Valparaiso (1-1, 0-0 Horizon)
at Northern Illinois (1-1, 0-0 MAC)
Game #3 - Thursday, November 20 - 6:00 p.m. CT
Convocation Center (10,000) - DeKalb, Ill.
Next Up in Crusader Basketball: Valparaiso faces its first out-of-state opponent Thursday as Northern Illinois plays host to the Crusaders. Both teams have split their first two games of 2014-15 with NIU defeating Illinois State 55-51 at home, but dropping a 61-47 tilt to the Flames at the UIC Pavilion. Hobart native Amanda Corral, who last season became the 27th Husky to eclipse 1,000 career points, continues to recover from a thumb injury and is not expected to play in Thursday’s game.
Last Time Out: Freshman Dani Franklin finished in double figures for the second straight game, but Indiana snatched 18 steals en route to an 81-49 win at Assembly Hall. IU freshman Tyra Buss poured in 22 points and eight steals while Larryn Brooks added 14. Franklin’s 11 points and eight rebounds were team watermarks.
Following the Crusaders: Audio - Valpo Sports Radio Network (WVUR, 95.1 FM, Valparaiso) - Brandon Vickrey (PxP), Parker Gatewoood (Color) Video - ESPN3. Links for the audio, video, as well as 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 (18-46) is in her third season at the helm of the Valparaiso women’s basketball program in 2014-15. She collected her 250th career victory on Friday, Nov. 14th after a 91-57 walloping 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 2002-2003.
Series Notes: Northern Illinois leads the all-time series 17-2. The Huskies won the first twelve meetings before Valpo snapped that streak with a 101-91 victory at the Athletics-Recreation Center on Feb. 18th, 1992. The two teams met 14 times in a six-year span from 1988-1994, but went on an 18-season hiatus. That layoff ended two seasons ago when NIU came to Valpo on Jan. 5th, 2013 (Valpo won 54-49).
Storylines...
- Valparaiso head coach Tracey Dorow notched her 250th career win Friday versus Butler.
- Of the 19 games these two teams have played against one another, Northern Illinois has scored 100 or more points eleven times.
- The Crusaders won their only road game against a MAC opponent last season (Toledo).
- Valpo defeated NIU 54-49 on Jan. 5th, 2013. Of the 103 points scored, only 12 of those came from players expected to play Thursday (Wiedemann [Valpo] 6; L Miller [Valpo] 2; Thorp [NIU] 4).
- Valparaiso head baseball coach Brian Schmack played at Northern Illinois from 1992-1995.
@ValpoWBB...
...looking back at last season
- @ValpoWBB were champions of the Toledo Invite, defeating Chicago State and the host Rockets.
- @ValpoWBB’s Liz Horton signed a contract to play professionally with Germany’s TG Neuss following a senior season where she averaged 10.9 points/game and recorded the 9th-highest three-point field goal percentage in a season in school history (39.8%).
- @ValpoWBB shot 77.6% from the free-throw line, the highest percentage ever by a Crusader team.
...looking ahead to this season
- @ValpoWBB was picked to finish eighth in the Horizon League in the 2014-15 Preseason Poll.
- @ValpoWBB returns 1,287 points, 732 rebounds, 244 assists, 4,132 minutes played from 2013-14.
@GoHuskiesWBB
- @GoHuskiesWBB finished 2013-14 with a 11-19 overall record, and a 6-12 mark in the Mid-American Conference (MAC).
- @GoHuskiesWBB is shooting just 14.8% percent (4-for-27) from beyond the arc thus far.
- @GoHuskiesWBB has three players averaging double-digit points (Kelly Smith 13.5, Renee Sladek 10.0, Jenna Thorp 10.0).
- @GoHuskiesWBB’s Kathi Bennett is the only active head coach whose father coached in the NCAA Final Four (Dick, at Wisconsin).
Jessica Carr
- One of two team captains (Wiedemann) this season.
- Averaged 12.6 points in the final seven games of 2013-14.
- Drained a career-high six three-pointers in Valpo’s season finale at Green Bay.
Abby Dean
- Registered a career-high 21 points on 9-of-11 shooting Friday.
- Finished in double figures 12 different times in 2013-14.
- Led the Brown and Gold in free-throw shooting (85.2%) last year.
- Scored first collegiate points at historic Cameron Indoor Stadium in November of 2012.
Annemarie Hamlet
- Scored 11 points in her Crusader debut last Friday.
- Last Friday represents the 616th day since Hamlet last played in a regular season game (3/9/13 with Oakland).
Faith Miller
- Drained both three-point attempts vs. Butler.
Anne Hamilton
- Was a perfect 2-for-2 from the field vs. Butler in her Crusader debut.
Lexi Miller
- One of two Crusaders to finish with more assists (59) than turnovers (56) last season.
- Made collegiate debut against the Indiana Hoosiers Nov, 9th, 2012.
Dani Franklin
- Scored 14 points on 6-of-11 shooting in her first game with the Brown and Gold on Nov. 14th.
Sharon Karungi
- Tallied eight double-doubles in 2013-14.
- Posted a career-high 25 points at Cleveland State on 2/13/14..
- Was Valpo’s leading rebounder last year (7.4 rebs/game).
Jasmyn Walker
- Made the start versus Butler for her collegiate debut.
- Tossed in four points and snagged six boards vs. Butler on Friday.
Haylee Thompson
- Recorded ten points (4-8 FG) in Valpo’s season-opening tilt over Butler, her first game since the 2012-13 year with Utah State.
Jessi Wiedemann
- Has appeared in all 63 games since arriving to Valparaiso.
- Canned multiple three-pointers in 13 games last season.
- Made collegiate debut versus Indiana
- Registered a career-high 21 points vs. Cleveland State on 1/27/14.
Roster Breakdown
- Valpo welcomes four new faces (all freshmen) to its team this season.
- Valparaiso boasts players from eight different states and two countries.
- The Crusaders possess five players 6’0’’ or taller.
