VALPO (1-3) vs. INDIANA STATE (2-2)

WHEN: Monday, Dec. 8 - 7:05 p.m. CST

WHERE: ARC, Valparaiso, Indiana

TV: - (tape-delay) Channel 56 (airs same night at 9 p.m.) - Dick Harlan and Joe Arredondo announcing; Comcast Cable - Channel 43 in Valparaiso (airs Friday, Dec. 12 at 7 p.m.).

RADIO: WEFM (95.9, Michigan City), WVUR-FM (95.1, Valparaiso) - Todd Ickow and Ed Schillinger announcing. Baron Brendel on the sidelines.

THE COACHES: Valparaiso is guided by Homer Drew, who has a career record of 506-309 in his 27th season and a record at Valpo of 237-187 in his 15th season. Indiana State is led by Royce Waltman, who has a career mark of 279-179 in his 17th season and a record at ISU of 90-93 in his 7th season.

SERIES RECORD: Indiana State leads 50-28
LAST MEETING: 2002-03 - Valpo won 81-56

LAST GAME: Valpo was defeated by 19th-ranked Cincinnati 68-49 last Tuesday in Valparaiso. Indiana State defeated Eastern Illinois 71-56 on Saturday in Charleston, Ill.

NEXT UP: Valpo hosts Wisconsin-Milwaukee on Wed., Dec. 10 at 7:05 p.m. CST.

Over the next week, Valpo hopes to take advantage of three straight home games. The Crusaders (1-3) host Indiana State (2-2) on Monday before entertaining Wisconsin-Milwaukee on Wednesday at 7:05 p.m. and Loyola on Saturday in a special 2:05 p.m. matinee. Valpo is coming off a 68-49 loss to 19th-ranked Cincinnati last Tuesday. Indiana State, which defeated Eastern Illinois 71-56 on Saturday evening, concludes a two-game road trip Monday.

VALPO'S SCHEDULE 15th MOST DIFFICULT: After playing Cincinnati, Marquette and South Florida in its first three games, Valpo's schedule is the 15th most difficult, according to the RPI report.

COLCLASURE LEADS MID-CON IN ASSIST/TURNOVER RATIO, RANKS 2nd IN 3-PT PERCENTAGE: Seth Colclasure, a sophomore guard, leads the Mid-Continent Conference in assist/turnover ratio through games of Dec. 4. Colclasure has dished out 13 assists and committed just two turnovers. He also ranks 2nd in the league in 3-point field goal percentage, draining .643 (9-14) from beyond the arc.

BERDIEL 3rd AMONG MID-CON'S ASSIST LEADERS: Junior Ali Berdiel stands 3rd in the Mid-Con in assists through Dec. 4. The 6'6" guard averages 6.0 apg. (24 in 4 games).

CRUSADERS FEATURE BALANCE: Through four games, Valpo has one double-figure scorer and six others who average 6.0 ppg.-or-more. Dan Oppland, a 6'8" forward, tops the squad with 11.0 ppg., while 6'8" senior Kikas Gomes contributes 9.8 ppg. Senior Roberto Nieves and Colclasure net 7.8 ppg. each, Jimmie Miles adds 7.5, Ali Berdiel scores 6.8 and Ron Howard averages 6.0.

GOMES, OPPLAND CRASH BOARDS: Gomes and sophomore Dan Oppland have made their presence felt on the boards thus far. Gomes tops the Crusaders with 7.8 caroms per contest, while Oppland has grabbed 5.3 rpg.

WISCONSIN-MILWAUKEE UP NEXT: The five-game homestand continues on Wednesday against Wisconsin-Milwaukee at 7:05 p.m. and concludes on Saturday vs. Loyola at 2:05 p.m.

CHAMPIONSHIP RUN NATION'S BEST: By winning eight of the last nine Mid-Con regular season titles, Valpo has won the most championships of any school in the nation during that span.

GOMES EARNS PRESEASON HONORS: Kikas Gomes was selected Preseason Second Team All-Mid-Con by the league's Coaches, SIDs and Media. Last season, the 6'8" senior from Angola was accorded honorable mention All-Mid-Con status after averaging 9.2 points and 5.6 rebounds per game.