VALPARAISO BEACONS MEN'S BASKETBALL
PROGRAM OVERVIEW
Located in Valparaiso, Indiana, a city of roughly 30,000 residents in northwest Indiana, the Beacons represent one of the Midwest's smaller Division I programs with just 2,451 students at the university. Founded in 1859, Valparaiso has built a modern basketball identity under Roger Powell Jr., whose squad finished the regular season 14-13 overall while posting a respectable 11-4 record in their home venue, the Athletics-Recreation Center. The Beacons competed in the Missouri Valley Conference with a 6-7 conference record despite shooting efficiently on both ends of the floor, averaging 71.3 points per game while allowing opponents 71.0 points—a razor-thin margin that illustrates their defensive parity throughout the season.
Powell's 17-player roster struggled away from home, going just 3-9 in road contests, a significant disparity that shaped their postseason positioning. The tight scoring environment—just 0.3 points separating offense and defense—left little room for error, explaining both their middle-of-conference standing and the importance of their home-court advantage. This competitive balance typifies mid-major basketball, where depth and consistency across a smaller roster become crucial to success in the Missouri Valley Conference.
KEY FACTS
| School | Valparaiso University |
| Sport | Men's Basketball |
| Conference | Missouri Valley Conference |
| Division | D1-FCS |
| Location | Valparaiso, Indiana |
| Venue | Athletics-Recreation Center |
| Head Coach | Roger Powell Jr. |
ROSTER (2025-26)
| # | Name | Pos |
|---|---|---|
| 11 | Isaiah Barnes | G |
| 10 | Mark Brown Jr. | G |
| 0 | Rakim Chaney | G |
| 12 | Owen Dease | F |
| 13 | Carter Hopoi | F |
| 32 | Nick Lombardi | G |
| 1 | Justus McNair | G |
| 7 | JT Pettigrew | F |
| 44 | Sader Servilus | G |
| 22 | Kyonte Thomas | G |
| 35 | Tucker Tornatta | C |
| 23 | Shon Tupuola | C |
| 20 | Joe Vick | G |
| 15 | Kobe Walker | C |
| 4 | Jayden Watson | F |
| 5 | Camden Webster | G |
| 3 | Brody Whitaker | G |
SEASON RECORD
18-15
Overall
14-4
Home
4-11
Away
9-9
Conference
72.0 PPG / 71.5 Opp PPG
SCHEDULE (2025-26)
| Date | Opponent | Result |
|---|---|---|
| Nov 5 | Eastern Illinois Panthers | W 66-63 |
| Nov 8 | Kentucky Wildcats | L 59-107 |
| Nov 13 | Nicholls Colonels | W 68-63 |
| Nov 16 | Bryant Bulldogs | W 68-50 |
| Nov 20 | Cleveland State Vikings | W 90-75 |
| Nov 26 | Southern Indiana Screaming Eagles | L 56-64 |
| Nov 29 | Western Michigan Broncos | W 84-55 |
| Dec 3 | Marquette Golden Eagles | L 72-75 |
| Dec 6 | Calumet St. Joseph Crimson Wave | W 98-58 |
| Dec 13 | UNC Wilmington Seahawks | L 70-73 |
| Dec 17 | Northwestern Wildcats | L 70-86 |
| Dec 21 | Murray State Racers | L 79-85 |
| Dec 30 | Northern Iowa Panthers | L 48-58 |
| Jan 1 | Southern Illinois Salukis | L 70-75 |
| Jan 4 | UIC Flames | W 66-59 |
| Jan 8 | Illinois State Redbirds | W 77-71 |
| Jan 10 | Murray State Racers | L 79-92 |
| Jan 14 | Belmont Bruins | L 74-78 |
| Jan 17 | Northern Iowa Panthers | W 54-44 |
| Jan 22 | Southern Illinois Salukis | W 69-63 |
| Jan 29 | Belmont Bruins | L 77-78 |
| Jan 31 | Indiana State Sycamores | W 76-72 |
| Feb 4 | Bradley Braves | L 65-72 |
| Feb 7 | Evansville Purple Aces | W 70-63 |
| Feb 10 | Drake Bulldogs | W 81-76 |
| Feb 13 | Illinois State Redbirds | L 64-86 |
| Feb 15 | Indiana State Sycamores | W 76-75 |
| Feb 19 | Bradley Braves | W 79-72 |
| Feb 21 | UIC Flames | W 71-67 |
| Feb 26 | Drake Bulldogs | W 74-71 |
| Feb 28 | Evansville Purple Aces | L 79-80 |
| Mar 6 | Indiana State Sycamores | W 63-62 |
| Mar 7 | Bradley Braves | L 84-90 |
ANALYTICS
+0.5
Pt Diff
L1
Streak
47.4%
SOS
#251
T-Rank
Barthag: 0.3114
103.0
Adj O
110.4
Adj D
OTHER SPORTS AT VALPARAISO
MISSOURI VALLEY CONFERENCE MEN'S BASKETBALL PROGRAMS
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Indiana Men's Basketball ProgramsFREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
- What conference does Valparaiso Men's Basketball compete in?
- Valparaiso Beacons Men's Basketball competes in the Missouri Valley Conference conference at the NCAA D1-FCS level.
- Where does Valparaiso play men's basketball home games?
- Valparaiso Men's Basketball plays home games at Athletics-Recreation Center in Valparaiso, IN.
- Who is the head coach of Valparaiso Men's Basketball?
- The head coach of Valparaiso Beacons Men's Basketball is Roger Powell Jr..
- When was Valparaiso Men's Basketball program established?
- The establishment date for Valparaiso Men's Basketball is not currently available.