Valpo falls to Miami (OH) to move to .500

On December 8, Valpo traveled to Oxford, Ohio to face the Miami University Redhawks. Valpo would lose the game 67-49. 

A run spanning the first and second quarters of the game proved too much for the Crusaders to overcome. 

The two teams traded baskets at first with Valpo holding an early 8-6 lead. Then things unraveled in a hurry. Miami went on a 12-3 run starting at 8:33 in the first quarter to give the Redhawks an 18-11 lead. The scoring run continued in the second quarter with Miami outscoring Valpo 12-2 over the first seven minutes. This increased the Miami lead to 17 points. 

Valpo would counter with a fast-break layup from junior Shay Frederick and a three-pointer by senior Caitlin Morrison on consecutive possessions. This would cut the lead to 12, but the Redhawks would score the final five points to push the lead up to 35-18 going into halftime. 

The Crusaders went on a 10-2 run after Miami scored the first two baskets of the third quarter. Junior Carie Weinman had five points and an assist that cut the lead to 41-28 with 6:52 to play in the quarter. However, Valpo was unable to get any closer after that. 

What killed Valpo was shooting only 31.6 percent from the field and 5-27 from the three-point line. Miami shot 41.7 percent and hit 7-19 from the three-point line. 

After four straight road games to open the season, Valpo returns to the ARC on December 12 for the home opener against the Western Michigan Broncos. Tip is slated for 1 pm. 

Two B1G wins for Valpo Women

In what may seem like deja vu, it was not. The Valparaiso Women's Basketball team beat the Purdue Boilermakers on December 6 in West Lafayette, Indiana. Playing for the second time in five days, the women showed no signs of fatigue. The final score was 52-47 in favor of Valpo.

Entering the fourth quarter, the Crusaders had a five point lead. But a bunch of back and forth baskets over the first four minutes allowed the Crusaders to outscore the Boilermakers 10-8. A three-pointer from junior Carrie Weinman with 4:03 to play in the game pushed the Crusader advantage to double digits for the second time after leading 47-37. 

What killed the Boilermakers were four missed baskets over the final 44 seconds of the game. The only point came from a free throw. 

Senior Grace White came up with key back to back possessions in the final 75 seconds of the game after the Boilermakers had cut the lead to one. That would ultimately secure the win. 

It was only the second time the Crusaders have knocked off Purdue, and the first time since dropping the nationally ranked Boilermakers in Valparaiso on December 10, 2008. With the win over Illinois, Valpo has defeated at least two Big Ten teams in the same season for the first time. 

The team joins only the 2001-2002 and 2008-2009 squads to knock off multiple power conference teams in the same season. The 2001-2002 squad knocked off Wake Forest of the Atlantic Coast Conference and Big Ten opponent Michigan. The 2008-2009 squad beat Florida State of the Atlantic Coast Conference as well as Purdue from the Big Ten. 

Things did not go well for Purdue at all. The Boilermakers shot just 27.3 percent and could not make a single three-point shot.

In the first three games, opponents have made 8 of 59 from the three point line. 

Can Valpo keep the momentum going as the season continues? Time will tell. 

A B1G Win for Valpo over Illinois

Facing the University of Illinois Illini in Champaign, IL Wednesday, the Valparaiso Crusaders looked to rebound after dropping the season opener Sunday afternoon. 

It was a HUGE win for the Crusaders after dropping the previous four meetings by at least 19 points each. The Crusaders earned their first win over the Illini and the first over a power five conference opponent since 2012. 

Valpo held Illinois scoreless over the last 2:54 seconds to walk away with a 62-59 victory at State Farm Center in Champaign. 

Senior Caitlin Morrison put Valpo up for good with a layup and 0:42.8 to play in the game. 

Trailing by five going into the fourth quarter, it seemed the Illini would walk away victorious once again. The Crusaders surrendered the first basket to Illinois, but bounced right back on a three-pointer by junior Carrie Weinman. That cut the lead down to one. Another three-pointer by sophomore Cara VanKempen tied the game at 56 with 6:41 to play.

The next few minutes would become a defensive showdown as both sides stepped up the intensity. For a stretch of five minutes, only three points, all by Illinois, were scored. This put the Illini up 59-56 with under two minutes to play. 

The biggest basket perhaps came when senior Grace White as on Valpo's first possession under two minutes, drove down the left side and finished up and over two Illinois defenders from the block to make it a one point lead for Illinois. 

Illinois missed two shots on the next possession and that led to Valpo calling a timeout after rebounding the second missed shot to advance the ball into the frontcourt with only 0:49.3 to play. The inbounds went to White, whose attempted drive on the right side got cut off. Morrison would flash down the middle of the paint and caught a perfect pass from White. The easy bucket put Valpo up 60-59 with 0:42.8 left in the game. 

 Wienman came up with a block on an inside effort by Illinois on the defensive end. The forced foul put Valpo in the bonus. White would split the pair of free throws with 0:26.5 to push the lead to 61-59 in favor of Valpo. 

