Pretty optimistic write up for a site that picked us 9th. Maybe (even if we don't see it this year) our arrow is finally beginning to point upward .
https://www.three-man-weave.com/3mw/missouri-valley-basketball-2020-preview
Javon is noticeably absent from any of the pre season team rankings. When he has been a lock 1-2 on every other projection I've seen.
I hope we're picked ninth and shut out of all the pre season accolades. And then I hope the team gets an attitude about it.
I think it boils down to execution on the offense, stingy defense and minimizing the mistakes and turnovers. Every game needs to be complete. We won't win them all because some teams are just stronger top to bottom. However, execution for two complete halves will keep us in the games for wins and upsets.
Airing November 4-7 on NBCS Chicago
https://twitter.com/ValleyHoops/status/1182372361334673410
The conference "stud", Missouri State, lost to Little Rock. :o Bradley also lost to St. Joes. The Missouri State loss is a black eye for sure.
Quote from: vu72 on November 06, 2019, 08:56:57 AMThe conference "stud", Missouri State, lost to Little Rock. :o Bradley also lost to St. Joes. The Missouri State loss is a black eye for sure.
My unexamined perception is that the Bears always seem to get rated highly based on having a collection of athletic, NBA-like players who never seem to play up to their theoretical potential as a team. To me, they underperform exactly like a collection of studs tend to. That said, I think UALR, like us, might be better than predicted.
Still wouldn't sleep on MoSt. There's a lot of talent on that team. Maybe Ford can recruit but not coach, but I still wouldn't bet against them. Yet.
Quote from: VUGrad1314 on September 30, 2019, 07:45:18 PM
Pretty optimistic write up for a site that picked us 9th. Maybe (even if we don't see it this year) our arrow is finally beginning to point upward .
https://www.three-man-weave.com/3mw/missouri-valley-basketball-2020-preview
Usually these prediction pieces are nothing more than hot garbage, but this one is infinitely better researched and written. 9th is probably way off (hopefully), but I don't blame the author. Typically, a mass of exodus of players from the prior year wouldn't bode well for the next season.
But in this case... With the Canada trip and the Toledo game as evidence... Maybe it's different? I think the game against SLU is going to tell us a lot. If we win that one (or even at least hang tough in that one) there could be serious reason for optimism.
Was there no post game presser?
Quote from: FieldGoodie05 on November 06, 2019, 04:19:39 PM
Was there no post game presser?
Post game presser
https://youtu.be/xfxG5p9xG5Q (https://youtu.be/xfxG5p9xG5Q)
Quote from: FieldGoodie05 on November 06, 2019, 06:04:29 PM
Quote from: FieldGoodie05 on November 06, 2019, 04:19:39 PM
Was there no post game presser?
Post game presser
https://youtu.be/xfxG5p9xG5Q (https://youtu.be/xfxG5p9xG5Q)
Kudos to the videographers. We can hear the questions this year!
SPRINGFIELD – An open 20-foot jumper by Little Rock's Ruot Monyyong with 2.3 seconds remaining lifted the visiting Trojans past Missouri State, 67-66, here Tuesday in the men's basketball season opener for both teams.
The Bears (0-1) led for more than 36 minutes and overcame a brief, one-point deficit in the final minute on a pair of free throws from Tyrik Dixon to lead 66-65 late. Ja'Monta Black secured a steal for Missouri State on Little Rock's next possession, which led to the home side running the clock down to 13 seconds before a missed shot from the corner late in the shot clock.
The visitors gathered in the rebound and seemed to be stymied by Missouri State early in their final possession before Jaizec Lottie found a wide open Monyyong on the right wing. The 6-foot-10 junior then dropped in his biggest shot of the night to give Little Rock a one-point upset win.
Dixon's desperation shot just inside half court as the buzzer sounded was off its mark for the Bears.
Ben Coupert led all scorers with 13 points and 8 rebounds for Little Rock (1-0) with Markquis Nowell adding 12 points and 8 assists, and Lottie scoring 10.
The Bears, who led by as many as eight in the second half, were led by Lamont West's 12 points with Dixon and Josh Hall pouring in 11 points apiece.
Coach Dana Ford's squad accounted for seven takeaways in the first half that helped the Bears generate a pair of transition buckets to take a 39-33 lead into at the game's midway point. Tulio Da Silva netted 9 of his 10 points in the first 20 minutes, including a rim-rattling fast-break dunk in the final minute of the half to give the home side a six-point cushion.
Dixon opened up the second-half scoring with a high-arching shot off the glass to put MSU up 41-33 for its biggest lead of the night.
The Bears fought off several runs by the visitors throughout the rest of the half, answering every threat with timely plays and exciting finishes. Isiaih Mosley's transition layup made it a 46-41 game near the 14-minute mark; Hall's trey with 12-and-a-half remaining gave the Bears a 49-45 lead; and Keandre Cook's dunk-back midway through the final stanza pushed the Bears ahead 52-47.
Deeper in the half, a transition triple by Dixon gave Missouri State a six-point advantage, and West's four-point play with 6:27 remaining in the game brought the JQH Arena crowd of over 5,000 to its feet and made it 62-56 game.
However, the home side would convert just one field goal the rest of the way – a Mosley put-back with 4:35 on the clock -- that pushed MSU up 64-61 and ended a personal 5-0 outburst from Lottie.
Alsean Evans finally gave Little Rock a brief advantage with his 17-footer that found its mark with 83 seconds to go before Dixon calmed the waters with his charity shots at the 1:01 mark, giving MSU a 66-65 lead headed into the game's final minute.
Little Rock accounted for 36 points in the paint – 20 in the second half – to help execute the comeback and used pinpoint passing from Nowell to help the Trojans shoot 54-percent from the field in the second half and 51.9 percent (27-of-52) for the game.
MSU finished 23-of-54 (.426) from the field, 8-of-28 (.286) from long range and just 12-of-18 (.667) at the foul line.
The defeat was Missouri State's first loss in a home opener since 2002-03 and the team's first-ever loss at JQH Arena on opening night.
CEDAR FALLS, Iowa – The UNI men's basketball team opened the season against Old Dominion in the McLeod Center, defeating the Monarchs 58-53.
The Panthers led the game for all but 32 second on Tuesday night. Strong defense highlighted the game, with just a 26-25 halftime lead the Panthers had made 11 of 32 field goals but were held to just two three pointers on 17 total attempts. The Panther defense forced eight Old Dominion turnovers with freshman Antwan Kimmons recording the lone Panther steal in first half.
The offense picked up midway through the second half when Spencer Haldeman hitting back to back three pointers to give the Panthers a 39-30 lead with 13:34 remaining in the game. Austin Phyfe added two free throws five minutes later to give the Panthers an 11 point lead at 48-37, their largest lead of the game.
Following the final media timeout, a Panther turnover and three Monarch field goals put the Panther lead to just three with 54 seconds remaining in the game. Trae Berhow drew a foul with just four seconds remaining in the game, making both free throws the junior guard sealed the game for the Panthers, moving the team to 1-0 for the second year in a row.
AJ Green and Spencer Haldeman led the Panthers with 12 point apiece. Austin Phyfe finished the game with a double-double, recording 10 points, 11 rebounds, two blocks, and two assists. Phyfe recorded 32 minutes in his first game back after receiving a medical redshirt last season.
Spencer Haldeman hauled in six defensive rebounds while adding a team high three three pointers on the night. Tywhon Pickford led the Panthers with two steals on the night while Isaiah Brown added six point and six rebounds in just under 30 minutes of playing time.
FIRST HALF KEY STATS
UNI
- UNI led 26-25 at the break
- Isaiah Brown scores the first bucket of the season for the Panthers
- Noah Carter, Antwan Kimmons and James Betz get their first minutes and points as Panthers
- Panthers commit 7 turnovers
- AJ Green leads all scorers with 8 points
Old Dominion
- Jaylin Hunter records his first points as a Monarch
- Old Dominion commits 8 turnovers
- Jason Wade led the Monarchs with 4 steals
SECOND HALF KEY STATS
UNI
- Austin Phyfe's 11 rebounds is a new career high in a single game
- Spencer Haldeman's 6 rebounds ties his career high
- Berhow's 2 late free throws secure the UNI win
Old Dominion
- Jason Wade's 6 steals ties his career high in a game
- Jason Wade's 13 points is a new career high in a game
- Xavier Green had a career high in rebounds with 8
- Xavier Green & Jason Wade led both teams in scoring with 13
UP NEXT
The 1-0 Panthers now set their sights on the Huskies of Northern Illinois. The 3 p.m. game will be the season opener for the Huskies. Northern Illinois finished the 2018-19 season at 17-17, making the MAC semifinal game. Saturday's game can be viewed on ESPN3.
CHICAGO (November 5, 2019)
In Short
Four players scored in double digits and junior center Cameron Krutwig fell two rebounds shy of a triple-double as Loyola University Chicago (1-0) coasted to an 82-48 victory over UC Davis (0-1) tonight at Gentile Arena in the season opener for both teams. The Ramblers, who dominated the Aggies in the paint, outscoring them, 58-28, have now won eight straight season openers.
How It Happened
After an entertaining first few minutes of back-and-forth action, Loyola was able to grab the lead for good thanks to a spurt of six unanswered points that was bookended by a pair of layups from Tate Hall, giving the hosts a 14-8 edge.
Several minutes later, a jumper by Matt Neufeld brought UC Davis within 20-16, with a little over nine minutes remaining in the half, but a three-pointer by Lucas Williamson jump-started a period-closing, 19-6 run that featured seven points from Krutwig, as Loyola took a commanding 39-22 lead into the locker room at halftime.
Despite not shooting well from the perimeter in the opening 20 minutes, the Ramblers connected on 16 of 25 shots from inside the three-point arc, and limited the Aggies to just 1-for-11 accuracy (.091) from long range.
Loyola never let up in the second half and added to its lead once UC Davis got within 16, at 41-25, less than a minute into the period. Over the next 11-plus minutes, the Ramblers outscored the Aggies, 28-11, with Paxson Wojcik's layup stretching the LU advantage to 69-36. That lead would grow to as many as 36 points on a pair of occasions, the last time coming when Bruno Skokna knocked down a pair of foul shots to make it 77-41 with 4:04 left to play.
A Look At The Numbers
Krutwig posted his eighth career double-double but his first of the points/assists variety. The 7-foot-9 center scored 15 points and grabbed eight rebounds but dished out a career-best 11 assists to only one turnover.
Krutwig is the first Rambler to hand out 10 assists in a game since Denzel Brito dropped 10 dimes against Fordham in the opening game of the remodeled Gentile Arena on November 26, 2011.
Hall had an impressive all-around outing, racking up 14 points, nine boards, three assists and four steals as he filled up the stat sheet in his Loyola debut after sitting out last season following a transfer from the University of Indianapolis.
Williamson pitched in 13 points and five rebounds and freshman guard Marquise Kennedy totaled 11 points, three boards and a pair of steals in his first official appearance as a Rambler.
As a team, the Ramblers dished out 20 assists and committed only eight turnovers, while shooting 55.6 percent (35-for-63) from the field, with many of those buckets coming from close range.
Skokna contributed nine points off the bench, while Aher Uguak accounted for eight points and three rebounds for the victorious Ramblers.
