Busy Basketball Slate Continues This Weekend at UNI
Thursday, February 11, 2021
Busy Basketball Slate Continues This Weekend at UNI
Zion Morgan had a season-high seven rebounds on Wednesday vs. Bradley.
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Valparaiso (7-13, 4-7 MVC) 
at UNI (6-13, 4-9 MVC)

Game No. 21 – Saturday, Feb. 13 – 7 p.m. CT
Game No. 22 – Sunday, Feb. 14 – 6 p.m. CT
McLeod Center (6,500) – Cedar Falls, Iowa

Next Up in Valpo Basketball: The Valparaiso University men’s basketball team will begin a stretch of five consecutive road tilts this weekend by paying Missouri Valley Conference preseason favorite UNI a visit on Saturday and Sunday in Cedar Falls, Iowa. Saturday will mark the fourth game of a busy stretch of eight games in 17 days as Valpo continues its NBA-style schedule necessitated by several COVID-related postponements early in the league slate. Both games against the Panthers this weekend will be televised in the Chicago market, Saturday on NBC Sports Chicago Plus and Sunday on NBC Sports Chicago.

Last Time Out: Sophomore Donovan Clay (16) and freshman Sheldon Edwards (10) combined for 26 of Valpo’s 30 first-half points on Wednesday in an eventual 76-52 defeat to visiting Bradley. The Braves earned a split in the season series by placing six players in double figures and recording their first ever win at the Athletics-Recreation Center, snapping head coach Brian Wardle’s personal 10-game skid in the ARC that spanned his time at Green Bay and Bradley. Clay finished with a game-high 17 points, while Eron Gordon led the team and shared game-high rebounding honors with eight.

Following Valpo Basketball: Television (Saturday) – MVC TV Network (NBC Sports Chicago Plus, Ch. 201 Comcast, FOX Sports Midwest Plus, FOX Sports Kansas City Plus, FOX Sports Indiana Plus, ESPN+ out of market only) – Mitch Holthus (play-by-play) and Adam Emmenecker (analyst) 

Television (Sunday) – Panther Sports Network (NBC Sports Chicago, Ch. 200 Comcast), ESPN+ – Eric Braley (play-by-play) and Brad Wells (analyst)

Radio – Valpo Sports Network (WVUR 95.1 FM, TuneIn Radio App) – Todd Ickow (play-by-play) and Brandon Vickrey (analyst) 

Twitter updates - @ValpoBasketball

Links for video, audio and live stats will be available at ValpoAthletics.com.

Head Coach Matt Lottich: Matt Lottich (80-73) is in his eighth season overall at Valpo and fifth as head coach in 2020-21. Just two years removed from finishing in last place and being knocked out in the first round of the Missouri Valley Conference Tournament as a first-year Valley member, Lottich’s team did more than hold its own in 2019-2020, ascending into a tie for sixth in the league standings before finishing as the conference tournament runner-up. Valpo became the first team in the history of Arch Madness to reach the title game after playing in the opening round. Lottich, hired as the 22nd head coach of the Valpo men’s basketball program in April 2016, graduated from Stanford University in 2004 and New Trier High School (Illinois) in 2000.

Senior Leadership

  • A youthful team filled with talented freshmen and sophomores has received a significant boost with the recent play of fifth-year senior Eron Gordon.
  • Gordon is second in the MVC in rebounding among guards at 5.4 per game, behind only Missouri State’s Isiaih Mosley (6.8). At 6-foot-3, Gordon leads the MVC in rebounding among players shorter than 6-5.
  • Gordon reached the seven-rebound mark just once over the first nine games of the season, but since then he’s had seven rebounds or more in eight of his last 11 contests including three straight.
  • Gordon has led the team in rebounds (outright or tied) on nine occasions this season.
  • The Indianapolis native is a member of a basketball family including older brother Eric, an NBA veteran with the Houston Rockets.

Edwards Excelling

  • Sheldon Edwards has swiped three steals in each of his last two games and has strung together four consecutive multi-steal outputs. The freshman has picked up his defensive prowess of late as 10 of his 16 steals this season have come in the last four games after he had six in his first 15 contests.
  • Edwards has also experienced a recent scoring surge as he has put together three straight double-figure performances after scattering four over his first 16 games. He has been in double figures in four of his last six.
  • Edwards was recognized as the MVC Newcomer of the Week on Monday, Feb. 8 thanks to his role in Valpo’s strong showing vs. No. 25 Drake on Feb. 6-7.
  • Edwards scored a career-high 20 points in the Feb. 6 game before posting 11 in the Sunday, Feb. 7 victory. His thunderous dunk on Sunday ranked No. 7 on SportsCenter’s Top 10 plays.
  • Edwards became the first Valpo player to earn MVC Newcomer of the Week this season and the second player (joining Ben Krikke) to receive an MVC Weekly honor this year. Donovan Clay was Valpo’s most recent MVC Newcomer of the Week during the final week of the 2019-20 regular season.
  • Edwards was also named the College Sports Madness MVC Player of the Week on Monday, Feb. 8.

Morgan Making Contributions

  • Senior Zion Morgan had a season-high seven rebounds on Feb. 10 vs. Bradley, two shy of a career high that was established on Dec. 21, 2019 at Arkansas.
  • Seven of Morgan’s 11 rebounds this season came on Wednesday.
  • “Z-Mo” has filled the stat sheet of late, with three straight multi-assist games and 11 assists against just two turnovers in his last four contests.
  • Morgan has made four of his nine shots over the last two games as well, accruing 10 points.

On Pace for 1,000

  • Ben Krikke enters the weekend with 468 career points, needing 32 over the two games to reach the 500-point mark.
  • As only a sophomore, that puts him on pace to finish as a 1,000-point scorer.
  • Fellow sophomore Donovan Clay is already well on pace for 1,000 as he owns 551 career points entering the weekend.

