Youngstown State (13-4, 4-2 Horizon)
at Valparaiso (7-11, 3-4 Horizon)
Game #19 - Saturday, January 23 - 1:30 p.m. CT
Athletics-Recreation Center (5,000) - Valparaiso, Ind.
Next Up in Crusader Basketball: Five of the best sophomores in the Horizon League take the court Saturday afternoon when Youngstown State visits the Athletics-Recreation Center for a 1:30 pm tip. Sarah Cash, Indiya Benjamin, and Nikki Arbanas have the Penguins at 4-2 through six league games. Meanwhile, Jasmyn Walker and Dani Franklin aim to get the Crusaders back to .500 in conference play.
Last Time Out: Sophomore Jasmyn Walker saved 12 of her 15 points and eight of her 14 boards for the second half to spearhead the Crusaders to a 66-59 triumph over visiting Cleveland State Thursday night at the Athletics-Recreation Center. Abby Dean pitched in a season-high 16 points on 5-of-8 shooting while freshman Amber Lindfors finished one carom shy of a double-double. After being outrebounding 20-13 in the first half, the Brown and Gold responded with a 25-9 margin on the glass over the final two quarters.
Following the Crusaders: Audio: WVUR (95.1 FM, Valparaiso) - Brandon Vickrey (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 (30-79) 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: YSU leads the all-time series, 23-14. The Penguins have taken nine of the last ten meetings after interrupting a stretch where the Crusaders won four of five from 2008-2010. Six seasons ago, Valpo held YSU to 28 points in a 52-point win at the ARC, establishing a record for fewest points allowed in a game that stood until the Brown and Gold held IU-Kokomo to 22 points this past December.
Storylines
- Valpo has won five of its last six games at home.
- Youngstown State guard Indiya Benjamin enters Saturday’s contest three dimes shy of her second straight 100-assist season.
- Freshman Meredith Hamlet is shooting 50% (27-for-54) from three-point range at the ARC.
- The Crusaders rallied from a four-point halftime deficit Thursday night vs. Cleveland State. The last time the Brown and Gold won a game when trailing at the break was March 9, 2013 against Detroit.
@ValpoWBB
- In its 44th season, @ValpoWBB is 509-598 all-time (as of Jan. 22nd).
- @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 (prev. Jan. 5th of 2012-13), six (prev. Jan. 12th of 2012-13), and seven wins (prev. Jan 24th of 2012-13).
- Last season, @ValpoWBB did not record its fifth win until February 5th. It did so on Dec. 30th this season.
- @ValpoWBB is averaging 5.6 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 47-98 (as of Jan. 22nd).
- @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.
@YSUWomensHoops
- @YSUWomensHoops enters Saturday’s affair with a 13-4 overall record, including a 4-2 mark in Horizon League play.
- @YSUWomensHoops was picked to finish 4th in the HL Preseason Poll.
- @YSUWomensHoops opened the season on a six-game winning streak, a year after beginning 2014-15 with victories in its first ten.
- @YSUWomensHoops leads the Horizon League in three-pointers made per game (8.6).
- Needing just 54 more, @YSUWomensHoops will enjoy its sixth straight season with at least 200 three-pointers.
- Conversely, @YSUWomensHoops limits its opposition to a league-best 27.3% mark from beyond the arc.
- @YSUWomensHoops touts a +59 scoring margin in the 1st-3rd quarters. They’ve hashed out a +58 surplus in the 4th period alone.
- @YSUWomensHoops owns the No. 2 defense in the league (60.8 PPG).
- @YSUWomensHoops is 23-1 under head coach John Barnes when holding opponents to fewer than 60 points.
- Sarah Cash’s 14.6 points and 6.7 rebounds lead @YSUWomensHoops.
- Cash’s 62.8% FG percentage checks in at No. 4 in the country.
- Cash also leads @YSUWomensHoops in blocks (19) and steals (24).
- Indiya Benjamin is atop the HL leaderboard in assists (5.7/game).
