Horizon League Women's Basketball Release #12
Jan. 21, 2008
Complete Release in PDF Format 
INDIANAPOLIS, Ind. - Valparaiso junior guard Agnieszka Kulaga was tabbed Horizon League women's basketball Player of the Week for the third time this season and the second time in the last three weeks after she helped the Crusaders claim a 90-88 overtime win against Green Bay. Against the Phoenix, Kulaga recorded a triple-double with 20 points, 12 assists and 10 rebounds.
Horizon League Player of the Week
Agnieszka Kulaga, Valparaiso
Jr. * G * Tarnow, Poland
Junior Agnieszka Kulaga collected her third Player of the Week of the season and her second in the last three weeks as she helped Valparaiso to a 1-1 mark in League play this past week. In two games, the Crusader guard averaged 17.5 points, 8.0 rebounds, 7.0 assists and 2.5 steals per game. Kulaga opened the week as she collected 15 points, six rebounds and five steals in a 68-62 loss at home to Milwaukee on Thursday. She then finished the week by recording a triple double against Green Bay on Saturday as she scored 20 points, dished out 12 assists and pulled down 10 rebounds in a 90-88 overtime win over the Phoenix. The Poland native drove the lane and recorded the assist on the game-winning basket.
Other Top Performances for the Week Ending January 20
Susan Lester, Butler
So. * F * Anderson, Ill.
Lester led the Bulldogs in scoring and rebounding in both League games this past week. The sophomore opened the week as she notched a team-high 13 points and five rebounds against Green Bay on Thursday. Lester then closed the week with 10 points and nine boards against Milwaukee on Saturday.
Dominique Butler, Cleveland State
Jr. * F * Milwaukee, Wis.
Butler averaged 14.0 points, 7.0 rebounds and 4.5 steals per game, while shooting 12-of-18 (.667) from the field. In Saturday's win over Wright State, Butler finished with a game-high 20 points. She also added a game-high eight rebounds and four steals. Two days earlier, Butler posted eight points, six rebounds, five steals and two assists in the Vikings' win over Detroit on Thursday.
Lavesa Glover, Green Bay
Jr. * C * Miami, Fla.
After scoring a team-high 15 points against Butler on Thursday, Glover had a career game against Valparaiso on Saturday as she scored 19 of her team-high 23 points in the second half and was 8-for-12 from the field in the second half.
Maggie McCloskey, Loyola
So. * G * Riverside, Ill.
In the Ramblers only game this past week, McCloskey scored a team-high 19 points in Loyola's 76-69 loss at UIC on Saturday. The LU guard hit five three-pointers, including three in a 16-2 run to open the second half.
Traci Edwards, Milwaukee
Jr. * C * Menasha, Wis.
Edwards helped push UWM's winning streak to five with a pair of League road wins. In the two wins, the junior averaged 17.5 points, 10.0 rebounds and 3.5 assists per game, while making all 17 free throw attempts. At Butler, she had 21 points, 11 rebounds and tied a school record by going 11-for-11 from the free-throw line on Saturday. On Thursday, Edwards tallied 14 points and nine rebounds at Valparaiso.
Jessie Miller, UIC
So. * G * Apple Valley, Minn.
Miller guided UIC to its first League victory with 13 points and nine rebounds against Loyola on Saturday. Miller drained three treys against the Ramblers and added two steals and a team- and career-best eight assists. Miller also pulled down a team-high six offensive rebounds in the win over Loyola.
Shey Peddy, Wright State
Fr. * G * Boston, Mass.
Peddy went 8-of-12 from the field, including 4-of-6 from three-point range, in scoring 20 points with five rebounds, four steals and three assists at Youngstown State on Thursday. Peddy finished the week on Saturday with 12 points at Cleveland State. She also tallied four rebounds, three assists and three steals against the Vikings.
Velissa Vaughn, Youngstown State
Jr. * G * Clairton, Pa.
Vaughn led the Penguins to a 2-0 week and helped Youngstown State get off to its best start since joining the Horizon League in 2001-02. The YSU guard opened the week as she scored 14 points against Wright State on 6-of-12 shooting on Thursday. She then posted a season-high 19 points on 6-of-15 shooting, including 3-of-4 from three-point range line against Detroit on Saturday.
News From Around the League
Butler
The Bulldogs (12-4 overall, 2-3 Horizon League) went 0-2 in League play this past week as they dropped a pair of games at home losing to Green Bay on Thursday and Milwaukee on Saturday.
Junior forward Tara Miller continues to lead the Horizon League and all of Division I with a 3.50 assists-to-turnovers ratio (56 assists, 16 turnovers) after tallying 10 assists and just three turnovers in two League contests last week.
After starting the same five players through the Bulldogs' first 15 games of the year, Butler head coach Beth Couture mixed up the line-up on Saturday against Milwaukee, with freshman guard Azjah Bass and freshman forward Chloe Hamilton earning the first starts of their careers. Senior forward Candace Bain received just her third collegiate starting nod.
