Valparaiso (20-4, 7-2 Horizon)
Game #25 - Wednesday, February 4 - 7:05 p.m.
Detroit (11-13, 4-5 Horizon)
Athletics-Recreation Center (5,000) - Valparaiso, Ind.
Next Up in Crusader Basketball: The Valparaiso men’s basketball team looks to keep its hold on a share of first place in the Horizon League standings as the Crusaders kick off a three-game homestand on Wednesday night against Detroit. Valpo is looking to snap a three-game home losing streak to the Titans.
Last Time Out: The Valparaiso men’s basketball team led by as many as 18 points and held off a UIC surge in the second half, eventually coming out on top 70-65 in Chicago on Saturday afternoon. During the win, which moved the Crusaders into a tie atop the Horizon League standings, senior Vashil Fernandez broke Valpo’s single-season record for blocked shots. Alec Peters led four Crusaders in double figures with 19 points.
Following the Crusaders: Audio - Valpo Sports Network (WVUR, 95.1 FM, Valparaiso; WEFM, 95.9 FM, Michigan City; WJOB, 1230 AM, Hammond) - Todd Ickow (PxP) and David Huseman (Color)
Video - ESPN3.com
Links for live coverage will be available at ValpoAthletics.com.
Head Coach Bryce Drew: Bryce Drew (86-40) is in his fourth season at the helm of the Crusader men's basketball program in 2014-15. In his first three years, Drew led Valpo to 66 victories and postseason berths in each of his three seasons. 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: The Crusaders hold a 13-10 advantage in the all-time series over the Titans, including a 11-6 mark since joining the Horizon League prior to the 2007-08 campaign. Valpo is just 5-4 since joining the HL against Detroit at the ARC, however, as the Titans have won each of the last three matchups in Valpo. Last season, the two teams split their two meetings, with each squad winning on the road. The last meeting came in Valpo on Feb. 7, 2014, with the Titans winning 59-57 on a 3-pointer by Juwan Howard Jr. with 5.7 seconds to play.
@ValpoBasketball...
...and the @HorizonLeague
- @ValpoBasketball has been picked to finish in fourth place in the league standings in 2014-15 in preseason polling.
- The Crusaders have not finished worse than their preseason projection in the last four years.
- Sophomore Alec Peters was the lone underclassman on the preseason #HLMBB First Team All-League squad.
...looking back at last year
- @ValpoBasketball won 18 games and finished in fourth place in the #HLMBB regular season.
- The Crusaders advanced to the postseason for the fourth straight year, falling in the first round of the CIT to Columbia.
- Lavonte Dority was a First Team All-League selection and also earned All-Region honors.
- Alec Peters and Lexus Williams were both named to the league's All-Freshman Team.
...notes from UIC
- Valpo trailed for just 59 seconds in the win, by just three points - the Crusaders have not trailed by more than four points in any of their #HLMBB wins.
- The Crusaders opened up an 18-point lead early in the second half, a lead which was cut to one point with three minutes to play.
- Vashil Fernandez broke Valpo’s single-season blocked shot record (previously 71) with his third block of the game - ended with four blocks.
- The Crusaders out-rebounded UIC 45-26 and held a 38-18 advantage in points in the paint.
- All five Valpo starters scored at least seven points, the third time in seven games with this starting five that has happened.
- Alec Peters paced Valpo for the fifth time in #HLMBB play, finishing with 19 points.
- Darien Walker piced up his first career double-double, registering 11 points and a season-best 12 rebounds.
...looking ahead
- @ValpoBasketball starts a three-game homestand with the game against the Titans, continuing it Sunday against Oakland at 2:30 p.m.
- The game against the Golden Grizzlies will be broadcast live by American Sports Network, including locally on CSN Chicago or CSN Chicago Plus.
- The Crusaders then host Green Bay on Friday, Feb. 13 live on ESPN2 at 6 p.m.
...at the ARC
- @ValpoBasketball has 14 regular season home games scheduled for the ARC in 2014-15. #ValpoGameday
- The Crusaders posted a 12-6 mark at the ARC last season, and are now 9-1 at home this year following the win over Milwaukee.
- Over the last 20+ years, @ValpoBasketball owns a 244-57 (.811) record on its home court.
- The Crusaders are 23-6 in home #HLMBB games under Bryce Drew.
@DetroitTitans
- Detroit enters Wednesday’s game at 11-13 overall and 4-5 in #HLMBB play, most recently falling at Milwaukee 78-74.
- The Titans are just 3-8 in true road games this season, including just 1-3 on the road in league play to date.
