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After a 86-57 victory over Indiana Tech in the season opener, the Crusaders are hoping for another strong performance against the Cougars, who are coming off a 1-1 split to start the season. SIU-Edwardsville opened with a 67-64 victory over Morehead State, a team that is selected to win the Ohio Valley Conference this season, before falling to Milwaukee 85-60 on Sunday afternoon.

For the Crusaders (1-0), it looks like the 3-pointer will continue to be their popular weapon of choice this season despite graduating 165 of 198 made 3-pointers from last season. Betsy Adams led the way with a career-high 20 points in the season opener, illustrating that her 27-point performance against Indianapolis in the exhibition opener was no fluke. Adams knocked down six 3-pointers and also had six steals in the season opener. 

For as impressive as Adams was in the first game, freshman point guard Skyler Gick got her career off to a good start with 16 points, three assists and two steals. The Benton Central product might not make anyone forget about Agnieszka Kulaga or Launa Hochstetler quite yet, but she is certainly already making a name for herself.

After last Saturday's game, Gick was realistic about her own expectations when she stated that she was still a freshmen and that there will be forgettable games at times. Regardless, she is a joy to watch and fans at the ARC will enjoy following her growth.

While Gick might be the freshman that is drawing rave reviews, it was another freshman, Laura Richards, that drew a start in her first collegiate game. Richards has impressed the coaching staff with her work ethic and ability to push the ball up the floor. I don't think she'll ever be a player to fill up a box score, but she carries with her many of the intangibles that make a good basketball player.

I'll be back closer to tip with the starting lineup as well as my prediction on tonight's game.

6:44 p.m. -- Two games into the season and coach Keith Freeman is already displaying his affinity for various starting lineups. Senior Kelly Peller replaces Ashley Varner in the opening five along with fellow senior Lauren Kenney, junior Kelly Watts, sophomore Betsy Adams and freshman Laura Richards. I wouldn't view this as a demotion for Varner, as the junior will log plenty of minutes tonight. Freeman has already said this season that Varner, Watts and Kenney are all players who should start, but that he'll probably only start two of them on a nightly basis. Looking back at what I just wrote, I do find myself staring in disbelief that Peller is a senior already. I covered her when she was a senior at Chesterton. I'm old.

6:53 p.m. -- The tip is fast approaching and it's now time for me to make my soon-to-be-world famous predictions. My record on the year is 1-1. For review, I stated that the Valparaiso men would beat Ball State and that proved to be incorrect (although I didn't correctly state that Brandon Wood would score 25 in his debut). Last Saturday, I guessed the women would beat Indiana Tech 88-56, and they won 86-57. Tonight I'm going to temper my expectations a bit and say that Valparaiso wins 68-53.

7:11 p.m. -- The play early has been sloppy, but the Crusaders have figured out a way to get the ball in the basket. Betsy Adams has five early points, including a 3-pointer, and Lauren Kenney has two baskets as Valparaiso leads 9-2 with 15:21 remaining. There was an interesting possession in which the Crusaders grabbed four offensive rebounds, but missed all five shots on the possession and came away empty-handed. Richards already has two rebounds, both coming on the offensive end.

7:17 p.m. -- Skyler Gick has entered the game and immediately gotten into the scoring action with four quick points, including an easy layup that came as a result of a steal and assist by Richards. The Crusaders hold an 11-3 rebounding advantage and lead 15-9 with just over 12 minutes remaining in the first half.

7:28 p.m. -- The Crusaders are leading 16-13 with 7:52 remaining in the first half, but they are doing everything they can to keep the Cougars in the game. Gick has started to play like a freshman, as evidenced by back-to-back possessions with turnovers. Watts looks like she'd rather be anywhere but on the floor right now as she is getting frustrated with the banging inside and the non-calls from the officials. Watts has four turnovers in the early going. Expect a lot of Kenney and Adams in the final eight minutes of the half.

7:34 p.m. -- A scoring drought of 7:23 has just come to an end as Kenney found an inside basket to give the Crusaders a 18-15 lead with just over five minutes remaining in the half. This is ugly.

7:36 p.m. -- The key number to look at right now is 14. That's the amount of turnovers the Crusaders have through the first 16:29 of the game. Granted they lead 21-17, but this has been tough to watch. Watts leads the team with five turnovers while everyone else that has played has at least one except Kenney and Adams. Valpo finished with 14 turnovers in the season opener.

7:40 p.m. -- With a lineup of Richards, Adams, Farris, Varner and Kenney, the Crusaders have ripped off a 10-0 run to stretch the lead to 28-17 with 81 seconds left in the first half.

7:44 p.m. -- An ugly first half of basketball closes with Valparaiso up 28-20. The Crusaders had 16 turnovers in the first half and Kenney leads the way with 11 points and five rebounds. I don't have much good to say about the first half, so I'm just going to go get some pizza. Oh to be a fly in the locker room for this halftime conversation.

8:07 p.m. -- The talent is starting to overtake the mistakes after the Crusaders have stretched the lead to 38-27 with 16:17 remaining, but more importantly, have not committed a turnover in the second half. Adams connected on a 3-pointer and Watts has scored four quick second-half points. Richards has four assists and three rebounds tonight.

8:22 p.m. -- Adams connects on another 3-pointer and the Crusaders now lead 45-31 with 11:25 left in the contest. Adams and Kenney both have a team-high 14 points.

8:29 p.m. -- Betsy Adams has officially taken over this contest. The sophomore just scored eight straight points in 51 seconds. The Crusaders now lead 53-36 with 8:25 remaining.

8:32 p.m. -- There seems to be a lot of negative energy on the floor right now as the contest has gotten a little chippy. Kenney drove the lane and was fouled by Champlin who then stared down Kenney. Kenney appeared to say something and Champlin got in her face. Kenney responded by smiling and walking to the free throw line where she extended Valparaiso's lead. The senior now has 17 points and 12 rebounds.

8:43 p.m. -- The game has come to a screeching halt as both teams are exchanging fouls each time down the floor. SIUE coach Amanda Levens has already received a warning from the officials and Valparaiso coach Keith Freeman is currently at midcourt pleading with the refs over a foul call. Valparaiso is up 59-49 with 3:31 remaining.

8:49 p.m. -- Gick is sure to draw the ire of Freeman when the team gets into the film room tomorrow. With Valparaiso up 61-53 with just under two minutes remaining, Gick took a wide-open 3-pointer with 24 seconds left on the shot clock. I guarantee that play is revisited tomorrow.

8:54 p.m. -- Valparaiso 64, SIU-Edwardsville 55. Not quite the 68-53 I predicted, but close enough. Back to wrap things up later on tonight.