Matt Neufeld led UC Davis, which shot just 3-for-17 (.176) from three-point territory, with 15 points
Up Next
Loyola travels to Furman, which opened its season tonight with a win over Gardner-Webb, Friday night. Tip-off is scheduled for 6 p.m. CT.
Philadelphia, Pa. – Five Braves scored in double figures in the season opener but it wasn't enough for the Bradley men's basketball team as Saint Joseph's snuck out an 86-81 victory on Tuesday night.
Senior Darrell Brown led Bradley with 17 points and five assists, while classmate Koch Bar registered his second career double-double with 13 points and 12 rebounds.
Senior Nate Kennell chipped in 15 points, while Elijah Childs and sophomore Ja'Shon Henry also reached double-digits with 11 and 10, respectively.
Bradley started the contest strong and raced to a 14-6 lead just over four minutes into the contest. Bar led BU with six points during the early run as the eight-point edge was the largest for either team in the game.
Saint Joseph's weathered the early storm, however, and trailing by seven late in the half, the Hawks finished the opening stanza on a 7-2 run to pull within just two of the Braves at the intermission, 45-43.
The first half set up a competitive second stanza as neither team had the ball with a two-possession lead until under five minutes remaining. Trailing by four with two minutes left in the contest, Brown sunk his third 3-pointer of the night to pull Bradley within one, 80-79. The Braves got the defensive stop they needed but saw their go-ahead attempt on the offensive side of the court blocked. The Hawks then made six free throws in the final minute to secure the 86-81 victory.
The Braves shot 39.0 percent in the contest, including a 45.0 percent clip from 3-point range. The Hawks converted 41.9 percent of their baskets, while also making 28-of-32 free throws in the winning effort.
Bradley returns home to face IUPUI in its season opener on Saturday night. First tip at Carver Arena is set for 7 p.m.
Game Notes: The Braves opened the season on the road for the first time since 2009 ... Bar's double-double is the first for the senior since his freshman season against Eastern Illinois ... Bradley collected 23 offensive rebounds on Tuesday – its most since corralling 25 against Little Rock on Dec. 22, 2014 ... The Braves' 81 points are their most in a season opener since a 95-81 victory against Pepperdine in 2002 ... Bradley now leads the series with Saint Joseph's, 4-2.
Wed Nov 6. Illinois State 79 Belmont 72
Illinois State 79
## Player GS MIN FG 3PT FT ORB-DRB REB PF A TO BLK STL PTS
2 Copeland, Zach * 33 8-16 2-6 2-4 2-4 6 2 5 1 0 3 20
25 Hillsman, Jayce * 29 3-6 3-4 2-2 2-4 6 0 1 2 0 2 11
13 Idowu, Rey * 21 5-9 0-0 1-2 3-1 4 1 1 1 1 0 11
3 Torres, Ricky * 24 3-7 3-6 1-2 0-2 2 1 6 2 0 0 10
5 Fisher III, Keith * 17 1-5 0-1 0-2 0-4 4 3 0 1 0 0 2
0 Horne, DJ 13 4-4 2-2 0-1 0-0 0 2 0 1 0 0 10
12 Reeves, Antonio 12 2-2 1-1 0-0 0-1 1 0 0 0 0 0 5
4 Ndiaye, Abdou 19 2-5 0-1 0-0 1-4 5 3 1 0 4 0 4
1 Boyd, Dedric 15 1-7 1-3 0-0 1-2 3 1 1 0 0 1 3
32 Bruninga, Taylor 14 1-2 1-2 0-0 0-3 3 0 1 0 0 1 3
15 Donnelly, Lijah 3 0-0 0-0 0-0 0-0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
TM TEAM 0 0-0 0-0 0-0 0-2 2 0 0 0 0 0 0
TOTALS - 200 30-63 13-26 6-13 9-27 36 13 16 8 5 7 79
Team Summary FG 3PT FT
First Half 9-29 4-13 1-4
31.03 % 30.77 % 25.00 %
Second Half 21-34 9-13 5-9
61.76 % 69.23 % 55.56 %
Total 30-63 13-26 6-13
47.6 % 50.0 % 46.2 %
Technical Fouls: (1) Fisher III, Keith Second Chance Points: 13 Scores Tied: 2 time(s)
Points in the Paint: 24 Fast Break Points: 3 Lead Changed: 4 time(s)
Points off Turnovers: 9 Bench Points: 25 Largest Lead: 7 2nd-00:01
Props to ISUr for a really good home win for the MVC.
Evansville is holding their own
Up 34-30 against #1 Kentucky at the half!
Evansville just beat #1 Kentucky!!!! :thumbsup:
WOW!!!!
Watched the last 6 minutes. Evansville made a few mistakes down the stretch, but their point guard was solid and they made big plays down the stretch. Great win that Evansville clearly earned.
College basketball non-conference scheduling can be pretty amusing. Evansville goes on the road and pulls off an amazing upset of the top-ranked team in the country...and two days later plays mighty IU-Kokomo at home.
On a different note, we should look forward to the home game in late January against Evansville. Freeman matched up against Sam Cunliffe will be really fun to watch.
Meanwhile, Loyola loses at home to Coppin State.
Quote from: vusupporter on November 12, 2019, 09:23:59 PM
Meanwhile, Loyola loses at home to Coppin State.
Wah Wah... :o :o
Some great highs:
Evansville over Kentucky
Illinois State over Belmont
Valpo over Toledo
Some serious lows:
Loyola's 1-2 start
Missouri State's loss to Little Rock
SIU losing to Delaware and Oakland
Hard to judge the MVC so far but there are still some good opportunities for many schools. I am SO EXCITED right now because of Evansville's victory tonight! If they can contend in the Valley they might be able to build a resume that catches people's eye.
and the realTimeRPI site is out this morning... and the new #1 team in the country is ..... NOT what you would expect
1 Illinois St. 2-0 0.9375 1 0.9167 Mvc 0-0
2 N. Carolina 2-0 0.9167 2 0.8889 Acc 1-0
3 George Mason 2-0 0.9062 3 0.8750 Atl10 0-0
4 Michigan 2-0 0.9062 4 0.8750 Big10 0-0
5 Fordham 1-0 0.8750 8 0.8333 Atl10 0-0
6 Kansas St. 2-0 0.8750 13 0.8333 Big12 0-0
7 Texas 3-0 0.8750 16 0.8333 Big12 0-0
8 Tennessee 2-0 0.8750 19 0.8333 Sec 0-0
9 California 1-0 0.8750 20 0.8333 Pac12 0-0
10 Boston Coll. 2-0 0.8750 22 0.8333 Acc 1-0
11 Virginia Tech 2-0 0.8542 26 0.8056 Acc 1-0
12 Ohio St. 2-0 0.8333 30 0.7778 Big10 0-0
13 Portland 1-1 0.8208 5 0.8611 Wcc 0-0
14 Kent St. 1-0 0.8125 31 0.7500 Midam 0-0
15 AR Litt Rock 1-1 0.8000 23 0.8333 Sbelt 0-0
16 UCLA 2-0 0.7917 39 0.7222 Pac12 0-0
17 Duke 3-0 0.7639 50 0.6852 Acc 0-0
18 LSU 1-0 0.7500 57 0.6667 Sec 0-0
19 TCU 1-0 0.7500 58 0.6667 Big12 0-0
20 S.F. Austin 1-0 0.7500 61 0.6667 Sland 0-0
21 Wyoming 1-1 0.7500 14 0.8333 Mwest 0-0
22 Old Dominion 1-1 0.7500 15 0.8333 Cusa 0-0
23 Evansville 2-0 0.7500 67 0.6667 Mvc 0-0
24 Virginia 2-0 0.7500 71 0.6667 Acc 1-0
25 Marquette 1-0 0.7500 72 0.6667 Bige 0-0
26 South Carol 2-0 0.7500 78 0.6667 Sec 0-0
27 USC 3-0 0.7465 80 0.6620 Pac12 0-0
28 Kentucky 2-1 0.7404 11 0.8333 Sec 0-0
29 St. John's 3-0 0.7292 87 0.6389 Bige 0-0
30 UMass 3-0 0.7222 92 0.6296 Atl10 0-0
31 Xavier 3-0 0.7222 93 0.6296 Bige 0-0
32 Clemson 2-1 0.7196 27 0.8056 Acc 0-1
33 Northern Iowa 2-0 0.7188 94 0.6250 Mvc 0-0
34 Cincinnati 1-1 0.7188 28 0.7917 Aac 0-0
35 Mississippi 2-0 0.7188 95 0.6250 Sec 0-0
36 Arkansas 2-0 0.7083 97 0.6111 Sec 0-0
37 Arizona 2-0 0.7083 99 0.6111 Pac12 0-0
38 Louisville 2-0 0.7083 104 0.6111 Acc 1-0
39 N.C. Wilmingn 1-1 0.7000 21 0.8333 Coln 0-0
40 Winthrop 2-1 0.6989 82 0.6574 Bsou 0-0
41 Rice 2-1 0.6923 74 0.6667 Cusa 0-0
42 Wichita St. 2-0 0.6875 109 0.5833 Aac 0-0
43 Georgia Tech 2-0 0.6875 110 0.5833 Acc 1-0
44 Washington 2-0 0.6875 111 0.5833 Pac12 0-0
45 S. Diego St. 2-0 0.6875 112 0.5833 Mwest 0-0
46 San Francisco 2-0 0.6875 114 0.5833 Wcc 0-0
47 James Madison 1-1 0.6875 37 0.7500 Coln 0-0
48 Northeastern 2-1 0.6854 81 0.6574 Coln 0-0
49 Nicholls 1-1 0.6750 68 0.6667 Sland 0-0
50 Illinois 2-1 0.6715 91 0.6389 Big10 0-0
51 Oregon 3-0 0.6667 124 0.5556 Pac12 0-0
52 Temple 2-0 0.6667 127 0.5556 Aac 0-0
53 E. Kentucky 1-1 0.6667 44 0.7222 Ovc 0-0
54 Saint Louis 2-0 0.6667 129 0.5556 Atl10 0-0
55 Utah 2-0 0.6615 132 0.5486 Pac12 0-0
56 Vermont 2-0 0.6562 134 0.5417 Aeast 0-0
57 Texas A&M 2-0 0.6562 136 0.5417 Sec 0-0
58 Florida St. 1-1 0.6542 89 0.6389 Acc 0-1
59 Valparaiso 2-1 0.6506 101 0.6111 Mvc 0-0
60 Harvard 1-1 0.6458 47 0.6944 Ivy 0-0
61 William-Mary 3-0 0.6389 140 0.5185 Coln 0-0
62 South Dakota 3-0 0.6354 145 0.5139 Summ 0-0
63 Delaware 3-0 0.6354 147 0.5139 Coln 0-0
64 Toledo 1-1 0.6333 100 0.6111 Midam 0-0
Loyola fell to 267... I was a bit concerned when I saw Eastern Michigan was ranked 353 of 354 teams... but they have not played any D1 schools yet (wins by 42 and 52 points over D2... and they play Michigan-Dearborn in their opener on Thursday.
MVC Stand up!
https://twitter.com/ESPNStatsInfo/status/1194438911239610368
And lest you think that has to do with former members from bygone times. Only ONE of those was from one of the MVC's defectors Wichita State's victory over Gonzaga in 2013. The other wins were by Evansville last night and UNI twice.
