No one could have predicted this outcome, but, anything can happen on any given day! Thursday evening the Valparaiso University Crusaders Men's basketball Team upset THE TOP TEAM in the Horizon League, the Panthers of University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee (final score 63 - 51)... behind a career high night of senior Jake Diebler who finished with 19 points.
The game started out on a non inspiring note, as the Panthers were knocking down 3's like they were lay-ups and I was thinking "here we go again". Senior Guard Jake Diebler then came out of his shooting shell and nailed down 5 shots from behind the ARC for 15 points in the first half and a HUGE run to end the half propelledValpo to a 31-28 lead....a lead they never surrendered!!!
This was the first game this year where the Crusaders played ALL, I mean ALL 40 minutes! Freshman standout Erik Buggs ended the night with 14 points followed by Howard Little's 11. Little has been the most consistent player on this team night in and night out. The Panthers were led by Guard Tone Boyles'15 and James Eayrs' 14..... but, just not enough for the Panthers.
Valpo shot 39% from the field - 38.5% from 3 point land and YES, this is not a typo-error... 85.7% from the free throw line ! With those numbers, and only 11 Turnovers, this team can compete with anyone in the Horizon League! 
So, now we look towards tonight's game 1/24/09 against the 2nd best team in the Conference now ,the University of Wisconsin Green Bay Phoenix, who lost at Butler University Thursday night after leading most of the game. IF the Crusaders play as well and as consistent as they did Thursday.... they definitely will have a chance to make it 2 wins in a row and send a little message to the upper teams in the Horizon Leaguethat come tournament time = "ANYTHING CAN HAPPEN" and in March it usually does :)
editorial by Jeff Safrin
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Crusaders get a Win! Those have been a little hard to come by this year. Good for them.
Greg
Hello Greg - Next year the VU crusaders will be awesome ( or so we are told:)
thanks for taking time to stop by and comment.
Sincerely,
Grace