Valparaiso Basketball: 2017-18 preview for the Crusaders

It’s a brand new era for the Valparaiso Crusaders as they move into their new home in the Missouri Valley Conference. How will they do in their first season?

Last season was filled with optimism for Valparaiso Crusaders’ fans for their team. One of the best players in the country, Alec Peters, returned for his senior season. He more than delivered, averaging 23 ppg and 10 rpg throughout the year. He had a partner in fellow senior Shane Hammink, whose 15.1 ppg in addition to Peters’ contributions made the pair one of the better mid-major combinations in the country.

It was a clear battle between Valpo and Oakland for Horizon supremacy with the latter pulling off the regular season sweep. There was still hope for a conference tournament run, but a foot injury to Peters in the beginning of March ended it. A quarterfinals loss to Milwaukee was followed by a blowout defeat to Illinois in the NIT.

The season may have ended with a whimper, but Wichita State may have given them their biggest win in program history by leaving for the American Athletic Conference. Considered the top mid-major league in the Midwest, Valpo switching to the MVC was a big boost for their program. They also come into a league where the two dominant teams (Wichita State and Illinois State) are either gone or lost 3/4 of their scoring.

The conference will be undergoing a new shift in power, and, while the Crusaders lose a ton, they still have some talent on the roster. The question is where does that talent place them in their new league.