In Valpo's corner is 6-9, 235-pound senior Alec Peters, a preseason All-America candidate who is averaging 25.4 points and 8.8 rebounds a game. Peters scored 24 points and took over down the stretch as Valpo downed Alabama 68-60 in Monday's other semifinal.
If that name sounds familiar to Cougar fans, it should. Peters scored 15 points last March as Valpo downed BYU 72-70 in the NIT semifinals at Madison Square Garden in New York City. Valpo's David Skara hit a tie-breaking 3-pointer with 20 seconds remaining to lift the Crusaders to the win.
So revenge will be on the Cougars' minds Saturday night, as well as that unique championship belt.