Tulsa (3-4, 0-0 American)
at Valparaiso (3-4, 0-0 Horizon)
Game #8 - Saturday, December 6 - 1:35 p.m. CT
Athletics-Recreation Center (5,000) - Valparaiso, Ind.
Next Up in Crusader Basketball: Valparaiso entertains Tulsa on Saturday afternoon in the front-end of an intriguing day-night, non-conference doubleheader at the ARC. The Crusaders aim to even the all-time series and avenge last season’s 14-point loss in the Sooner State. The Golden Hurricane ride into town on a two-game losing skid.
Last Time Out: Miami of Ohio erased a one-point halftime deficit as part of its 82-59 win over Valpo on Wednesday afternoon. The Crusaders were ahead 40-39 at the break, but experienced a second-half field goal drought spanning seven-and-a-half minutes. Valpo didn’t reach double-digit points in the closing period until an Anne Hamilton three-pointer with 4:30 remaining. Meanwhile, the RedHawks’ Hannah McCue went off for a career-high 26 points (7-16 3-pointers) and 15 rebounds. Jessi Wiedemann led the Crusaders with nine points.
Following the Crusaders: Audio - Valpo Sports Radio Network (WVUR, 95.1 FM, Valparaiso) - Brandon Vickrey (PxP), Jordan Morandini (Color), Renee Turpa (Color). Video - ESPN3. Links for the audio, video, and live stats are 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 (20-49) 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 November 14th, 2014 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 2002-03.
Series Notes: Valparaiso and Tulsa met for the first time in history last season at the Donald W. Reynolds Center in Oklahoma. The Golden Hurricane won an 84-70 contest on January 4th, 2014.
Storylines...
- Tracey Dorow played for Tulsa head coach Matilda Mossman when the latter was an assistant at Illinois State.
- Ten of Tulsa’s 13 players hail from the state of Oklahoma.
- The Golden Hurricane are just one of three teams on Valpo’s schedule that lacks an “s” at the end of its name (Illinois Fighting Illini, Green Bay Phoenix).
- Tulsa’s triumvirate of Ashley Clark, Mariah Turner, and Kadan Brady combined for 45 points versus Valpo in last year’s meeting.
@ValpoWBB...
- @ValpoWBB shot 77.6% from the free-throw line in 2013-14, the highest percentage ever in school history.
- @ValpoWBB was picked to finish eighth in the Horizon League in the 2014-15 Preseason Poll.
- @ValpoWBB has yet to win the turnover battle in any of its first seven games.
- @ValpoWBB’s Abby Dean (Valpo’s 2013-14 free-throw champion) hasn’t made a trip to the line in the last three games.
- @ValpoWBB has finished with an odd-numbered point total in every game thus far.
- @ValpoWBB’s loss Wednesday at Miami of Ohio was its first when leading at halftime.
@TUWBasketball...
- @TUWBasketball finished 2013-14 with a 12-16 overall record, and a 6-10 mark in Conference USA. This season represents its first in the American Athletic Conference.
- @TUWBasketball’s Mariah Turner (16.1 PPG), and Ashley Clark (15.1 PPG, 7.4 RPG). Clark was elected to the All-Conference USA Second Team in 2013-14 while Turner has shot 55.8% from the field this year.
- @TUWBasketball’s Clark had a game-high 20 points in last season’s meeting.
- @TUWBasketball’s Kadan Brady’s 48.3% 3-point field goal percentage ranks 2nd in the American Athletic Conference.
- @TUWBasketball owns a -7.9 rebounding margin.
- @TUWBasketballWBB head coach Matilda Mossman is in her fourth season.
- Mossman was named head coach at Arkansas at the age of 24.
Jessica Carr
- Collected her 200th career assist at Akron on Nov. 25th.
- Recorded game highs in points (16) and assists (6) to lead Valpo to a 79-61 win versus Tennessee Tech..
- 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 vs. Butler on Nov. 14th.
- Led the Brown and Gold in free-throw shooting (85.2%) last year.
Annemarie Hamlet
- Scored 11 points in her Crusader debut vs. Butler on Nov. 14th.
- Has knocked down at least one triple in each of the first six tilts.
Anne Hamilton
- Was a perfect 2-for-2 from the field vs. Butler in her Crusader debut.
- Was also 2-for-2 from beyond the arc Wednesday at Miami (OH).
Lexi Miller
- Owns the team’s best assist-to-turnover ratio (1.6).
- Finished a point shy of her career-high last Thursday as she guided Valpo with 17 points on 4-of-5 shooting from three-point range.
Dani Franklin
- Valpo’s leading scorer (12.1 PPG) and rebounder (7.3 RPG).
- Named Horizon League Freshman of the Week on Nov. 24th after averaging 12.0 points and 8.7 rebounds in three tilts the prior week.
- Recorded her first career double-double (13 pts., 12 rebs) at NIU.
Sharon Karungi
- Tallied eight double-doubles in 2013-14.
- Posted a career-high 25 points at Cleveland State on 2/13/14.
Jasmyn Walker
- Has started all seven games to open her Crusader career.
- Ripped down 14 rebounds to go with nine points at NIU last Thursday.
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.
- Secured ten boards at Akron.
Jessi Wiedemann
- Has appeared in every game (69 consecutive) since arriving to Valpo.
- Canned multiple three-pointers in 13 games last season.
- 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 seven different states and two countries.
- The Crusaders possess five players 6’0’’ or taller.
