#RV Green Bay (22-3, 12-1 Horizon)
at Valparaiso (8-17, 4-10 Horizon)
Game #26 - Saturday, February 20 - 1:30 p.m. CT
Athletics-Recreation Center (5,000) - Valparaiso, Ind.
Next Up in Crusader Basketball: Abby Dean, Lexi Miller, and Jessi Wiedemann will take to Homer Drew Court for the final time in their Crusader careers Saturday afternoon. The Horizon League-leading Green Bay Phoenix visit the ARC for Senior Day in a 1:30 pm jump ball. A Valpo victory would snap a 20-game slide to the Phoenix.
Last Time Out: Jasmyn Walker and Imani Scott-Thompson combined for 31 points Thursday night, but a mammoth game from Steph Kostowicz vaulted Milwaukee to a 70-60 win at the Athletics-Recreation Center. Kostowicz scored 27 points and 12 rebounds to offset 18 points and nine boards from Walker and a trio of threes from Scott-Thompson. The Crusaders received 19 points from their bench, but the Panthers parlayed 19 Valpo turnovers into 23 points for the season sweep.
Following the Crusaders: Audio: WVUR (95.1 FM, Valparaiso) - David Horak (PxP), Renee’ Turpa (Color). Video: ESPN3 - Parker Gatewood (PxP), Tommy Mantice (Color). 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 (31-85) 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: Green Bay leads the all-time series, 34-4. The Phoenix are in the midst of a 20-game winning streak that began in February of 2008. Valpo is 2-15 all-time versus Green Bay at the ARC. The Phoenix recorded an 81-42 victory over the Crusaders at the Kress Events Center back on Jan. 14th. Imani Scott-Thompson sank four three-pointers off the bench to lead Valpo with 14 points.
Storylines
- Valpo’s senior triumvirate of Abby Dean, Lexi Miller, and Jessi Wiedemann has combined for 1,793 points, 492 assists, 202 three-pointers, and 664 rebounds in 6,399 minutes spanning 295 career games.
- Saturday is Kevin Borseth’s 200th Horizon League game coached (181-18 record).
- A Crusader victory would run their home record to 8-8, their first non-losing season at the ARC since 2012-13.
- After carving out a 34.5% percentage from three-point range in its first 12 home games, Valpo has made just 10 of their last 52 attempts (19.2%) from beyond the arc at home in the month of February.
@ValpoWBB
- In its 44th season, @ValpoWBB is 510-604 all-time (as of Feb. 19th).
- @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.
- @ValpoWBB reached the eight-win mark for the first time since the 2012-13 season.
- Last season, @ValpoWBB did not record its fifth win until February 5th. It did so on Dec. 30th this season.
@ValpoWBB in the @HorizonLeague
- Since joining the Horizon League in 2007-08, @ValpoWBB is 48-104 (as of Feb. 19th).
- @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.
@gbphoenixwbb
- @gbphoenixwbb owns a 22-3 record, including a 12-1 matk in Horizon League play, entering Saturday.
- @gbphoenixwbb is 9-0 on the road and has won 19 of its last 20 overall.
- @gbphoenixwbb’s last HL loss away from the Kress Events Center came on Jan. 16th, 2014 (at Youngstown State).
- @gbphoenixwbb possesses a two-game lead over Wright State for first place in the Horizon League.
- @gbphoenixwbb received 10 polling points in the most recent USA Today Coaches Poll.
- @gbphoenixwbb is three treys shy of eclipsing 200 for the eighth consecutive season.
- @gbphoenixwbb has captured the league four of the last five years, and 13 times over the previous 18 seasons.
- @gbphoenixwbb leads the league in defense (52.0 PPG), FG defense (.361), and turnovers forced (18.1 per game).
- HL opponents have averaged just 46.9 PPG versus @gbphoenixwbb.
- Tesha Buck, the 2013-14 HL Freshman of the Year, is 24th in the country with a 42.0 shooting percentage from beyond the arc.
- Allie LeClaire leads @gbphoenixwbb in scoring at 12.8 PPG.
- Jessica Lindstrom powers @gbphoenixwbb in the rebounding department with 8.9 boards/game.
- Senior Kaili Lukan is posting 10.5 points and 2.9 steals per tilt.
- Mehryn Kraker (10.3 PPG) is shooting 66-of-104 (.635) inside the arc.
- Kraker led @gbphoenixwbb with 15 points on 6-of-10 shooting versus Valpo back on Jan. 14th at the Kress Center.
