Akron (3-4, 0-0 MAC)
at Valparaiso (1-6, 0-0 Horizon)

Game #8 - Wednesday, December 9 - 7:00 p.m. CT
Athletics-Recreation Center (5,000) - Valparaiso, Ind.

Next Up in Crusader Basketball: Valpo’s five-game homestand continues Wednesday night at the ARC as Akron comes to town for a mid-week tilt. The Zips are led by senior guard Anita Brown, who is averaging 20 points and seven rebounds per game. Dani Franklin was 7-of-15 from the field in last year’s meeting at James A. Rhodes Arena as her 16 points led the Brown and Gold off the bench.

Last Time Out: A near perfect second half from redshirt junior Haylee Thompson lifted the Crusaders to a 63-62 victory over nationally-ranked NAIA Division II foe Cardinal Stritch Monday night at the Athletics-Recreation Center. The Wolves reinforced why they’re No. 7 in their league by coming back from double-digit deficits twice, including a 13-point margin in the fourth quarter. Thompson finished with a career-high 16 points while senior Lexi Miller added 11 second-half points.

Following the Crusaders: Audio - WVUR (95.1 FM, Valparaiso) Brandon Vickrey (PxP), Jordan Morandini (Color). Video - ESPN3. Links for the audio, video, and live stats are available at ValpoAthletics.com. In addition, follow @ValpoWBB on Twitter for in-game updates and a behind-the-scenes look at the Crusaders throughout the season.

Head Coach Tracey Dorow: Tracey Dorow (24-74) is in her fourth season at the helm of the Valparaiso women’s basketball program in 2015-16. She collected her 250th career victory on November 14th, 2014 after a 91-57 defeat of Butler. 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 2002-03.

Series Notes: Valpo leads the all-time series 9-5, including a 2-0 mark in postseason play. From 1989-1992, the Crusaders and Zips were members of the North Star Conference. Akron recorded a decisive 100-65 victory last November in Ohio, the first meeting between the two teams in eight years.

Storylines
- Valpo welcomes its second Mid-American Conference (MAC) opponent to the ARC in as many weeks.
- After having no games decided by five points or fewer last season, the Crusaders have already had two such contests in their first seven this year.
- Both teams have had exactly one starting lineup all season.
- A win Wednesday would give the Brown and Gold their first over an Ohio school since Dec. 7th, 2013 (Toledo).

@ValpoWBB
- In its 44th season, @ValpoWBB is 503-593 all-time (as of Dec. 8th).
- @ValpoWBB has made two NCAA Tournament appearances (2002-03, 2003-04) and earned one WNIT berth (2001-02).
- @ValpoWBB closed out the 2014-15 season slate with a 6-24 overall record, 2-14 in the Horizon League.
- @ValpoWBB was picked to finish 10th in the Horizon League in the 2015-16 Preseason Poll.
- @ValpoWBB’s Dani Franklin was a Preseason Second Team All-Horizon League selection.
- @ValpoWBB returns its three leading scorers (Franklin, Jasmyn Walker, Lexi Miller) in addition to its two top rebounders (Walker, Franklin).
- @ValpoWBB brings back 1,469 points, 767 rebounds, and 4,304 minutes played from the 2014-15 squad.

@ValpoWBB in the @HorizonLeague
- Since joining the Horizon League in 2007-08, @ValpoWBB is 44-94 (through end of 2014-15 season).
- @ValpoWBB has had one First Team All-League selection (Launa Hochstetler, 2008-09) and two Second Team All-League players (Agnieszka Kulaga, 2007-08; Tabitha Gerardot, 2012-13).
- @ValpoWBB also boasts four representatives on the All-Newcomer Team (Lauren Kenney, 2008-09; Gerardot, 2010-11; Dani Franklin, 2014-15; Jasmyn Walker, 2014-15), an All-Defensive Team member (Laura Richards, 2011-12), one Freshman of the Year (Franklin, 2014-15), and one Sixth Player of the Year (Franklin, 2014-15).

@ValpoWBB vs. @MACSports
- @ValpoWBB has had at least one @MACSports opponent on its schedule every season since 1998-99.
- @ValpoWBB has played 101 games versus teams from the @MACSports (36-65).
- @ValpoWBB has taken on every @MACSports school except Ohio.
- @ValpoWBB has notched a win over every @MACSports team it has played except Miami (Ohio).
- @ValpoWBB has recorded a win over a @MACSports team each of the last four seasons.
- @ValpoWBB defeated Toledo, 63-61, at Savage Arena in December of 2013 to capture the Toledo Invite.

@ZipsWBB
- @ZipsWBB enters Wednesday’s affair with a 3-4 record.
- @ZipsWBB is in search of its first win away from home.
- @ZipsWBB also attended the USD-Courtyard San Diego Central Classic over Thanksgiving break.
- @ZipsWBB fell 78-65 to Northern Colorado and 86-65 to San Diego.
- @ZipsWBB has enjoyed three straight 20-win seasons.
- @ZipsWBB is coming off wins over Rochester College and Central Florida.
- This past November was @ZipsWBB’s first losing month since January of 2012.
- @ZipsWBB’s last regular season loss in the state of Indiana came on 11/11/11 (at Notre Dame).
- Barilla, Burry, Brown, Plybon, and Gibson have started all seven games for @ZipsWBB.
- @ZipsWBB returns 64 points from last season’s 100-65 win over the Crusaders.
- @ZipsWBB’s Megan Barilla had a triple-double last time out (10 points, 10 rebounds, 10 assists).
- @ZipsWBB’s Anita Brown surpassed 1,000 career points Saturday following a 20-point performance, her sixth game of 20 points or more this season.
- Brown leads @ZipsWBB (and the MAC) in scoring with 20.0 points per game.
- Brown has also taken a conference-most 126 field goal attempts.
- Hannah Plybon is one of @ZipsWBB’s biggest 3-point threats (22-for-63).
- Brown (126) and Plybon (91) have combined for 48.7% of @ZipsWBB’s shot attempts.
- Barilla is averaging 5.6 assists per game (2nd-most in the MAC).

