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Tonight is the final exhibition game for the Valparaiso women's basketball team. The Crusaders host Indiana Wesleyan which feature Washington Twp. product Lindsey Whitcomb.

On my way to the Athletics-Recreation Center tonight, I realized that a lot has changed since the last time I live blogged a basketball game (March 11). I've moved apartments, bought a new car, bought a new computer and I'm no longer single. While much has changed for me in the last eight months, even more has changed for the Crusaders.

Agnieszka Kulaga and Launa Hochstetler are playing professionally overseas, Leah Hochstetler is a nurse in Albany, New York and Coach Aimee Litka is sitting 15 feet from me on the Valparaiso bench...in heels.

Replacing last year's senior class is an eager group of freshmen led by heralded point guard Skyler Gick. The 5-foot-8 guard initially gave a verbal commitment to Northwestern, but a coaching change led to Gick reconsidering her options. Tonight will be my first opportunity at seeing her play.

Joining Gick in the backcourt will be Connersville product Laura Richards. The 5'9 freshman played 22 minutes in last Sunday's 67-56 exhibition loss to Indianapolis, garnering rave reviews from the coaching staff for her play. Her tenacity was on display in practice early last week when she suffered a broken nose. Richards is on the floor warming up tonight and is expected to play. She doesn't have a mask yet, but rest assured Crusader fans, the days of a hard-working, plastic-faced guard did not end with the graduation of Jake Diebler.

Raegan Moore played seven minutes against Indianapolis and only took one shot, but it was a 3-pointer. Standing tall at six feet, Moore plays more like a guard and is not afraid to shoot from long distance. I expect her to improve rapidly in the early season, using each game as a building block.

The final freshman is Gina Lange. The lone post player in the class has been sidelined by a leg injury, but is warming up tonight. I asked her if she was going to play and she just shrugged her shoulders. I've yet to see the Minnesota native play, but from what I hear, she has a nose for the basketball and could be a difference maker on the glass.

Along with the four freshmen, coach Keith Freeman will be getting a boost this season from the local Kellys. Senior Kelly Peller (Chesterton) returns after missing her junior season with internal compartment syndrome in both of her legs. Initially Peller tried to rehab the injury by letting her muscles atrophy before building them back up, but when that method didn't take, she opted for surgery in the spring. Peller started last Sunday and played 14 minutes. Her health will be an interesting storyline this season.

After sitting out last season, junior Kelly Watts is finally eligible for Valparaiso. The E.C. Central grad transferred from Eastern Michigan. While I expect Watts to be a major force this season, especially coupling with senior Lauren Kenney, staying out of foul trouble will be as important to Valparaiso's success as the number of points and rebounds she attains.

In terms of the returning players, sophomore Betsy Adams had a breakout game against the Greyhounds last Sunday with 27 points. Obviously exhibition games mean nothing, but finding rhythm is important to a shooter and if there is one glaring weakness on the roster this season, it's the lack of perimeter shooting. Adams' performance was a breath of fresh air for the Valparaiso coaching staff.

Kenney should be the star this year, but the senior has been suspended for both exhibition games for a violation of team rules. Once she returns, I expect the ball to be funneled into the post to Kenney and junior Ashley Varner.

Seniors Whitney Farris and Sylwia Zabielewicz bring experience and on any given night, could be the most important players on the floor. If Farris can play without energy lapses, she has the ability to be a high impact player. In the early part of the season, I expect junior Rashida Ray to get every opportunity to win the starting point guard job, depending on the development of Gick. If Ray can keep the turnovers under control (0 assists, 3 turnovers last week), she'll play big minutes.

Enough of that mini-season preview. I hear rumor that the media room has been renovated and I'm interested to see what kind of spread there is. (Did I mention I love basketball season?) I'll be back around tip to bring you the exciting action from Valparaiso's final exhibition game.

6:57 p.m. - The starting lineups are in. Betsy Adams and Laura Richards will start in the backcourt while Kelly Peller, Kelly Watts and Ashley Varner will start in the frontcourt for the Crusaders. Peller, Watts and Adams all started against Indianapolis along with Sylwia Zabielewicz and Rashida Ray. Time for the national anthem and then away we go.

7:11 p.m. - The Crusaders jump out to an early 7-5 lead with 15:54 remaining on the strength of hitting all three shots. Adams has a 3-pointer while Gick showed her ability to thread the defense with a precise pass inside to Zabielewicz. Despite the perfect shooting percentage, Freeman has been screaming on the sidelines because of four early turnovers.