On the Loyola loss to Coppin State of the MEAC. Not making excuses for them, but some interesting points (i) Loyola only had 8 Scholly players healthy for the game, (ii) Coppin did not miss a FT down the stretch, (iii) Coppin is a well coached team with excellent shooters, Coached by Juan Dixon former Maryland standout, (iv) Coppin employed the foul before the shot strategy up 3 in the last 10 seconds, twice fouling the ball handler before Loyola could set up for a shot, Coppin knocked down their FTs after each time Loyola then fouled, (v) Loyola down 3 tried the "make then miss attempt" with 1.8 left and the shooter missed everything left, (vi) Loyola had given up a decent lead in the second half. The crowd was not all that great for LU, could see lots of empty seats for a good mid-major matchup, but not the greatest weather. Krutwig is having nice all-around numbers.
Coppin has had a good track record in D1, including 4 NCAA appearances. They had been coached for a very long time by Fang Mitchell, who was an excellent coach. The Valpo connection--current coach Dixon was a frosh when we played Maryland in the 1999 NCAA 1st round at Orlando. The year after the shot. We had a surprisingly good rebuild year with the emergence of Lubos Barton, including starting the year with wins over South Carolina and Seton Hall at the Hoosier Dome, but that #2 seeded Maryland team beat us 82-60 and then ended up losing in Sweet 16. Maryland had 3 NBA draft picks, Stevie Francis, Laron Profit and Obinna Ekezie. Lonny Baxter and Dixon were highly touted frosh. Oh and they also had Terrence Morris. They would win the Championship in 2002. The other side of the bracket in Orlando had Indiana and STJs (with the artist formerly known as Ron Artest). The Orlando pod also had Creighton coached by Dana Altman upsetting Denny Crum's Ville. Other coaches of note in the South region -- Gregg Marshall at Winthrop, Mike Jarvis at St Johns, Tom Penders at GWU, Jim Boeheim, Steve Lavin (UCLA), Eddie Sutton (Ok St). Detroit made it from the old MCC coached by Perry Watson.
and this morning's RealTimeRpi... top 5
Rank team D1Rec #### SOS SOS ### Conf. Conf. W-L
1 Virginia 2-0 0.9688 1 0.9583 Acc 1-0
2 Evansville 2-0 0.9375 2 0.9167 Mvc 0-0
3 Illinois St. 2-0 0.9375 3 0.9167 Mvc 0-0
4 N. Carolina 2-0 0.9167 4 0.8889 Acc 1-0
5 Michigan 2-0 0.9062 6 0.8750 Big10 0-0
Valpo climbed from 59 to 54, with SOS #87
North Dakota is #153
Eastern Michigan is LAST at #354.
MVC jumped from #16 to #10 in the conference ranking 16-10 against D1 opponents. Indiana State is the only MVC team without a D1 win, they go to Muncie on Saturday.
Our former conference fell to #29... 6-12 against D-1.
Quote from: talksalot on November 14, 2019, 10:03:22 AM
and this morning's RealTimeRpi... top 5
Rank team D1Rec #### SOS SOS ### Conf. Conf. W-L
1 Virginia 2-0 0.9688 1 0.9583 Acc 1-0
2 Evansville 2-0 0.9375 2 0.9167 Mvc 0-0
3 Illinois St. 2-0 0.9375 3 0.9167 Mvc 0-0
4 N. Carolina 2-0 0.9167 4 0.8889 Acc 1-0
5 Michigan 2-0 0.9062 6 0.8750 Big10 0-0
Valpo climbed from 59 to 54, with SOS #87
North Dakota is #153
Eastern Michigan is LAST at #354.
MVC jumped from #16 to #10 in the conference ranking 16-10 against D1 opponents. Indiana State is the only MVC team without a D1 win, they go to Muncie on Saturday.
Our former conference fell to #29... 6-12 against D-1.
There is a good lesson here for anyone who tries to generate conclusions from a small sample size.
Quote from: vu84v2 on November 14, 2019, 11:11:39 AMQuote from: talksalot on November 14, 2019, 10:03:22 AMand this morning's RealTimeRpi... top 5 Rank team D1Rec #### SOS SOS ### Conf. Conf. W-L 1 Virginia 2-0 0.9688 1 0.9583 Acc 1-0 2 Evansville 2-0 0.9375 2 0.9167 Mvc 0-0 3 Illinois St. 2-0 0.9375 3 0.9167 Mvc 0-0 4 N. Carolina 2-0 0.9167 4 0.8889 Acc 1-0 5 Michigan 2-0 0.9062 6 0.8750 Big10 0-0 Valpo climbed from 59 to 54, with SOS #87 North Dakota is #153 Eastern Michigan is LAST at #354. MVC jumped from #16 to #10 in the conference ranking 16-10 against D1 opponents. Indiana State is the only MVC team without a D1 win, they go to Muncie on Saturday. Our former conference fell to #29... 6-12 against D-1.
There is a good lesson here for anyone who tries to generate conclusions from a small sample size.
For the most part, this early in the season, any numbers from RPI, Sagarin, or Pomeroy, BPI, (or others) are not very helpful in sorting out the good from the bad.
But,
Showing these numbers historically over time will become meaningful over time.
Quote from: vu84v2 on November 14, 2019, 11:11:39 AM
Quote from: talksalot on November 14, 2019, 10:03:22 AM
and this morning's RealTimeRpi... top 5
Rank team D1Rec #### SOS SOS ### Conf. Conf. W-L
1 Virginia 2-0 0.9688 1 0.9583 Acc 1-0
2 Evansville 2-0 0.9375 2 0.9167 Mvc 0-0
3 Illinois St. 2-0 0.9375 3 0.9167 Mvc 0-0
4 N. Carolina 2-0 0.9167 4 0.8889 Acc 1-0
5 Michigan 2-0 0.9062 6 0.8750 Big10 0-0
Valpo climbed from 59 to 54, with SOS #87
North Dakota is #153
Eastern Michigan is LAST at #354.
MVC jumped from #16 to #10 in the conference ranking 16-10 against D1 opponents. Indiana State is the only MVC team without a D1 win, they go to Muncie on Saturday.
Our former conference fell to #29... 6-12 against D-1.
There is a good lesson here for anyone who tries to generate conclusions from a small sample size.
Also, RPI isn't even a thing anymore.
UNI plays #24 Colorado tonight in Boulder.
Let's see if this 8-1 Panther team is for real.
I'm rooting for them!!!
Panthers up 1 at halftime. Fortunately I have the PAC-12 network! :thumbsup:
Unfortunately I'm listening to Bill Walton. :'( I can't stand that guy!
Panthers up 9 early in the second half. I really hope that they can close the deal.
Tied with 4:15 left. Pretty poorly played game on both sides. Green only 5-14, but 4-8 from 3. Very 1-dimensional.
UNI scores the last 6 points to win by 3. Great finish!
Quote from: wh on December 10, 2019, 09:42:51 PMPretty poorly played game on both sides.
Were we watching the same game? Phyfe and Dahl will own anybody we place at center, Berhow will be extremely difficult to stop and Green received smothering defense and could still put up points! Even with Fazekas I don't see us matching up too well with Northern Iowa. They are going to be a handful!
Great win for UNI! Bill Walton has still probably not recognized that a 'Conference of Champions' team lost at home to an MVC team.
Quote from: vu84v2 on December 10, 2019, 10:26:26 PM
Great win for UNI! Bill Walton has still probably not recognized that a 'Conference of Champions' team lost at home to an MVC team.
Truth be known I'd selfishly like to see the Panthers lay an egg at Grand Canyon. ;)
Quote from: justducky on December 10, 2019, 10:19:19 PM
Quote from: wh on December 10, 2019, 09:42:51 PMPretty poorly played game on both sides.
Were we watching the same game? Phyfe and Dahl will own anybody we place at center, Berhow will be extremely difficult to stop and Green received smothering defense and could still put up points! Even with Fazekas I don't see us matching up too well with Northern Iowa. They are going to be a handful!
Dahl is a 7' role player who averages an anemic 3.8 PPG and 2.8 RPG in only 11 min. To his credit, he played the game of his life tonight with 7-7 FG and 6 rebounds in 19 min. Clearly, he was the x-factor in tonight's game. That said, the only way he should "own us" is if we totally ignore him the way Colorado did.
In any event, it was a very good win for them on the road against a good (not great) P5. And, of course they will be a handful. I would never think otherwise.
Quote from: justducky on December 10, 2019, 10:41:34 PMQuote from: vu84v2 on December 10, 2019, 10:26:26 PMGreat win for UNI! Bill Walton has still probably not recognized that a 'Conference of Champions' team lost at home to an MVC team.
Truth be known I'd selfishly like to see the Panthers lay an egg at Grand Canyon. ;)
Then you don't have the interests of the MVC and by extension Valpo at heart. This conference needs UNI to tear it up. They are clearly our best team. We want them in as high a seed as possible and possibly having a shot to make the MVC a multibid league again.
Quote from: VUGrad1314 on December 11, 2019, 08:52:11 AM
Quote from: justducky on December 10, 2019, 10:41:34 PMQuote from: vu84v2 on December 10, 2019, 10:26:26 PMGreat win for UNI! Bill Walton has still probably not recognized that a 'Conference of Champions' team lost at home to an MVC team.
Truth be known I'd selfishly like to see the Panthers lay an egg at Grand Canyon. ;)
Then you don't have the interests of the MVC and by extension Valpo at heart. This conference needs UNI to tear it up. They are clearly our best team. We want them in as high a seed as possible and possibly having a shot to make the MVC a multibid league again.
VUGrad needs a to go on a vacation and have a few drinks by the pool. Relax a bit. :)
Quote from: justducky on December 10, 2019, 10:19:19 PMWere we watching the same game? Phyfe and Dahl will own anybody we place at center, Berhow will be extremely difficult to stop and Green received smothering defense and could still put up points! Even with Fazekas I don't see us matching up too well with Northern Iowa. They are going to be a handful!
It does appear that Northern Iowa is shaping up to be the top team in the league. We split with them last year winning by 9 at home and losing by 11 away. They have improved and we have improved and while I would currently give them the edge based on their OOC schedule and returning players, I think our style change could make for an interesting contrast.
I see a lot of balance shaping up again.
But UNI has a good history and a great coach. Not a bad team to featured as a favorite if I had to pick a non-Valpo team.
Bradley and Wardle rank at the bottom of that list for me.
Quote from: FWalum on December 11, 2019, 09:53:21 AMIt does appear that Northern Iowa is shaping up to be the top team in the league. We split with them last year winning by 9 at home and losing by 11 away. They have improved and we have improved and while I would currently give them the edge based on their OOC schedule and returning players, I think our style change could make for an interesting contrast.
As usual, a very fair appraisal. I would add, without knowledge of the new players at UNI, that the players we have added since last year, are proving to be significantly better than the players who chose to play elsewhere. At the very least they are currently more effective because both of our departed 7 footers are out with injuries. Our style of play is WAY different than last year as well. It should prove to be challenging for the rest of the league. Time will tell...
Quote from: VUGrad1314 on December 11, 2019, 08:52:11 AMQuote from: justducky on December 10, 2019, 10:41:34 PMQuote from: vu84v2 on December 10, 2019, 10:26:26 PMGreat win for UNI! Bill Walton has still probably not recognized that a 'Conference of Champions' team lost at home to an MVC team.