- Juwan Howard Jr. ranks second in the league in scoring, averaging 17.9 ppg.
- Freshman Paris Bass leads all league rookies in scoring (12.2 ppg) and rebounding (6.1 rpg).
Hitting 20 Wins
- @ValpoBasketball reached 20 wins on the year with the win at UIC on Saturday.
- The Crusaders were the sixth team nationally to reach 20 wins and are one of seven programs with at least 20 wins as of Monday.
- The Crusaders had previously never reached their 20th win before Feb. 12 (2012-13 season).
- Valpo has now won at least 20 games 14 times in the last 22 years, including three times in four seasons under Bryce Drew.
20-4
- This season marks the third time in Crusader history - and the first time in the program’s D-I era - that Valpo had been 20-4 or better through 24 games.
- Most recently it occured during the FDR administration, as the “World’s Tallest Team” in 1944-45 ended the year 23-3.
- The Crusaders won their first 19 games in 1923-24 en route to a 24-4 record, while the 1930-31 squad finished at 16-2.
- Valpo won seven games in a row earlier this year to set its longest winning streak under Bryce Drew [won six in a row twice in 2012-13].
Poll Thoughts
- For the first time this season, @ValpoBasketball is receiving votes in both national top-25 polls (Associated Press/Coaches).
- The Crusaders previously earned votes in both polls in separate weeks earlier this week, including four points in the Jan. 19 coaches poll.
- Valpo moved up to sixth in the Mid-Major Top-25 Poll and has been within the top-10 almost the entire year, reaching as high as fourth.
Hitting the Glass
- Valpo has out-rebounded opponents by double figures 11 times on the year, including a +19 edge last time out at UIC.
- The Crusaders outrebounded Wright State by 21 earlier this year - best vs. a D-I opponent since a +22 advantage on the glass last year vs. Saint Louis.
- By contrast, the Crusaders have only been outrebounded on two occasions - losses to New Mexico and Missouri.
- The Crusaders’ league-leading rebounding margin sits at +8.3, good for 10th in the nation.
- Valpo leads the league in rebounding margin by more than five boards, and also paces the circuit in both offensive and defensive rebounding pct.
Defensive Prowess
- The Crusaders gave up just 65 points last time out and haven’t given up more than 65 points in their last eight games.
- Valpo held three straight teams to 56 points, the first time it has won three straight games and given up 56 or fewer points in all three since Dec. 7-17, 1983.
- Valpo ranks 33rd nationally in scoring defense and 19th in field goal percentage defense.
- Valpo boasts a defensive efficiency of 93.1, 35th-best nationally - the Crusaders haven’t ranked in the top-100 since 2006-07.
- Crusader opponents are shooting just 42.4% from 2-point range (21st nationally) and are pulling down just 25.5% of available offensive boards (14th nationally).
On Pace for 1,000
- Sophomore Alec Peters is on pace to become the first sophomore in Crusader history to reach the 1,000 point milestone.
- Peters enters Saturday’s game with 859 points and would need to average 17.6 ppg over the Crusaders’ guaranteed eight remaining games to hit 1,000.
- For comparison, Bryce Drew had 912 points through his first two seasons in a Valpo uniform.
- Peters has scored 20+ points 10 times already this season, tied for the most among #HLMBB players.
- Peters’ .464 3-point percentage this year would rank fifth in a single season in program history and ranks ninth nationally.
Sir Blocks-A-Lot
- Senior Vashil Fernandez has cemented himself among the top shot-blockers in Crusader history this season.
- Last time out, Fernandez broke Valpo’s single-season blocks record and currently has 73 blocked shots this year.
- For his career, Fernandez now has 145 rejections, second-most in Crusader history.
- Fernandez leads the league and ranks 10th nationally with 3.0 blocks/game, while he ranks fifth nationally in block pct. (13.7%).
- Fernandez’s blocks/40 minutes has risen from 3.5 last year to 5.0 this year, while his fouls/40 has fallen from 6.2 to 4.4.
Who's Back This Season
- @ValpoBasketball returns just seven letterwinners from its 2013-14 team, returning 48.3% of scoring and 56.8% of rebounding.
- Leading the returnees is preseason First Team All-League selection Alec Peters (12.7 ppg, 4.8 rpg).
- Jubril Adekoya (5.8 ppg, 53.7% FG%) and Vashil Fernandez (58 blocks last year, fourth-most in program history) also are returning starters.
- Sophomore Lexus Williams returns as well, but is expected to miss the entire season.
