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When: December 15, 2:05PM
Where: Athletics-Recreation Center- Valparaiso, Indiana
All-Time Series Record: 1-0, LMU
Last Meeting: February 17, 2012, LMU 61-53
Man... exam week slowed down college hoops this week! Things will heat back up this weekend and we're reaching a little outside the box with our Mid-Major Madness Game of the Week. It's not often that a West Coast Conference team would travel to a Horizon League gym, but it will happen Saturday when Loyola Marymount makes an appearance at Valparaiso.
This match up was spawned in the continued wake of Bracketbusters (RIP). The teams last faced off in February of 2012 when the Lions took down the Crusaders 61-53 in Los Angeles.
Both schools are coming off very different seasons and have taken different paths to where they are this year. LMU went 11-23 a year ago, with only one win in the WCC. The Lions now find themselves at 6-3 this year and have four scorers averaging in double-figures, lead by Anthony Ireland with 19 points per game. Ireland is also adding 5 assists and nearly 4 rebounds per game.
The Crusaders find themselves at 6-4 on the year, but almost knocked off Saint Louis in a 67-65 affair their last time out. This team certainly has plenty of talent from last year's NCAA Tournament team to make some noise in the Horizon League again. Senior LaVonte Dority is leading Valpo with 16 points per game, while freshman Alec Peters has been quite the surprise averaging 13.9 points per game.
As always, Ben Miraski will give you his analysis via HOOPWAR later this week and Kyle Nelson and Will Maupin will give you an expert's take on both of these teams and this match up.
