2021–22 Valparaiso Beacons men's basketball team

The 2021–22 Valparaiso Beacons men's basketball team represents Valparaiso University during the 2021–22 NCAA Division I men's basketball season. The Beacons, led by sixth-year head coach Matt Lottich, play their home games at the Athletics–Recreation Center as members of the Missouri Valley Conference.

2021–22 Valparaiso University men's basketball
ConferenceMissouri Valley Conference
2021–22 record5–6 (0–1 MVC)
Head coach
Assistant coaches
  • Luke Gore
  • Rob Holloway
  • Matt Bowen
Home arenaAthletics–Recreation Center
2021–22 Missouri Valley Conference men's basketball standings
ConfOverall
TeamW L PCTW L PCT
Loyola1–0 1.0009–2  .818
Drake1–0 1.0007–4  .636
Southern Illinois1–0 1.0006–4  .600
Illinois State1–0 1.0006–5  .545
Bradley1–0 1.0004–6  .400
Missouri State0–1 .0007–4  .636
Valparaiso0–1 .0005–6  .455
Indiana State0–1 .0004–6  .400
Northern Iowa0–1 .0003–5  .375
Evansville0–1 .0004–8  .333
† 2022 MVC Tournament winner
As of December 16, 2021; Rankings from AP Poll

Formerly nicknamed the Crusaders, the university dropped that name and associated mascot and logos in 2021 because of the "negative connotation and violence associated with the Crusader imagery," and because of its use by certain hate groups.[1][2] The school announced on August 10, 2021 that its athletic teams would officially be known as Beacons effective immediately.[3]

Previous season

In a season limited due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, Valparaiso finished the 2020–21 season 10–18, 7–11 in MVC play to finish a three-way tie for fifth place. As the No. 6 seed in the MVC Tournament, they lost to Missouri State in the quarterfinals.[4]

Offseason

Departures
NameNumberPos.HeightWeightYearHometownReason for departure
Goodnews Kpegeol0G6'5"200RS SophomoreSt. Paul, MNTransferred to Gulf Coast State College
Sigurd Lorange1G5'11"185SophomoreTrondheim, NorwayTransferred to Converse University
Zion Morgan2G6'5"190RS SeniorChicago, ILGraduated
Steven Helm3G6'2"180RS SophomoreValparaiso, INTransferred to Indiana Tech
Daniel Sackey4G5'9"175JuniorWinnipeg, MBTransferred to New Orleans
Donovan Clay5G/F6'7"205SophomoreAlton, ILTransferred to Missouri State
Mileek McMillan22F6'8"230SeniorMerrillville, INTransferred to Western Michigan
Nick Robinson25G6'5"215RS SeniorChicago, ILTransferred to Western Carolina
Jacob Ognacevic34F6'8"210FreshmanSheboygan, WITransferred to Lipscomb

Incoming transfers
Name Number Pos. Height Weight Year Hometown Previous School
Trevor Anderson 21 G 6'3" 205 RS Senior Stevens Point, WI Wisconsin
Joe Hedstrom 32 C 7'0" 240 RS Junior Hopkins, MN Wisconsin
Kobe King 35 G 6'4" 205 Senior La Crosse, WI Wisconsin
Thomas Kithier 0 F 6'8" 235 Senior Clarkston, MI Michigan State
Kevion Taylor 12 G/F 6'5" 210 RS Senior Milwaukee, WI Winona State

2021 recruiting class
US college sports recruiting information for high school athletes
Name Hometown High school / college Height Weight Commit date
Cam Palesse
#1 PG		 Waukesha, WI Waukesha West 6 ft 5 in (1.96 m) 190 lb (86 kg)  
Recruiting star ratings: Scout: N/A   Rivals: N/A   247Sports: N/A
Darius DeAveiro
#4 PG		 Kanata, ON Orangeville Prep 6 ft 0 in (1.83 m) 170 lb (77 kg)  
Recruiting star ratings: Scout: N/A   Rivals: N/A   247Sports: N/A
Keyondre Young
#5 SG		 Del City, OK Del City 6 ft 8 in (2.03 m) 180 lb (82 kg)  
Recruiting star ratings: Scout: N/A   Rivals: N/A   247Sports: N/A
Trey Woodyard
#33 SF		 London, OH International Sports Academy 6 ft 6 in (1.98 m) 190 lb (86 kg)  
Recruiting star ratings: Scout: N/A   Rivals: N/A   247Sports: N/A
Overall recruiting rankings:
  • Note: In many cases, Scout, Rivals, 247Sports, and ESPN may conflict in their listings of height and weight.
  • In these cases, the average was taken. ESPN grades are on a 100-point scale.