Lots of New Faces
- Nearly half of the @ValpoBasketball roster (6 of 14 players) is new to the program this season.
- Five players are eligible for the first time this season, including Charlotte transfer E. Victor Nickerson, who sat out at Valpo last year.
- Darien Walker came to Valpo from junior college, while Max Joseph, David Skara and Tevonn Walker are all true freshmen.
- Shane Hammink (LSU) and Chandler Levingston Simon (UMKC) both transferred to Valpo last off-season and have to sit out this year.
The International Flavor
- This year’s squad continues the international pipeline that @ValpoBasketball has cultivated over the past two decades.
- The Crusaders boast five international players on this year’s roster from four different countries.
- Represented are Canada (Joseph, T. Walker), Croatia (Skara), Jamaica (Fernandez) and Netherlands (Hammink).
- The duo from Canada mark the first Canadian players in program history.
- Over the past two decades, @ValpoBasketball has welcomed 31 international players from 18 different countries.
- Crusader signee Daniel Relvao is from Portugal and will become the first Portugese player in program history when he joins in 2015-16.
In the Crusaders’ Future
- Daniel Relvao and Derrik Smits have both signed NLIs to join @ValpoBasketball as freshmen for the 2015-16 campaign.
- Relvao (6’9”, 235 lbs.) hails from Coimbra, Portugal and currently plays prep ball at Mountain Mission [Va.] School.
- Relvao averaged 8.2 ppg, 5.2 rpg and 3.3 bpg for Portugal last summer in Division B of the FIBA U18 World Championship.
- Smits (7’0”, 230 lbs.) will join Valpo from Zionsville [Ind.] H.S., where he averaged in double figures last season & also posted 3.6 rpg and 1.8 bpg.
- Smits is the son of former Indiana Pacers star center Rik Smits.
Bryce Drew
- Bryce Drew is in his fourth season as head coach of @ValpoBasketball and is in his tenth season overall on the coaching staff.
- Last season, Drew led the Crusaders to 18 wins and their fourth straight postseason berth.
- In 2012-13, 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 - 22 wins and #HLMBB regular season title.
- 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.
- 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 27 years. #DrewFamilyDynasty
- The Drew family has combined to lead @ValpoBasketball to 477 victories and 12 postseason appearances. #DrewFamilyDynasty
- Overall, the trio of Drews owns 968 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.
- 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.
Alec Peters
- Peters led the Crusaders with 19 points and added six rebounds last time out in the win at UIC.
- Peters matched his career high with 10 field goals, going 10-of-14 from the floor for a game-high 24 points in the win over Milwaukee.
- Peters paced the Crusaders in each of their two wins over YSU, scoring 18 points in both victories.
- Peters led all players with 24 points against CSU, hitting 5-of-7 from 3-point range and 7-of-7 from the foul line.
- Peters posted his third career double-double at JMU, going for 19 points and 10 rebounds.
- Peters earned his second #HLMBB Player of the Week award Dec. 22 after scoring 52 points in the Crusaders’ last three halves of play.
- Peters scored 23 points in the second half at IPFW in the come-from-behind win and then posted 29 points against Goshen.
- Peters registered his second career double-double with 23 points and 10 rebounds in the win over Ball State.
- Peters matched his career high with seven 3-pointers, leading all scorers with 21 points and grabbing seven rebounds at EKU.
- Peters was named MVP of the Challenge in Music City and named #HLMBB Player of the Week by College Sports Madness.
- Peters was named to the All-Tournament Team at CMU and was named #HLMBB Player of the Week Nov. 24.
- Peters set a new career high with 31 points (9-13 FG, 4-6 3PT, 9-10 FT) in the win over Maine.
- Peters is one of just three Crusaders with three 30+ point games in their careers in the last two decades.
- Peters was a preseason First Team All-League selection after earning All-Freshman team honors last year as a rookie.
- A four-time #HLMBB Freshman of the Week, he averaged 12.7 ppg and 4.8 rpg last year, becoming the highest-scoring Valpo freshman since 1998-99.
Vashil Fernandez
- Fernandez now has 73 blocks this season, breaking Valpo’s single-season record last time out in the win at UIC.
- Fernandez led all players in both scoring (14) and rebounding (9) in the win at Wright State.
- Fernandez set a new career high with 15 points (6-6 FG) while also tallying eight rebounds and four blocks vs. UIC.
- Fernandez moved into second position on Valpo’s all-time blocks chart with his fourth block vs. UIC and now has 145 career blocks.
- Fernandez grabbed a season-high 13 rebounds and also tallied eight points and three blocks versus YSU.