Butler continues to be one of the strongest defensive teams in the Horizon League, leading the league by allowing just 60.2 points per contest. In fact, only seven of the Bulldogs' 16 opponents have scored over 60 points this season, while four have managed 50 or fewer.
After averaging just 58.6 points per game through the first five games of the year, the Bulldogs have turned up the offense in the last 11 by averaging 69.0 points per contest, an improvement of over 10 points. Meanwhile, Butler has allowed its opponents less than five more points per game on average (56.8 to 61.7). The Bulldogs are second in the League with a 5.6 point scoring edge on the year.
Butler returns to action on Thursday on the road against Detroit at 7:00 p.m. The Bulldogs conclude the week with a 1:00 p.m. match up with Wright State on the road.
Cleveland State
The Vikings (10-7 overall, 4-2 Horizon League) went 2-0 this past week at home as they defeated Detroit (63-41) on Thursday and Wright State 68-54 on Saturday.
CSU's 10-7 mark this season, has already surpassed last season's win total of 8-22. It is the first time since 1999-2000 that the Vikings have reached double-digit wins.
The Vikings went 9-14 (.643) from three-point range on Thursday against Detroit to tie the school-record for best three-point percentage in a game. CSU also went 9-fo-14 (.643) versus Green Bay on Jan. 2, 2003.
Cleveland State improved to 6-2 at home by sweeping Detroit and Wright State last weekend. The Vikings have equaled their home win total (6-9) from a season ago. CSU is a perfect 4-0 at home in League play.
Senior guard Brittany Korth hit six three pointers in two games last week and is now fourth on the all-time three-pointers made list in CSU history with 140.
Sophomore guard Kailey Klein scored a game-high 24 points against Detroit on Thursday. In three career games against the Titans, Klein is averaging 24.3 points, 5.3 rebounds, 4.7 assists and 2.3 steals per game. Klein set a career-high with 33 points in a win at Detroit last season. Earlier this season, Klein tied her career-high with 33 points against Alaska-Anchorage (Nov. 20).
Cleveland State returns to action this week at 3:00 p.m. as it welcomes Youngstown State to the Wolstein Center.
Detroit
The Titans (3-13 overall, 0-5 Horizon League) opened the road portion of it League slate and lost to Cleveland State on Thursday (63-41) and Youngstown State on Saturday (74-55).
Senior guard Keashawn Bond paced the Titans with a career-high 10 points against the Vikings. Bond also set a personal best in steals against CSU with six. In addition, junior Dominica Whittaker matched her career-high of five rebounds versus CSU.
On Saturday against Youngstown State, junior Sandi Brown led all scorers with a career-high 24 points. Brown also matched her career-high with 10 rebounds to collect her second career double-double. Bond also matched her career-high with 10 boards
The Titans will return to Calihan Hall this week as they play host to Butler at 7:00 p.m. on Thursday and Valparaiso in the first game of a doubleheader with UDM's men squad on Saturday. Tip off for game one of the Saturday double-header is slated for 1:30 p.m.
Green Bay
The Phoenix (13-4 overall, 5-1 Horizon League) split a pair of League games this past week as it defeated Butler on Thursday (73-58) and lost to Valparaiso in overtime on Saturday (90-88).
Green Bay's loss to Valparaiso was the team's first setback in the month of January since Jan. 24, 2004, a span of 31 games. The loss also ended a nine-game winning streak and a string of 24 consecutive wins against Horizon League foes.
The Phoenix posted a season-high 21 assists against Butler as junior forward Erin Templin and senior guard Kayla Groh each registered six helpers in the victory. Templin's effort matched her career high in assists. On the year, Green Bay is first in the Horizon League in assists with 16.3 dishes per game.
Green Bay's overtime loss was its first since its WNIT first round loss to Iowa State in 2006, a 79-71 setback in Ames, Iowa.
After averaging 59.9 points per game on the defensive end, Green Bay has allowed 76.0 ppg in its last three games.
Despite the setback, Green Bay aims to extend its Horizon League success at home this week as it will meet Loyola on Wednesday at 8:00 p.m. and UIC on Saturday at 8:00 p.m.
Green Bay has won 17 straight home games against League opponents.
Loyola
The Ramblers (3-13 overall, 1-4 Horizon League) dropped their only game of the week and they fell 76-69 on the road to crosstown rival UIC on Saturday.
Sophomore guard Maggie McCloskey has established herself as one of the country's top long-range shooters and closed out the week ranked second in the country in three-pointers made per game.
McCloskey, who drained five threes in Loyola's only game last week, has knocked down 55 treys in LU's 16 games this season (3.44 3FGM per game), behind only Robert Morris' Sade Logan.
Sophomore forward Elyse VanBogaert also posted her second double-double of the season with 16 points and 11 boards against the Flames. Freshman forward Brittany Boeke finished one point shy of a double-double with nine points and 10 rebounds. Loyola has not had two players notch double-doubles in the same game since Beth Dilling, Lauren Sirus and Tracy Hoffmann all accomplished the feat in a Jan. 22, 2000 game against Detroit.
