1996–97 Valparaiso Crusaders men's basketball team

The 1996–97 Valparaiso Crusaders men's basketball team represented Valparaiso University during the 1996–97 NCAA Division I men's basketball season. The Crusaders, led by ninth-year head coach Homer Drew, played their home games at the Athletics–Recreation Center as members of the Mid-Continent Conference. The Crusaders won Mid-Con regular season and tournament titles, and received an automatic bid to the NCAA Tournament as No. 12 seed in the West region. In the opening round, Valpo was beaten by No. 5 seed Boston College, 73–66.[2] The team finished with a record of 24–7 (13–3 Mid-Con).

1996–97 Valparaiso Crusaders men's basketball
Mid-Con Regular season champions
Mid-Con Tournament champions
ConferenceMid-Continent Conference
1996–97 record24–7 (13–3 Mid-Con)
Head coach
Home arenaAthletics–Recreation Center
1996–97 Mid-Continent Conference men's basketball standings
ConfOverall
TeamW L PCTW L PCT
Valparaiso135 .722247  .774
Buffalo115 .6881711  .607
Western Illinois115 .6881910  .655
Troy State106 .6251611  .593
Northeastern Illinois88 .5001612  .571
Missouri-Kansas City79 .4381017  .370
Chicago State412 .250423  .148
Central Connecticut State412 .250819  .296
Youngstown State412 .250918  .333
1997 Mid-Con Tournament winner
Rankings from AP Poll[1]

Roster

1996–97 Valparaiso Crusaders men's basketball team
PlayersCoaches
Pos.#NameHeightWeightYearPrevious schoolHometown
G Jamie Sykes 5 ft 11 in (1.8 m)
Jr 
G 24 Bryce Drew 6 ft 3 in (1.91 m)180 lb (82 kg) JrValparaiso Valparaiso, Indiana
C 33 Zoran Viskovic 6 ft 11 in (2.11 m)
So  Croatia
F 44 Bill Jenkins 6 ft 6 in (1.98 m)
Jr 
Head coach
Assistant coach(es)

    Legend
    • (C) Team captain
    • (S) Suspended
    • (I) Ineligible
    • (W) Walk-on

    Roster

    Schedule and results

    Date
    time, TV
    Rank# Opponent# Result Record Site (attendance)
    city, state
    Regular season
    Nov 20, 1996*
    at Vanderbilt L 66–74  0–1
    Memorial Gymnasium 
    Nashville, Tennessee
    Nov 25, 1996*
    at Canisius W 66–52  1–1
    Koessler Athletic Center 
    Buffalo, New York
    Nov 27, 1996*
    at Northern Illinois W 88–83  2–1
    Chick Evans Field House 
    DeKalb, Illinois
    Dec 4, 1996*
    Indiana Wesleyan W 92–69  3–1
    Athletics-Recreation Center 
    Valparaiso, Indiana
    Dec 7, 1996*
    Wisconsin–Milwaukee W 71–46  4–1
    Athletics-Recreation Center 
    Valparaiso, Indiana
    Dec 10, 1996*
    Wisconsin–Green Bay W 50–44  5–1
    Athletics-Recreation Center 
    Valparaiso, Indiana
    Dec 14, 1996*
    Illinois-Chicago W 77–68  6–1
    Athletics-Recreation Center 
    Valparaiso, Indiana
    Dec 27, 1996*
    vs. Army
    Union Federal Hoosier Classic
    W 88–48  7–1
    Market Square Arena 
    Indianapolis, Indiana
    Dec 28, 1996*
    vs. No. 13 Indiana
    Union Federal Hoosier Classic
    L 51–72  7–2
    Market Square Arena 
    Indianapolis, Indiana
    Jan 2, 1997
    at Troy State W 76–70  8–2
    (1–0)
    Trojan Arena 
    Troy, Alabama
    Jan 4, 1997
    at UMKC W 81–66  9–2
    (2–0)
    Municipal Auditorium 
    Kansas City, Missouri
    Jan 6, 1997*
    Youngstown State W 57–46  10–2
    (3–0)
    Athletics-Recreation Center 
    Valparaiso, Indiana
    Jan 8, 1997
    Buffalo W 72–55  11–2
    (4–0)
    Athletics-Recreation Center 
    Valparaiso, Indiana
    Jan 11, 1997
    at Northeastern Illinois W 82–80 OT 12–2
    (5–0)
    NEIU Physical Education Complex 
    Chicago, Illinois
    Jan 14, 1997
    at Chicago State W 76–59  13–2
    (6–0)
    Dickens Athletic Center 
    Chicago, Illinois
    Jan 18, 1997*
    Central Connecticut State W 61–54  14–2
    (7–0)
    Athletics-Recreation Center 
    Valparaiso, Indiana
    Jan 20, 1997*
    at Oral Roberts L 72–76  14–3
    Mabee Center 
    Tulsa, Oklahoma
    Jan 25, 1997
    Western Illinois L 78–84  14–4
    (7–1)
    Athletics-Recreation Center 
    Valparaiso, Indiana
    Jan 27, 1997*
    Northland W 110–77  15–4
    Athletics-Recreation Center 
    Valparaiso, Indiana
    Feb 1, 1997
    at Buffalo W 64–62  16–4
    (8–1)
    Alumni Arena 
    Buffalo, New York
    Feb 3, 1997
    at Youngstown State L 64–66  16–5
    (8–2)
    Beeghly Center 
    Youngstown, Ohio
    Feb 6, 1997*
    Chicago State W 85–58  17–5
    (9–2)
    Athletics-Recreation Center 
    Valparaiso, Indiana
    Feb 8, 1997
    Northeastern Illinois W 102–84  18–5
    (10–2)
    Athletics-Recreation Center 
    Valparaiso, Indiana
    Feb 12, 1997
    at Central Connecticut State W 71–59  19–5
    (11–2)
    Detrick Gymnasium 
    New Britain, Connecticut
    Feb 15, 1997
    at Western Illinois W 83–74  20–5
    (12–2)
    Western Hall 
    Macomb, Illinois
    Feb 22, 1997
    UMKC W 90–63  21–5
    (12–3)
    Athletics-Recreation Center 
    Valparaiso, Indiana
    Feb 24, 1997
    Troy State L 69–72 OT 21–6
    (13–3)
    Athletics-Recreation Center 
    Valparaiso, Indiana
    Mid-Con Tournament
    Mar 2, 1997*
    vs. Central Connecticut State
    Quarterfinals
    W 97–73  22–6
    The MARK of the Quad Cities 
    Moline, Illinois
    Mar 3, 1997*
    vs. Northeastern Illinois
    Semifinals
    W 88–82 OT 23–6
    The MARK of the Quad Cities 
    Moline, Illinois
    Mar 4, 1997*
    vs. Western Illinois
    Championship game
    W 63–59  24–6
    The MARK of the Quad Cities 
    Moline, Illinois
    NCAA Tournament
    Mar 13, 1997*
    (12 W) vs. (5 W) No. 23 Boston College
    First round
    L 66–73  24–7
    Jon M. Huntsman Center 
    Salt Lake City, Utah
    *Non-conference game. #Rankings from AP Poll. (#) Tournament seedings in parentheses.
    All times are in Central Time.

    Source[3]

    References

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