Senior Night Spotlight: Valparaiso Looks to Keep Bye Hopes Alive Against Drake
Senior Night always carries emotion, but Wednesday night at the Athletics Recreation Center comes with added urgency as Valparaiso welcomes Drake in a key Missouri Valley Conference matchup with postseason positioning yet to be determined.
The Beacons will honor five seniors — Keyonte Thomas, Joe Vick, Brody Whitaker, Isaiah Barnes, and Owen Dease — in what will be their final home appearance wearing a Valpo uniform. The hope is to send them off the right way, with a win that could prove pivotal in the race for a coveted first-round bye in St. Louis.
Drake arrives in Northwest Indiana searching for answers in what has been a difficult season for the Bulldogs. Currently sitting ninth in the Valley standings, Drake has dropped seven straight games, most recently a frustrating loss to Southern Illinois in which it squandered a halftime lead and never recovered. The Bulldogs’ last victory came Jan. 28 against Evansville.
Despite the skid, Drake remains dangerous — particularly when senior guard Jalen Quinn gets rolling. Against SIU, Quinn poured in 23 points, accounting for 35 percent of Drake’s total field-goal attempts and standing as the lone Bulldog to reach double figures. He has been a high-usage, volume scorer all season and remains the focal point of Drake’s offense.
Valparaiso, meanwhile, continues to exceed preseason expectations. The Beacons are coming off an impressive 71–67 road win at UIC, a victory that kept them firmly in the mix for a first-round bye. Entering the week, Valpo finds itself in a three-way tie for fifth place — a position few predicted during the preseason.
Against the Flames, Valpo showcased its depth and balance. Sader Servilus came off the bench to lead the Beacons with 13 points, while four other players reached double figures in a collective effort that has become a trademark of this group. The win underscored Valpo’s ability to grind out results away from home — a valuable trait as March approaches.
The Beacons already know what it takes to beat Drake. In the first meeting between the two teams this season, Valparaiso earned an 81–76 road win at the Knapp Center. The contest was tight throughout before Valpo finally put the Bulldogs away down the stretch.
That night, Quinn erupted for 33 points, with Eli Shetlar adding 15 and Isaiah Carr chipping in 14 for Drake. Valpo countered with a standout performance from freshman JT Pettigrew, who posted a double-double with 23 points and 12 rebounds, while Rakim Chaney added 20. Senior Brody Whitaker provided a spark off the bench with 13 points, and Owen Dease rounded out the double-digit scorers with 10.
A second look at Drake’s season suggests another Valpo win is attainable — but far from guaranteed. Under first-year head coach Eric Henderson, the Bulldogs have been more competent offensively than defensively, but not by a huge margin. Drake ranks third in the conference in free-throw rate and sits fourth in offensive turnover percentage, while also placing fifth in offensive block and steal rates. All respectable but not great when looking at the offense in totality.
Defense has been a major struggle for the Bulldogs. Drake ranks near the bottom of the Valley in nearly every defensive metric, including last in overall defensive efficiency. The Bulldogs also struggle to generate steals and allow opponents frequent trips to the free-throw line — vulnerabilities Valpo will be eager to exploit.
For the Beacons, the keys begin with focus. Senior Night festivities can sometimes create distractions, something Valpo possibly witnessed when UIC started slowly during its own senior day last weekend. Containing Quinn is another priority. Valpo has shown it can limit high-usage scorers, and doing so again will go a long way toward securing the win.
Offensively, attacking the paint and getting to the free-throw line should pay dividends against a Drake team prone to fouling. A strong defensive effort and disciplined execution will be essential as the stakes continue to rise.
With Northern Iowa and Illinois State squaring off elsewhere, Wednesday’s game carries added importance in the bye race. According to KenPom, Valparaiso enters as a 75–69 favorite with a 71 percent chance of victory — but as anyone who follows the Missouri Valley knows, nothing comes easy.
As the Beacons continue their March to the Arch, one thing is certain: Wednesday night will be about more than just standings. It’s about honoring a senior class, protecting home court, and proving that this season’s resurgence is no fluke.
And for those in attendance, it’s another chapter in a Valley battle that must be earned. See you all there and Let’s Go Valpo!
It was posted in a different thread, but I’ll reiterate it here. If you haven’t read Paul’s latest article on the Victory Bell, I highly recommend checking it out. He delves into the various scenarios of seeding for the conference tournament.
Valpo moves up in the KenPom rankings after last night to 139, this is the highest KenPom ranking since Sunday November 18th, 2018. Certainly, rankings don't mean much in the grand scheme of things however we are certainly surging at the right time.
Over Under 2,000 in attendance tonight? Not the "real" attendance figures reported but the "real" attendance including students. Other threads......Yes lets enjoy this ride as much as possible to close the season. Arguably we are playing as well as anyone in the MVC right now and how bout that Bradley UIC game last night....two teams we just defeated.