Sources:

    Roster
    2021–22 Valparaiso Beacons men's basketball team
    PlayersCoaches
    Pos.#NameHeightWeightYearPrevious schoolHometown
    F 0 Thomas Kithier 6 ft 8 in (2.03 m)235 lb (107 kg) SrClarkston HS
    Michigan State    		 Macomb, MI
    G 1 Cam Palesse 6 ft 5 in (1.96 m)190 lb (86 kg) FrWaukesha West HS Waukesha, WI
    G 2 Preston Ruedinger (W) 6 ft 2 in (1.88 m)180 lb (82 kg) FrLourdes Academy Oshkosh, WI
    G/F 3 Connor Barrett 6 ft 6 in (1.98 m)200 lb (91 kg) SoLoyola Academy Chicago, IL
    G 4 Darius DeAveiro 6 ft 0 in (1.83 m)165 lb (75 kg) FrOrangeville Prep Kanata, ON
    F 5 Keyondre Young 6 ft 8 in (2.03 m)180 lb (82 kg) FrDel City HS Del City, OK
    G 10 Eron Gordon 6 ft 3 in (1.91 m)205 lb (93 kg) RS SrCathedral HS
    Seton Hall    		 Indianapolis, IN
    C 11 Emil Freese-Vilien 6 ft 10 in (2.08 m)255 lb (116 kg) JrFalkonergardens Gymnasium Copenhagen, Denmark
    G/F 12 Kevion Taylor 6 ft 5 in (1.96 m)210 lb (95 kg) RS SrWhitnall HS
    Winona State    		 Milwaukee, WI
    G 13 Sheldon Edwards 6 ft 4 in (1.93 m)180 lb (82 kg) SoPalm Beach Lakes HS
    TLAP Sports Academy    		 West Palm Beach, FL
    G 15 Luke Morrill (W) 6 ft 2 in (1.88 m)195 lb (88 kg) JrMontini Catholic HS Lombard, IL
    G/F 20 Tyler Fricke (W) 6 ft 1 in (1.85 m)170 lb (77 kg) SoBuffalo Grove HS Arlington Heights, IL
    G 21 Trevor Anderson 6 ft 3 in (1.91 m)205 lb (93 kg) RS SrSPASH
    Wisconsin    		 Stevens Point, WI
    F 22 Brock Pappas (W) 6 ft 4 in (1.93 m)235 lb (107 kg) SrWashington Township HS Valparaiso, IN
    F 23 Ben Krikke 6 ft 9 in (2.06 m)235 lb (107 kg) JrJasper Place HS Edmonton, AB
    C 32 Joe Hedstrom 7 ft 0 in (2.13 m)240 lb (109 kg) RS JrHopkins HS
    Wisconsin    		 Hopkins, MN
    F 33 Trey Woodyard 6 ft 6 in (1.98 m)190 lb (86 kg) FrInternational Sports Academy London, OH
    G 35 Kobe King 6 ft 4 in (1.93 m)205 lb (93 kg) SrLa Crosse Central HS
    Wisconsin    		 La Crosse, WI
    Head coach
    Assistant coach(es)
    Legend
    • (C) Team captain
    • (S) Suspended
    • (I) Ineligible
    • (W) Walk-on

