VALPARAISO | From one extreme to another.

That's the situation Valparaiso is in this week, as the Crusaders play their regular-season home opener tonight against IU South Bend four days after a respectable 88-77 loss at No. 4 North Carolina.

At 0-2, coach Homer Drew is looking for improvement from his team as well as a victory against the NAIA Division I Titans with another tough trip Sunday to Michigan State.

"We need a win no matter who we play," Drew said. "We learned with the University of Indianapolis (in a 88-83 exhibition loss) you can't take anyone lightly.

"After opening up on the road against two good basketball teams, it's nice we get to play in front of our fans."

Valpo fans also might get a better look at sophomore guard Brandon Wood.

A transfer from Highland (Ill.) Community College who started his career at Southern Illinois, Wood broke loose in Valpo's first two official games after scoring just eight points in the loss to Indianapolis.

Wood scored 25 points Friday in a 88-78 loss at Ball State, then came back with 30 in the loss to the Tar Heels. The 25-point effort against the Cardinals was the most points by a VU player in a career debut since Lubos Barton scored 27 against South Carolina in November of 1998.

"He's played very well," Drew said of Wood, a Kokomo native. "He's a pure shooter. He comes to the gym and works hard on his shooting. We know that he can score the basketball, but he won't get that every game because (teams) will put their best defender on him. Brandon can do more than just score."

Iowa State transfer Cory Johnson also played well despite suffering from pulled ligaments near his rib cage. He scored 21 against Ball State to go along with nine rebounds, and he came back with seven points and five rebounds against North Carolina.

Drew said Johnson is still hurting and hasn't gone 100 percent in practice yet this week.

As many as nine players have reached double figures in minutes played in the first two games.

"We've got good depth, and that's one of the strengths of the basketball team," Drew said. "We're still trying to work with the depth, which combination works the best as far as who is on the floor. We're looking for the good combinations."

MEN'S BASKETBALL

IU South Bend (1-4 through Tuesday) at Valparaiso (0-2)

When: 7:05 p.m. today.

Radio/Internet: WAKE-AM (1500), WEFM-FM (95.9); www.horizonleaguenetwork.tv.