Crusaders Return Home to Host Detroit Wednesday

VU-Crusaders-Return-Home-to-Host-Detroit-WednesdayNext Up in Crusader Basketball: The Valparaiso men’s basketball team looks to keep its hold on a share of first place in the Horizon League standings as the Crusaders kick off a three-game homestand on Wednesday night against Detroit. Valpo is looking to snap a three-game home losing streak to the Titans.

Last Time Out: The Valparaiso men’s basketball team led by as many as 18 points and held off a UIC surge in the second half, eventually coming out on top 70-65 in Chicago on Saturday afternoon. During the win, which moved the Crusaders into a tie atop the Horizon League standings, senior Vashil Fernandez broke Valpo’s single-season record for blocked shots. Alec Peters led four Crusaders in double figures with 19 points.

Following the Crusaders: Audio Valpo Sports Network (WVUR, 95.1 FM, Valparaiso; WEFM, 95.9 FM, Michigan City; WJOB, 1230 AM, Hammond) Todd Ickow (PxP) and David Huseman (Color)
Video ESPN3.com
Links for live coverage will be available at ValpoAthletics.com.

Head Coach Bryce Drew: Bryce Drew (86-40) is in his fourth season at the helm of the Crusader men's basketball program in 2014-15. In his first three years, Drew led Valpo to 66 victories and postseason berths in each of his three seasons. The 2012 HL Coach of the Year, Drew ascended to the head coaching position on May 17, 2011 after spending six seasons as an assistant and associate head coach with the Crusaders.

Series Notes: The Crusaders hold a 13-10 advantage in the all-time series over the Titans, including a 11-6 mark since joining the Horizon League prior to the 2007-08 campaign. Valpo is just 5-4 since joining the HL against Detroit at the ARC, however, as the Titans have won each of the last three matchups in Valpo. Last season, the two teams split their two meetings, with each squad winning on the road. The last meeting came in Valpo on Feb. 7, 2014, with the Titans winning 59-57 on a 3-pointer by Juwan Howard Jr. with 5.7 seconds to play.

@ValpoBasketball...
...and the @HorizonLeague
@ValpoBasketball has been picked to finish in fourth place in the league standings in 2014-15 in preseason polling.
The Crusaders have not finished worse than their preseason projection in the last four years.
Sophomore Alec Peters was the lone underclassman on the preseason #HLMBB First Team All-League squad.

...looking back at last year
@ValpoBasketball won 18 games and finished in fourth place in the #HLMBB regular season.
The Crusaders advanced to the postseason for the fourth straight year, falling in the first round of the CIT to Columbia.
Lavonte Dority was a First Team All-League selection and also earned All-Region honors.
Alec Peters and Lexus Williams were both named to the league's All-Freshman Team.

...notes from UIC
Valpo trailed for just 59 seconds in the win, by just three points the Crusaders have not trailed by more than four points in any of their #HLMBB wins.
The Crusaders opened up an 18-point lead early in the second half, a lead which was cut to one point with three minutes to play.
Vashil Fernandez broke Valpo’s single-season blocked shot record (previously 71) with his third block of the game ended with four blocks.
The Crusaders out-rebounded UIC 45-26 and held a 38-18 advantage in points in the paint.
All five Valpo starters scored at least seven points, the third time in seven games with this starting five that has happened.
Alec Peters paced Valpo for the fifth time in #HLMBB play, finishing with 19 points.
Darien Walker piced up his first career double-double, registering 11 points and a season-best 12 rebounds.

...looking ahead
@ValpoBasketball starts a three-game homestand with the game against the Titans, continuing it Sunday against Oakland at 2:30 p.m.
The game against the Golden Grizzlies will be broadcast live by American Sports Network, including locally on CSN Chicago or CSN Chicago Plus.
The Crusaders then host Green Bay on Friday, Feb. 13 live on ESPN2 at 6 p.m.

...at the ARC
@ValpoBasketball has 14 regular season home games scheduled for the ARC in 2014-15. #ValpoGameday
The Crusaders posted a 12-6 mark at the ARC last season, and are now 9-1 at home this year following the win over Milwaukee.
Over the last 20+ years, @ValpoBasketball owns a 244-57 (.811) record on its home court.
The Crusaders are 23-6 in home #HLMBB games under Bryce Drew.

