Getty Drake will face UNI Friday.
The Valparaiso Crusaders (9-8, 2-2) head to the McLeod Center Wednesday night to face the Northern Iowa Panthers (14-2, 3-1).
The game (8 p.m. ET start time) won’t be on TV anywhere, but anyone in the US can watch it live on ESPN+:
Note: Heavy may earn an affiliate commission if you sign up via a link on this page
ESPN+ is the digital streaming service from ESPN that has exclusive coverage of over 1,500 college basketball games (including many MVC games) this season, plus other live sports every day, all the 30-for-30 documentaries, and additional original content (both video and written) all for $4.99 per month.
Or, if you plan on watching UFC 246: McGregor vs Cowboy on Jan. 18, you can get a special bundle that includes a year of ESPN+ ($49.99 value) and the UFC 246 PPV ($64.99 value) for $84.98, which works out to about 26 percent savings:
Another option, if you also want the new Disney+ streaming service and Hulu, you can get all three for $12.99 per month, which comes out to 25 percent savings:
Get ESPN+, Disney+ & Hulu Bundle
Once signed up for ESPN+, you can then watch Valparaiso vs Northern Iowa live on your computer via ESPN.com, or on your phone (Android and iPhone compatible), tablet, Roku, Amazon Fire TV, Apple TV, Chromecast, PlayStation 4, Xbox One, or other streaming device via the ESPN app.
Valparaiso vs Northern Iowa Preview
The top two scorers in the Missouri Valley Conference will clash in this one: Valpo’s Javon Freeman-Liberty, who leads the conference with 20.5 points per game, and Northern Iowa’s AJ Green, who is second with 18.8 points per contest. The Crusaders and the Panthers are also the top two scoring teams in the conference, with UNI leading the MVC with 76.3 ppg and Valpo averaging 73.6 a game. Despite being close in offensive production, these two teams have had very different seasons so far.
The Panthers are currently in first place in the MVC, while the Crusaders sit in the middle of the conference in fifth place. Northern Iowa has won three in a row, most recently beating Missouri State handily, 80-57. The Panthers’ two losses on the season have been to West Virginia back on November 26, and to Illinois State on December 31. Green is the team’s leading scorer, and guard Trae Berhow is second on the team in scoring with 14.1 points per contest.
The Crusaders started the season 4-1, but they haven’t won back-to-back games since late November. Valpo has a chance in this game to notch back-to-back wins again, as they are coming off a 66-61 victory over Drake. Freeman-Liberty is the team’s leading scorer, and forward Ryan Fazekas is second on the team, averaging 13 points a game.
Despite the disparity in their records, these two teams aren’t that far apart statistically. Valparaiso is shooting 43.6% from the field, and Northern Iowa is shooting 47.9% overall, which is second in the conference. UNI has the edge in rebounding, too, tallying 38 boards per game, while Valpo is hauling in 34.7 per contest. The Panthers are also shooting better from beyond the arc, hitting 37.9% of their three-pointers. The Crusaders are slightly worse there, as well, making 34% of their shots from downtown.
Northern Iowa is 9-0 at home this season, while Valpo is 3-4 on the road this year.
READ NEXT: How to Buy UFC 246: PPV Price & ESPN Plus Bundle Deal