Truth be known I'd selfishly like to see the Panthers lay an egg at Grand Canyon. ;)
Then you don't have the interests of the MVC and by extension Valpo at heart. This conference needs UNI to tear it up. They are clearly our best team. We want them in as high a seed as possible and possibly having a shot to make the MVC a multibid league again.
https://www.espn.com/mens-college-basketball/boxscore?gameId=401173623 (https://www.espn.com/mens-college-basketball/boxscore?gameId=401173623)
Good. Stay strong UNI the MVC needs you!
Quote from: VUGrad1314 on December 13, 2019, 01:22:27 PM
Quote from: VUGrad1314 on December 11, 2019, 08:52:11 AMQuote from: justducky on December 10, 2019, 10:41:34 PMQuote from: vu84v2 on December 10, 2019, 10:26:26 PMGreat win for UNI! Bill Walton has still probably not recognized that a 'Conference of Champions' team lost at home to an MVC team.
Truth be known I'd selfishly like to see the Panthers lay an egg at Grand Canyon. ;)
Then you don't have the interests of the MVC and by extension Valpo at heart. This conference needs UNI to tear it up. They are clearly our best team. We want them in as high a seed as possible and possibly having a shot to make the MVC a multibid league again.
https://www.espn.com/mens-college-basketball/boxscore?gameId=401173623 (https://www.espn.com/mens-college-basketball/boxscore?gameId=401173623)
Good. Stay strong UNI the MVC needs you!
I watched most of the game but threw in the towel early and went to bed. :snore: I have watched a lot of Valley basketball and there is no longer any doubt in my mind who the best team is. With Fazekas we are good enough to upset them but everything will need to click! Thankfully that will be true of every other Valley challenger so a top half Valley finish is not unimaginable.
Quote from: justducky on December 13, 2019, 04:55:14 PMQuote from: VUGrad1314 on December 13, 2019, 01:22:27 PMQuote from: VUGrad1314 on December 11, 2019, 08:52:11 AMQuote from: justducky on December 10, 2019, 10:41:34 PMQuote from: vu84v2 on December 10, 2019, 10:26:26 PMGreat win for UNI! Bill Walton has still probably not recognized that a 'Conference of Champions' team lost at home to an MVC team.
Truth be known I'd selfishly like to see the Panthers lay an egg at Grand Canyon. ;)
Then you don't have the interests of the MVC and by extension Valpo at heart. This conference needs UNI to tear it up. They are clearly our best team. We want them in as high a seed as possible and possibly having a shot to make the MVC a multibid league again.
https://www.espn.com/mens-college-basketball/boxscore?gameId=401173623 (https://www.espn.com/mens-college-basketball/boxscore?gameId=401173623) Good. Stay strong UNI the MVC needs you!
I watched most of the game but threw in the towel early and went to bed. :snore: I have watched a lot of Valley basketball and there is no longer any doubt in my mind who the best team is. With Fazekas we are good enough to upset them but everything will need to click! Thankfully that will be true of every other Valley challenger so a top half Valley finish is not unimaginable.
Their bigs are for real.
Quote from: justducky on December 13, 2019, 04:55:14 PM
Quote from: VUGrad1314 on December 13, 2019, 01:22:27 PM
Quote from: VUGrad1314 on December 11, 2019, 08:52:11 AMQuote from: justducky on December 10, 2019, 10:41:34 PMQuote from: vu84v2 on December 10, 2019, 10:26:26 PMGreat win for UNI! Bill Walton has still probably not recognized that a 'Conference of Champions' team lost at home to an MVC team.
Truth be known I'd selfishly like to see the Panthers lay an egg at Grand Canyon. ;)
Then you don't have the interests of the MVC and by extension Valpo at heart. This conference needs UNI to tear it up. They are clearly our best team. We want them in as high a seed as possible and possibly having a shot to make the MVC a multibid league again.
https://www.espn.com/mens-college-basketball/boxscore?gameId=401173623 (https://www.espn.com/mens-college-basketball/boxscore?gameId=401173623)
Good. Stay strong UNI the MVC needs you!
I watched most of the game but threw in the towel early and went to bed. :snore: I have watched a lot of Valley basketball and there is no longer any doubt in my mind who the best team is. With Fazekas we are good enough to upset them but everything will need to click! Thankfully that will be true of every other Valley challenger so a top half Valley finish is not unimaginable.
So, you're hoping for a top half finish? How about hoping for a championship?
In all due respect, you, '1314, and maybe a couple of others sound more like sports analysts than die-hard Valpo fans. We have plenty of time to resign ourselves to failure. What's the hurry?
I'm a fan of Valpo but also of the MVC as a whole and have been for a long time. I've stated before that it was a dream of mine since I was in middle school that Valpo would one day be in the MVC. I want them to compete I want them to invest in building the program and correct the mistake of the post-98 apathy. Unfortunately even now while they are improving in this department it is not fast enough and we are losing momentum. If Valpo won't or can't invest in its basketball program then we need help from our conference mates through tournament credits to make some of the smaller projects happen while we wait on the bigger stuff. That is what I'm after. A little assistance boosting the athletic budget so that we can all have what we want and enjoy a consistently competitive team because it doesn't seem like we can get there in a timely manner by ourselves. If that makes me "sound like an analyst" so be it but I will not have my status as a fan\allegiance to my alma mater questioned. You can be critical and even pessimistic and still be a loyal fan as many have demonstrated in the past. When I have reason for optimism--either through concrete investment in the program or on-court success--I will be right there cheering proudly and happily like everyone else; but until then, I am in my own way looking out for the program's best interests which go far beyond any petty rivalry or individual game on the court. I will never root against Valpo in any contest but while I would be ecstatic for the win and what it might mean for the growth of our program on the court, I would be a little bit disappointed if we severely damaged the resume of a legitimate at large candidate from the MVC. How could I not be with this long-term view in mind? Look, if VU cared more about athletics on the whole and had demonstrated a history throughout the years of investment and commitment I wouldn't have to take this view but we play the cards we're dealt. Call me whatever you want but do not call me someone who does not love or care about this university and its athletic programs or someone who does not want what is best for them and to see them do well.
Quote from: VUGrad1314 on December 14, 2019, 03:46:38 AM
I'm a fan of Valpo but also of the MVC as a whole and have been for a long time. I've stated before that it was a dream of mine since I was in middle school that Valpo would one day be in the MVC. I want them to compete I want them to invest in building the program and correct the mistake of the post-98 apathy. Unfortunately even now while they are improving in this department it is not fast enough and we are losing momentum. If Valpo won't or can't invest in its basketball program then we need help from our conference mates through tournament credits to make some of the smaller projects happen while we wait on the bigger stuff. That is what I'm after. A little assistance boosting the athletic budget so that we can all have what we want and enjoy a consistently competitive team because it doesn't seem like we can get there in a timely manner by ourselves. If that makes me "sound like an analyst" so be it but I will not have my status as a fan\allegiance to my alma mater questioned. You can be critical and even pessimistic and still be a loyal fan as many have demonstrated in the past. When I have reason for optimism--either through concrete investment in the program or on-court success--I will be right there cheering proudly and happily like everyone else; but until then, I am in my own way looking out for the program's best interests which go far beyond any petty rivalry or individual game on the court. I will never root against Valpo in any contest but while I would be ecstatic for the win and what it might mean for the growth of our program on the court, I would be a little bit disappointed if we severely damaged the resume of a legitimate at large candidate from the MVC. How could I not be with this long-term view in mind? Look, if VU cared more about athletics on the whole and had demonstrated a history throughout the years of investment and commitment I wouldn't have to take this view but we play the cards we're dealt. Call me whatever you want but do not call me someone who does not love or care about this university and its athletic programs or someone who does not want what is best for them and to see them do well.
I'm with you but...I don't agree that we haven't been a "consistently competitive team". Since 98 we have played in a post-season tournament 13 times and in the NCAAs six times. I doubt anyone in The Valley has that record. So, we have been successful in the conference we played in. We are now in our third year in the Valley and WILL be competitive this year.
It is just to early to declare that we won't be competitive because it takes some time to adjust to a higher level of play. Comfy seats in the ARC won't win basketball games. Players win games. We are clearly moving in the right direction and I suspect we will be hearing about ARC improvements shortly.
Couple of Interesting games on the slate (looks like a 1-1 day)
Evansville heads to Green Bay, Aces are 2.5 favorites
Drake (8-2) going into #14 Dayton (7-1) ... Flyers are 16 point favorites.
Tomorrow: (2-3 would be expected and anything over than would be a nice pick up)
Norfolk State goes to Loyola
Illinois State at Northern Kentucky
Georgia Southern at Bradley
Missouri State at VCU
Southern Illinois at Missouri
Monday:
In addition to the game in Charlotte; Evansville continues their road trip to Jacksonville State in Alabama... THAT can't be an easy logistical road trip.... over 900 miles from the Resch Center. Jax State is over a one-hour drive from either ATL or BHM airports... there is one non-stop from gbay to atl... 5:32am departure. oh to be young again.
GB -2.0 currently
If I bet (and I don't so don't take this as advice at all because it's not) I would gladly take Evansville +2. I think they're the better team and I think they're going to win that game.
I believe that Green Bay is the betting favorite by 2.5
Exactly picking the better team (Evansville) AND getting points for it sounds pretty sweet if betting is your thing.
QuoteExactly picking the better team (Evansville) AND getting points for it sounds pretty sweet if betting is your thing.
Looks like each team's offense is much better than each opposing team's defense. Almost a wash. Green Bay has home court advantage. Edge to GB
Looks like Evansville will win.
A lot of upsets today. Day after Friday the 13th.
Evansville 72 Green Bay 62
Dayton 78 Drake 47 (ouch)
Quote from: VUGrad1314 on December 14, 2019, 03:46:38 AM
I'm a fan of Valpo but also of the MVC as a whole and have been for a long time. I've stated before that it was a dream of mine since I was in middle school that Valpo would one day be in the MVC. I want them to compete I want them to invest in building the program and correct the mistake of the post-98 apathy. Unfortunately even now while they are improving in this department it is not fast enough and we are losing momentum. If Valpo won't or can't invest in its basketball program then we need help from our conference mates through tournament credits to make some of the smaller projects happen while we wait on the bigger stuff. That is what I'm after. A little assistance boosting the athletic budget so that we can all have what we want and enjoy a consistently competitive team because it doesn't seem like we can get there in a timely manner by ourselves. If that makes me "sound like an analyst" so be it but I will not have my status as a fan\allegiance to my alma mater questioned. You can be critical and even pessimistic and still be a loyal fan as many have demonstrated in the past. When I have reason for optimism--either through concrete investment in the program or on-court success--I will be right there cheering proudly and happily like everyone else; but until then, I am in my own way looking out for the program's best interests which go far beyond any petty rivalry or individual game on the court. I will never root against Valpo in any contest but while I would be ecstatic for the win and what it might mean for the growth of our program on the court, I would be a little bit disappointed if we severely damaged the resume of a legitimate at large candidate from the MVC. How could I not be with this long-term view in mind? Look, if VU cared more about athletics on the whole and had demonstrated a history throughout the years of investment and commitment I wouldn't have to take this view but we play the cards we're dealt. Call me whatever you want but do not call me someone who does not love or care about this university and its athletic programs or someone who does not want what is best for them and to see them do well.