Other Notes Wrapping Up Feb. 10 (Bradley 76, Valpo 52)

  • Donovan Clay scored 16 points before halftime and finished with a game-high 17, his highest scoring output in the last seven games after a 20-point performance at Illinois State on Jan. 23.
  • It was the fifth time this season Clay has scored 17 points or more in a game.
  • This marked the first time ever that the road team won a Valpo-Bradley matchup. The home team was previously 10-0 with each program owning five losses in the opposite team’s arena.
  • Bradley head coach Brian Wardle snapped a personal 10-game losing streak at Valpo that dated back to 2010-11. He won his first game at the ARC, but then lost 10 straight, six while serving as the head coach at Green Bay and four while in his current role at Bradley.
  • Six Bradley players scored in double figures on Wednesday, Feb. 10. In the first meeting between the two teams, Valpo boasted five double-figure scorers, a double-overtime victory on Jan. 28.
  • Bradley made 13 3s, the most by a Valpo opponent since Butler’s 13 on Jan. 29, 2011.
  • Sophomore center Emil Freese-Vilien made his season debut in the final minute of the game.

Approaching 1,400 Victories

  • Entering this weekend, Valpo is three wins away from an all-time milestone.
  • The program is three victories shy of 1,400 all-time.
  • Valpo boasts an all-time mark of 1397-1251 entering Saturday.

Series Notes: UNI

  • Valpo will attempt to pick up its first ever victory in Cedar Falls, where the team owns an 0-14 record.
  • Valpo is just 3-27 all-time against the Panthers.
  • The Brown & Gold have dropped three straight to UNI, all by double figures.

Inside the Panthers

  • Favored to win the Missouri Valley Conference, according to the preseason survey of the league’s head coaches, media members and sports information directors.
  • MVC Preseason Player of the Year and reigning Larry Bird Player of the Year AJ Green is out for the season with an injury.
  • Austin Phyfe was also an MVC Preseason First Team honoree, while Trae Berhow garnered a place on the third team.
  • Led in scoring by Berhow at 12.8 points per game, while Phyfe is the top rebounder at 7.2 per contest.
  • Went 25-6 overall a year ago, earning its third MVC regular-season crown and first since 2010.
  • Coming off an 80-59 loss to Drake on Wednesday.

A Win That Ranks Up There

  • Valpo earned its fourth victory in program history over an Associated Press Top 25 team on Sunday, Feb. 7, upsetting previously undefeated No. 25 Drake 74-57. Two of the four victories against nationally-ranked opponents have come under head coach Matt Lottich’s watch as his team knocked off No. 21/25 Rhode Island 65-62 in 2016-17, Lottich’s first season at the helm.
  • Prior to Lottich assuming head coaching duties, Valpo was just 2-65 all-time against ranked teams (1998 NCAA Tournament "The Shot" vs. Ole Miss; 1988 "Lutheran Miracle" vs. Notre Dame).
  • Of the 22 head coaches in Valpo Basketball history, only Matt Lottich and National Collegiate Basketball Hall of Famer Homer Drew have coached the team to wins over nationally-ranked opponents. Lottich and Drew have two Top 25 wins apiece, with Lottich’s coming in his first five seasons while Drew finished with two during his 22-year run.
  • Valpo has won two of its last three home games against Top 25 teams with the loss coming by just three points to Drake in the Saturday, Feb. 6 matchup.
  • Valpo may have another opportunity against a nationally-ranked team next week as Loyola cracked the AP Top 25 for the first time since 1985 this week, checking in at No. 22. Valpo will visit the Ramblers next Wednesday, Feb. 17.

Valpo Basketball, All-Time AP Top 25 Victories

Opponent                               Date                Score

  1. #25 Drake 2-7-21 W 74-57
  2. #21 Rhode Island 11-29-16 W 65-62
  3. #13 Ole Miss* 3-13-98 W 70-69
  4. #19 Notre Dame 12-17-88 W 71-68 (OT)

*NCAA Tournament in Oklahoma City, Okla.

Never A Doubt

  • Not only did Valpo upstage a quality and experienced No. 25 Drake team on Sunday, Feb. 7, but it did so in lopsided fashion. The 17-point margin of victory matched Valpo’s largest in a regular-season Missouri Valley Conference game since joining the league.
  • Valpo owns two other 17-point wins in MVC play, February 2020 vs. Southern Illinois and January 2018 vs. Drake. In addition, the team had a 22-point win over Indiana State in conference tournament action.
  • The 17-point cushion was the program’s largest over a nationally-ranked foe by a wide margin as the previous three wins were all decided by three points or fewer.
  • Lock-down defense paved the way to the rout as Valpo held a team that entered the day averaging 82.8 points per game to a season-low 57, 11 points below the Bulldogs’ previous season floor.

#SCTop10 Again

  • Sheldon Edwards’ dunk from the Sunday, Feb. 7 victory over No. 25 Drake checked in at No. 7 on SportsCenter’s Top 10 plays late that night.
  • This marks the third time in the last two years Valpo basketball has produced an #SCTop10 play. Since joining the Missouri Valley Conference, Valpo Athletics have been featured on the popular daily countdown on eight occasions spanning five sports – men’s basketball (four times), women's basketball, softball, soccer and volleyball.
  • The poster slam also landed on ESPN.com’s college basketball homepage on Sunday.

Unbeaten No More

  • Valpo faced a team with a perfect record of 18-0 or better for the first time in at least 20 years when Drake arrived at the ARC for the Sunday, Feb. 7 game. Valpo’s most recent game against a team with an undefeated record this late in the season prior to this past weekend is believed to be a 1979-80 matchup with DePaul when the Blue Demons entered at 20-0.
  • Previously, the team with the best record that Valpo had faced over the last two decades was 12-0 North Carolina on Dec. 20, 2008 at the United Center.
  • Entering Feb. 7, Valpo was 2-10 against undefeated teams that had played five or more games since the start of the 1999-2000 season. In addition, Valpo garnered its first win over a team with an unblemished mark of 7-0 or better in that span as Valpo was 0-8 against those opponents before the win over the Bulldogs.
  • Drake was one of three remaining undefeated teams in the nation at the time of Valpo’s victory. Coincidentally, both remaining teams with undefeated records feature Valpo connections, as Baylor is under the direction of former Valpo head coach Scott Drew and former Valpo assistant coach Roger Powell serves on Gonzaga’s staff.