I hope it is over 2000! Big turnout for senior night and last home game of the season.
For senior night are we going to start Vick? Would love that
Another clutch win!
Incredibly exciting finish and in front fo a decent crowd. Hopefully that will add to the fan base. Shout out to the students who showed up in force! Just wonderful all around.
JT #$%@*& Pettigrew.! My goodness. Good crowd and great way to close out senior night. The momentum/buzz continues and will likely carry down to St. Louis. With that being said, this was not one of our better played games. Played tight through out and somewhat lucky to escape. Way to many missed defensive assignments. Difference was at the free-throw line and three point line. Evansville is cooked, lets hope we pounce quickly Saturday.
I’m gonna enjoy tonight and post some thoughts tomorrow! Freshman Fire Power was coined tonight, can it carry us through Arch Madness?
Last night was another heart‑attack win, and as a Valpo fan it couldn’t have ended in a more exciting way. Sadly, it was the final home game of the year, and a lot will change before we return to the ARC next season. But there’s still basketball left to play, so for now I’ll stay focused on that.
This team continues to find ways to win at the right time and make the plays that matter most. The box score tells the story of how even this game really was. Drake shot better from two, while Valpo had the edge from three. Brody was extremely efficient, and the “Freshman Firepower” showed up when some of our other scorers had quieter nights. Sader is confident on defense and will be a valuable asset defensively through the end of the season.
Free throws were another key factor. Valpo made four more than Drake on four additional attempts. That margin ended up being just enough when the buzzer sounded. As big and emotional as JT’s three-pointer was, his 7-for-9 performance at the line may have been just as important in the bigger picture. Overall, the team shot 82.4% from the charity stripe.
Every team in the Valley is a battle this year, and Drake was no exception. Their defense was disruptive, denying paint touches and limiting dribble penetration. They clearly wanted Valpo to live and die by the three, and Valpo answered by shooting 42.9% from deep. We didn’t always adjust perfectly, but good teams make enough winning plays—and that’s exactly what happened.
Now the focus shifts to Evansville and what lies ahead in St. Louis. This team has momentum, confidence, and belief. No one in the Valley is eager to see Valpo right now—and that’s exactly where you want to be. Let's close out Evansville and roll this train full steam ahead into St. Louis's Union Station for a run THROUGH the Enterprise Center.
Did anyone read to far into Rakim's postgame comments about playing with this group next season? I caught that little bit of implication but also know the current landscape, as much as All wanted to stay, it didn't work out. But..... it sounds like the door could be open.... you never know, lets wait and see.
Game Recap from KenPom below!
After reading Paul's article. The most likely scenario for the bye is if we win on Saturday and Belmont beats Illinois state.
Did anyone read to far into Rakim's postgame comments about playing with this group next season? I caught that little bit of implication but also know the current landscape, as much as All wanted to stay, it didn't work out. But..... it sounds like the door could be open.... you never know, lets wait and see.
I heard that as well. The whole transfer thing is very interesting. For example, we no doubt are paying a guy a fair amount of money to be sitting on the bench (e.g. Mark Brown) He has eligibility left, do we pay him again? Maybe less? And what about guys who left for big pay days who didn't work out as expected? Cooper as an example was paid a bundle to go to Wake Forest. He started 11 out of 27 games, is averaging 5.0 ppg and 2.4 boards. Do they pay him again or do they move on and Cooper is back in the market now available for a much reduced price? The same could be said about All although he has been more effective averaging 7.6 ppg.
Should be a very interesting off season, but I digress! On to Evansville, a tough place to play and not the best basketball venue. I wouldn't expect much of a crowd.
@vu72 You make a good point. If Cooper goes back to Wake next year, one would think it’s for half the money—or less—than he got this season. Some of these guys may still have a chance to make similar money after this year, but in All and Coopers case its most likely less, but the real question becomes opportunity.
They can stay where they are and accept a smaller deal with a clearer role, or they can transfer again chasing a paycheck that may not actually be higher—just different—while hoping for more opportunity. That’s where the strategy comes in.
Take Chaney as an example. Does he take something like $200K to stay at Valpo, knowing that his development trajectory and opportunity could put him in position to make $2 million after year two at a high‑major program? That’s the tradeoff: immediate money versus long‑term upside.
As the portal game continues to evolve, I do think we’ll start seeing more decisions like this, where players weigh role, development, and future earning potential just as much as the current NIL number.
I wouldn’t be surprised if Cooper stays at Wake for something like $400–500K, or transfers to an A‑10 school for similar money where he can consistently start and play a prominent role, rather than logging spot minutes with limited production. In today’s environment, that might be the smarter long‑term play—especially when you factor in a coach who has proven he can develop guys like Powell. That kind of track record absolutely matters and can raise a player’s overall earning ceiling over the life of their eligibility.