7:19 p.m. - Interior scoring has led to eight straight points for the Crusaders after Indiana Wesleyan tied the game at 7-7. Watts has looked like a bull-in-a-china shop with four early points and two rebounds including a possession where she missed an inside shot, corralled the rebound near the free throw line and then moved through three defenders to score. With 11:24 remaining, Valparaiso leads 15-7.

7:29 p.m. - Remember earlier when I said the Crusaders lacked a perimeter shooter besides Adams? How about Kelly Watts from deep. The 5'11 forward calmly drained a 3-pointer from the top of the key with a defender in her face to stretch Valpo's lead to 20-12 with 7:46 remaining. Watts has nine points on 4-5 shooting and two rebounds in eight minutes of action. A cause for alarm may be the seven early turnovers, including two apiece by Farris and Varner.

7:38 p.m. - Gick has knocked down two 3-pointers to stretch the lead to 29-12 with 4:11 remaining in the first half. The Crusaders are currently on a 12-0 scoring run and have held the Wildcats without a basket since 8:32 remaining. (Of course as I typed that, Elaine Hessel scored in the paint)

7:43 p.m. - Gina Lange checks in for her first unofficial action as a Crusader. She grabs a rebound in the first two seconds of being in the game.

7:45 p.m. -- Checking the lineup for the Crusaders has Gick, Moore, Lange, Peller and Adams on the floor. Adams is the only one who saw the floor at all last year, averaging 9.5 minutes in 23 games.

7:48 p.m. -- Gick just closed out the half with a move reminiscent of Kulaga, Launa Hochstetler and Katie Boone all rolled into one. The Crusaders got the ball with 30.4 seconds left and Freeman called for one shot. Gick held the ball in the backcourt for 20 seconds and then drove the lane, slicing past the defenders and hitting a running layup while drawing contact. The officials didn't call the foul, but the basket was good. Very impressive move for the freshman. The Crusaders are up 39-24 at the half.

8:00 p.m. -- The Crusaders have shot a blistering 62.5 percent from the field and 80 percent from beyond the arc in the first half. Watts has been unbelievable with nine points and five rebounds. More importantly, the junior doesn't have any fouls in 12 minutes of play. Against Indianapolis, Watts had eight points and five rebounds in 26 minutes while committing four fouls. Another bright spot for the Crusaders has been the play of Gick. Along with her final shot of the half, the freshman has knocked down two 3-pointers and tallied two assists.

8:10 p.m. -- The rout is continuing as the Crusaders have scored 11 points in the first 3:56 of the second half, including eight straight points from Ashley Varner. The junior has nine points and seven rebounds while Watts has 12 points and eight rebounds. Factor in Lauren Kenney and this frontcourt suddenly looks formidable. Valparaiso leads 50-28 with 16:04 remaining.

8:20 p.m. -- After watching Varner and Watts dominate the paint, Zabielewicz has gotten in on the action and now has 12 points on 5-7 shooting. After finishing the half with nine assists and 11 turnovers, the Crusaders are now at 15 assists and 12 turnovers with a 62-33 lead with 10:40 remaining.

8:29 p.m. -- Watts is up to 17 points and nine rebounds, but she might not have a chance at the double-double as she is now on the bench as the Crusaders lead 70-38 with 7:48 remaining. On a night of highlights for Watts, the best might have been when she took a long outlet pass, finally tracked the ball down in the corner, looked, saw no one was guarding her and then swished a 3-pointer, her third of the night. Add in three triples by Gick and the Crusaders are shooting 73 percent from beyond the arc.

8:35 p.m. -- Stephanie Thomas is now in the game for the Crusaders...and immediately commits a foul.

8:37 p.m. -- Skyler Gick, meet the starting point guard position at Valparaiso for the next four years. I think you two will become good friends.

8:40 p.m. -- After dropping below 55 percent, the Crusaders are back to 63.5 percent shooting for the night and 78.6 percent from the 3-point line. On top of that, Valparaiso is 10-12 from the charity stripe for 83.3 percent. Wow. Valparaiso up 87-46 with 1:45 remaining.

8:45 p.m. -- Valparaiso 87, Indiana Wesleyan 46. Final. I'll be back after the press conference.