- The sophomore has posted at least 11 points in six consecutive tilts.
- Benjamin averaged 13 points and six assists per game versus the Crusaders last season.
- Nikki Arbanas owns @YSUWomensHoops’ highest career free-throw percentage (.852).
- Arbanas has attempted 112 three-pointers this season, the third-most tries in the Horizon League.
@CoachJohnBarnes
- @CoachJohnBarnes in his third season as head coach of the Penguins.
- A win Saturday would give @CoachJohnBarnes his 50th at YSU.
- For his career, @CoachJohnBarnes is 205-86 as a head coach, 49-31 at Youngstown State.
- @CoachJohnBarnes has already won more games in two-plus seasons than any of his three predecessors.
- @CoachJohnBarnes also owns as many wins in the Horizon League Tournament as Youngstown State recorded from 2001-2013.
- @CoachJohnBarnes led last year’s squad to a berth in the WNIT, its second in three seasons.
- @CoachJohnBarnes’ previous experience as head coach came at Michigan Tech (2003-10), where he led the Huskies to two Elite Eight showings.
- @CoachJohnBarnes was named Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (GLIAC) Coach of the Year three times.
- Following his seven-year stay in Houghton, @CoachJohnBarnes served as an assistant coach at Wisconsin and Michigan.
- @CoachJohnBarnes was associate head coach at Green Bay during the 2012-13 season.
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.
- Sank three three-pointers Thursday for the sixth time this season.
- Has scored in double figures eleven times (10.8 PPG).
- Started all 18 games this season.
- Third Hamlet to play for head coach Tracey Dorow at Valparaiso.
Hannah Schaub
- Team leader in assists (59) and steals (22).
- Disbursed multiple assists in 16 of her 18 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
- Led Valpo in scoring Thursday for the second time this season with 16 points (5-8 FG, 2-3 3 FG).
- Aiming to finish in double figures Saturday for the third time in 2015-16.
- Logged the most minutes (2,221) of any Crusader on the roster.
- 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 18 games of the season.
Georgi Donchetz
- Corralled a career-high five rebounds vs. IU-Northwest on Dec. 12th.
- Spent much of her rookie campaign rehabbing from a knee injury.
Lexi Miller
- Owns the team’s best assist-to-turnover ratio (1.3).
- Has racked up 13 helpers in her last two games.
- Tied a career high in assists (8) at Wright State on Jan. 1st.
- Finished in double figures eight times last season, including a career-high 21 points at Milwaukee on Jan. 21st.
Imani Scott-Thompson
- Led the Crusaders in scoring at Green Bay with 14 points (5-10 FG).
- 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.
Amber Lindfors
- Finished one board shy of a double-double vs. CSU (10 pts, 9 rebs).
- Leads the Horizon League in blocks per game (2.0).
- Currently in 9th place in program history for blocks in a season (32).
- Swatted six shots on two different occasions this year.
- 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 carved out a 47.4% field goal percentage this season (8th in HL).
- Touts a 57.1% FG (32-for-56) in Horizon League play.
- After shooting 50% or higher from the field just once in the first six games of the season, Franklin has done so in twelve straight.
- 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 at Green Bay (2-2 FG, 1-1 3FG) on Jan. 14th.
- Made her first appearance in a Crusader uniform in the season opener at Butler.
Jasmyn Walker
- Valpo’s leading scorer (11.9 PPG) and rebounder (8.8 RPG).
- Cradled a career-high 16 rebounds vs. Detroit on Jan. 7th.
- Led the Crusaders in rebounding on 12 separate occasions this year.
- Set a career high in field goals (8) at Wright State on New Year’s.
- Possesses five double-doubles this season (N. Colorado, Miami, Detroit, Oakland, Cleveland State).
- Has started all 48 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.
Jessi Wiedemann
- Poured in 14 points (5-9 FG, 3-5 3FG) in 12 minutes off the bench at Butler.
