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Rashida Ray and the Crusaders will host three Big East foes in 2010-2011. (Ray Acevedo)
Four Big East
opponents, including three that will be visiting the Athletics-Recreation
Center, highlight Valparaiso University’s
2010-2011 women’s basketball schedule which was released on Thursday by head
coach Keith Freeman.
The Crusaders will
open the season on November 12 at DePaul in the Preseason WNIT, the first of a
minimum of three games in which Valpo will play during the event which runs
through November 21 on campus sites. The
Blue Demons went 21-12 one year ago, advancing to the NCAA Tournament.
“We are excited to
play in the WNIT this season,” Freeman said.
“It is one of two tournaments on our schedule, each of which is a different
format. The tournaments during the
preseason really get you ready for the conference tournament at the end of the year.”
The Crusaders’ other
three Big East foes all will visit the ARC during the November and December. Cincinnati is
the first team to visit, and will be making its first trip ever to Valparaiso on November
28. In last year’s meeting in Cincinnati, Valpo led by
four with under 10 minutes to play before a lengthy dry spell from the floor
allowed the Bearcats to rally for the win.
Pittsburgh will make its first appearance at the ARC on
December 11. The Panthers went to the
postseason WNIT in 2010.
Notre Dame will be
the final Big East opponent to visit the ARC this season. The Fighting Irish have visited Valparaiso every other season
since 2000, and are coming off a 29-6 record in 2009-2010. Last year Notre Dame advanced to the NCAA
Sweet Sixteen before falling in overtime to Oklahoma.
“We have a very good
home schedule this year, which should spark fan interest,” Freeman added.
In addition to Cincinnati, Pittsburgh, and
Notre Dame, Ball State
will make a visit to the ARC for the Crusaders’ home opener on November 24
while Chicago State visits on December 18.
Valpo will also
compete at Evansville’s Tournament December 3-4
alongside Central Michigan and Coastal
Carolina. A visit to IPFW (Dec. 8) and Eastern Illinois (Dec. 30) round out the non-conference
slate.
The 18-game Horizon
League schedule begins on January 2 against instate rival Butler down in
Indianapolis, the first of three straight road games to open conference
action. The league home opener is set
for January 13 against Youngstown State, and Valpo will have its longest homestand of
the year, four games, January 27 through February 5 when Milwaukee,
Green Bay, Wright
State, and Detroit visit town.
The regular season
concludes with Senior Day on March 5 at the ARC when Butler visits while the Horizon League
Championship is set for March 7-13 on campus sites.
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