Youth vs. Experience

  • The Valpo/Drake matchup pitted one of the nation’s oldest teams against a Valpo team that depends heavily on freshmen and sophomores.
  • Drake boasts an average age of 21.5 years old and has a starting five with an average age of 23.3. That starting lineup is older than the starting five of three teams in the NBA, including the Chicago Bulls who have an average starters’ age of 21.6.
  • Conversely, Valpo started two freshmen and two sophomores in both games this weekend. On Saturday, freshmen and sophomores combined for 56 of Valpo’s 77 points (72.7 percent), while on Sunday underclassmen accounted for 46 out of 74 points (62.2 percent).
  • Drake received only 15 of its 80 points (18.8 percent) from freshmen and sophomores on Saturday before underclassmen made up just nine of their 48 points (18.8 percent) on Sunday.
  • Valpo outscored Drake 102-24 in points by freshmen and sophomores over the two games.

Other Notes Wrapping Up Feb. 7: Valpo 74, #25 Drake 57

  • Ben Krikke finished as Valpo’s leading scorer with 15 points. True to form, four of Valpo’s top five scorers were freshmen or sophomores on a day where one of the nation’s oldest teams, a junior- and senior-laden Drake squad, sat on the opposing bench.
  • Jacob Ognacevic was in double figures for the second consecutive day with 11 points on 4-of-7 shooting, while Edwards also poured in 11 points to go along with five rebounds. Gordon finished one point and one rebound shy of his second career double-double.
  • Donovan Clay was a beast on the boards, pulling down a career-high 14 rebounds while coming within a point of a double-double. The sophomore’s previous rebounding watermark was 13 on Dec. 19 of this season at Toledo. This marked his third-career double figure rebound game, all this year. Seven of Clay’s nine points came at the free-throw line.
  • Senior Eron Gordon had seven or more rebounds for the eighth time this season with seven of those coming in the last 10 games. Gordon has led the team in rebounds (outright or tied) on eight occasions this season. He pulled down nine caroms in Game 2 vs. Drake.
  • Valpo made 24 of 29 free throws (82.8 percent) and outscored Drake 24-9 at the charity line.
  • It was on the defensive end where Valpo shined the brightest, holding a team that entered the day averaging 82.8 points per game to a season-low 57, 11 points below Drake’s previous season floor. Valpo held the Bulldogs to just 2-of-15 (13.3 percent) from 3-point range including an 0-of-8 clip after halftime.
  • The victory came absent a usual starter as Valpo played without freshman sharpshooter Connor Barrett, who was sidelined with an injury. Edwards made his third career start and first since the second game of the season on Dec. 1 at UIC.

 

Notes Wrapping Up Feb. 6: #25 Drake 80, Valpo 77

  • Freshman Sheldon Edwards matched his previous season/career high of 20 points that occurred on Dec. 9 vs. SIUE. This marked his second career 20-point output, his fifth double-figure game and his third time leading the team in scoring. He made four 3s, equaling a personal best set in the overtime victory over Bradley.
  • Freshman Jacob Ognacevic’s 11 points came on 4-of-6 shooting in just 10 minutes of action. He buried three of his four 3-point tries en route to his fifth double-figure scoring output.
  • Valpo moved the ball to the tune of a season-high 19 assists on 29 made baskets. This was Valpo’s highest assist total since dishing out 20 in last year’s MVC Tournament semifinal win over Missouri State.
  • Valpo drained 12 3-pointers, which marked a season high after previously knocking down 11 on three occasions. The 41.4 percent clip (12-of-29) from beyond the arc was also a season best. The dozen triples marked Valpo’s highest single-game total since an MVC league-only record of 18 on Feb. 22, 2020 vs. Bradley.
  • Valpo took excellent care of the basketball, committing a season-low five turnovers. The team had 10 or more turnovers in each of the previous seven games. The turnover total was Valpo’s lowest since a five-turnover game on Jan. 4, 2015 vs. Youngstown State.
  • Valpo tied with Loyola (Jan. 16 vs. UNI) and Drake (Jan. 26 at Missouri State) for the fewest turnovers in a game by an MVC team this season.
  • This was Valpo’s first game with both five or fewer turnovers and 15 or more assists since a five-turnover, 20-assist performance on Feb. 3, 2011 at Cleveland State.
  • The 77 points were Valpo’s most against a nationally-ranked team since an 88-77 loss to No. 6/4 North Carolina on Nov. 11, 2009.

Starting Streaks

  • Entering this weekend at UNI, Donovan Clay has started 53 consecutive games. He made his first start during the third game of his freshman season (2019-20) and has started every game since.
  • Clay, Krikke and Sackey have all started the first 20 games this year. Krikke made only one start as a freshman last season.
  • Senior Eron Gordon came off the bench for the season’s first two games, but has made 19 straight starts.
  • Sheldon Edwards started the first two games of the season before taking on a bench role for the next 16 games. He returned to the starting lineup in the Feb. 7 game vs. Drake, making his third career start, and made his fourth on Feb. 10 vs. Bradley.
  • Usual starter Connor Barrett missed the Feb. 7 and Feb. 10 games due to an injury.

Krikke Recognized by MVC

  • Ben Krikke earned his first career Missouri Valley Conference weekly honor on Jan. 26, when he was named the league’s Player of the Week.
  • The honor came after he became just the third Valpo player in the last 25 years and the first Missouri Valley Conference player in over four years to post a 25-point, 15-rebound game. He did so in the series finale at Illinois State (Jan. 24), establishing new career highs in both areas to help his team secure the sweep of the Redbirds.
  • The left-handed Canadian became the first Valpo player to earn a weekly Valley honor this season. Previously, Valpo’s most recent such distinction came courtesy of Donovan Clay, who was the MVC Newcomer of the Week for the final week of the 2019-20 regular season.

A Look Back at 2019-20: Just two years removed from finishing in last place and being knocked out in the first round of the Missouri Valley Conference Tournament as a first-year Valley member, head coach Matt Lottich’s team did more than hold its own, ascending into a tie for sixth in the league standings before finishing as the conference tournament runner-up. Valpo became the first team in the history of Arch Madness to reach the title game after playing in the opening round. 

