Green Bay (15-3, 5-0 Horizon)
at Valparaiso (4-15, 0-6 Horizon)
Game #20 - Thursday, January 29 - 7:05 p.m. CT
Athletics-Recreation Center (5,000) - Valparaiso, Ind.
Next Up in Crusader Basketball: Valparaiso plays host to perennial powerhouse Green Bay on Thursday evening at the ARC. The Phoenix are five wins away from their 16th straight campaign of 20 wins or more. Meanwhile, the Crusaders are in search of their fourth win at home this season.
Last Time Out: For the second year in a row, the UIC Pavilion rims were unkind to the Brown and Gold as the visitors weathered a dry spell of nearly eleven minutes in the first half of a 60-42 loss to the Flames on Tuesday night. Valpo shot just 29.6% from the floor, its lowest FG percentage since Nov. 25th at Akron, but Dani Franklin had a 7-for-14 night from the field as her 15 points led the Crusader scoring attack. Sharon Karungi posted eight points and ten rebounds in a season-high 29 minutes off the bench.
Following the Crusaders: Audio - Valpo Sports Radio Network (WVUR, 95.1 FM, Valparaiso) - Brandon Vickrey (PxP), Renee’ Turpa (Color), Tommy Mantice (Color). Video - ESPN3.com. 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 (21-60) 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: Green Bay possesses a 31-4 stranglehold on an all-time series versus Valpo that began in December of 1986. The Phoenix have won 16 consecutive contests over the Crusaders. The Brown and Gold last defeated Green Bay on Jan. 19th, 2008 in a 90-88 overtime thriller at the ARC.
Storylines
- Freshmen have led the Crusaders in scoring in seven of their last eight games.
- Green Bay enters Thursday evening’s contest 17th in the nation in RPI (Rating Percentage Index).
- Valpo made a season-high 13 three-pointers versus the Phoenix in last March’s Horizon League Tournament game at the Kress Center.
@ValpoWBB
- @ValpoWBB closed out the 2013-14 slate with a 6-25 overall record, 3-13 in the Horizon League.
- @ValpoWBB was picked to finish eighth in the Horizon League in the 2014-15 Preseason Poll.
- @ValpoWBB forced UIC into 20 turnovers Tuesday night, a season high for an opponent.
- @ValpoWBB limited the Flames to 60 points, the first time it has held an opponent to fewer than 61 points since Nov. 20th (NIU).
@gbphoenixwbb
- @gbphoenixwbb finished the 2013-14 season with a 22-10 record, and a 13-3 mark in the Horizon League.
- @gbphoenixwbb were Horizon League regular season champions, but fell to Wright State in the HL Championship title game.
- @gbphoenixwbb lost a 62-60 contest to Minnesota in the first round of the 2014 WNIT.
- @gbphoenixwbb has won 20 games each of the past 15 seasons.
- @gbphoenixwbb has either clinched a share or won the Horizon League outright every year since the 1998-99 season.
- @gbphoenixwbb is 77-4 in its last 81 Horizon League games.
- @gbphoenixwbb’s Mehryn Kraker leads the team in scoring with 12.0 PPG.
- @gbphoenixwbb’s Tesha Buck was the 2013-14 HL Freshman of the Year.
- Kevin Borseth is in his third season as head coach of the Phoenix.
- Borseth served in the same capacity at Green Bay from 1998-2007 before he took the head coaching position at Michigan (2007-2012).
Jessica Carr
- Distributed a career-high 11 assists at Milwaukee (Jan. 21) en route to her second double-double in the last seven games.
- Tallied career bests in points (22), rebounds (8), and field goals made (8) at SIU-Edwardsville on Dec. 20th.
- Recorded game highs in points (16) and assists (6) to lead Valpo to a 79-61 win versus Tennessee Tech on Nov. 22nd.
Abby Dean
- Has made multiple field goals in each of her last five tilts.
- Finished in double figures (14) for the first time in eight games versus Purdue-Calumet (Dec. 30).
- Registered a career-high 21 points (9-11 FG) vs. Butler (Nov. 14).
Annemarie Hamlet
- Had her first double-double against Purdue-Calumet (Dec. 30).
- Scored 11 points in her Valpo debut vs. Butler (Nov. 14).
Georgi Donchetz
- Made her collegiate debut at South Dakota (Dec. 9) and knocked down her first - and only - three-point attempt.
Anne Hamilton
- Scored 34 points in a three-game span from Dec. 20th to Jan. 3rd.
- Nailed four treys as part of a 16-point first half at SIU-Edwardsville on Dec. 20th.
Lexi Miller
- Disbursed six assists Tuesday night, her most since the season opener versus Butler (Nov. 14).
- Has doled out at least one assist in every game this season.
- Guided Valpo with 17 points on 4-of-5 shooting from three-point range at Northern Illinois (Nov. 20).
Dani Franklin
- Valpo’s top scorer (12.9 PPG) and best three-point shooter (47.6%).
- Named Horizon League Freshman of the Week twice (11/24, 12/15).
- Had her first career double-double (13 pts., 12 rebs) at NIU.
Sharon Karungi
- Returned to form at UIC (Jan. 27) where she scored eight points and squeezed ten boards.
Jasmyn Walker
- Paced Valpo in rebounding on eight different occasions in 2014-15.
- Leads team in rebounds (7.2 RPG) and blocks (9).
- Named Horizon League Freshman of the Week twice (1/5, 1/19).
Haylee Thompson
- Owner of two double-doubles this season (Purdue-Calumet, Stetson).
- Set season highs in points (15) and rebounds (11) vs. Purdue-Calumet.
Jessi Wiedemann
- Out indefinitely (injury).
Roster Breakdown
- Valpo welcomes four new faces (all freshmen) to its team this season..
- The Crusaders possess five players 6’0’’ or taller.