- 46.5% of Lexi Weitzer’s rebounds have come on the offensive end.
Kevin Borseth
- Kevin Borseth is in the fourth season of his second run as head coach of the Phoenix.
- Borseth, who is in his 29th season as a head coach, enters Saturday’s matchup with a 629-253 overall record.
- Borseth is 317-83 as bench boss of the Phoenix, including a 181-18 mark in Horizon League play.
- Borseth has clinched his 21st consecutive winning season.
- Borseth ran the show at Green Bay from 1998-2007 before taking over the reins at University of Michigan.
- Borseth spent five seasons in Ann Arbor where he assembled a 87-73 record with the Lady Wolverines.
- Borseth guided Michigan to three WNIT berths (2007-08, 2009-2011) and an NCAA Tournament appearance (2011-12) in five years.
- Borseth returned to the Green Bay sidelines immediately following the 2011-12 season.
- Borseth has been named the Horizon League Coach of the Year seven times, most recently in 2007.
- Before arriving in Wisconsin, Borseth accumulated a 225-97 (.699) record in 11 seasons (1987-98) as head coach of Division II Michigan Tech.
- Borseth owns a 2-8 record in the NCAA Tournament (Division I).
Meredith Hamlet
- Went off for 22 points at Oakland (Feb. 11) thanks to a season-high six three-pointers.
- Has scored 10 or more points twelve times (10.1 PPG this season).
- Exploded for 29 points at NKU (Dec. 30) on 10-of-11 shooting, the third-highest single-game FG percentage in program history.
- Started in all 24 contests this season.
- Third Hamlet to play for head coach Tracey Dorow at Valparaiso.
Hannah Schaub
- Team leader in assists (78) and steals (26).
- Speared a season-high eight rebounds at Detroit on Feb. 13th.
- Disbursed multiple assists in 22 of her 25 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).
Abby Dean
- Recorded 10.5 points per game in the regular season series last year vs. GB.
- Averaged 16.0 PPG from Jan. 16th-23rd thanks to a 17-for-25 (68.0%) shooting performance during that span.
- Logged the most minutes (2,425) 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 yet this season.
Georgi Donchetz
- Corralled a career-high five rebounds vs. IU-Northwest on Dec. 12th.
Lexi Miller
- Team leader in assist-to-turnover ratio (1.4).
- Owns the most career points vs. Green Bay (53) of any current Crusader.
- Her next field goal will be the 200th of her career.
- Tied a career high in assists (8) at Wright State on Jan. 1st.
Imani Scott-Thompson
- Led the Crusaders in scoring at Green Bay with 14 points (5-10 FG).
- Tossed in 13 points (3-5 3FG) last time out vs. Milwaukee.
- Went off for a game-high 12 points versus Louisville on Dec. 5th.
- Set the NJCAA record for three-pointers in a single season (143) last year at Dakota College at Bottineau.
Amber Lindfors
- Has rejected at least two shots in ten consecutive contests, including five versus UIC and Wright State each.
- Second in the Horizon League in blocks per game (2.3).
- Currently in 3rd place in program history for blocks in a season (52).
- Swatted six shots on two different occasions this year.
- Accumulated 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
- Shooting 44.5% from the floor in 14 Horizon League games.
- Limited to two points in both her prior tilts against Green Bay.
- Matched a career high in points (25) at Oakland on Feb. 11th.
- Has missed just two free throws all season (29-31, 93.5%).
- After shooting 50% or higher from the field just once in the first six games of the season, Franklin did so in 12 straight from Dec.7-Jan. 21.
- Named to Preseason All-Horizon League Second Team.
- Has led the team in scoring on six different occasions this year. She did so 12 times last season.
- Reigning HL 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.
Jasmyn Walker
- Valpo’s leading scorer (12.2 PPG) and rebounder (8.8 RPG).
- Averaging just under a double-double in HL play (12.6 PPG, 9.6 RPG).
- Currently in 19th place in career rebounds at Valpo with 471.
- Led the Crusaders in rebounding 18 times this year.
- Cradled a career-high 16 rebounds vs. Detroit on Jan. 7th.
- Possesses seven double-doubles this season, and five in her last 11 games (N. Colorado, Miami, UDM, Oakland, CSU, YSU, WSU).
- Has started all 55 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
- Finished in double figures at Detroit (10 pts on 4-6 FGs) on Feb. 13th.
- 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.