Preseason Picks

  • Sophomore Donovan Clay was named to the Preseason MVC Second Team.
  • Valpo was picked to finish eighth in the preseason poll based on a survey of the conference’s head coaches, media members and sports information directors.
  • Valpo exceeded preseason expectations a year ago after being picked to finish ninth. The Brown & Gold tied for sixth in the regular-season standings and went on to finish as the conference tournament runner-up.

Who’s Back, Who’s New?

  • This year’s team features 11 returning letter winners (nine scholarship, two walk-on) to go along with six newcomers (four scholarship, two walk-on).
  • Three letter winners departed from last year’s team.
  • Valpo returns 59.2 percent of its scoring and 64.3 percent of its rebounding from last season. Both numbers are up from a year ago, when Valpo returned just 40.1 percent of its scoring and 35.7 percent of its rebounding from 2018-19.
  • Last season, the entire roster was from either Indiana, Illinois or outside the United States. This year, Valpo has added three additional states to the mix in Minnesota, Wisconsin and Florida.
  • Still, six players hail from Illinois and four from Indiana. The six Illinois natives are the most since 2015-16.
  • Coincidentally, Valpo’s last player from the state of Florida before Sheldon Edwards shares the same last name. Lakeland native Richie Edwards played for the Brown & Gold during the 2011-2012 campaign.
  • Goodnews Kpegeol is the first Valpo player from the state of Minnesota since Cory Johnson’s final season on campus in 2010-2011.
  • Jacob Ognacevic is Valpo’s first player from Wisconsin since Andrew Ferry in 2008-2009.

Arrow Pointed Up

  • Valpo made its first conference championship appearance since 2015, doing so after being picked to finish ninth in the preseason poll.
  • Valpo reached the conference title game as only a third-year Missouri Valley Conference member. When Valpo transitioned from the Mid-Continent Conference to the Horizon League prior to the 2007-2008 season, the program didn’t reach the conference championship game until Year 5 and followed by winning its first Horizon League Tournament title in Year 6.
  • The men’s basketball program became the first Valpo team in any sport to reach the Missouri Valley Conference championship game during the department’s young tenure in the prestigious league.
  • Valpo accepted a postseason tournament invitation for the first time since joining The Valley, agreeing to a CollegeInsider.com Tournament berth before the event was canceled due to the coronavirus.
  • The program had its largest win increase from the previous season (four) since jumping from 18 wins in 2013-14 to 28 in 2014-15.
  • Valpo finished with a winning record during the nonconference portion of the season for the 10th straight year. In addition, Valpo continued its history of home dominance and hasn’t finished with a losing mark at the ARC since 1991-92, extending its streak to 28 seasons. Valpo achieved a double-figure home win total for the ninth time in the last 10 years.

2019-20 Team Statistical Feats

  • Led the Missouri Valley Conference in assists per game at 15.2, the first time Valpo led a conference in that area since pacing the Horizon League in 2011-2012. The 15.2 assists per game was Valpo’s highest total since 2010-11 (15.8 apg) and the team’s second-highest output over the last 13 seasons. The squad ranked 29th nationally in assists per game and 12th in total assists.
  • Averaged 7.7 steals per game to rank second in the MVC and totaled 270 steals, a number that ranked 18th The team had its highest steals average since 2010-11 and the second-highest over the last 16 seasons.
  • The team averaged 72.3 points per game, second in the MVC. That was the team’s second-highest scoring average over the last eight seasons. In addition, the team jumped 5.5 points per game from 2018-19 to 2019-20.
  • Valpo made 287 3-pointers, the team’s second-most since 2008-09 and the third-most over the last 30 years.
  • The team had 922 made field goals, its third most over the last 30 years.
  • Valpo committed just 12.7 turnovers per game, the team’s lowest total over the last 30 seasons.

2020 Arch Madness Accomplishments

  • The Valpo/Loyola quarterfinal was the 18th overtime game in MVC Tournament history and the 20th game decided by a single point. It was the first one-point game in the MVC Tournament since Indiana State’s 51-50 victory over Evansville in 2013.
  • Valpo’s 89 points in the MVC semifinal against Missouri State were the seventh-most in a game in the 30-year history of Arch Madness. It was the highest scoring output in any MVC Tournament contest since Creighton put 99 on Evansville on March 3, 2012.
  • Valpo scored 287 points in the MVC Tournament, the third most in the history of the event and the most since Indiana State scored 310 in 1978.
  • The team’s 138 rebounds were the fourth most in MVC Tournament history and the most since Tulsa had 143 in 1978.
  • The 107 made field goals were the third most in MVC Tournament history and the most since Indiana State in 1978.
  • The 29 made 3-point field goals tied for the second most in MVC Tournament history (despite going 0-for against Evansville), joining 2009 Illinois State (32) and 1999 Evansville (29).
  • The 90 3-point field goal attempts shattered the previous tournament record of 76 (Drake 2008, Illinois State 2009).
  • Valpo made 10 3-pointers in the conference championship game, tying for the fourth most in the history of the MVC Final just a few days removed from hitting no 3s in a win over Evansville. Valpo became the first team to make zero 3s in an MVC Tournament Game since Southern Illinois went 0-for-6 on March 5, 1994 vs. Missouri State.
  • Valpo’s 29 3-point attempts in the MVC final tied for the second most in the history of the title game, joining Illinois State in 2009 (35 vs. UNI 2009) and Illinois State in 2012 (29 vs. Creighton).
  • Only one team since 1994 had made 15 or more field goals in the first half of an MVC title game (Drake 16 vs. Illinois State in 2008), and Valpo and Bradley had 15 apiece in the first half of this year’s championship game.
  • Valpo made seven 3s in the first half of the title game against Bradley, tying the MVC Tournament title game record of seven set by Southern Illinois on March 7, 1989 vs. Creighton. Valpo set the conference title game record for 3-point attempts in the first half with 16, eclipsing the previous mark of 15 set by Illinois State on March 8, 2009 vs. UNI.
  • Ryan Fazekas’ 21 3-point attempts in the MVC Tournament tied for the ninth-most in the history of the event.