VUGrad1314 can you elaborate more on this comment please how you are looking out for the programs best interests which go far beyond any petty rivalry. Are you not for Valpo having a rivalry? Is having a rivalry not part of the basketball game experience for players and fans? Do you not miss the days Butler came to NW Indiana and the ARC was full of brown and gold fans filled to the rafters?
I'm absolutely for having a rivalry, especially once we are good enough to actually make it a real rivalry. I would love to see one (or more) top 25 teams visit Valpo each year and get the stands packed and rowdy like the Butler days but as long as we're not actively contributing to the on-court success in basketball for the MVC and actually sharing in its multibid aspirations I want the best teams to step forward it's that simple. When it's us it's us but we are all served when the best teams in our conference are set up for success in March. This year that's UNI with Bradley probably being second they've looked really good recently.
Quote from: VUGrad1314 on December 16, 2019, 09:05:47 AMThis year that's UNI with Bradley probably being second
We split with both of these teams last year with our crappy team. They may be improved but so are we!
There's only one MVC At large contender and that's UNI (NET 28) Indiana State (85) is the only other team inside the top 100 but everyone else is inside the top 200 except for SIU. Valpo checks in right now at 136 5th highest in the conference just a few spots behind Missouri State and Bradley and 15 spots ahead of Illinois State. Maybe we are on our way up...
Quote from: vu72 on December 16, 2019, 10:55:13 AM
Quote from: VUGrad1314 on December 16, 2019, 09:05:47 AMThis year that's UNI with Bradley probably being second
We split with both of these teams last year with our crappy team. They may be improved but so are we!
I'm not a sports analyst and I didn't stay in a Holiday Inn Express last night, so I can't even pretend. I'm just a biased Valpo fan, who happens to think that the Crusaders can and will compete for a conference championship this year. I'm not about wait till next year, as if it's not not our turn, or something. I'm not about a 3-year plan that could blow up tomorrow. I'm about the present - right now. I'm not about cautiously tempering my expectations or excitement or anticipation because of what we've been through the past 2 years (insert abused child cowering in the corner picture here). And, you know who agrees with me, guaranteed? Matt Lottich, his entire coaching staff, and every player from Javon down to the last guy on the Crusader bench. And, I'm not talking about pipe dreaming like Indiana State, I'm talking really truly believing they are good enough to win the MVC championship this year. If that's where they're at, that's where I'm at. It's time to man up and show some raw excitement about this team. Just my $.02.
Quote from: wh on December 16, 2019, 02:18:48 PM
Quote from: vu72 on December 16, 2019, 10:55:13 AM
Quote from: VUGrad1314 on December 16, 2019, 09:05:47 AMThis year that's UNI with Bradley probably being second
We split with both of these teams last year with our crappy team. They may be improved but so are we!
I'm not a sports analyst and I didn't stay in a Holiday Inn Express last night, so I can't even pretend. I'm just a biased Valpo fan, who happens to think that the Crusaders can and will compete for a conference championship this year. I'm not about wait till next year, as if it's not not our turn, or something. I'm not about a 3-year plan that could blow up tomorrow. I'm about the present - right now. I'm not about cautiously tempering my expectations or excitement or anticipation because of what we've been through the past 2 years (insert abused child cowering in the corner picture here). And, you know who agrees with me, guaranteed? Matt Lottich, his entire coaching staff, and every player from Javon down to the last guy on the Crusader bench. And, I'm not talking about pipe dreaming like Indiana State, I'm talking really truly believing they are good enough to win the MVC championship this year. If that's where they're at, that's where I'm at. It's time to man up and show some raw excitement about this team. Just my $.02.
I can get very excited about our team without believing we are the best or the deepest or the most experienced. Obviously we have some shortcomings --- BUT---- If Fazekas and Freeman can play the Valley season without major injury and illness, ---AND--- minor injuries for the rest of the team are minimal, and we catch our share of the game deciding breaks; ONLY THEN--- are we right in the thick of it! I state this with the hope and expectation that all of our top half Valley competitors get and stay fully healthy as well! :thumbsup:
MVC Other-Than-Valpo Upcoming games
Monday
Evansville at Jacksonville State (Aces Favored by 4 on the road)
Tuesday
Mount Marty (NAIA, 13-2 including 6-1 on the road, averaging 90+ points per game) at Drake
Wednesday
Loyola At Vanderbilt (CBS SportsNet)
Tennessee State at Indiana State
UIC (Don't call us Illinois Chicago anymore) at Illinois State
Hampton at Southern Illinois
Saturday - some winnable "separation" games here...
Bradley at Miami Ohio
Illinois State at UT-San Antonio
Murray State at Evansville
Drake at Air Force
SE Missouri at Southern Illinois
Missouri State at Oral Roberts
From MVC board. A Sycamore fan joined an obscure Jacksonville St board to high-five and celebrate the Gamecocks win over Evansville. Where do these crazies come from? :rotfl:
http://gojaxstate.boards.net/thread/4963/evansville-game
Quote from: talksalot on December 16, 2019, 04:43:13 PMTuesday
Mount Marty (NAIA, 13-2 including 6-1 on the road, averaging 90+ points per game) at Drake
There for a while I thought you were using a nickname for a well established NAIA program like Mount Martin. Sure enough there is an NAIA program in South Dakota by the name of Mount Marty.
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mount_Marty_College
The Mount Marty "Lancers" are part of the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA), primarily competing in the Great Plains Athletic Conference (GPAC). Men's sports include archery, baseball, basketball, cross country, football, golf, soccer, tennis, and track & field. Women's sports include archery, basketball, cross country, golf, soccer, softball, tennis, track & field, and volleyball.
The Ramblers took care of business and beat the Commodores 78-70 in Phoenix
and the valley swept last night 5-0... now if we can sweep on Saturday...
Bradley at Miami Ohio
Illinois State at UT-San Antonio
Murray State at Evansville
Drake at Air Force
SE Missouri at Southern Illinois
Missouri State at Oral Roberts
and the other game in North Little Rock.
I'm looking at a 5-2 day...
[tweet]1208865542381154304[/tweet]
So, Valpo fans should be pulling for UNI to beat Valpo twice? That seems odd, but I guess I'm just a stupid fan.
Quote from: EddieCabot on December 22, 2019, 04:29:07 PM
[tweet]1208865542381154304[/tweet]
So, Valpo fans should be pulling for UNI to beat Valpo twice? That seems odd, but I guess I'm just a stupid fan.
I fixed Paul's statement for him:
Everyone at Valley Conference Headquarters In St. Louis should be pulling for UNI to run the table before losing in conference title game on last second shot. Multiple bids. Every Valley Conference fan should be rooting for their own program to win as many games as they can, and let the chips fall where they may. #MVCHoops What is it with this "globalist, greater good" mindset? From a Valpo perspective, nothing is more important than winning basketball games. Paul and '1314 need to stop thinking. Good grief.
Gotta be the first use of "globalist" on a basketball board.
I for one do believe basketballs should be globes.
Make Valpo great again! ;)
Quote from: NativeCheesehead on December 22, 2019, 06:10:44 PM
Gotta be the first use of "globalist" on a basketball board.
I for one do believe basketballs should be globes.
Cheesy.
Quote from: wh on December 22, 2019, 06:20:00 PM
Make Valpo great again! ;)
And then keep Valpo great.
Quote from: EddieCabot on December 22, 2019, 04:29:07 PMSo, Valpo fans should be pulling for UNI to beat Valpo twice? That seems odd, but I guess I'm just a stupid fan.
I'll answer that with a yes. ;)
Quote from: wh on December 22, 2019, 05:25:09 PMFrom a Valpo perspective, nothing is more important than winning basketball games. Paul and '1314 need to stop thinking. Good grief.
I'll answer that with another yes! Sometimes the more I think the stupider I get! :crazy: Besides that I just posted on the MVC Fan Board a speculation that UNI might be able to receive an at large with a 14-4 record. Best of luck to them but I think that reaching 14-4 will take some doing! The target is on their backs and even Butler lost 5 HL games on their way to their second national championship battle.
Quote from: EddieCabot on December 22, 2019, 04:29:07 PM
So, Valpo fans should be pulling for UNI to beat Valpo twice? That seems odd, but I guess I'm just a stupid fan.
I think it's beat Valpo twice and then lose to Valpo in the Arch Madness championship game.
So having two credits guaranteed (same as winning a first round game) before either of them plays a game so there's a chance for an even greater multiplier effect is somehow bad for us when it's not us competing for the bid? Being part of a multibid league helps recruiting and raises institutional profiles across the conference. "A rising tide lifts all boats." So yes for the perception of the MVC as a whole we need UNI to be good enough to get an at large bid. Now if they win out and end up a 6 or 7 or 10 or 11 or whatever and get a great draw then that's fantastic as well but it is best for a conference--for ALL TEAMS IN THAT CONFERENCE--to send its best teams or to have its best teams be good enough not to have to depend on the conference tournament. Having a team get a 14 or a 15 seed and getting blown out in the first round does nothing for recruiting and that would likely be our fate this year if we got in as the sole representative. Or have we already forgotten how painful it was back in 15-16 that the league we were in was so bad that it offered us no help when we tripped in the conference tournament and we missed out on what honestly would likely have been AT LEAST another Sweet 16 run? That's the point of being in the MVC. Making sure that doesn't happen again. That happening to UNI this year would be an absolute travesty and would hurt Valpo and the entire conference because we lose out on money we sorely need and could have gotten. In a way the MVC sending its best team is the best way to solve our budget issues until donors finally step up.
Did anyone notice that North Dakota beat Nebraska at Lincoln over the weekend?
Quote from: VUGrad1314 on December 22, 2019, 11:53:02 PM
So having two credits guaranteed (same as winning a first round game) before either of them plays a game so there's a chance for an even greater multiplier effect is somehow bad for us when it's not us competing for the bid? Being part of a multibid league helps recruiting and raises institutional profiles across the conference. "A rising tide lifts all boats." So yes for the perception of the MVC as a whole we need UNI to be good enough to get an at large bid. Now if they win out and end up a 6 or 7 or 10 or 11 or whatever and get a great draw then that's fantastic as well but it is best for a conference--for ALL TEAMS IN THAT CONFERENCE--to send its best teams or to have its best teams be good enough not to have to depend on the conference tournament. Having a team get a 14 or a 15 seed and getting blown out in the first round does nothing for recruiting and that would likely be our fate this year if we got in as the sole representative. Or have we already forgotten how painful it was back in 15-16 that the league we were in was so bad that it offered us no help when we tripped in the conference tournament and we missed out on what honestly would likely have been AT LEAST another Sweet 16 run? That's the point of being in the MVC. Making sure that doesn't happen again. That happening to UNI this year would be an absolute travesty and would hurt Valpo and the entire conference because we lose out on money we sorely need and could have gotten. In a way the MVC sending its best team is the best way to solve our budget issues until donors finally step up.
