Game #21: Feb. 6, 2010, 7:05 p.m. CST
Butler (13-7, 6-3 Horizon)
at Valparaiso (6-14, 3-6 Horizon)
Athletics-Recreation Center (5,000) - Valparaiso, Ind.

Coming Up in Crusader Hoops: Valparaiso returns home to the Athletics-Recreation Center to begin the second half of Horizon League action with a three-game homestand beginning on Saturday night as the Crusaders host instate rival Butler.  The Brown and Gold will play five of their next seven games at the ARC.

On the Air: Saturday’s game against Butler will be carried live on WVUR (95.1-FM, Valparaiso) and online at valpoathletics.com. Keaton Gillogly and Mike Targonski will call all the action live from the Athletics-Recreation Center.  The game can also be viewed live online through the Horizon League Network.  Live stats will be available through www.valpoathletics.com as well.

Series Notes: Valparaiso and Butler are meeting for the 23rd time in a series dating back to 1980.  The Bulldogs hold a 17-5 all-time advantage after downing the Crusaders 57-43 back on January 9 of this season in Indianapolis.  Butler is 7-3 against the Brown and Gold in Valpo, but the Crusaders have won three straight against the Bulldogs at the ARC.

Upcoming Promotions: At this Saturday’s game against Butler, fans can receive four tickets for just $20.  In addition, ice scrapers will be handed out to the first 200 fans in attendance.  Next Saturday, January 13, against Youngstown State is “Pack the House” and “Pink Zone” day.  Valpo will be recognizing breast cancer survivors at the game while looking to fill the ARC as part of the WBCA women’s basketball initiative.

Head Coach Keith Freeman: In his 16th season on the Valparaiso bench, Keith Freeman has a 266-195 record at the helm of the Brown and Gold.  In his 22nd season overall, Freeman has a 395-242 career mark.  He is Valpo’s all-time winningest coach and has amassed more than half of the victories in the program’s history.

Wrapping Up Green Bay: The Crusaders hung with the #24/22 Phoenix for 25 minutes last Saturday afternoon before Green Bay went on a 24-2 to run to break the game open and defeat Valpo 78-54 in Wisconsin.  Raegan Moore led the Crusaders off of the bench with 17 points while Lauren Kenney added eight points and eight boards.  Valpo shot 62.5% from the floor in the first half before connecting on just 27.8% from the field over the final 20 minutes.

Scouting Butler: The Bulldogs have won four of their last five games following a 71-70 victory at Milwaukee last Saturday afternoon.  Melanie Thornton leads the Bulldogs averaging 15.2 points per game, third in the Horizon League, while grabbing 7.7 rebounds per night.  Brittany Bowen is scoring 12.6 points per night for Butler, which ranks second in the conference in scoring offense averaging 69.0 points per game.

The First Time Around: Butler held Valpo to just 1-of-15 shooting from three-point range on the way to a 57-43 victory over the Crusaders at Hinkle Fieldhouse on January 9.  Melanie Thornton led Butler with 17 points while Kelly Watts had 13 points and 15 boards for the Crusaders.

Detroit’s Game Time Set: Valparaiso will face Detroit at 12 p.m. CST on February 20 at Calihan Hall.

Two Former Crusaders Inducted into Hall of Fame:  Two former women’s basketball players, Lynda (Kukla) Pinnow ( 1988-1992) and Amber Schober (1998-2002) are being inducted into the Valparaiso University Athletic Hall of Fame on Saturday at a banquet before the game.  Both career 1,000-point scorers, they rank both rank among the top-20 in several career statistical categories.

Moore Scores Big: Raegan Moore tallied a team-high 17 points last Saturday against #24/22 Green Bay, her third double figure scoring game of the season.  Her career high of 20 points came against Cleveland State while her first double figure night came against another nationally-ranked foe, #3/4 Notre Dame, when she scored 16 points.  All three efforts have come on the road.

Knocking Down the Free Throws: On her way to the 17 points at Green Bay, Raegan Moore went a perfect 8-for-8 from the free throw line last weekend. She is shooting 78.6% from the charity stripe this season, second best on the team behind Betsy Adams’ 83.0% shooting.

Kenney Scores Inside: Lauren Kenney is shooting at a 54.1% clip from the field this season, second best in the Horizon League.  Controlling the paint, she is averaging 12.4 points and 6.8 rebounds per game for the Brown and Gold.

Rebounding in the League: Valpo leads all Horizon League schools in rebounding margin during conference play this year, outboarding opponents by 4.1 per game.  The Crusaders were only outrebounded by Green Bay and Butler during the first half of conference action. 

Watts Gets to the Boards: Kelly Watts has pulled down 10.4 rebounds per game in Horizon League action for the Crusaders.  She has 83 rebounds in the eight league contests she has played in after grabbing just 41 total in the first 11 non-conference games of the season.

Balanced Minutes: Eight difference Crusaders are averaging at least 14 minutes a game for the Brown and Gold this season while nine different players have started at least one contest.  Betsy Adams is the only Valpo player to have started all 20 games this year.

Adams Among Nation’s Leaders:  Betsy Adams ranks 23rd in all of NCAA Division I making 2.9 three-pointers per game this season.  Her total ranks second best in the Horizon League as well.

Keeping Them Off the Scoreboard: Valpo allowed just 39 points against Loyola (Chicago) on January 4, matching the sixth fewest points ever allowed by a Crusader team in the 39th year of the program’s existence.  The 39 points were the fewest allowed since the team set the school record of 31 on December 30, 2005 against UMKC.

A Perfect Effort: Betsy Adams went a perfect 10-for-10 against Colorado State from the free throw line.  Her performance against the Rams marked the fourth most makes without a miss ever at Valpo.

Horizon League Player of the Weeks: Lauren Kenney was named the Horizon League’s Player of the Week on November 23 after leading Valpo to wins over SIU Edwardsville and Colorado State.  The senior forward averaged 20.0 points, 13.5 rebounds, and 2.5 steals per game while registering double-doubles in both contests for the Crusaders.  Ashley Varner then earned the honor on December 28 after scoring a career-high 23 points against Cincinnati. 

Kenney Earns Preseason Honors: Lauren Kenney was named to the Horizon League’s Preseason Second Team in the voting by the league’s head coaches, media, and sports information directors.  The senior forward averaged 10.9 points and 6.0 rebounds per game for Valpo as a junior.

Valpo Tabbed Sixth in Horizon League: The Crusaders were picked to finish in sixth place this season in the Horizon League according to the conference’s preseason poll.  Last year the Crusaders finished 16-14 overall and 10-8 during the league campaign, finishing fourth.  Green Bay was selected to win the Horizon League title for the 12th consecutive season.

Valpo Adds Four for Next Year’s Class: Head coach Keith Freeman has signed four players to National Letters of Intent for next year.  Joining the Crusaders for the 2010-2011 season are: Maegan Callaway, a 6’0” center from Mooresville High School in Mooresville, Ind.;  Tabitha Gerardot, a 6’0” forward from  Canterbury High School in Fort Wayne, Ind.; Liz Horton, a 6’1” forward from Barr-Reeve High School in Cannelburg, Ind.; and Stefanie Lang, a 6’4” center from Valparaiso High School in Valparaiso, Ind.