Staff Sidebars

  • Associate head coach Luke Gore is in his 19th year on staff and has served under four different head coaches. The Valpo veteran has helped the team to eight postseason berths in the last 10 years and was on staff for the three winningest seasons in program history. He oversees the team’s post players in addition to leading Valpo’s scheduling and scouting efforts.
  • Assistant coach Rob Holloway is back for his third season after spending the previous two years on staff at Eastern Illinois, his alma mater.
  • Assistant coach Matt Bowen returned to Valpo’s staff in 2018-19 after previously spending four seasons with the Brown & Gold from 2002-2006. He was the head coach at the University of Minnesota Duluth from 2012-2018. Bowen coordinates the team’s offense.
  • Director of Basketball Operations Jason Karys is in his second season in that capacity, but has been around the program in a variety of roles, spending two years as a graduate assistant, one as a walk-on player and three as a manager.
  • Bob Brooks is in his 17th year as Valpo Director of Strength & Conditioning at Valpo and has returned to oversight of men’s basketball strength & conditioning in 2020-21. He has worked with Valpo teams since 1994.
  • Graduate Assistant Peter Funk is in his second year in that role after three years as an undergraduate manager.
  • Athletic trainer Ken DeAngelis is in his second season full-time at Valpo after previously earning his master’s degree from the University in 2012 while spending two years as a graduate assistant athletic trainer.

Tradition of Excellence

  • Valpo has 14 NCAA Tournament appearances and four NIT berths in the program’s proud history, with the team’s postseason success highlighted by a Sweet Sixteen run in 1998.
  • The program has produced nine All-Americans, won 18 regular season conference championships and 10 conference tournament crowns.
  • Valpo also boasts eight NBA players, 10 conference players of the year and 20 20-win seasons.
  • Nine of the team’s NCAA appearances have come since 1996.
  • Valpo has qualified for the postseason eight times in the last 10 years, including last year where Valpo accepted a postseason berth but the tournament was not played due to COVID-19.
  • Valpo has developed a myriad of professional basketball players over the last quarter century, most notably a pair of NBA players in the last three years. Ryan Broekhoff (class of 2013) signed a contract with the Dallas Mavericks in the summer of 2018 after spending five seasons playing internationally in Russia and Turkey. Alec Peters (class of 2017) was the 54th pick in the 2017 NBA Draft by the Phoenix Suns. Peters appeared in 20 games for the Suns in 2017-18, highlighted by a 36-point performance in the season finale against Dallas – a new single-game high by a Valpo alum in the NBA. He has gone on to a successful career overseas with CSKA Moscow (2018-2019), Anadolu Efes (2019-2020) and Kirolbet Baskonia (2020-present).
  • Valpo has produced over 50 professional players in the last 25 years.

#0 Goodnews Kpegeol, R-So. (St. Paul, Minn.)

  • Squeezed a season-high seven rebounds on Jan. 16 at DePaul to share the team lead. Also went 6-for-6 at the free-throw line to finish with eight points in addition to swiping three steals.
  • Posted the first double-figure scoring output of his collegiate career with 10 points on Dec. 9 vs. SIUE.
  • Scored his first collegiate points and finished with nine in 27 minutes of action on Dec. 4 at Purdue.
  • Made his Valpo debut in the Nov. 27 season opener at Vanderbilt.
  • Joins the program as a junior college transfer after averaging 12.0 points and 5.8 rebounds at Southwest Mississippi in 2019-20.
  • Started the 2018-19 season at Taylor Made Prep in Pensacola, Fla., then transfered to Kansas State at the semester break and sat out the remainder of that season due to transfer rules.
  • Was a four-year letter winner at North High School in St. Paul, leading his team to a 22-5 overall mark and 15-1 conference record as a senior.
  • Played his high school basketball for Damian Johnson, who played collegiately at the University of Minnesota before going on to a professional career from 2010-2016. Johnson was teammates with Valpo head coach Matt Lottich when both played for the Oita Heat Devils in Japan in 2010-2011.
  • First name comes from his parents’ belief that he could bring something good into the world.

#1 Sigurd Lorange, So. (Trondheim, Norway)

  • Appeared in nine games in 2019-20 before having his rookie season cut short by a hip injury.
  • Averaged 2.9 points per contest while shooting a robust 60 percent (6-of-10) from 3-point land in limited action.
  • Played all kinds of sports as a child. His best three sports were soccer, handball and basketball. There were phases of his life where he wanted to pursue soccer or handball, but eventually figured out that basketball was the most fun sport for him.

#2 Zion Morgan, R-Sr. (Chicago, Ill.)

  • Made his season debut on Jan. 28 vs. Bradley after missing the season’s first 13 games.
  • Appeared in 28 games during his first season at Valpo in 2019-20.
  • Joined the program as a junior college transfer after two seasons at Wabash Valley College.
  • Started his collegiate career by playing in 27 games and making five starts at UNLV in 2016-17.
  • Was teammates with Valpo’s Nick Robinson at Kenwood Academy in Chicago.

#3 Steven Helm III, R-So. (Valparaiso, Ind.)

  • Hit four crucial free throws, two in each game, to ice Valpo’s victories at Illinois State in the closing seconds on Jan. 23-24.
  • Handed out a team-high five assists and scored his first collegiate points in the Dec. 6 victory over Judson.
  • Made his Valpo debut on Dec. 4 at Purdue and recorded a plus-minus of +12 to lead the team.
  • Spent the last two years in Japan serving a mission for his church, The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.
  • Started his collegiate career at Carroll College, where he competed in both basketball and track & field.
  • Connected at a 47.1 percent clip from 3-point range and a 94.2 percent clip from the foul line.
  • Qualified for nationals in track & field and helped his basketball team to the national tournament while at Carroll.
  • Transferred to Valpo and sat out the 2017-18 basketball season while competing in track & field that spring.
  • Led his Valparaiso High School team to a 20-7 record as a senior, averaging a team-high 16.1 points/game along with 3.5 assists/game.
  • Mother is an Associate Professor of Kinesiology at Valpo. Father Steve Jr. was an NAIA Third Team All-American at Montana State University-Northern and went on to play for the American Basketball Association’s Indiana Legends after his collegiate career. Steve Jr. followed his playing days with a coaching career that featured four seasons as an assistant on the Valpo women’s basketball staff.
  • Considers himself a "movie buff" and "Star Wars nerd." Saving Private Ryan and Star Wards Episode 3 are his favorite movies.

