Valparaiso (0-2, 0-0 Horizon)
at #6 Notre Dame (2-0, 0-0 ACC)
Game #3 - Saturday, November 16 - 1:00 p.m.
Purcell Pavilion (9,149) - Notre Dame, lnd.
Next Up in Crusader Basketball: Valparaiso concludes a three-game road swing to open the 2013-14 season Saturday afternoon as the Crusaders face Notre Dame at Purcell Pavilion at a 1:00 p.m. tip. Saturday’s game represents the third top-10 team that Valpo has faced in the past calendar year (#4 Duke and #8 Louisville last year).
Last Time Out: Illinois’ full-court pressure eventually caught up to the Crusaders as they committed 27 turnovers in an 87-59 loss at State Farm Center Tuesday night in Champaign. Sharon Karungi had a monster game for Valpo, scoring 15 points and grabbing 12 rebounds en route to her first double-double for the Brown and Gold. Abby Dean tossed in a career-high 13 points on 5-of-12 shooting. Head coach Tracey Dorow has rewarded the sophomore with enhanced playing time and Dean has capitalized. Charae Richardson scored 10 points to be one of only two Crusaders to record double-digit points in each of the first two contests thus far. Valpo trailed 47-24 at half, but were only outscored 40-35 in the second half. Amber Moore led the scoring attack for the Fighting Illini as she dropped in 23 points.
Following the Crusaders: Audio - Sports Juice (online) - Joey Basil (play-by-play) and Renee’ Turpa (color)
Links for the audio, video, as well as live stats will be available at ValpoAthletics.com. In addition, ValpoGameday.com is a one-stop shop for live video, stats and social media interaction, all on the same page.
Head Coach Tracey Dorow: Tracey Dorow (11-22) is in her second season at the helm of the Valparaiso women’s basketball program in 2013-14. In her first season, Dorow led the Crusaders to eleven victories overall, including five in Horizon League play. Dorow arrived in Valparaiso after 14 seasons at Ferris State. She compiled a 232-163 record while with the Bulldogs. Furthermore, Ferris State posted the #1 grade point average in all of Division II for the 1999-2000 women’s basketball season as well as the #2 ranking in 2002-2003.
Series Notes: Notre Dame has never lost to Valparaiso in women’s basketball. The Fighting Irish have won all 24 meetings between the two teams in a series that started in 1977-78. The last time Notre Dame and Valpo met on the hardwood was during the 2010-11 season.
Storylines...
- This is Valpo’s first game inside Purcell Pavilion since Dec. 12th, 2009.
- The trip to Notre Dame is the final one before the Crusaders play their home opener next Thursday against IUPUI.
- Because of injuries to four players, Valpo will be dressing eight players Saturday afternoon.
- Valpo comes to town as the Fighting Irish induct Skylar Diggins into Notre Dame’s Ring of Honor.
- Irish guard Jewell Loyd is the sister of former Crusader basketball player and 2008 grad Jarryd Loyd.
- Valpo is in a three-game part of the schedule where it faces an A-10 team, a Big Ten team, and a Big East team.
- Notre Dame’s senior class has lost just 14 games in its four years.
- A win Saturday would be the first over Notre Dame in 25 attempts.
@ValpoWBB...looking back at last year
- @ValpoWBB.wrapped up 2012-13 with nine wins at the Athletics-Recreation Center.
- @ValpoWBB defeated Milwaukee and IPFW for their two road wins.
- @ValpoWBB boasted Second Team All-Horizon League player Tabitha Gerardot. Gerardot aveaged 15.5 points/game and 9.2 rebounds per game.
@ndwbb
- @ndwbb beat UNC Wilmington 99-50 in its home opener Nov. 9th.
- @ndwbb followed that win up with an 81-62 victory over #19 Michigan State.
- @ndwbb is 388-90 (.812) all-time at Purcell Pavilion.
- @ndwbb is 78-14 in November games since the 1995-96 season.
- @ndwbb has made it to the Final Four each of the last three seasons.
- Muffet McGraw is in her 27th season as head coach of Notre Dame.
- McGraw carries a 716-258 career record. She is 628-217 at the helm of the Fighting Irish.
- McGraw’s Fighting Irish were an NCAA national champion in 2001.
- She is a two-time National Coach of the Year, a five-time conference Coach of the Year, and ranks 8th among active coaches in career wins.
Abby Dean
- Registered a career-high 13 points at Illinois on Nov. 12th, 2013.
- Scored first collegiate points at historic Cameron Indoor Stadium last November..
- Made collegiate debut on November 14th versus Purdue-Calumet.
- Tossed in 11 points versus Western Michigan in 19 minutes last December.
Lexi Miller
- Accumulated 15 points, four rebounds, four assists, and three steals (all career highs) at Saint Louis on Nov. 10th, 2013.
- Made collegiate debut against the Indiana Hoosiers Nov, 9th, 2012.
- Made first start in Hinkle Fieldhouse versus the Butler Bulldogs.
- Scored 13 points in Valpo’s 88-62 victory over UIC on Feb. 16th, 2013.
Charae Richardson
- Scored 15 points in the season opener at Saint Louis on Nov. 10th, 2013.
- Played in all 31 games for the Crusaders last season, including 28 starts.
- Carried an 84.1 free-throw percentage.
- Scored 18 points at UIC on Jan. 19th, 2013.
- Finished second on the team last season in three-pointers (24) and assists (95).
Liz Horton
- Scored 11 points in 16 minutes off the bench on Nov. 12th at Illinois.
- Appeared in 30 games for the Brown and Gold a season ago.
- Named Crusaders’ Most Improved Player in 2012-13.
- Scored 19 points, including 3-for-3 shooting from behind the arc, at Western Michigan on Dec. 19th.
Sharon Karungi
- At 6’2’’ she is tallest player on the Valpo roster.
- Averaged 7.8 points and 8.6 rebounds at Northern Oklahoma College.
- Recorded her first double-double at Illinois on Nov. 12th, throwing in 15 points and grabbing 12 boards.
Jessi Wiedemann
- Played all 40 minutes in the season opener at Saint Louis on Nov. 10th, 2013, and set career highs in blocks (4) and steals (3) while scoring six points.
- Appeared in all 31 games including four starts as a freshman for Coach Dorow.
- Made collegiate debut versus Indiana
- Scored 13 points off the bench versus Detroit on Mar. 9th, 2013.
- Knocked down five three-pointers in Valpo’s exhibition win over Saint Joseph’s this past Tuesday.
Roster Breakdown
- Valpo welcomes six new players (two freshmen, four transfers) to its team this season.
- Haylee Thompson and Annemarie Hamlet will sit out this season per NCAA transfer eligibilty rules.
- The Brown and Gold boast players from six different states and two countries.
- Liz Horton is the only true senior on this year’s squad.