Illinois would come down and miss two crucial free throws that could have tied the game and possibly sent it to overtime. Freshman Lauren Gunn corralled the second free throw after being put back in the game on the previous defensive possession. Gunn would draw the foul and split the pair of free throws to put Valpo up 62-59 with 0:10.7 to play. 

The final desperation three-point attempt by Illinois to tie the game and send it to overtime was off the mark and the rebound bounced around until the final buzzer. This would secure the win by Valpo over Illinois and send the team into a locker room frenzy. 

Head Coach Mary Perry Evans stated that the older players on the team have made so much progress over the years. They work hard and put in the effort to be in the position to win big games. "I am so proud of how they responded this week after a tough loss on Sunday. They came out with their only goal being to try and get a win."

Evans thinks the Missouri Valley Conference is one of the best in the country. "My staff and I have to schedule non-conference games that will prepare us for conference play." 

Next up for the Crusaders is a trip to West Lafayette, Indiana and a matchup with the Purdue Boilermakers. That game tips off Sunday afternoon at 1pm. Fans can watch the game on Big Ten Network Plus or listen on WVUR (95.1 FM, Valparaiso). This is the second of back to back Big Ten opponents for the women. Their third and final Big Ten opponent is the Wisconsin Badgers. That game is at the Athletics-Recreation Center and tips off on December 20 at 2pm. 

The other two home games are December 12 against Western Michigan at 1pm. That game will be on ESPN3. The second home game is December 16 against Xavier. That game is on ESPN+ and tips off at 1pm. No fans are allowed in the Athletics-Recreation Center due to the COVID pandemic. Only family members of players and media personnel are permitted. 

New York Subway to celebrate 115 years of service

If you're like me and love to travel back in time, the 115th birthday celebration of the New York Subway is for you. 

New York Transit Museum director Concetta Bencivenga told ABC7 that families, friends, and visitors come in droves this time of year. We love to host them here at the museum. It's a really special time."

One of the most popular events is a trip back in time aboard the vintage subway cars. 

"Starting the Sunday after Thanksgiving and continuing until New Year's Day, the cars will start at the F line subway station on Second Avenue on Manhattan's Lower East Side and will end at the Harlem station," Bencivenga said while sitting in a 1960s Blue Bird subway car. These cars carried riders to the world's fair during the 1960s. 

One of the biggest displays though is the fleet of vintage cars that are on both sides of a decommissioned subway station set for a giant swing party.

"Four swing bands spaced throughout the museum will provide the music. We have partnered with New York Distillery and will have a cocktail called the 'Bee's Knees,' which is a rip on a prohibition era cocktail. We're really excited about that." 

This is the sixth year of hosting the December 12 party. 

"Things like the incandescent light bulbs, rattan seats, ceiling fans, and ads reflecting the period bring back the nostalgia. What better way to have a swing party?" 

The events are very popular and draw interest from people who come to New York City for the holidays.

The best part? You just tap or swipe your fare card and you're ready to go. 

Valpo Women drop season opener to Bowling Green

In their first game since March, the Valpo Women's Basketball Team hoped to start off on a high note against Bowling Green. That was not the case as the Crusaders fell to the Falcons 70-60 Sunday afternoon in Ohio. 

After a slow start by both sides, Bowling Green took a 13-8 lead after the first quarter. The second quarter saw the Falcons make eight of the first 11 points to increase the lead to double digits. Valpo responded with seven points of their own, including a three from junior Shay Frederick to pull within three at the halfway mark. 

The Crusaders cut the deficit to one point three different times, but could never take the lead. Bowling Green went into halftime leading 38-34. 

Senior Grace White got Valpo on the board 30 seconds into the second half with a basket and cut the lead to 38-36. A five minute scoring drought though proved disastrous as Bowling Green increased their lead to seven at the midway point of the third quarter. 

Bowling Green pushed the lead to 46-36 with under 3:00 to play in the third quarter before the Crusaders would score seven points in 48 seconds. 

Senior Marlee Profitt answered a Falcon three-pointer with one of her own. Then freshman Leah Earnest converted a fast break layup off a steal by junior Carrie Weinmann. Proffitt would then steal a rebound away from Bowling Green and put it in. 

An inside basket from Grace White in the final 40 seconds of the third quarter capped an 11-2 Crusader run and made the Falcon lead 48-47 to start the fourth quarter. 

The Crusaders were unable to continue the momentum as Bowling Green scored 13 points over the first five minutes to ultimately put the game out of reach for Valpo. 

Head Coach Mary Perry Evans said that getting the chance to play someone other than ourselves was exciting. She also said the team got careless in the fourth quarter and that cost them the game. 

Valpo continues its four game road trip with a stop in Champaign, Illinois to take on the Illini. Tipoff is slated for 5 pm on Wednesday. Fans can watch the game on Big Ten Netowork Plus or hear the game on WVUR (95.1 FM, Valparaiso).