Valparaiso (3-20, 1-9 Horizon)
at Youngstown State (10-12, 6-3 Horizon)
Game #24 - Saturday, February 15 - 3:35 p.m.
Beeghly Center (6,500) - Youngstown, Ohio
Next Up in Crusader Basketball: Valpo’s trip through northeast Ohio comes to a close with a Saturday matinee versus the Penguins of Youngstown State. The Crusaders aim for their first win inside the Beeghly Center since January 14th, 2010. The Penguins have dropped three in a row since opening the Horizon League portion of the schedule 6-0.
Last Time Out: Valpo shot 50% for the second consecutive game Thursday night in Cleveland, but the Vikings drained 17 three-pointers on their way to an 82-74 win over the Crusaders. Cleveland State could not find an answer for Sharon Karungi who posted a career-high 25 points on 12-of-14 shooting. Jessi Wiedemann added 16 points and Charae Richardson contributed ten as Valpo turned the ball over just 14 times, its lowest total since December 31st against South Dakota. The Crusaders led by a point with just under six minutes to play, but CSU closed the game on a 17-9 run.
Following the Crusaders: Audio - WVUR (95.1 FM, Valparaiso) - Brandon Vickrey (play-by-play) and Parker Gatewood (color). Video - Horizon League Network. Links for the audio, video 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 (14-40) 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: Youngstown State leads the all-time series 20-14 over Valpo. The Penguins have taken six of the last seven meetings after breaking up a stretch where the Crusaders won four of five from 2008-2010. Youngstown State took the first game of the season series 62-49 in Valpo on January 9th.
Storylines...
- YSU’s Heidi Schlegel shot just 4-for-16 from the floor, but made 10 of her 11 free-throw tries en route to a 19-point game vs. Valpo on Jan. 9th.
- 19 of the Penguins’ 44 total rebounds were hauled in by Schlegel.
- Sharon Karungi scored a then-career high 21 points in the prior meeting.
- The Crusaders are searching for their first road win in the month of February since Feb. 11th, 2012 when they beat Butler in Indianapolis.
- Saturday will be the 35th meeting between the two teams.
- The Penguins are averaging 9.3 three-point field goals made per game in Horizon League play.
@YSUWomensHoops
- After opening the Horizon League slate 6-0, @YSUWomensHoops have cooled off with three consecutive road losses.
- @YSUWomensHoops forward Heidi Schlegel is 3rd in scoring (20.1 PPG) and 2nd in rebounding (10.9 RPG) in Horizon League games.
- Liz Hornberger has attempted 140 three-pointers (2nd most in HL).
- @YSUWomensHoops have a +25 scoring margin in the first half, but a -83 mark in the second half.
- @YSUWomensHoops lead the HL in defensive rebounding (27.5/game).
- Opponents are shooting just 28.7% from beyond the arc versus @YSUWomensHoops.
- John Barnes is in his first season as head coach of @YSUWomensHoops.
- He has held coaching positions at Wisconsin, Michigan, and Green Bay.
Jessica Carr
- Notched five assists to just one turnover versus UIC on 2/10/14.
- 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 vs. South Dakota on 12/31/13.
- 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
- 4th in HL in free-throw shooting (83.6%)
- Averaged 14.0 PPG in a four-game stretch from 1/21 to 2/1.
- 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.
- Only Crusader to start every game thus far.
- 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 on 2/3.
- Tallied 13 assists to five turnovers during the Toledo Invite.
- Scored a career-high 18 points vs. Tennessee Tech on 11/24/13.
- 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 her last twelve 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 (72) and steals (30).
- 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
- Has scored exactly 15 points in three of the last five games.
- 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 (40.3%)
- 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
- Posted a career-high 25 points at Cleveland State on Thursday.
- Returned to double figures for the first time in seven games when she scored ten and grabbed nine boards versus UIC on Monday.
- Shot a season-best 80% (8-10) from the floor vs. WSU on 1/18/14.
- Scored a then career-high 21 points in her first HL game (1/9/14).
- Leading rebounder (7.0) for the Crusaders.
- 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 vs. 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 thirteen games for the Crusaders.
- Has made multiple three-pointers in ten 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.