I swear I think we need to send you and Paul Oren to a Chinese internment camp to get your minds right. To say that WE - VALPO - THE CRUSADERS - THE TEAM YOU'RE SUPPOSEDLY A FAN OF - would be better off not playing in the NCAA tournament in favor of another team with a better record is absolutely crazy talk. The team that represents the conference is the DIRECT beneficiary of that honor and everything that goes with it. The other 9 teams are INDIRECT beneficiaries of the DIRECT beneficiary. INDIRECT beneficiaries never gain more than DIRECT beneficiaries. Period. It NEVER pays more to lose than to win. Offer up any seeding scenario you want, and you will always be wrong. Don't you believe that Matt Lottich and Mark LaBarbara would fully agree with me, or maybe you think deep inside they're secretly rooting for Northern Iowa to run the table if they can get a better seed for the conference? Or, maybe they're so "Valpo focused" they can't see the forest for the trees, like Oren and you can?
Quote from: VUGrad1314 on December 22, 2019, 11:53:02 PM
So having two credits guaranteed (same as winning a first round game) before either of them plays a game so there's a chance for an even greater multiplier effect is somehow bad for us when it's not us competing for the bid? Being part of a multibid league helps recruiting and raises institutional profiles across the conference. "A rising tide lifts all boats." So yes for the perception of the MVC as a whole we need UNI to be good enough to get an at large bid. Now if they win out and end up a 6 or 7 or 10 or 11 or whatever and get a great draw then that's fantastic as well but it is best for a conference--for ALL TEAMS IN THAT CONFERENCE--to send its best teams or to have its best teams be good enough not to have to depend on the conference tournament. Having a team get a 14 or a 15 seed and getting blown out in the first round does nothing for recruiting and that would likely be our fate this year if we got in as the sole representative. Or have we already forgotten how painful it was back in 15-16 that the league we were in was so bad that it offered us no help when we tripped in the conference tournament and we missed out on what honestly would likely have been AT LEAST another Sweet 16 run? That's the point of being in the MVC. Making sure that doesn't happen again. That happening to UNI this year would be an absolute travesty and would hurt Valpo and the entire conference because we lose out on money we sorely need and could have gotten. In a way the MVC sending its best team is the best way to solve our budget issues until donors finally step up.
How much has Valpo benefitted in facilities and recruiting from Loyola's F4 run? How much did they benefit from Butler's 2? The only schools that really benefit from those runs are the schools that make them. Gonzaga clearly hasn't raised all boats in the WCC.
From a league perspective, there's no doubt UNI getting an at large bid is better for business, but short of the league rep(s) making extended runs every single year, there won't be enough to fund capital spending on the ARC in any significant way. If the league divides Loyola's credits equally between schools and league office, that's $128k extra in Valpo's budget per year. That's a couple of buy games.
Valpo would benefit from winning the conference tourney and dashing whoever the dominant team's hopes much more than telling kids "we play in a league with other teams that make runs". Play them the tournament highlights and show the Crusaders raising the trophy. That's what will get kids and donors excited.
Quote from: NativeCheesehead on December 22, 2019, 06:10:44 PM
Gotta be the first use of "globalist" on a basketball board.
I for one do believe basketballs should be globes.
World B. Free!
Best post of the day right there......maybe the month.
What was his real name?.....Lloyd?
Then more recnetlly some guy on the Lakers changed his name to a similar save the world name. That was brutal.
Quote from: VUGrad1314 on December 22, 2019, 11:53:02 PM
So having two credits guaranteed (same as winning a first round game) before either of them plays a game so there's a chance for an even greater multiplier effect is somehow bad for us when it's not us competing for the bid? Being part of a multibid league helps recruiting and raises institutional profiles across the conference. "A rising tide lifts all boats." So yes for the perception of the MVC as a whole we need UNI to be good enough to get an at large bid. Now if they win out and end up a 6 or 7 or 10 or 11 or whatever and get a great draw then that's fantastic as well but it is best for a conference--for ALL TEAMS IN THAT CONFERENCE--to send its best teams or to have its best teams be good enough not to have to depend on the conference tournament. Having a team get a 14 or a 15 seed and getting blown out in the first round does nothing for recruiting and that would likely be our fate this year if we got in as the sole representative. Or have we already forgotten how painful it was back in 15-16 that the league we were in was so bad that it offered us no help when we tripped in the conference tournament and we missed out on what honestly would likely have been AT LEAST another Sweet 16 run? That's the point of being in the MVC. Making sure that doesn't happen again. That happening to UNI this year would be an absolute travesty and would hurt Valpo and the entire conference because we lose out on money we sorely need and could have gotten. In a way the MVC sending its best team is the best way to solve our budget issues until donors finally step up.
I've told this story before but, given this quote I'll tell it again. This goes back to when Tom Smith was our coach and Cleveland State was playing great and had made a run in the Tourney, think early 80's. Valpo is very new to D1 and struggling to get off the ground. Robert Schnabel is Valpo's President, and Dr. Schnabel apparently didn't know much about basketball. So I ran into Tom and we had a chat about the state of affairs at Valpo concerning basketball. He relayed a conversation he had had with Dr. Schnabel concerning Cleveland State's success and how that brought money into Valpo's pocket as well as the rest of the conference. Dr. Schnabel's response: "Well, let's hope Cleveland State does well again this year". True story.
Quote from: vu72 on December 23, 2019, 01:00:00 PM
Quote from: VUGrad1314 on December 22, 2019, 11:53:02 PM
So having two credits guaranteed (same as winning a first round game) before either of them plays a game so there's a chance for an even greater multiplier effect is somehow bad for us when it's not us competing for the bid? Being part of a multibid league helps recruiting and raises institutional profiles across the conference. "A rising tide lifts all boats." So yes for the perception of the MVC as a whole we need UNI to be good enough to get an at large bid. Now if they win out and end up a 6 or 7 or 10 or 11 or whatever and get a great draw then that's fantastic as well but it is best for a conference--for ALL TEAMS IN THAT CONFERENCE--to send its best teams or to have its best teams be good enough not to have to depend on the conference tournament. Having a team get a 14 or a 15 seed and getting blown out in the first round does nothing for recruiting and that would likely be our fate this year if we got in as the sole representative. Or have we already forgotten how painful it was back in 15-16 that the league we were in was so bad that it offered us no help when we tripped in the conference tournament and we missed out on what honestly would likely have been AT LEAST another Sweet 16 run? That's the point of being in the MVC. Making sure that doesn't happen again. That happening to UNI this year would be an absolute travesty and would hurt Valpo and the entire conference because we lose out on money we sorely need and could have gotten. In a way the MVC sending its best team is the best way to solve our budget issues until donors finally step up.
I've told this story before but, given this quote I'll tell it again. This goes back to when Tom Smith was our coach and Cleveland State was playing great and had made a run in the Tourney, think early 80's. Valpo is very new to D1 and struggling to get off the ground. Robert Schnabel is Valpo's President, and Dr. Schnabel apparently didn't know much about basketball. So I ran into Tom and we had a chat about the state of affairs at Valpo concerning basketball. He relayed a conversation he had had with Dr. Schnabel concerning Cleveland State's success and how that brought money into Valpo's pocket as well as the rest of the conference. Dr. Schnabel's response: "Well, let's hope Cleveland State does well again this year". True story.
This is exactly what I am talking about. Complete apathy and disregard (dare I say contempt?) for building a valuable winning program. Do you honestly think the attitude among Valpo's decision makers has changed much since then? I sure don't. If it had we wouldn't be talking about the same fixes and needs for 25-30 years and we would actually have a real plan to address those needs. If this is the attitude of Valpo's administration then I am taking the approach that at least gives us some hope of seeing things addressed properly. ll I am doing is going in the direction I feel I am being led and trying to think about the best interests of the program in that light. Of course it would be bet if we could go on that sort of run again but unless and until it happens we should be happy to send a team that can go on that sort of run and help us out indirectly. Meanwhile if we really cared we should be working to secure donors and whatever else is needed to make this team consistently into the type of program that can make these runs for itself. But until we are ready to commit to that path we should accept and be grateful for outside help because it's the only way anything positive is getting done that I can see.
I'll have to digest this non con over XMas. But honestly, this team feels like they could finish anywhere from 2nd to 9th. I don't know what to expect. It's both exciting and concerning at the same time.
Quote from: VUGrad1314 on December 22, 2019, 11:53:02 PM
So having two credits guaranteed (same as winning a first round game) before either of them plays a game so there's a chance for an even greater multiplier effect is somehow bad for us when it's not us competing for the bid? Being part of a multibid league helps recruiting and raises institutional profiles across the conference. "A rising tide lifts all boats." So yes for the perception of the MVC as a whole we need UNI to be good enough to get an at large bid. Now if they win out and end up a 6 or 7 or 10 or 11 or whatever and get a great draw then that's fantastic as well but it is best for a conference--for ALL TEAMS IN THAT CONFERENCE--to send its best teams or to have its best teams be good enough not to have to depend on the conference tournament. Having a team get a 14 or a 15 seed and getting blown out in the first round does nothing for recruiting and that would likely be our fate this year if we got in as the sole representative. Or have we already forgotten how painful it was back in 15-16 that the league we were in was so bad that it offered us no help when we tripped in the conference tournament and we missed out on what honestly would likely have been AT LEAST another Sweet 16 run? That's the point of being in the MVC. Making sure that doesn't happen again. That happening to UNI this year would be an absolute travesty and would hurt Valpo and the entire conference because we lose out on money we sorely need and could have gotten. In a way the MVC sending its best team is the best way to solve our budget issues until donors finally step up.
Quote from: NativeCheesehead on December 23, 2019, 08:15:09 PM
I'll have to digest this non con over XMas. But honestly, this team feels like they could finish anywhere from 2nd to 9th. I don't know what to expect. It's both exciting and concerning at the same time.
My guess at beginning of year was 7th and still is 7th. It's what to do with Matt Lottich when that happens is the key question at that point.
Quote from: NativeCheesehead on December 23, 2019, 08:15:09 PM
I'll have to digest this non con over XMas. But honestly, this team feels like they could finish anywhere from 2nd to 9th. I don't know what to expect. It's both exciting and concerning at the same time.
I can find very few team issues which would push me toward pessimism. :thumbsup: We have weathered the mass defections better than expected! Our bar for gauging Valley success is ridiculously low. Morgan and Gordon are suddenly playing towards the levels that Matt anticipated. We have our best freshman class since
Alec and Company and we played some surprisingly good basketball during our OOC schedule. Lastly but most importantly, we are nearing the return for Fazekas. :o
As long as we get and stay reasonably healthy, nothing in the above suggests lower than a 10-8 Valley finish and Freeman-Liberty is a wild card who could carry us near the top.
I expect a lot of Valley fans to be eating a lot of poorly chosen words about our prospects. :) Enjoy it!
I was just looking at some Loyola stats, and came away thoroughly unimpressed. For instance, Loyola's 5 losses come against teams with a combined winning percentage just north of .550. Valpo's 6 losses were all against teams with winning records and a combined 50-20 (.714). The teams Valpo beat have a better winning percentage, as well. And, of course, Valpo's record comes with key players missing; Loyola's doesn't. This is pretty much a must win at home for Valpo, as I don't see Loyola as much more than a middlin MVC team this year.
Loyola beat an SEC team earlier this year. Krautwig is the real deal with his versatiliity and clutch play.
However, I think our upside is just as high as theirs and UNI. JFL's personal upside seems highest in the MVC. We just need to prove we can get to Loyola's level when it counts and stay there.
I don't see any self-inflicted stupidity yet this year. That's a plus.