#4 Daniel Sackey, Jr. (Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada)

  • Shattered a career high by squeezing nine rebounds on Jan. 28 vs. Bradley. His previous personal best was six.
  • Matched a season high with eight assists in each game on Jan. 23-24 at Illinois State. In the second game against the Redbirds, he poured in 16 points for the second-highest scoring output of his career and highest this season.
  • Contributed a season-high nine points and six boards on Jan. 16 at DePaul, equaling a career high on the glass with his fourth career six-rebound game and first this season.
  • Finished with his highest assist total since his nine-dime effort on Dec. 18, 2019 by handing out eight helpers on Dec. 9, 2020 vs. SIUE. Also swiped four steals, matching a career high with his second career four-steal effort.
  • Put together a balanced line of six points, five rebounds and six assists in the Nov. 27 season opener at Vanderbilt - the first time in his collegiate career that he’s had five or more in all three categories in the same game. Also swiped four steals, equaling a career high.
  • Ranked fifth in the MVC and second among sophomores at 3.6 assists per game… Had a team-high 121 assists to go along with 6.3 points per game, 2.5 rebounds per game and 35 steals while averaging 25.5 minutes over 34 contests (25 starts) as a sophomore in 2019-20.
  • Made a buzzer-beater to upstage Canadian powerhouse Carleton in overtime in August 2019, making an appearance on SportsCenter’s Top 10 plays at No. 9 that evening.
  • Has been a drummer since elementary school. The basement of his family’s home in Canada includes a small recording studio. He has a deep passion for music.
  • Became just the sixth Manitoban to earn a scholarship in Division-I men’s basketball since the NCAA reorganized into its current competitive format in 1973.

#5 Donovan Clay, So. (Alton, Ill.)

  • Scored 16 points in the first half on Feb. 10 vs. Bradley on his way to a game-high 17.
  • Squeezed a career-high 14 rebounds in the Feb. 7 upset of No. 25 Drake.
  • Made his 50th consecutive start on Feb. 1 at Evansville and scored a team-high 14 points.
  • Enjoyed his second career double-double and first 20-point, 10-rebound effort on Jan. 23 at Illinois State. He became the fourth Valpo player during the Matt Lottich Era with a 20-point double-double, squeezing 12 rebounds in the triumph.
  • Enjoyed the fourth 20-point game of his career and his second this season with a season-high 21 points on Jan. 9 vs. Missouri State.
  • Became the second MVC player with a 13-rebound effort this season on Dec. 19 at Toledo, in the process securing his first career double-double and the first by a Valpo player in 2020-21. He scored a team-high 17 points to complement his effort on the glass.
  • Became the first Missouri Valley Conference player with a five-block game this season on Dec. 17 vs. Purdue Northwest, also becoming the first Valpo player to stuff five shots in a game since Jaume Sorolla on Jan. 26, 2019 vs. Drake.
  • Enjoyed his first 20-point output of the season and the third of his collegiate career to lead the team on Dec. 12 at Central Michigan. That marked his first 20-point effort in a road game at the collegiate level.
  • Led the team in scoring with 12 points on Dec. 1 at UIC.
  • Named to the MVC Preseason Second Team
  • Leading into the season, put a lot of time into his shot, agility and being able to run faster and jump higher.
  • Was one of two Valpo players to compete in all 35 games and made 33 starts during his freshman campaign.
  • Was third on the team in scoring (9.4 ppg) and second in rebounding (4.6 ppg) while leading the team in blocked shots with 36 in 2019-20.
  • Earned a place on the MVC All-Freshman Team in 2019-20.
  • Scored in double figures on 19 occasions including eight outputs of 15+ points and two of 20+ points. He scored in double figures just once over his first seven games and then did so in 18 of the next 28.
  • Is a high-level video game player, following in the footsteps of former Valpo sharp-shooter Ryan Fazekas. Enjoys playing NBA 2K games online all the time. Also enjoys tossing a football or baseball in his spare time.

#10 Eron Gordon, R-Sr. (Indianapolis, Ind.)

  • Posted his first career double-double by matching a season high with 14 points and pulling down a personal-best 10 rebounds in the Jan. 23 win at Illinois State.
  • Led the team in scoring for a third straight game and rebounding for a fourth straight game with five boards to go along with a season-high 14 points on Jan. 20 vs. Loyola.
  • Led the team in rebounding for the third straight game on Jan. 16 at DePaul, pulling down seven boards to go along with a team-high 12 points. He paced Valpo in scoring for the second straight game after not doing so at all in any of his first 44 career contests.
  • Shared the team lead with a season-high 13 points on Jan. 10 vs. Missouri State, pacing the squad in scoring for the first time in his Valpo career.
  • Posted the eighth double figure scoring output of his Valpo career and his first of the season with 10 points on Dec. 9 vs. SIUE.
  • Made his first start of the season, his fifth overall at Valpo and his first since Jan. 29, 2020 at Bradley in the Dec. 4 game at Purdue.
  • Led the team on the glass for the first time in his Valpo career by squeezing a career-high eight rebounds in the Nov. 27 season opener at Vanderbilt.
  • Was one of two players on the team who appeared in all 35 games in 2019-20.
  • Made the go-ahead layup with three seconds left in overtime in Valpo’s 74-73 upset win over Loyola in the MVC quarterfinal to help the Brown & Gold complete an 18-point rally. That was the 25th time since the start of the 1992-93 season that Valpo prevailed on a game-winner in the final five seconds.
  • Became the third Valpo player to hit a game-winner in the final five seconds of a conference tournament or postseason game since 1992-93, joining Ryan Broekhoff (2013 vs. Green Bay) and Bryce Drew (1998 vs. Ole Miss).
  • Joined the program in 2018-19 but sat out due to transfer rules. Appeared in 48 games over his two years at Seton Hall.
  • Oldest brother Eric was the seventh pick of the 2008 NBA Draft and has played 11 seasons in the NBA. Father Eric is one of the Top 20 all-time scorers at Liberty. Brother Evan is playing in the CBA after scoring over 1,300 points at the Division-I level at Liberty, Arizona State and Indiana.
  • Enjoys filming and editing videos and podcasting.
  • Enjoys travel and features his destinations on one of his YouTube channels.
  • Future plans include playing professional basketball, pursuing broadcast journalism and contributing to the family business, E3 Basketball Academy.

