Oakland (10-4, 2-1 Horizon)
at Valparaiso (5-9, 1-2 Horizon)
Game #15 - Saturday, January 9 - 1:30 p.m. CT
Athletics-Recreation Center (5,000) - Valparaiso, Ind.
Next Up in Crusader Basketball: The Crusaders look to straddle the .500 mark as Oakland visits the Athletics-Recreation Center Saturday for a 1:30 pm affair. The Golden Grizzlies are coming off an important 78-76 win over UIC Thursday night in Chicago. Meanwhile, the Brown and Gold seek to shake a two-game hiccup.
Last Time Out: Sophomore Jasmyn Walker paired a career-high 16 rebounds with 12 points Thursday night, but Detroit’s Brianne Cohen provided the spark off the bench to boost the Titans to a 72-66 victory over the Brown and Gold. Dani Franklin found her stroke to the tune of 19 points, her seventh straight double-digit tilt. Cohen matched Franklin’s offensive output with 19 of her own while Rosanna Reynolds pitched in 15 points, eight assists, five rebounds, and four steals.
Following the Crusaders: Audio: WVUR (95.1 FM, Valparaiso) - Parker Gatewood (PxP), Renee’ Turpa (Color), Tommy Mantice (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 (28-77) 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: Oakland leads the all-time series, 16-10, in a matchup that began in 1999. The Golden Grizzlies have won six of their last seven over the Crusaders, as well as five victories in their previous six at the Athletics-Recreation Center. Oakland took both games in the season series last year thanks in part to Nola Anderson’s 16.0 PPG average versus the Brown and Gold.
Storylines
- Neither team has lost a game when leading at halftime (Oakland 9-0, Valpo 5-0).
- The Golden Grizzlies are 9-1 when holding opponents to fewer than 80 points. The Crusaders have surpassed the 80-point mark once this season (88 vs. IU-Kokomo).
- A Crusader victory would snap their own two-game skid in addition to ending Oakland’s five-game winning streak.
- Dani Franklin surpassed the 500-point plateau Thursday in head coach Tracey Dorow’s 500th career game.
@ValpoWBB
- In its 44th season, @ValpoWBB is 507-596 all-time (as of Jan. 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.
- This season is the fastest head coach Tracey Dorow has gotten to five wins (previously Jan. 5th of 2012-13 season).
- Last season, @ValpoWBB did not record its fifth win until February 5th. It did so on Dec. 30th this season.
- @ValpoWBB is averaging 6.2 steals/game this season, compared to 3.7/tilt in 2014-15.
@ValpoWBB in the @HorizonLeague
- Since joining the Horizon League in 2007-08, @ValpoWBB is 45-96 (as of Jan. 8th).
- @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’s win at Northern Kentucky on Dec. 30th gave it its first road win in a Horizon League opener since becoming a member.
@GoldenGrizzlies
- @GoldenGrizzlies own a 10-4 record entering Saturday’s game.
- @GoldenGrizzlies were voted 5th in the Horizon League Preseason Poll.
- @GoldenGrizzlies tout the second-best offense in the HL (79.3 PPG).
- @GoldenGrizzlies are shooting a league-high 46.3% from the field.
- @GoldenGrizzlies are riding a five-game winning streak.
- @GoldenGrizzlies are coming off a 78-76 win at UIC on Thursday.
- @GoldenGrizzlies kept HL Preseason Player of the Year Ruvanna Campbell in check to the tune of eight points (3-of-15 shooting).
- Campbell’s eight points matched her career low with the Flames.
- @GoldenGrizzlies’ last loss came on Dec. 13th at #25 Michigan State.
- @GoldenGrizzlies have been held to fewer than 74 points just twice.
- @GoldenGrizzlies own a +107 point differential after halftime.
- @GoldenGrizzlies fell 65-54 to Miami (Ohio) in non-HL play, the same team @ValpoWBB lost to 75-72.
- @GoldenGrizzlies leads the HL in assists per game (19.9).