- Fernandez blocked a Crusader single-game record eight shots against Goshen.
- Fernandez tallied eight points, five rebounds and six blocks in the win at IPFW.
- Fernandez was a perfect 6-of-6 from the field for 12 points and six rebounds in the win at EKU.
- Fernandez was named to the All-Tournament Team at CMU.
- Fernandez recorded 11 points, seven rebounds and five blocks in the win over UAPB.
- Fernandez averaged 4.3 points and 5.1 rebounds per game as a junior, and blocked 58 shots - fourth-most in a season in Valpo history.
- Fernandez spent the summer of 2014 playing for the Jamaican national team at FIBA Centrobasket.
Keith Carter
- Carter picked up his first career double-double, registering 15 points and 10 rebounds in the win over Youngstown State.
- Carter matched a season best with 18 points at Oakland, including a game-tying triple with 9.9 seconds left to force overtime.
- Carter scored 13 points, grabbed five rebounds and handed out four assists in the win at JMU.
- Carter scored a season-best 18 points (7-11 FG, 4-4 3PT) and tallied four assists and four steals in the win at IPFW.
- Carter matched his career high with seven assists and scored nine second-half points in the win at EKU.
- Carter scored 15 points on 5-of-8 shooting in the victory over Drake and recorded a career-high four steals the next night versus Murray State.
- Carter appeared in each of the final 22 games of the 2013-14 season after becoming eligible, averaging 5.7 ppg and 2.3 apg.
- Carter connected at a 40% clip from 3-point range in his first year as a Crusader.
- Carter, a former Illinois Mr. Basketball runner-up, came to Valpo after spending the first half of his freshman year at Saint Louis.
Jubril Adekoya
- Adekoya is averaging 6.7 points and 4.7 rebounds in league play while shooting at a 69.4% clip from the field.
- Adekoya set a new career high at YSU with 14 points on 7-of-8 shooting.
- Adekoya scored 10 points (4-5 FG) and matched his career best with nine rebounds in the win over UIC.
- Adekoya was a perfect 3-3 from the field for seven points, nine rebounds and four assists at Oakland.
- Adekoya scored six points and grabbed five rebounds versus Drake, and pulled down seven boards the next day against Murray State.
- Adekoya appeared in all 34 games as a rookie for Valpo in 2013-14, starting 24 times and averaging 5.8 points and 3.4 rebounds per game.
- Adekoya shot at a 63.6% clip from inside the 3-point line last year.
- Adekoya scored a season-high 13 points at Youngstown State and pulled down a season-best nine rebounds at Detroit.
David Chadwick
- Chadwick set a new personal best against a D-I team, scoring eight points in the win at JMU in 11 minutes.
- Chadwick scored nine points and grabbed a pair of rebounds in 19 minutes of action in the win over Goshen.
- Chadwick made both his field goal attempts, including a 3-pointer, en route to seven points in five minutes in the win over Murray State.
- Chadwick made his first career start as a Crusader in the win over IUSB, playing 19 minutes and grabbing four rebounds.
- Chadwick appeared in 12 games last season in his first season playing for the Crusaders, scoring career-best 14 points vs. Cincinnati Christian.
- Chadwick appeared in 52 games over his first two collegiate seasons at Rice.
Nick Davidson
- Davidson scored four points and handed out an assist in 11 minutes against UIC.
- Davidson set a new career high with eight points in the win at JMU, connecting on a pair of 3-pointers.
- Davidson knocked down a triple and handed out two assists in the win over Goshen.
- Davidson made his first career start against TIU, scoring four points.
- Davidson hit a pair of second-half 3-pointers in the win over Maine.
- Davidson saw 11 minutes off the bench versus IUSB, scoring three points and tallying a pair of steals.
- Davidson appeared in 14 games off the bench as a freshman, going for seven points and five assists in a win over Cincinnati Christian.
- Davidson was the area Player of the Year following his senior year at Andrean [Ind.] H.S.
E. Victor Nickerson
- Nickerson scored 10 points in the games at Green Bay and at UIC.
- Nickerson scored nine points in the wins over James Madison and Youngstown State.
- Nickerson tallied six rebounds and tied for team-high honors with four assists in the win over Goshen.
- Nickerson scored nine points in 17 minutes off the bench in the win over Ball State.
- Nickerson scored seven points in the win over Murray State and went 4-of-5 for eight points in the victory against Portland.
- Nickerson handed out a game-high four assists in the win over Maine.
