Valparaiso (0-1, 0-0 Horizon)
at Illinois (0-1, 0-0 Big Ten)
Game #2 - Tuesday, November 12 - 7:00 p.m.
State Farm Center (16,618) - Champaign, Ill.
Next Up in Crusader Basketball: Valparaiso continues a three-game road swing to open the 2013-14 season Tuesday evening as the Crusaders face Illinois at State Farm Center at a 7:00 p.m. tip. Tuesday’s game will represent the second time in the last two seasons that the Brown and Gold have faced a Big Ten team in an out-of-conference tilt.
Last Time Out: The combination of early foul trouble and a short bench due to injuries left the Crusaders vulnerable in the season opener at Saint Louis. Charae Richardson was whistled for her third foul seven minutes into the first half. Sharon Karungi drew her fifth foul with 11:25 still remaining in the game. Lexi Miller fouled out just under the three-minute mark. Valpo fell behind 26-4 early, but played even with SLU after the halfway point of the first half. Miller set career highs in points, rebounds, assists, and steals as she and Richardson led the scoring attack for the Crusaders with 15 each. The Billikens outlasted the Brown and Gold 78-56 at Chaifetz Arena in St. Louis.
Following the Crusaders: Audio - Valpo Sports Radio Network (WVUR, 95.1 FM, Valparaiso) - Joey Basil (play-by-play) and Renee’ Turpa (color)
Links for the audio, 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 (11-21) 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: This will be only the second meeting between Valpo and Illinois, with the Fighting Illini winning the first and only game 79-51 in December of 1998.
Storylines...
- This is Valpo’s first game inside Assembly Hall/State Farm Center in nearly 15 years.
- The trip to Champaign is the second of three the Crusaders will make before playing in front of their home crowd.
- Because of injuries to four players, Valpo will be dressing seven players Tuesday night.
- After Karungi and Lexi Miller fouled out in Sunday’s game, the Brown and Gold finished the game with five eligible players (two of whom had four fouls).
- The aforementioned foul trouble nullified Karungi who had a 23-point, 14-rebound exhibition game versus Saint Joseph’s (Ind.).
- 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.
- A win Tuesday would represent the sixth ever over a Big Ten team in program history.
@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.
@IlliniWBB
- @IlliniWBB lost their season opener 98-92 to the Bradley Braves last Friday.
- Ivory Crawford led @IlliniWBB in scoring with 24 points on 10-of-21 shooting from the field.
- @IlliniWBB tied the program record for three pointers in a game (12) in the loss.
- @IlliniWBB won 19 games last season, including 11 at Assembly Hall.
- @IlliniWBB collected three wins in the Women’s NIT before losing to Kansas State in the quarterfinals.
- Matt Bollant is in his second season as head coach of Illinois.
- Bollant carries a 301-70 career record. He spent five seasons with Green Bay where he went 148-19 overall and 85-5 in Horizon League play.
- Bollant was named Horizon League Coach of the Year four times (2007-08, 2008-09, 2010-11, 2011-12).
Abby Dean
- Registered 11 points while playing 37 minutes in the season opener at Saint Louis on Nov. 10th, 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.
- Recorded four assists and just one turnover versus the Billikens on 10/10/13.
- 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
- Grabbed a career-high seven rebounds at Saint Louis on Nov. 10th, 2013.
- Appeared in 30 games for the Brown and Gold.
- 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.
- Had a double-double in her Crusader exhibition debut (23 points, 14 rebounds) versus Saint Joseph’s.
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.