@ZipsCoachKest
- Jodi Kest (@ZipsCoachKest) is in her 10th season at the helm of the Zips’ basketball program.
- @ZipsCoachKest enters Wednesday’s game with a 368-292 career record and a 142-139 mark at Akron.
- @ZipsCoachKest’s 350th career win came at the expense of Valpo last November.
- @ZipsCoach Kest earned MAC Coach of the Year honors in 2010.
- The winningest coach in program history, @ZipsCoachKest is also the longest-tenured coach in the MAC.
- @ZipsCoachKest has guided Akron to three consecutive postseason appearances.
- @ZipsCoachKest enjoyed successful tenures at Texas A&M-Corpus Christi, Gannon, and Wilkes University before taking over the reins at Akron.
- @ZipsCoachKest was an assistant coach at Cleveland State during the 1992-93 season.

Meredith Hamlet
- Has scored in double figures four times this season (9.4 PPG).
- Third Hamlet to play for head coach Tracey Dorow.
- Broke McBain High School’s scoring record previously held by older sisters, Annemarie and Elizabeth (1,856).

Hannah Schaub
- Team leader in assists (19) and steals (11).
- Led a second-half charge vs. Northern Colorado, scoring 12 of her team-high 15 points from the 3rd quarter on (4-5 second half 3FG).
- Was a five-year letterwinner at Park Center HS (Minn.).
- Has over 2,600 followers on Twitter (@xoxolouise21).

Abby Dean
- Dished out multiple assists in four of her last five contests.
- Has shot over 80% from the charity stripe and started 27 games each of the last two seasons.
- Eclipsed the 100-assist plateau at San Diego (Nov. 27).
- Owns a 42.0% career field-goal percentage in 85 career tilts.

Annemarie Hamlet
- Has not appeared in any of the first seven games of the season.

Georgi Donchetz
- Spent much of her rookie campaign rehabbing from a knee injury.
- Scored a season-high nine points at Green Bay on Jan. 29th.

Lexi Miller
- Scored 11 second-half points to help lead the Crusaders to a 63-62 win over Cardinal Stritch on Monday.
- Racked up four assists and knocked down three treys at San Diego.
- Has logged more minutes than any Crusader on the roster (1,929).
- Finished in double figures eight times last season, including a career-high 21 points at Milwaukee on Jan. 21st.

Imani Scott-Thompson
- Went off for a game-high 12 points versus Louisville on Saturday.
- Sank three treys at the KFC Yum! Center.
- Nailed a pair of threes at San Diego (Nov. 27).
- Set the NJCAA record for three-pointers in a single season (143) last year at Dakota College at Bottineau.
- Averaged 22.4 PPG for the 2014-15 Ladyjacks.

Amber Lindfors
- Secured a season-high nine rebounds Monday vs. Cardinal Stritch.
- Recorded six blocks in the first half versus Miami (Ohio), the third-most ever in a game by a Crusader.
- Tallied season highs in points (7) vs. #3 Notre Dame on Nov. 23rd.
- Ranked 30th top prospect in Chicago area by Bret McCormick All-Star Girls Report.
- At 6’4’’, she is the tallest Crusader since Stefanie Lang (2010-12).

Dani Franklin
- Named to Preseason All-Horizon League Second Team.
- Led Valpo in scoring last Wednesday for the first time this season with 18 points. She did so 12 times last season.
- Shot 5-of-10 from the field on her way to an 11-point game at San Diego.
- Reigning Horizon League Freshman of the Year and Sixth Player of the Year.
- Valpo’s top scorer (13.0 PPG) and field-goal shooter (47.3%) last season.
- Finished in double figures 21 times last season including five tilts of 20 points or more.
- Led the Brown and Gold in scoring on 11 separate occasions in 2014-15.
- Shot a team-high 85.7% (42-49) from the foul line as a freshman.

Allison Schofield
- Made her first appearance in a Crusader uniform in the season opener at Butler.
- Helped lead her AAU team, Indiana Blizzard, to a national championship.

Jasmyn Walker
- Valpo’s leading scorer (11.1 PPG) and rebounder (8.4 RPG).
- Has two double-doubles on the season (13 pts, 13 rebs vs. Northern Colorado; 11 pts, 11 rebs vs. Miami [Ohio]).
- Picked up right where she left off in the season debut, collecting eight rebounds and two blocks to go with 13 points.
- Has started all 37 games since arriving to Valparaiso.
- Recorded most rebounds ever by a freshman (250) and the sixth-most ever in a single season in program history.
- Amassed nine double-doubles in Horizon League play in 2014-15.
- Elected to 2014-15 Horizon League All-Freshmen Team.
- Named HL Freshman of the Week three times last season.
- Collected team watermark in rebounds in 14 contests.

Haylee Thompson
- Erupted for a career-high 16 points on 6-of-7 shooting Monday night in the Crusaders’ 63-62 win over Cardinal Stritch.
- Tallied back-to-back double-doubles on Dec. 30th and Jan. 3rd last season.

Jessi Wiedemann
- Returned to 2013-14 form in the season opener at Butler, pouring in 14 points (5-9 FG, 3-5 3FG) in 12 minutes off the bench.
- Finished in double figures in scoring 16 times in 2013-14 (10.4 PPG).
- Missed 23 games last season due to a back injury.