Quote from: wh on December 26, 2019, 03:07:01 PM
I was just looking at some Loyola stats, and came away thoroughly unimpressed. For instance, Loyola's 5 losses come against teams with a combined winning percentage just north of .550. Valpo's 6 losses were all against teams with winning records and a combined 50-20 (.714). The teams Valpo beat have a better winning percentage, as well. And, of course, Valpo's record comes with key players missing; Loyola's doesn't. This is pretty much a must win at home for Valpo, as I don't see Loyola as much more than a middlin MVC team this year.
Forget their record. They are just now getting fully healthy after more injuries than we have had.
I watched their Davidson loss this morning (replay) and they scare me to death. Williamson did go down and not return but it looked like the injury might be relatively minor. If Robinson is 100% I think we can compete and if Fazekas is also in uniform maybe we even have a slight momentum edge! I am really looking forward to this one regardless of who is or isn't suited up.
Why don't you start the game thread because I am lacking the confidence to do so!
Any news on Fazekas?
Quote from: valpo64 on December 26, 2019, 04:04:28 PM
Any news on Fazekas?
Progressing nicely
Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
Barring foul trouble, Krutwig should go for 30/15 against us. But if the rest of the team is held in check we got a shot. Be curious to see how many Loyola brings down for the game.
Yeah Don't feel good about this one. Krutwig will feast inside with all of the high percentage looks he can handle. Which takes a ton of pressure off their shooters. If their shooters have even a decent night I don't see us getting the win. We have no answer to Krutwig so the best thing we can do is try to keep their shooters from going off.
Quote from: wh on December 26, 2019, 03:07:01 PM
I was just looking at some Loyola stats, and came away thoroughly unimpressed. For instance, Loyola's 5 losses come against teams with a combined winning percentage just north of .550. Valpo's 6 losses were all against teams with winning records and a combined 50-20 (.714). The teams Valpo beat have a better winning percentage, as well. And, of course, Valpo's record comes with key players missing; Loyola's doesn't. This is pretty much a must win at home for Valpo, as I don't see Loyola as much more than a middlin MVC team this year.
Latest NCAA NET rankings have Valpo at 139 and Loyola at 147. Add in home court advantage, and I too expect a Valpo win.
I sense Loyola is like the last several mid-majors to make a Final Four run ... unable to capitalize on lucky meteoric run and quickly return to earth.
Quote from: EddieCabot on December 26, 2019, 06:08:51 PM
Quote from: wh on December 26, 2019, 03:07:01 PM
I was just looking at some Loyola stats, and came away thoroughly unimpressed. For instance, Loyola's 5 losses come against teams with a combined winning percentage just north of .550. Valpo's 6 losses were all against teams with winning records and a combined 50-20 (.714). The teams Valpo beat have a better winning percentage, as well. And, of course, Valpo's record comes with key players missing; Loyola's doesn't. This is pretty much a must win at home for Valpo, as I don't see Loyola as much more than a middlin MVC team this year.
Latest NCAA NET rankings have Valpo at 139 and Loyola at 147. Add in home court advantage, and I too expect a Valpo win.
I sense Loyola is like the last several mid-majors to make a Final Four run ... unable to capitalize on lucky meteoric run and quickly return to earth.
OK Eddie, so why don't you do us a favor and open our Loyola game thread? All of us are snake bit and cowardly! Nobody is going to criticize you if we lose. WE PROMISE! ;)
Quote from: valpo64 on December 26, 2019, 04:04:28 PM
Any news on Fazekas?
If he plays chances of getting injured again and being out for the year are about 50%. Ryan, I wish him well, but medical issues will plague him for the rest of his life much like David Chadwick.
Fazekas's case is so sad. He is so good when he's out there healthy but that is almost never the case. If he put together a healthy season I believe he would be a first team all conference player at this level.
Bad news for Evansville.
https://www.espn.com/mens-college-basketball/story/_/id/28378080/evansville-walter-mccarty-administrative-leave-amid-title-ix-probe
Quote from: VUGrad1314 on December 27, 2019, 01:23:10 PM
Bad news for Evansville.
https://www.espn.com/mens-college-basketball/story/_/id/28378080/evansville-walter-mccarty-administrative-leave-amid-title-ix-probe
I'm clueless here. How can a men's coach violate a Title IX provision?
This is purely speculation but it could be some form of harassment.
From Sports Illustrated:
"The internal staff letter linked to the university's "sexual harassment and misconduct policy," which says it applies to all forms of sexual harassment, violence, intimate partner violence and stalking for students, staff, faculty and third parties."
Evansville Fan Forum administrator shuts down Purple Aces Fans discussion board due to McCarty situation:
A Farewell
Postby pafan » Today 6:59 pm
Today's news regarding Walter McCarty will bring to an end to PurpleAcesFans.com.
To those who actively participated here, I thank you and apologize for cutting you off in the middle of the season. With the nature of the items listed in UE's press release, my belief that this issue will be ongoing for months and years, I believe it is in my best interest to ensure no rumor or innuendo is spread through me.
Furthermore, I can't describe my fury at this situation at the moment. But what I can say is that I will not continue to support UE in any way, including by continuing to host this site. This domain will be disconnected on Monday, in an effort to beat out a January 1 billing date, and all threads will be read-only until the deed is done.
I do wish to state clearly and unequivocally that I have no connection to UE, any of its trustees, or any of its employees, and this decision is wholly mine, and specifically that it is not related to the pressure which caused Mark Spencer and Walter to withdraw from social media.
Farewell
https://twitter.com/ubetchabets/status/1210653530412986368
https://twitter.com/davereynolds2/status/1210968179780001793?s=21
And now this for Bradley
Quote from: may know on December 28, 2019, 09:31:43 AM
https://twitter.com/ubetchabets/status/1210653530412986368
As a former UE parent, member of the Parents Board and friend of a UE Trustee this truely saddens me. There was such high hopes for the future of this program.
Hey Guys,
Can someone update your link to the Evansville forum? Our new one is up and running.
purpleaceplace.com
Thanks!
Quote from: crusader05 on December 28, 2019, 11:12:04 AM
https://twitter.com/davereynolds2/status/1210968179780001793?s=21
And now this for Bradley
Interesting, I remember Dave Reynolds used to report on the Peoria Chiefs minor league baseball team in the low class A Midwest League. I guess he gets Bradley MBB in the winter months. No telling if his stories about Brave practices are "$h!t stories" or not. Only Wardle would know for sure.
Missouri Valley is now 10 games into the season. The home team has won every game except for the two played by Valpo. Perhaps this can be seen as a positive because if Valpo had followed the home-team-wins pattern, they'd still be 1-1. However, the results display once again how important holding home court is in this conference and how valuable another road win at Southern Illinois on Tuesday would be!
Loyola through 2 conference games.
22 fouls agains them, and 45 fouls agains their opponents.
56 free throws for them and 12 free throws for their opponents.
Won 2 close games. Go Loyola, so much talent you just can't stop them without fouling.
To Qualify: 40% of minutes played and 2 shots per game:
Top 5 in-conference players in each category:
As of 1/7/20 Before any games today.
3pt % (40 players qualify)
1. Eron Gordon 46.9% Valpo
2. Nate Kennell 46.4% Bradley
3. Isaiah Brown 45.9% N. Iowa
4. Trae Berhow 44.8% N. Iowa
5. Tyreke Key 43.4% Indiana St.
8. Donovan Clay 42.5%
24. Nick Robinson 35.1%
26. Javon Freeman 34.8%
39. Mileek McMillan 26.5%
40. Daniel Sackey 25.8%
2Pt % (60 players qualify)
1. DeAndre Willliams 77.3% Evansville
2. Lucas Williamson 68.3% Loyola
3. Marcus Domask 62.9% So. Illinois
4. Aher Ugauk 62.8% Loyola
5. Barret Benson 62.7% So. Illlinois
16. Mileek McMillan 55.9%
17. Donovan Clay 54.3%
19. John Kiser 54.2%
26. Nick Robinson 51.0%
28. Javon Freeman 50.3%
30. Eron Gordon 50.0%
59. Daniel Sackey 35.9%
Nick Robinson's 3% average is about the same as Sackey's 2pt%. Clay's 3pt% is greater than Sackey's 2pt %.
Quote from: Just Sayin on January 07, 2020, 11:10:02 AM
2Pt % (60 players qualify)
1. DeAndre Willliams 77.3% Evansville
2. Lucas Williamson 68.3% Loyola
3. Marcus Domask 62.9% So. Illinois
4. Aher Ugauk 62.8% Loyola
5. Barret Benson 62.7% So. Illlinois
16. Mileek McMillan 55.9%
17. Donovan Clay 54.3%
19. John Kiser 54.2%
26. Nick Robinson 51.0%
28. Javon Freeman 50.3%
30. Eron Gordon 50.0%
59. Daniel Sackey 35.9%
Pretty good shooting percentage for a guy who a lot of posters on this board want to avoid the ball on offense.
I know it's very early in the conference season but I've decided to die on the "John Kiser Is Underrated" hill this season ;D
ISUr recruit.
https://twitter.com/SouthCobbBball/status/1217154212037038080/photo/1
There's like 400-ish nominees (I didn't do an exact count). Not exactly a huge deal.
Wow, the NET is super unkind to mids who lose games...
Indiana State tumbled from 84 to 97
Bradley dropped from 82 to 89
Also I think you guys will find this interesting:
Valpo 143
Vanderbilt 146
George Washington 194
But thanks for paying us to avoid these blights on our schedule guys! Cheers!
Quote from: VUGrad1314 on January 19, 2020, 08:16:30 AMWow, the NET is super unkind to mids who lose games... Indiana State tumbled from 84 to 97 Bradley dropped from 82 to 89 Also I think you guys will find this interesting: Valpo 143 Vanderbilt 146 George Washington 194 But thanks for paying us to avoid these blights on our schedule guys! Cheers!
NET MVC:UNI 37
Bradley 89
Indiana St. 97
Loyola 109
Drake 139
Missouri St. 140
Valpo 143
Illinois St. 208
So. Illinois 211
Evansville 247
I feel better about our loss to SIU. We aren't the only team that got run down in Carbondale...
https://www.espn.com/mens-college-basketball/boxscore?gameId=401173534
And our close loss to Loyola...
https://www.espn.com/mens-college-basketball/boxscore?gameId=401173565
with that SIU-Drake result, things have tightened up in the Valley considerably with five teams now (VU, ISUb, Drake, SIU, MSU) tied for third in the conference at 3-3. Here are the standings:
UNI 5-1
Loyola 5-1
Bradley 4-2
5 teams 3-3 (Drake SIU MSU ISUb VU)
Illinois St 1-5
Evansville 0-6
Upcoming Schedule:
Wednesday:
Drake @ UE
Illinois St @ Bradley
Indiana St @ Loyola
UNI @ SIU
Thursday:
Valpo @ Missouri St. (This is definitely the biggest game of the early week games and will go a long way towards helping us avoid the PIG on Thursday in St Louis if we can win this game.) It's at 8:30ET\7:30CT on CBSSN
Saturday:
Bradley @ Indiana St.
SIU @ Illinois St.
Sunday:
Missouri St @ Drake
Loyola @ UNI (ESPNU)
UE @ Valpo
Tough stretch for Indiana St. facing Bradley and Loyola. Sunday has a couple of huge games: Missouri St @ Drake and Loyola @ UNI which are a battle to avoid the PIG and a battle for first place respectively. We'll see how UNI handles SIU in Carbondale which has been a really tough place for road teams as we know well. There are also some rivalry games such as Bradley and Illinois St that are always interesting. UE vs Valpo was a battle down in Evansville and I expect the same at the ARC. This should be a fun and interesting week that will tell us a lot about most MVC teams as the standings and the PIG picture begins to become a bit clearer.