The Ramblers return to action on Wednesday at 8:00 p.m. as they travel to Green Bay. Loyola concludes its trip through Wisconsin as it heads to Milwaukee on Saturday at 3:00 p.m.
Milwaukee
The Panthers (10-7 overall, 5-1 Horizon League) went 2-0 this past week in League play to gain a share of first place in the League standings.
Milwaukee began the week by ending Valparaiso's 11-game home winning streak as it defeated the Crusaders 68-62 on Thursday. The Panthers then finished the week with a 65-50 win over Butler on the road.
UWM held Butler to just 50 points last Saturday, the least scored by an opponent this season. UWM also held the Bulldogs to 35.7 percent shooting.
In addition, Milwaukee shot a season-best 52.3 percent from the field on Saturday, as it topped 50 percent from the field in each half. It was the second time this season the Panthers shot 50 percent in both halves of a game.
Junior center Traci Edwards tied a school record by shooting 11-for-11 from the free throw line at Butler Saturday. She has now converted 21-straight free throws.
The Panthers return to action on Wednesday as they welcome UIC to the Klotsche Center for a 8:00 p.m. tipoff. UWM will then meet Loyola on Saturday at 2:00 p.m. to close out the week.
UIC
The Flames (5-11 overall, 1-4 overall) defeated crosstown rival Loyola 76-69 on Saturday at home in their lone game of the week.
Sophomore Briana Hinkle tabbed a career-high 21 points versus LUC. Hinkle was 7-for-13 from the field and 7-for-9 from the free throw line.
In addition, sophomore Jessie Miller was one rebound shy of a double-double with 13 points and nine boards. Miller also picked up a career-high eight assists.
The Flames also totaled five more steals (5-0), more rebounds (38-36) and forced the Ramblers to commit 11 more turnovers (16-5).
UIC returns to action on Wednesday as it travels up to Milwaukee on Wednesday for an 8:00 p.m. tipoff. The Flames will then return to the court on Saturday as they travel to Green Bay at 8:00 p.m.
Valparaiso
The Crusaders (8-8 overall, 3-2 Horizon League) split a pair of home games this past week as they lost to Milwaukee (68-62) on Thursday and beat Green Bay (90-88) in overtime on Saturday.
Valpo's loss to Milwaukee snapped its 11-game home court winning streak.
Junior guard Agnieszka Kulaga recorded a triple-double in the win over Green Bay as she tallied 20 points, 12 assists and 10 rebounds.
Junior guard Launa Hochstetler hit the game-winning three pointer as time expired in overtime in the victory over Green Bay. Hochstetler finished the game with a season-best 20 points.
Kulaga and Hochstetler along with junior forward Aimee Litka (19 points), junior forward Sarah Ott (18 points) and sophomore guard Whitney Farris (10 points) also finished in double figures against Green Bay.
In the two games this past week, Litka averaged 18.0 points per game and has tallied double figures in 15 of 16 games this season.
The Crusaders return to action on Thursday as they travel to Wright State at 7:00 p.m. Valpo will then conclude the week as they head to Detroit on Saturday for a 1:30 p.m. tip off.
Wright State
The Raiders (5-11 overall, 2-3 Horizon League) dropped a pair of League road games this past week as they lost to Youngstown State on Thursday (61-58). WSU then finished the week with a 68-54 setback to Cleveland State on Saturday.
Wright State rallied from an early 12-point deficit to lead by as much as seven in the second half, but could not hold on in dropping a 61-58 decision at Youngstown State Thursday.
WSU's loss to YSU broke an eight-game winning streak against the Penguins. Foul shooting proved to be a key as YSU was 10-of-14, including 8-of-11 in the final 20 minutes, while WSU was just 5-of-10.
Freshman guard Shey Peddy led all scorers for Wright State as she scored 20 points, but no other Raider managed more than eight.
Against Cleveland State senior forward Whitney Lewis scored 18 points, while Peddy add 12.
Wright State returns home this week to take on Valparaiso on Thursday at 7:00 p.m. and Butler on Saturday at 1:00 p.m.
Youngstown State
The Penguins (9-8 overall, 4-2 Horizon League) to their overall record back over .500 as they downed Wright State (61-58) on Thursday and Detroit (74-55) on Saturday.
With its two wins this past week, YSU is off to its best start in League play.
Senior forward Jessica Schloemp extended her consecutive games streak to 90 and played in her 100th career game against Detroit.
Junior forward Tiara Scott's streak of 24 consecutive free throws made since Dec. 21, 2007 was snapped against Detroit. In addition, Scott posted her third double-double of the season with 17 points and 12 rebounds against the Titans.
Senior Lauren Branson continues her climb on the career assists chart with 413. She needs 35 more to move into fifth place past Colleen Cook (447, 1994-98).
The Penguins will travel to Cleveland State on Saturday for a 3:00 p.m. start in their lone game of the week.
