University Valparaiso University Nickname Crusaders Away Alternate Conference Horizon League Colors Brown, Gold | Location Valparaiso, IN Home Away Head coach Matt Lottich Division Division I (NCAA) | |
 | ||
Arena/Stadium Athletics–Recreation Center Profiles | ||
The Valparaiso Crusaders men's basketball team represents Valparaiso University in Valparaiso, Indiana. The basketball team competes in the Horizon League. The Crusaders play in the Athletics-Recreation Center, which has a nominal capacity of 5,432. The record capacity 5,444 was reached on March 23, 2016 in the NIT Quarterfinal. The team last played in the NCAA Division I Men's Basketball Tournament in 2015.
Contents
- The beginning
- The tallest team
- Conference affiliation
- Division I
- NCAA Division I tournament
- NCAA Division I tournament results
- NCAA Division II tournament results
- NAIA tournament results
- NIT Results
- CBI Results
- CIT Results
- Radio
- Crusaders in the NBA
- References
On April 7, 2016, the school promoted former assistant coach Matt Lottich to the head coach position following Bryce Drew accepting the head coaching position at Vanderbilt on April 6, 2016.
The beginning
The Crusaders' first game was in 1917. Under the coaching of Sidney Winters, the team lost to Chicago. The team would finish 7-2 that year. In 1988, Homer Drew took the job as head coach and remained until retiring in May 2011. He was then succeeded by his son Bryce. 1988 was also the year that the Crusaders defeated 19th-ranked Notre Dame in a game that came to be known as "The Lutheran Miracle."
The tallest team
The 1944–45 team was billed as "The World's Tallest Team." That year, they defeated Long Island University in a game played in Madison Square Garden.
Conference affiliation
The Crusaders joined the Indiana Collegiate Conference for the 1950–1951 season. The Crusaders advanced to the NCAA tournament for the first time in 1961–62. In 1968–69, they hosted an NCAA tournament game for the first time.
Division I
The Crusaders joined Division I before the 1978–79 season. After four years as an independent, they became charter members of the Association of Mid-Continent Universities, now known as The Summit League. In 2007, Valparaiso became a member of the Horizon League.
NCAA Division I tournament
Under coach Homer Drew, the Crusaders became a conference power. They won their first Mid-Continent championship in 1995, led by star player Bryce Drew. However, the team was not invited to the NCAA Tournament. The Crusaders won the 1996 conference championship and received their first invitation to the Division I NCAA Tournament. In the 1998 Tournament, the Crusaders won their first Tournament game, defeating the University of Mississippi on a last second shot by Bryce Drew. The Crusaders won their second round game against Florida State University before losing in the Sweet 16 to the University of Rhode Island. The Crusaders won the Mid-Continent Conference's automatic bid to the NCAA Tournament every year until 2001, when Southern Utah University won the conference tournament. In Coach Scott Drew's only year as head coach, the team advanced to the National Invitation Tournament where, in their first game televised by ESPN, they lost to the University of Iowa. The Crusaders played in the title game of the Mid-Continent Conference Tournament every year between 1995 and 2004.
NCAA Division I tournament results
The Crusaders have appeared in nine NCAA Tournaments. Their combined record is 2–9.
NCAA Division II tournament results
The Crusaders have appeared in the NCAA Division II Tournament five times. Their combined record is 7–5.
NAIA tournament results
The Crusaders have appeared in the NAIA Tournament two times. Their combined record is 1–2.
NIT Results
The Crusaders have appeared in the National Invitation Tournament (NIT) four times. Their combined record is 4–4.
CBI Results
The Crusaders have appeared in the College Basketball Invitational (CBI) one time. Their record is 1–1.
CIT Results
The Crusaders have appeared in the CollegeInsider.com Postseason Tournament (CIT) two times. Their combined record is 0–2.
Radio
All Crusader games are broadcast for free on the Valparaiso website at valpoathletics.com. WVUR-FM, the student-run campus radio station, also broadcasts select Crusader games on 95.1 FM and on the station's website.