UIC (17-6, 6-4 Horizon)
at Valparaiso (3-18, 1-7 Horizon)
Game #22 - Monday, February 10 - 7:05 p.m.
Athletics-Recreation Center (5,000) -
Valparaiso, Ind.
Next Up in Crusader Basketball: After a seven-day layoff, the Crusaders return to the hardwood Monday evening for a 7:05 tipoff versus UIC. The home game is just one of two in the month of February for the Brown and Gold, who’ll commence their Ohio swing trip Thursday. With more league games in the rear view mirror than ahead of them, the Crusaders need a few victories to avoid the #8/#9 game in the first round of the Horizon League Conference Tournament.
Last Time Out: Valpo led Green Bay 26-24 at halftime in the most difficult venue in the Horizon League: the Kress Events Center. The Phoenix shot an uncharacteristic 3-of-18 (29%) from behind the arc in the first twenty minutes while the Crusaders went 10-for-22 (45.5%) from the floor. The teams essentially swapped fortunes in the second half when Green Bay opened the half on a 14-0 run as the home team outscored Valpo 46-16 in a dismal final twenty minutes. Lexi Miller led the Crusaders in scoring with 13 points off the bench.
Following the Crusaders: Audio - WVUR (95.1 FM, Valparaiso) - Brandon Vickrey (play-by-play) and Renee Turpa (color). Video - Horizon League Network. Links for the audio and 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 (14-38) 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: Valparaiso leads the all-time series 21-19 over UIC. The Flames outscored the Crusaders 35-15 in the second half of their game on Jan. 21st in Chicago to erase a two-point halftime deficit and take a 69-51 victory. The tilt was strikingly similar to Valpo’s last outing with Green Bay: a Crusader lead after twenty minutes evaporated due to a drawn-out scoring drought.
Storylines...
- Monday will be the 41st meeting all-time between UIC and Valpo, tied for the most in school history (Chicago State).
- It is the third and final Monday night game of the regular season for the Brown and Gold.
- Despite a tight 21-19 overall series, Valpo is 13-5 vs. UIC at the ARC.
- UIC won the turnover battle 55-36 in the 2012-13 season series.
- Valpo enters Monday night’s game as the HL’s best free-throw shooting team at 76.6%. UIC comes in at 9th (63.4%).
- The Flames average nine more offensive rebounds per game (17.3) than the Crusaders (8.4).
@uicflamesdotcom
- @uicflamesdotcom has the best road record (8-2) of any team in the Horizon League. They also possess the best win percentage (.739).
- @uicflamesdotcom’s rebounding margin (8.1) is the 23rd-best in the country.
- @uicflamesdotcom’s starters are all averaging 29.8 mins/game or more.
- Only 12 players in the nation have compiled more double-doubles than @uicflamesdotcom forward Ruvanna Campbell (14).
- Campbell is averaging 16.5 points and 11.4 rebounds per game.
- @uicflamesdotcom guard Rachel Story leads the team with 18.1 PPG.
- @uicflamesdotcom owns a +93 scoring margin over opponents in the first half.
- @uicflamesdotcom have had an 11 and a 5-game win streak this season.
- Regina Miller is in her third season as head coach of the Flames.
- Miller has appeared in three Final Fours: one as a player and two as an assistant coach.
Jessica Carr
- Tallied seven steals versus Detroit on 1/23/14.
- Gave out a career-high six assists at UIC on 1/21/14.
- Scored 12 points and had four assists in just her second game of the season.
- Made her season debut versus Western Michigan on Dec. 29th, where she scored five points and notched an assist, steal, and rebound.
Elizabeth Hamlet
- Scored a season-high 12 points versus her alma mater (Oakland) on Jan. 15.
- Shot 3-for-5 from the field in Valpo’s 63-61 defeat of Toledo at the Toledo Invite.
Abby Dean
- Snapped a four-game streak of finishing in double figures at Green Bay.
- Poured in a career high 20 points and six steals vs. Detroit on 1/23/14.
- Has knocked down exactly five field goals in seven different contests.
- Has started every game for the Crusaders.
- Tallied a then career-high 17 points at Tennessee Tech on Nov. 24th.
- Scored first collegiate points at Cameron Indoor Stadium on 11/23/12.
- Made collegiate debut on November 14th versus Purdue-Calumet.
- Tossed in 11 points in 19 minutes vs.Western Michigan last season.
Lexi Miller
- Scored 13 points off the bench on 5-of-6 shooting at Green Bay.
- Tallied 13 assists to five turnovers during the Toledo Invite.
- Scored a career-high 18 points vs. Tennessee Tech on 11/24/13.
- Owns best assists/turnover ratio of any Crusader (37:37).
- Accumulated 15 points, four rebounds, four assists, and three steals (all career highs at the time) at Saint Louis on 11/10/13.
- Made collegiate debut against the Indiana Hoosiers 11/9/12.
- Made first start in Hinkle Fieldhouse versus the Butler Bulldogs.
- Scored 13 points in Valpo’s 88-62 victory over UIC on 2/16/13.
Charae Richardson
- Valpo’s leading scorer (10.8 PPG).
- Has recorded at least one steal in each of the last ten games.
- Has scored 13 or more points in eight of team’s 21 games.
- Scored a career-high 23 points versus Montana State.
- Dished out a season-high seven assists at Tennessee Tech.
- Leads team in total assists (65) and steals (26).
- Scored 15 points in the season opener at Saint Louis on Nov. 10th.
- Played in all 31 games for the Crusaders last season, including 28 starts.
- Carried an 84.1 free-throw percentage.
- Finished second on the team last season in 3-pointers (24) and assists (95).
Liz Horton
- Made five of six three-point attempts en route to a career-high 20 points at Tulsa on 1/4/14.
- Snapped an eight-game three-point streak at Oakland on 1/15/14.
- Shot 23-of-45 from the field in December including 10-for-19 from behind the arc.
- Leads team in three-point field goal percentage (40%) and in total FG% (47.3%)
- Has scored exactly 11 points on four different occasions this season (Illinois, #6 Notre Dame, Montana State, Toledo).
- 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
- Shot a season-best 80% (8-10) from the floor vs. WSU on 1/18/14.
- Scored a career-high 21 points in her first HL game (1/9/14).
- Leading rebounder (6.8) for the Crusaders.
- Averaging 9.1 points per game.
- Grabbed 14 rebounds in both games of the Toledo Invite en route to Most Valuable Player recognition.
- Scored the game-winning put-back with three seconds to play against Toledo.
- Registered 17 points and 14 boards versus FIU for her third double-double of the season.
- Tallied her second double-double at Tennessee Tech, scoring 11 points and collecting 10 rebounds.
- Recorded her first double-double at Illinois on Nov. 12th, throwing in 15 points and grabbing 12 boards.
Jessi Wiedemann
- Posted a career-high 21 points vs. Cleveland State on 1/27/14.
- Named to Toledo Invite All-Tournament Team after scoring 15 versus Chicago State and 14 against Toledo.
- Double figure scorer in eleven games for the Crusaders.
- Has made multiple three-pointers in nine games in 2013-14.
- Snapped a season-starting 0-14 slump from behind the arc at #6 Notre Dame, nailing three treys in a nine-point game.
- Played all 40 minutes in the season opener at Saint Louis 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.
- Made collegiate debut versus Indiana.
- Scored 13 points off the bench versus Detroit on Mar. 9th, 2013.
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.
