Valparaiso (4-7, 0-0 Horizon)
at Northern Kentucky (8-3, 0-0 Horizon)
Game #12 - Wednesday, December 30 - 6:00 p.m. CT
BB&T Arena (9,400) - Highland Heights, Ky.
Next Up in Crusader Basketball: Valpo’s 18-game Horizon League schedule gets underway Wednesday in the Bluegrass State. The opener signals not only the Brown and Gold’s maiden voyage to Highland Heights, but also the first-ever meeting between the Crusaders and Norse. Widely lauded as a premier mid-major facility, the 9,400-seat BB&T Arena will play host to its 20th - and final - NKU women’s basketball game of the 2015 calendar year.
Last Time Out: The Crusaders held IU-Kokomo to 8-of-65 shooting (12.3%) as the Brown and Gold collected an 88-22 victory Monday evening at the Athletics-Recreation Center. The 22 points yielded broke the previous school record of 28 versus Youngstown State back in 2010. Five players finished in double figures, including freshman Amber Lindfors who posted 15 points and 11 rebounds.
Following the Crusaders: Audio - WVUR (95.1 FM, Valparaiso) Brandon Vickrey (PxP), Jake Wulbert (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 (27-75) 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: Wednesday marks the inaugural showdown between Valpo and Northern Kentucky. This is NKU’s first season in the Horizon League after spending the previous three years in the Atlantic Sun Conference. Northern Kentucky graduated from Division II to Division I in 2012.
Storylines
- Tracey Dorow and Northern Kentucky head coach Dawn Plitzuweit battled each other for five years while bench bosses at Ferris State and Grand Valley State, respectively.
- A victory would give the Crusaders their first four-game winning streak since the 2007-2008 season.
- Valpo visited the state of Kentucky just once in program history entering this season. Wednesday marks its second trip within 25 days.
- NKU’s Christine and Courtney Roush represent the fourth pair of sisters to oppose the Brown and Gold already this season.
@ValpoWBB
- In its 44th season, @ValpoWBB is 506-594 all-time (as of Dec. 29th).
- @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).
Common Opponents
- @ValpoWBB and @NKUNorseWBB each faced Miami (Ohio), IU-Kokomo and Akron during non-league action.
- @NKUNorseWBB defeated Miami (OH), 71-57, and IU-Kokomo, 104-33, but fell 77-75 in overtime to Akron.
- @ValpoWBB is coming off an 88-22 dismantling of IU-Kokomo, but dropped a 75-72 affair to Miami (OH) and an 85-74 contest to Akron.
@NKUNorseWBB
- @NKUNorseWBB enters Wednesday’s affair with an 8-3 record.
- @NKUNorseWBB is in the middle of a seven-game homestand.
- @NKUNorseWBB opens the 2015-16 season with ten of its first 13 tilts at the BB&T Center (8-3 record through 11 games).
- @NKUNorseWBB has traveled more than 40 miles just once this season (at Robert Morris [Pa.]). Their other road games were at Miami (Ohio) and Cincinnati.
- @NKUNorseWBB has attempted 233 three-point field goals (21.2 per game).
- @NKUNorseWBB’s average home attendance is 1,462, second-highest in the Horizon League.
- Christine Roush leads @NKUNorseWBB with 16.7 PPG (3rd in HL).
- Roush has tallied 12 or more points in all but one game this season.
- The senior has drained a HL-most 30 treys on just 66 attempts (45.5%) while converting 28 of 30 free-throw tries (93.3%).
- @NKUNorseWBB’s Rebecca Lyttle has assembled a Jasmyn Walker-like first season with the Norse (13.1 PPG, 9.4 RPG).
- Lyttle sat out 2014-15 after transferring from Michigan.
- Kasey Uetrecht leads @NKUNorseWBB in the steals department with 21 in addition to averaging 10.8 points per game.
- Uetrecht is three for her last 19 from beyond the arc.
- @NKUNorseWBB’s Rianna Gayheart’s 35:17 assist-to-turnover ratio is the fourth-best in the Horizon League.
- After transferring from Youngstown State following the 2012-13 season, Shar’Rae Davis is averaging 6.0 points and 4.1 rebounds in 18 minutes for @NKUNorseWBB.
@CoachDawnP
- @CoachDawnP is in her fourth season as head coach of the Norse.
- @CoachDawnP enters Wednesday’s contest with a 177-82 career record, and a 60-43 mark with Northern Kentucky.
- @CoachDawnP has led NKU to three consecutive postseason appearances (all WBI).
- @CoachDawnP spent five seasons as associate head coach at Michigan.
- @CoachDawnP also served as head coach at D-II Grand Valley State for five years.
- @CoachDawnP enjoyed a 117-39 (.750) reign while guiding the Lakers.
- The Basketball Coaches Association of Michigan named @CoachDawnP as its Coach of the Year in 2006.
- @CoachDawnP played collegiately for the Michigan Tech Huskies.
- The Huskies amassed a 99-22 record with @CoachDawnP as a four-year starter.
- @CoachDawnP was twice named Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (GLIAC) Player of the Year (1994, 1995).
- Furthermore, @CoachDawnP was NCAA’s Michigan Woman of the Year in 1995.
Meredith Hamlet
- Has scored in double figures eight times this season (10.9 PPG).
- Made no fewer than two field goals in her first eleven career games.
- 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 (37) and steals (19).
- Ten of her 11 games have been multi-assist affairs.
- 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
- Logged the most minutes (2,020) of any Crusader on the roster.
- Has already matched her 2014-15 steals total (13).
- Recorded a field goal in every game this season.
- Has shot over 80% from the charity stripe and started 27 games each of the last two seasons.
Annemarie Hamlet
- Has not appeared in any of the first eleven games of the season.
Georgi Donchetz
- Corralled a career-high five rebounds last time out vs. IU-Northwest.
- Spent much of her rookie campaign rehabbing from a knee injury.
Lexi Miller
- One of two Crusaders (Franklin) to possess a positive +/- rating (+6).
- Connected on 11 of her last 20 FG attempts (55%) since Dec. 7th.
- Has logged multiple assists in eight of her last nine games played.
- 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 Dec. 5th.
- 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
- Leads the Horizon League in blocks per game (2.3).
- Swatted six shots on two different occasions this year.
- Six blocks shy of cracking Valpo’s top 10 for rejections in a season.
- Amassed more blocks through ten games (22) than any Crusader in an entire season over the past eight years.
- At 6’4’’, she is the tallest Crusader since Stefanie Lang (2010-12).
Dani Franklin
- Has scored in double figures in four straight tilts.
- Her 1.18 +-/40 rating is highest on the team.
- 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.
- Needs 17 points Wednesday to raise her season average to 10.0 PPG.
- 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.
- Shot a team-high 85.7% (42-49) from the foul line as a freshman.
Allison Schofield
- Scored five points in Valpo’s 88-22 win over IU-Kokomo (Dec. 21).
- 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 (11.6 PPG) and rebounder (7.8 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 41 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
- Averaging 7.4 points and 5.0 rebounds in her last five games.
- Erupted for a career-high 16 points on 6-of-7 shooting in the Crusaders’ 63-62 win over Cardinal Stritch on Dec. 7th.
Jessi Wiedemann
- Has appeared in just two contests since Nov. 28th.
- Reverted 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.
- Missed 23 games last season due to a back injury.
