EVANSTON, ILLINOIS - DECEMBER 16: Roger Powell of the Valparaiso Beacons looks on against the Northwestern Wildcats during the first half at Welsh-Ryan Arena on December 16, 2025 in Evanston, Illinois. (Photo by Michael Reaves/Getty Images)
CHICAGO - Roger Powell was all smiles outside the Valparaiso locker room at the Credit Union 1 Arena.
The Beacons outlasted UIC 71-67. It was a massive win that boosted Valpo’s Missouri Valley Conference standings and the first winning season for the Beacons since the 2019-2020 season.
Suddenly, Powell, a Joliet native and former Fighting Illini player who was hired in 2023 and endured a 7-25 first season as a head coach, is leading the hottest team in the MVC.
"I told these guys they're making history and now we did," Powell said. "We're gonna keep making history."
Local perspective:
With the way the Beacons are playing, they’re set to make some noise in the MVC Tournament in St. Louis come March. The hottest teams usually capture the best of Arch Madness, and Valpo certainly has made its mark.
Valpo has won five of its last six games, and eight of its last 11. UIC made him work to earn his latest win on Saturday.
After a fast start, Valpo had double-digit leads at the 10-minute mark of the first half with a 21-8 advantage and again near the five-minute mark with a 64-53 lead. The Flames used two runs to cut into that lead and had a shot to tie in the final minute but couldn’t connect.
In the waning seconds, Powell wasn’t afraid to trust his team. Valpo freshman Rakim Chaney made six free throws in the final 30 seconds to help ice the game. Powell’s team is growing up, and so is he as a head coach.
"That was happening earlier in the year, too, against really good teams. Marquette, UNC-Wilmington, we had almost double-digit leads," Powell said. "We weren't able to finish. So obviously, this team is growing up."
In a win over the Flames, Powell enjoyed his biggest moment as a young head coach in an arena he’s plenty familiar with.
Powell has coached at UIC before in his first two seasons at the helm, but he made his mark at UIC’s home arena as a younger player. He was a three-year starter and first-team All-State player while starring at Joliet Central.
"I played here in high school and it's pretty cool," Powell said. "Just to be doing it right here, right across the streets, United Center, it's a special thing."
The special part of it all is how the team has adopted the coaching identity that Powell formed with lessons he learned growing up in Joliet.
"The grit, the toughness, just the mentality growing up on the streets of Joliet," Powell said. "Competing against the Chicago Public League, having a chip on your shoulder, man. It's just all that gritty stuff and your teams take on your identity. And that's who I was."
Valpo certainly takes on that identity.
Big picture view:
After the losses to Marquette and UNC-Wilmington, Valpo’s best example of team growth came in overtime wins over Indiana State and Evansville. Powell is no stranger to big games, either.
At Illinois, Powell was a two-time All-Big Ten honorable mention selection. He was a starter for the Illini team that won 37 games and was the national runner-up in the 2005 NCAA Tournament.
The Beacons have wins over Bradley, Illinois State and, now, UIC. These teams are all at the top of the MVC standings.
It was also important that Powell found players who were able to adopt his identity because they understood the toughness he has.
"Look at our roster," Powell said. "We got a ton of kids from this area."
Valpo has eight players from Illinois on its roster. Six are from the Chicagoland area and take pride in the toughness they learned from playing in the area growing up.
"You gotta be tough," Beacons redshirt-senior and Chicago native Isaiah Barnes said. "Powell talks about grittiness, so definitely gotta have that, especially playing out there.
With those lessons shaping his core values as a coach, Powell is now taking in more lessons to improve as a head coach as season No. 3 nears the postseason.
The biggest lesson he’s taken to heart is that he’s learned to make sure his players know he loves them.
"I've learned so much I made mistakes early. I've adjusting how I handle things," Powell said. "The biggest thing is man, I have a strong love for my players and I encourage them, hug them, love on them. And when they see that, that's genuine, man."