#11 Emil Freese-Vilien, Fr. (Copenhagen, Denmark)

  • Made his season debut on Feb. 10 vs. Bradley.
  • Appeared in 16 games and averaged 6.6 minutes per contest while totaling 16 points, four blocked shots, five assists and 15 rebounds (six offensive boards) during his rookie campaign in 2019-20.
  • Started playing basketball in November 2014 after playing badminton during his younger years.
  • Played for Denmark at both the U16 and U18 FIBA Euro Championships in 2015 and 2017, respectively.
  • Shortly before coming to Valpo, played for Vaerlose in the Danish Basketligaen, the highest professional league in Denmark.
  • Majoring in civil engineering
  • Has been very interested in drawing for many years. Wanted to become an architect for a long time and still has that dream in the back of his mind. Spends a lot of time drawing blueprints and houses.

#12 Tyler Fricke, Fr. (Arlington Heights, Ill.)

  • Made his collegiate debut and scored his first points with a pair of free throws in the Dec. 6 victory over Judson.
  • Joined the Valpo program as a walk-on for the 2020-21 season.
  • Father Scott coached Valpo head coach Matt Lottich at New Trier High School during Lottich’s playing days.
  • Brother Zach pitches for the Valpo baseball team.

#13 Sheldon Edwards, Fr. (West Palm Beach, Fla.)

  • Had his third straight game in double figures and his fourth straight multi-steal game with 10 points and three swipes on Feb. 10 vs. Bradley.
  • Matched a career high with 20 points on Feb. 6 vs. No. 25 Drake before adding 11 on Feb. 7 in an upset victory over the Bulldogs. In the Feb. 7 triumph, he slammed home a thunderous dunk that ranked No. 7 on SportsCenter’s Top 10 plays that evening. For his efforts, Edwards was named the MVC Newcomer of the Week on Feb. 8 while also earning College Sports Madness MVC Player of the Week honors.
  • Led the team with 18 points, including 11 in the two overtime periods, to lift Valpo to an 91-85 victory over Bradley on Jan. 28.
  • Scored 19 points over the two games vs. Missouri State on Jan. 9-10.
  • Poured in a personal-best 20 points on an efficient 7-of-9 shooting with eight rebounds on Dec. 9 vs. SIUE.
  • Reached double figures for the first time in his Valpo career with a 10-point showing on Dec. 6 vs. Judson.
  • Became the seventh Valpo freshman in the last 20 years to start the season opener on Nov. 27 at Vanderbilt.
  • Averaged 21.2 points and 7.6 rebounds as a senior at Palm Beach Lakes High School in 2018-19.
  • Spent a postgraduate year at TLAP Sports Academy in Port St. Lucie, Fla. during the 2019-20 season, averaging 32 points per game and five rebounds per contest while turning in two games of 40+ points.
  • Favorite NBA player is Steph Curry, but he models his game after the likes of Devin Booker, Jayson Tatum and Bradley Beal. When he’s not playing basketball, the Valpo freshman spends much of his free time watching it.

#15 Luke Morrill, So. (Lombard, Ill.)

  • Joined the program as a walk-on prior to the 2019-20 season.
  • Saw action in five games, totaling nine minutes and accruing five points and two rebounds during his first season on campus.
  • Majoring in computer engineering.
  • Considers Valpo teammate Donovan Clay "like a brother" to him after the two were roommates as freshmen and during the spring 2020 COVID-19 quarantine.
  • Enjoys fishing and wakesurfing, which is surfing in the boat’s wake without being directly pulled by the boat.

#20/21 Brock Pappas, Jr. (Valparaiso, Ind.)

  • Made his season debut on Dec. 6 vs. Judson.
  • Nursing major who joined the program as a walk-on in 2018-19.
  • Is a Valparaiso, Ind. native and a graduate of nearby Washington Township.
  • Mother (Lisa) has worked on Valpo’s campus for 32 years, currently serving as an administrative assistant in the Department of Education. Brother (Bryce) and father (Steve) are both Valpo graduates.
  • Is the first boys basketball player in Washington Township High School history to play at the Division-I level.
  • Grew up attending Valpo games and remembers being a young child who looked up to Valpo basketball players.
  • Has always been interested in working with kids. Initially wanted to be a teacher but decided pediatric nursing is the field for him.

#22 Mileek McMillan, Sr. (Merrillville, Ind.) 

  • Drained four 3s on his way to a team-high 18 points on opening night at Vanderbilt on Nov. 27, when he finished two points shy of a career high and equaled a personal best with seven made field goals.
  • Was named to the MVC Most-Improved Team after upping his scoring average from 2.8 points per game as a sophomore to 8.8 points per game as a junior in 2019-20.
  • Started all 34 games that he played as a junior after making just one start and averaging 8.1 minutes per game as a sophomore.
  • Over doubled his rebounding average from the previous season, going from 1.5 to 3.2 in 2019-20. After making 10 3-pointers as a sophomore, he made 40 during his junior campaign and shot 42.3 percent from distance during conference play.
  • Enjoys playing with his dog, roller skating and playing chess... Likes to look at the sky, especially prior to rainfall or during a sunset... Is a big fan of nature and the sound of trains.
  • Twin brother Mahqueese attends Cal State Los Angeles.
  • Was cut from his middle school basketball team in seventh grade, made the "B" team in eighth grade and missed his freshman year of high school with an injury.