@DetroitTitans
Detroit enters Wednesday’s game at 11-13 overall and 4-5 in #HLMBB play, most recently falling at Milwaukee 78-74.
The Titans are just 3-8 in true road games this season, including just 1-3 on the road in league play to date.
Juwan Howard Jr. ranks second in the league in scoring, averaging 17.9 ppg.
Freshman Paris Bass leads all league rookies in scoring (12.2 ppg) and rebounding (6.1 rpg).

Hitting 20 Wins
@ValpoBasketball reached 20 wins on the year with the win at UIC on Saturday.
The Crusaders were the sixth team nationally to reach 20 wins and are one of seven programs with at least 20 wins as of Monday.
The Crusaders had previously never reached their 20th win before Feb. 12 (2012-13 season).
Valpo has now won at least 20 games 14 times in the last 22 years, including three times in four seasons under Bryce Drew.

20-4
This season marks the third time in Crusader history and the first time in the program’s D-I era that Valpo had been 20-4 or better through 24 games.
Most recently it occured during the FDR administration, as the “World’s Tallest Team” in 1944-45 ended the year 23-3.
The Crusaders won their first 19 games in 1923-24 en route to a 24-4 record, while the 1930-31 squad finished at 16-2.
Valpo won seven games in a row earlier this year to set its longest winning streak under Bryce Drew [won six in a row twice in 2012-13].

Poll Thoughts
For the first time this season, @ValpoBasketball is receiving votes in both national top-25 polls (Associated Press/Coaches).
The Crusaders previously earned votes in both polls in separate weeks earlier this week, including four points in the Jan. 19 coaches poll.
Valpo moved up to sixth in the Mid-Major Top-25 Poll and has been within the top-10 almost the entire year, reaching as high as fourth.

Hitting the Glass
Valpo has out-rebounded opponents by double figures 11 times on the year, including a +19 edge last time out at UIC.
The Crusaders outrebounded Wright State by 21 earlier this year best vs. a D-I opponent since a +22 advantage on the glass last year vs. Saint Louis.
By contrast, the Crusaders have only been outrebounded on two occasions losses to New Mexico and Missouri.
The Crusaders’ league-leading rebounding margin sits at +8.3, good for 10th in the nation.
Valpo leads the league in rebounding margin by more than five boards, and also paces the circuit in both offensive and defensive rebounding pct.

Defensive Prowess
The Crusaders gave up just 65 points last time out and haven’t given up more than 65 points in their last eight games.
Valpo held three straight teams to 56 points, the first time it has won three straight games and given up 56 or fewer points in all three since Dec. 7-17, 1983.
Valpo ranks 33rd nationally in scoring defense and 19th in field goal percentage defense.
Valpo boasts a defensive efficiency of 93.1, 35th-best nationally the Crusaders haven’t ranked in the top-100 since 2006-07.
Crusader opponents are shooting just 42.4% from 2-point range (21st nationally) and are pulling down just 25.5% of available offensive boards (14th nationally).

On Pace for 1,000
Sophomore Alec Peters is on pace to become the first sophomore in Crusader history to reach the 1,000 point milestone.
Peters enters Saturday’s game with 859 points and would need to average 17.6 ppg over the Crusaders’ guaranteed eight remaining games to hit 1,000.
For comparison, Bryce Drew had 912 points through his first two seasons in a Valpo uniform.
Peters has scored 20+ points 10 times already this season, tied for the most among #HLMBB players.
Peters’ .464 3-point percentage this year would rank fifth in a single season in program history and ranks ninth nationally.

Sir Blocks-A-Lot
Senior Vashil Fernandez has cemented himself among the top shot-blockers in Crusader history this season.
Last time out, Fernandez broke Valpo’s single-season blocks record and currently has 73 blocked shots this year.
For his career, Fernandez now has 145 rejections, second-most in Crusader history.
Fernandez leads the league and ranks 10th nationally with 3.0 blocks/game, while he ranks fifth nationally in block pct. (13.7%).
Fernandez’s blocks/40 minutes has risen from 3.5 last year to 5.0 this year, while his fouls/40 has fallen from 6.2 to 4.4.