- Either Taylor Jones (14.1 PPG) and Olivia Nash (16.9 PPG) have been @GoldenGrizzlies’ top scorer in 12 of their 14 contests.
- 49 of Jones’ 197 points on the season have come at the free-throw line.
- Nash and guard Elena Popkey were Second Team Preseason All-Horizon League selections entering this season.
- Nash’s .619 field-goal percentage is the 8th-highest in the country.
- Nash is the only Golden Grizzly to start all 14 games this season.
- Popkey is 2nd in assists (5.4/game), and 5th in assists/TO ratio (1.9).
- Popkey needs four dimes to move into 3rd place all-time in assists for @GoldenGrizzlies.
- @GoldenGrizzlies’ Taylor Gleason - a transfer from University of Illinois - is averaging 9.0 points and 2.8 steals per game.
- @GoldenGrizzlies’ Sinclair Russell is 5th in the HL in blocks (18). She had four vs. the Crusaders at home last season (Mar. 5th).
@CoachTungate
- @CoachTungate is in his third season as head coach of the Golden Grizzlies.
- @CoachTungate enters Saturday’s contest with a 35-39 record, and a 16-19 mark in Horizon League play.
- @CoachTungate is in search of his first win in postseason play.
- @CoachTungate has served in three different capacities at Oakland.
- @CoachTungate was an assistant coach with the Oakland men’s team during the 2004-05 season.
- After serving as associate head coach of the IPFW men’s squad from 2005-07, @CoachTungate returned to Rochester as AHC of the Oakland men’s team from 2007-13.
- @CoachTungate’s first head coaching position was at Lincoln Memorial University (men’s team) from 1999-2004.
- @CoachTungate is a 1993 graduate of Oakland where he was a standout on the baseball diamond.
- @CoachTungate still owns the longest hitting streak in Oakland history (20 games).
Meredith Hamlet
- Exploded for 29 points at NKU (Dec. 30) on 10-of-11 shooting, the third-highest single-game FG percentage in program history.
- Has scored in double figures ten times this season (12.2 PPG).
- 23 of her last 35 (.657) from three-point range.
- Made no fewer than two field goals in her first 13 career games.
- Third Hamlet to play for head coach Tracey Dorow.
Hannah Schaub
- Team leader in assists (47) and steals (21).
- Disbursed multiple assists in 13 of her 14 games.
- 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).
- Has over 2,600 followers on Twitter (@xoxolouise21).
Abby Dean
- Reached the 600-point plateau last time out vs. Detroit.
- Saturday will represent her 100th game in the Brown and Gold.
- Logged the most minutes (2,111) of any Crusader on the roster.
- Has already surpassed her 2014-15 steals total of 13.
- 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 fourteen 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
- Scored a season-high 11 points vs. Cardinal Stritch (Dec. 7th).
- Tied a career high in assists (8) at Wright State on Jan. 1st..
- Eight assists shy of 200 for her career at Valpo.
- 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 (2.1).
- 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
- Scored 100 points in the last 30 days (14.3 PPG).
- After shooting 50% or higher from the field just once in the first six games of the season, Franklin has done so in each of her last eight.
- Eclipsed the 500-point mark for her career Thursday in her 42nd game.
- Only Crusader with a positive plus-minus rating (+6).
- Named to Preseason All-Horizon League Second Team.
- Led Valpo in scoring against Miami (Ohio) for the first time this season with 18 points. She did so 12 times last season.
- 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.
Jasmyn Walker
- Valpo’s leading rebounder (8.4 RPG) and second-leading scorer (11.9 PPG).
- Cradled a career-high 16 rebounds Thursday vs. Detroit.
- Set a career high in field goals (8) at Wright State on New Year’s.
- Has three double-doubles this season (N. Colorado, Miami, Detroit).
- Has started all 44 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
- Received two straight starting assignments.
- Posted for a career-high 16 points on 6-of-7 shooting in the Crusaders’ 63-62 win over Cardinal Stritch on Dec. 7th.