#23 Ben Krikke, So. (Edmonton, Alberta, Canada)

  • Enjoyed his third straight game of 18+ points by scoring 18 on 7-of-9 shooting to lead the team on Jan. 31 at Evansville, then equaled a career high with four assists on Feb. 1 in the second game of the back-to-back against the Purple Aces.
  • Was named the Missouri Valley Conference player of the week on Jan. 26, the first weekly conference honor of his collegiate career.
  • Became just the third Valpo player in the last 25 years with a 25-point, 15-rebound game on Jan. 24 at Illinois State.
  • Shattered his previous season high by halftime with 17 first-half points on Jan. 9 vs. Missouri State on his way to a career-high 21. He joined Javon Freeman-Liberty, Tevonn Walker and Alec Peters as the only four Valpo players with 17+ points in a first half during Matt Lottich’s head coaching tenure (fifth season).
  • Posted 16 points and seven rebounds on 8-of-11 shooting in the Dec. 19 game at Toledo. The eight field goals marked a career high and the 16-point game was two shy of a personal best.
  • Tied a career high with seven rebounds on Dec. 17 vs. Purdue Northwest.
  • Had his fourth double-figure scoring output in the season’s first six games with 12 points to go along with a career-high three blocked shots on Dec. 12 at Central Michigan. He became the first Valpo player with three blocked shots in a game this season.
  • Scored in double figures in each of the first two games of the 2020-21 season (at Vanderbilt, at UIC), the first set of back-to-back double-figure outputs in the sophomore’s collegiate career. His second straight double-figure showing featured 11 points on an efficient 4-of-5 shooting on Dec. 1 at UIC.
  • Made his second career start and first against a Division-I opponent in the Nov. 27 season opener at Vanderbilt. Finished with 13 points, all in the second half, in a career-high 34 minutes.
  • Leading into the season, spent time working on improving his shooting and hitting shots at a higher rate, especially from 3. Also worked on bulking up and improving his strength, dribbling and ball-handling. Hopes to be versatile enough to play on the perimeter if needed.
  • Appeared in 33 games and made one start during his freshman season… Averaged 6.7 points per game and 2.9 rebounds per contest while blocking 15 shots, coming away with 15 steals, shooting 79.2 percent at the foul line, draining 14 3s and handing out 22 assists… Shot 55.0 percent from the field, finishing fifth in the conference and second among freshmen in field-goal percentage.
  • Hails from Edmonton, a very devout hockey city, but says basketball there is on the upswing.
  • Never played ice hockey, but did compete in badminton, volleyball and various track & field events.
  • Loves to go fishing in the summer. Also enjoys mountain biking and chess, which he learned from his grandfather.

#25 Nick Robinson, R-Sr. (Chicago, Ill.)

  • Has opted out of the remainder of the 2020-21 season.

#34 Jacob Ognacevic, Fr. (Sheboygan, Wis.)

  • Came off the bench and accounted for 11 points in each of Valpo’s matchups with No. 25 Drake on Feb. 6-7, shooting at an 8-of-13 clip over the two games.
  • Shared team high honors with 13 points in just 12 minutes on an efficient 4-of-7 shooting on Jan. 10 vs. Missouri State.
  • Went off for 20 points in the home opener on Dec. 6 vs. Judson. This marks the seventh consecutive year that at least one Valpo player has scored 20+ points in the home opener. He and Connor Barrett became the first freshman tandem to each score 17+ points in the same game in over 20 years.
  • Drained four triples in just 14 minutes of action to achieve double figures for the first time in his collegiate career with 12 on Dec. 4 at Purdue.
  • Made his collegiate debut in the Nov. 27 season opener at Vanderbilt, knocking down a 3 with his only shot attempt of the game to account for his first career points.
  • Named to The Associated Press All-State First Team following his senior season at Sheboygan Lutheran in 2019-20 while also earning Herald Times Player of the Year, All-Big East Conference Player of the Year and Wisconsin Basketball Coaches Association All-State First-Team status.
  • Was a finalist for Wisconsin Mr. Basketball.
  • Led his team to a 27-2 record and the state championship in Wisconsin Division 5 during his junior season in 2018-19 and was on the way to a repeat before the 2019-20 season was cut short due to COVID-19.
  • Became the 38th player in the history of Wisconsin high school basketball to accumulate 2,000 career points, reaching the milestone on Jan. 23, 2020 with a 54-point game against Ozaukee
  • Shattered the Sheboygan Lutheran scoring record that was previously held by Sam Dekker, who played in the NBA from 2015-2019 with the Houston Rockets, Los Angeles Clippers, Cleveland Cavaliers and Washington Wizards…
  • Is a big fan of mixed martial arts and roots for all Boston professional sports teams.

#35 Connor Barrett, Fr. (Chicago, Ill.)

  • Finished with 12 points thanks to four made 3s on Jan. 23 at Illinois State, his fifth double-figure output as a freshman and his fourth game with three or more 3-pointers.
  • Had five steals on Jan. 9 vs. Missouri State, joining the short list of Valpo players with five or more steals in a game during the Matt Lottich Era (fifth season): Javon Freeman-Liberty (3), Lexus Williams (3) and Tevonn Walker (2).
  • Scored 14 points on Dec. 12 at Central Michigan, his second double-figure scoring output in a three-game span. That effort was highlighted at the foul line, where he went 6-for-6.
  • Knocked down five 3s in the home opener vs. Judson on Dec. 6, becoming the first freshman with five treys in a game since 2013-2014 and the first Valpo player to do so in the first four games of his freshman season since 2006-07.
  • Accrued his first collegiate points (3), rebounds (3) and assists (2) on Dec. 1 at UIC. His 3-pointer marked Valpo’s lone made triple of the contest.
  • One of three Valpo freshmen to make his collegiate debut on Nov. 27 at Vanderbilt.
  • Spent a postgraduate year at Brewster Academy in New Hampshire during the 2019-20 season.
  • Averaged 11.9 points and 3.7 rebounds per game at Loyola Academy as a high school senior during the 2018-19 season while knocking down 64 3-pointers and shooting at a 37.9 percent clip.
  • Led his high school team to back-to-back regional championships and sectional final appearances. Winning roots go back to his middle school days, when his team won three straight championships in sixth, seventh and eighth grades. Says winning at a young age helped him mature for the next level.
  • Is an avid golfer whose best score is 73.