points, including 3-for-3 shooting from behind the arc, at Western Michigan on Dec. 19th.

Sharon Karungi
- Returned to double figures for the first time in seven games when she scored ten and grabbed nine boards versus UIC on Monday.
- Shot a season-best 80% (8-10) from the floor vs. WSU on 1/18/14.
- Scored a career-high 21 points in her first HL game (1/9/14).
- Leading rebounder (6.9) for the Crusaders.
- Grabbed 14 rebounds in both games of the Toledo Invite en route to Most Valuable Player recognition.
- Scored the game-winning put-back with three seconds to play vs. Toledo.
- Registered 17 points and 14 boards versus FIU for her third double-double of the season.
- Tallied her second double-double at Tennessee Tech, scoring 11 points and collecting 10 rebounds.
- Recorded her first double-double at Illinois on Nov. 12th, throwing in 15 points and grabbing 12 boards.

Jessi Wiedemann
- Posted a career-high 21 points vs. Cleveland State on 1/27/14.
- Named to Toledo Invite All-Tournament Team after scoring 15 versus Chicago State and 14 against Toledo.
- Double figure scorer in twelve games for the Crusaders.
- Has made multiple three-pointers in ten games in 2013-14.
- Snapped a season-starting 0-14 slump from behind the arc at #6 Notre Dame, nailing three treys in a nine-point game.
- Played all 40 minutes in the season opener at Saint Louis and set career highs in blocks (4) and steals (3) while scoring six points.
- Appeared in all 31 games including four starts as a freshman.
- Made collegiate debut versus Indiana.
- Scored 13 points off the bench versus Detroit on Mar. 9th, 2013.

Roster Breakdown
- Valpo welcomes six new players (two freshmen, four transfers) to its team this season.
- Haylee Thompson and Annemarie Hamlet will sit out this season per NCAA transfer eligibilty rules.
- The Brown and Gold boast players from six different states and two countries.
- Liz Horton is the only true senior on this year’s squad.