    Roster
    Last update: September 4, 2021

    Schedule and results
    Date
    time, TV    		 Rank# Opponent# Result Record Site (attendance)
    city, state
    Exhibition
    October 30, 2021*
    6:00 pm    		 Ashland L 78–87 
    		Athletics–Recreation Center (1,671)
    Valparaiso, IN
    November 4, 2021*
    6:00 pm    		 Flagler L 67–70 
    		Athletics–Recreation Center (1,567)
    Valparaiso, IN
    Regular season
    November 9, 2021*
    6:00 pm, ESPN+    		 Toledo L 61–69  0–1
    		 Athletics–Recreation Center (2,824)
    Valparaiso, IN
    November 13, 2021*
    12:00 pm, ESPN3    		 UIC L 70–74 OT 0–2
    		 Athletics–Recreation Center (2,622)
    Valparaiso, IN
    November 17, 2021*
    7:30 pm, P12N    		 at Stanford L 60–74  0–3
    		 Maples Pavilion (2,722)
    Stanford, CA
    November 22, 2021*
    8:00 p.m., FloHoops    		 vs. Jacksonville State
    Nassau Championship quarterfinal    		 W 78–70  1–3
    		 Baha Mar Convention Center 
    Nassau, Bahamas
    November 23, 2021*
    7:00 p.m., FloHoops    		 vs. Coastal Carolina
    Nassau Championship semifinal    		 L 61–64  1–4
    		 Baha Mar Convention Center 
    Nassau, Bahamas
    November 24, 2021*
    4:30 p.m., FloHoops    		 vs. Tulane
    Nassau Championship third place game    		 W 68–64  2–4
    		 Baha Mar Convention Center 
    Nassau, Bahamas
    November 27, 2021*
    12:00 pm, ESPN3    		 Trinity Christian W 106–69  3–4
    		 Athletics–Recreation Center (1,239)
    Valparaiso, IN
    December 2, 2021
    8:00 pm, ESPNU    		 at Drake L 66–73  3–5
    (0–1)    		 Knapp Center (2,560)
    Des Moines, IA
    December 5, 2021*
    1:00 pm, ESPN3    		 at Western Michigan W 71–60  4–5
    		 University Arena (1,883)
    Kalamazoo, MI
    December 7, 2021*
    6:00 pm, ESPN+    		 East–West W 101–58  5–5
    		 Athletics–Recreation Center (1,170)
    Valparaiso, IN
    December 11, 2021*
    12:00 pm, ESPN+    		 Charlotte L 67–68  5–6
    		 Athletics–Recreation Center (2,264)
    Valparaiso, IN
    December 20, 2021*
    6:00 pm    		 Eastern Michigan Athletics–Recreation Center 
    Valparaiso, IN
    December 22, 2021*
    12:00 pm    		 William & Mary Athletics–Recreation Center 
    Valparaiso, IN
    December 28, 2021*
    12:00 pm    		 Prairie View A&M Athletics–Recreation Center 
    Valparaiso, IN
    January 2, 2022
    1:00 pm    		 Illinois State Athletics–Recreation Center 
    Valparaiso, IN
    January 5, 2022
    8:00 pm    		 at Northern Iowa McLeod Center 
    Cedar Falls, IA
    January 8, 2022
    6:00 pm    		 Southern Illinois Athletics–Recreation Center 
    Valparaiso, IN
    January 11, 2022
    8:00 pm, CBSSN    		 at Loyola–Chicago Joseph J. Gentile Arena 
    Chicago, IL
    January 15, 2022
    6:00 pm    		 Missouri State Athletics–Recreation Center 
    Valparaiso, IN
    January 19, 2022
    6:00 pm    		 Northern Iowa Athletics–Recreation Center 
    Valparaiso, IN
    January 22, 2022
    12:00 pm    		 at Indiana State Hulman Center 
    Terre Haute, IN
    January 26, 2022
    6:00 pm    		 Bradley Athletics–Recreation Center 
    Valparaiso, IN
    January 29, 2022
    3:00 pm    		 at Southern Illinois Banterra Center 
    Carbondale, IL
    February 1, 2022
    6:00 pm    		 Evansville Athletics–Recreation Center 
    Valparaiso, IN
    February 5, 2022
    6:00 pm    		 Indiana State Athletics–Recreation Center 
    Valparaiso, IN
    February 9, 2022
    7:00 pm    		 at Illinois State Redbird Arena 
    Normal, IL
    February 12, 2022
    3:00 pm    		 at Missouri State JQH Arena 
    Springfield, MO
    February 16, 2022
    7:00 pm    		 Loyola–Chicago Athletics–Recreation Center 
    Valparaiso, IN
    February 19, 2022
    5:00 pm    		 at Evansville Ford Center 
    Evansville, IN
    February 23, 2022
    6:00 pm    		 Drake Athletics–Recreation Center 
    Valparaiso, IN
    February 26, 2022
    		 at Bradley Peoria Civic Center 
    Peoria, IL
    MVC Tournament

    		 vs.  Enterprise Center 
    St. Louis, MO
    *Non-conference game. #Rankings from AP Poll. (#) Tournament seedings in parentheses.
    All times are in Central Time.

    Source[5][6]

    References
    1. "VALPARAISO UNIVERSITY TO RETIRE CRUSADERS MASCOT". Valpo.edu (Press release). February 11, 2021. Retrieved June 14, 2021.
    2. Correspondent, Paul Oren Times. "Mascot debate at Valparaiso has proponents and opponents, just as it did in the 1940s". nwitimes.com. Retrieved 2021-07-08.
    3. Jaipuriar, Rashika. "After retiring Crusaders, Valpo announces new mascot". The Indianapolis Star. Retrieved 2021-08-11.
    4. "Valparaiso vs. Missouri State - Box Score - March 5, 2021 - ESPN". ESPN.com. Retrieved 2021-07-08.
    5. "Valpo Basketball Announces Nonconference Games". valpoathletics.com. Valparaiso University Athletics. Retrieved 11 August 2021.
    6. "Men's Basketball Schedule". valpoathletics.com. Valparaiso University Athletics. Retrieved 1 January 2021.
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