- Nickerson paced Valpo with 12 points (4-5 FG, 3-3 FT) off the bench at Missouri.
- Nickerson sat out last season after transferring to Valpo from Charlotte.
- Nickerson appeared in 60 games for Charlotte over his first two years, starting 15 times as a sophomore.
- Nickerson was an Honorable Mention All-State selection as a senior in HS, helping lead Norcross to Georgia 5A state title.
Max Joseph
- Joseph played a career-high 26 minutes in the win over UIC, scoring nine points (3-3 FG) and handing out three assists.
- Joseph scored seven points, grabbed four rebounds and came up with four steals against Trinity International.
- Joseph tallied three points, four rebounds and three assists in the victory over IUSB.
- Joseph was a RSEQ Second Team All-Star in his senior season at Vanier College.
- Joseph earned First Team All-Star honors at the national tournament, helping lead Vanier to a berth in the bronze medal match.
David Skara
- Skara posted a season high against a D-I opponent, scoring 14 points (4-5 FG, 5-5 FT) in the win over Milwaukee.
- Skara was a perfect 4-4 from the field, going for nine points, seven rebounds and four assists in the win over Goshen.
- Skara made his first career start against Trinity International, tallying 11 points and four boards.
- Skara scored 10 points in 18 minutes in the win vs. Murray State.
- Skara scored 10 second-half points off the bench in the win over Maine.
- Skara led all players with 17 points (6-9 FG) and also handed out six assists without committing a turnover in the win over IUSB.
- Skara scored 11 points and grabbed five rebounds off the bench in the season opener vs. ETSU.
- Skara spent last season at Midwest Elite Prep (Ind.) Academy, averaging 16 points and eight rebounds per game for the Warriors.
- Skara represented Croatia at the 2012 FIBA U17 World Championship, helping team to the bronze medal - he appeared in four games, recording ten points and five rebounds in a win over South Korea.
Darien Walker
- Walker returned to his hometown of Chicago with 11 points and 12 rebounds last time out at UIC.
- Walker scored 11 of his 13 points in the first half of the win at WSU.
- Walker scored 13 points (5-9 FG) and added four rebounds in the win vs. UIC.
- Walker registered a game-high and new career-best seven assists in the win at JMU.
- Walker was named to the All-Tournament Team at the Challenge in Music City.
- Walker scored a game-high 19 points (7-14 FG) against Drake.
- Walker added 18 points (7-10 FG, 4-5 3PT) in the win over Murray State and scored 13 points in the clinching win over Portland.
- Walker scored 20 points in the season-opening win over ETSU, including 5-of-7 from 3-point range.
- Walker spent last season at John A. Logan College, where he averaged 13.4 ppg and was a First Team All-Region 24 selection.
- Walker played as a freshman at Arizona Western College, registering 11.1 ppg and 4.4 rpg.
- Walker helped Chicago powerhouse Simeon H.S. to back-to-back Illiois 4A state titles.
Tevonn Walker
- Walker has scored at least seven points in 17 of Valpo’s last 18 games, including 14 points last time out in the win at UIC.
- Walker scored seven points and led all players with a career-best 13 rebounds at Green Bay.
- Walker hit all three of his 3-point attempts en route to 13 points and five rebounds at YSU.
- Walker was named #HLMBB Freshman of the Week on Jan. 5.
- Walker set a new career high at Oakland, scoring 22 points on 8-of-13 shooting.
- Walker reached double figures at JMU, finishing with 12 points in just 22 minutes.
- Walker led the Crusaders with 15 points off the bench in the victory over Trinity International.
- Walker registered 15 points and four rebounds in the win at Eastern Kentucky.
- Walker tallied 16 points versus Maine, hitting 6-of-10 from the field.
- Walker made his Crusader debut in the season opener against East Tennessee State, starting and playing a team-high 32 minutes.
- Walker finished with 16 points, including a perfect 8-8 from the foul line, and also handed out three assists without a turnover.
- Walker was an All-Canadian selection as a senior and ranked as high as eighth in his class nationally.
- Walker was league Player of the Year as a senior at Vanier College, leading the league and ranking 14th nationally with 20.8 ppg.
Lexus Williams
- Williams is expected to miss the entire season after suffering an offseason knee injury.
- Williams was a Horizon League All-Freshman Team selection as a rookie last year.
- Williams appeared in all 34 games for the Crusaders as a freshman, averaging 6.5 ppg and 2.4 apg.
- Williams led the team as a freshman with 35 steals.
- Williams scored in double figures eight times, including a career-best 22 points in a win at Detroit.