Some Valley talk on a St Louis radio station:
https://www.ktrs.com/the-big-sports-show/
Quote from: VUGrad1314 on January 20, 2020, 10:16:33 PM
Some Valley talk on a St Louis radio station:
https://www.ktrs.com/the-big-sports-show/
Oh, wow, I know Brendan Wiese's mother.
His mother was on both this station and many years on KMOX (CBS) and went by the name of Wendy Wiese (one syllable) while Brendan goes with Wiese (2 syllables--an
e sound at end). It also doesn't hurt to have your mother as the news director at KTRS (T=talk, R=radio, S=Saint Louis) as of October 2019.
https://www.stltoday.com/news/local/columns/joe-holleman/radio-vet-wendy-wiese-named-news-director-at-ktrs/article_48ac78e7-da35-5a7f-8adf-caa2137bc152.html
MVCFans Arch Madness seeding probability analytics have us finishing 6th right now and avoiding the PIG with a record around .500! I'll take that gladly! If you look at the charts, it looks like we're likely to finish somewhere between 4th and 8th this year. That sounds about right from what I've seen so far. I hope (and believe) that we will finish more toward the higher end of that projected range. Go Valpo!
http://mvcfans.com/viewtopic.php?f=2&t=5466
As expected, McCarty is gone.
https://www.courierpress.com/story/sports/college/evansville/2020/01/21/walter-mccarty-resigns-evansville-basketball-coach/4483959002/
Rumor has it McCarty's replacement is going to be Todd Lickliter, former Butler coach who took the Bulldogs to a pair of Sweet 16s a pair of NITs (both of which they won a game) and won at least a share of three conference titles. He also won National Coach of the Year in 2007. Beauty out of ashes. This is a home run hire if true!
It's true! Here's the confirmation!
https://twitter.com/UEAthletics_MBB/status/1219826276602609665?s=20
A reminder that this means that a former National Coach of the Year is going to be coming to the ARC in about a week. It doesn't really feed into the Butler rivalry because he had left before we got to the HL but the fact that he is a former Butler coach might motivate some fans to come watch. He essentially built the foundation of what Stevens took to the highest heights (not to denigrate or take anything away from Brad Stevens at all but he had a firm foundation from Collier and Lickliter from which to work that is beyond dispute.)
I'll definitely be tuning in. This should be a good episode.
https://twitter.com/FatherHarry1/status/1219835189045735424
Quote from: VUGrad1314 on January 21, 2020, 10:35:00 PM
A reminder that this means that a former National Coach of the Year is going to be coming to the ARC in about a week. It doesn't really feed into the Butler rivalry because he had left before we got to the HL but the fact that he is a former Butler coach might motivate some fans to come watch. He essentially built the foundation of what Stevens took to the highest heights (not to denigrate or take anything away from Brad Stevens at all but he had a firm foundation from Collier and Lickliter from which to work that is beyond dispute.)
He was great at Butler, but failed miserably at Iowa and was fired after only 3 seasons. That was 2010. He hasn't held a head coaching position since. I guess I'm wondering a few things. Why has no one has taken a chance on him until now? He's taking over a broken program at 64 years old. His recruiting connections are long gone. How long (if ever) will it take him to recruit competitive players? Can he relate to today's players with such a big age gap? Has the game itself passed him by? For the sake of the conference, I hope he does very well and wish him my very best. I just wonder.
I checked his Wiki page after Evansville hired him as an assistant and rechecked it when I thought he might be hired as a coach. Yes, he was a miserable failure at Iowa. The year after he was fired he became an assistant at Miami (OH) for a year then went on to coach Marian for three years (middling results) before becoming a scout for the Celtics between 2015-2018 so he has NBA connections which players will respect. Then of course he was an assistant to McCarty last year. It's not as glitzy and glamorous as the McCarty hire but it's still a splash. It's very possible the game has passed him by and I readily acknowledged that when I first brought up this possibility on MVCfans right after McCarty was placed on leave BUT he got a taste of what the game is like now last year so he's not coming in completely cold. He's also worked in the NBA very recently as I mentioned before. He has stayed involved in the game and has no doubt seen how it has evolved in recent years. I look at the hire this way: Maybe the names and accolades of the players he brings in won't be as flashy but he's going to coach them up and Evansville is going to become a very tough team to play against. They could become like UNI has historically been: not the most talented team, but extremely well-coached and a massive pain to play against. His Butler teams were like that. Some coaches are just well-suited for mid-major hoops and don't do well in big time conferences and I think Lickliter is one of those guys. I've said this before and I'll say it again: if I was looking to revive or resurrect a program or keep momentum going in a reinvigoration project, basically if my program was at the stage Evansville's is at now, I would love to have a coach with Lickliter's resume leading me especially knowing that all of the off court stuff under McCarty is done for good. If he was an available candidate he would be among my first calls if not my first call. I think this is a dream hire for Evansville and the program and the conference will be better for it. He'll run a good program. He'll run a clean program. And he'll get the most out of the talent he recruits. Of these things I feel very sure.
It has dawned on me this morning that if you want a good answer on why SLU doesn't want to go back to the Missouri Valley the perspective that would be good would be Brandan Wiese. He's a graduate of CBC HS (Christian Brothers College High School) one of the preeminent catholic high schools in St Louis County. He grew up in St Louis during the time that SLU decided to move to the Atlantic 10. He knows the mystique of the SLU tradition among St Louis Catholics. His mother worked for Relevant Radio for many years which is the main catholic radio station over the whole country.
So if you happen to see Brandan Wiese at Arch Madness you could ask him "Why doesn't SLU move back to the MVC?" I'm sure you would get a well thought out answer but in the end it's about feeling rated above the other teams in the conference.
If Lickliter is going to have success at Evansville, his assistants need to fill the exact opposite role that he and Graves were supposed to play on McCarty's staff. He's a nice guy, and a good X's and O's guy, but has never been great on the recruiting trail.
He's about as polar opposite personality-wise from McCarty, so will be interesting to see how this goes. Do hope he finds success there.
I don't expect Lickliter to clean house on the assistant front until the offseason when he has a chance to get the lay of the land and see what's available but off the top of my head both Chris Lowery and David Ragland are Evansville natives who are billed if I recall correctly as recruiters who are also much younger than Lickliter. Could be a good idea to have one or both on staff as a succession plan since Lickliter is in his 60s. This is a good stability hire to salvage and calm things down but it's obviously not a long-term solution.
Quote from: bbtds on January 22, 2020, 03:25:21 AMIt has dawned on me this morning that if you want a good answer on why SLU doesn't want to go back to the Missouri Valley the perspective that would be good would be Brandan Wiese. He's a graduate of CBC HS (Christian Brothers College High School) one of the preeminent catholic high schools in St Louis County. He grew up in St Louis during the time that SLU decided to move to the Atlantic 10. He knows the mystique of the SLU tradition among St Louis Catholics. His mother worked for Relevant Radio for many years which is the main catholic radio station over the whole country. So if you happen to see Brandan Wiese at Arch Madness you could ask him "Why doesn't SLU move back to the MVC?" I'm sure you would get a well thought out answer but in the end it's about feeling rated above the other teams in the conference.
Thank you I will keep that in mind if I ever make it down to Arch Madness, but looking at the landscape of college basketball I kinda get it now. SLU has a huge budget that is more on par with the A10 than the MVC, they consider themselves a national university so the east coast recruiting exposure makes a lot of sense on fronts other than basketball especially when you factor in institutional fit. and it's clear from both the NET and Bracketology that the A10 is perceived more favorably than the MVC as a basketball conference. SLU has also shown that they have the ability to occasionally compete and be relevant in the A10 which was a reason why I figured they should move as well since I thought the travel was hurting them. In fact it wasn't the travel it was the level of coaching. Now that they have a decent coach they are unlocking their potential. What really swung me though was seeing the reasons why we would be in danger of losing Loyola to the A10 if the conference ever had an opening, because the reasons for Loyola to move align perfectly with the reasons for SLU to be there as nationally focused Jesuit institutions.
Great hire for Evansville. Lickliter knows his basketball and he is as clean and integrity as they came, which I'm sure Evansville is looking for at this moment.
Drake (-5) at Evansville feels like free money tonight...
Also, thank goodness they didn't hire Bryce
Watching Loyola tonight makes you really wonder what could have been with them had they started out healthy... They might have been an at large contender...
Now no less than UNI is getting absolutely run over in Carbondale... I'm glad that trip is out of the way for us and that should end any lingering feelings of upset about our performance down there. That team is incredible at home. This is both a testament to the depth of this conference and a disaster for our multibid hopes. Getting drilled like this will not look good on UNI's resume and they already took a bad loss.
Southern Illinois barely holds on to beat UNI. Give them credit for holding home court, but they are also 0-7 on the road this year. Depending upon tomorrow's result against Missouri State, Valpo will either be tied for 4th or tied for 7th.
Quote from: valpopal on January 22, 2020, 10:10:58 PMSouthern Illinois barely holds on to beat UNI. Give them credit for holding home court, but they are also 0-7 on the road this year. Depending upon tomorrow's result against Missouri State, Valpo will either be tied for 4th or tied for 7th.
We need to lock in and get this win. It means so much. With UNI taking its second Q4 loss maybe I'm freed up to simply be a Valpo fan now because that is a massive blow to the hopes for a multibid MVC. I still think this conference will get there. There's too much depth and talent in this league for it not to. We just need to finish some of those near misses in the non-con.
Quote from: valpopal on January 22, 2020, 10:10:58 PM
Southern Illinois barely holds on to beat UNI. Give them credit for holding home court, but they are also 0-7 on the road this year. Depending upon tomorrow's result against Missouri State, Valpo will either be tied for 4th or tied for 7th.
I see Green had a bad night - 6-15 FG for 16 points and 6 TO's.
He was great in the second half but missed a jumper that would have given UNI the lead with just seconds to go. His first half was utterly atrocious. Everybody but Berhow was terrible.
Quote from: VUGrad1314 on January 22, 2020, 08:46:59 PM
Watching Loyola tonight makes you really wonder what could have been with them had they started out healthy... They might have been an at large contender...
So do you think they have any chance at all this season? Especially with the Final Four/Sister Jean factor going for them.
I don't think Loyola is near as talented as they were for that run. But what they have is talent matched for their system, and complete buy in from the players. But hard to see the NCAA giving a team with a home loss to Coppin State an at large.
Quote from: VUGrad1314 on January 22, 2020, 09:31:10 PM
Now no less than UNI is getting absolutely run over in Carbondale... I'm glad that trip is out of the way for us and that should end any lingering feelings of upset about our performance down there. That team is incredible at home. This is both a testament to the depth of this conference and a disaster for our multibid hopes. Getting drilled like this will not look good on UNI's resume and they already took a bad loss.
Final
UNI 66
SIU 68
It's become rather obvious that there are days that Northern Iowa doesn't shoot well on the road.
A.J. Green 3 for 7 from three and 3 of 8 from two. Isaiah Brown 2 of 8 from two and 0 of 3 from three. UNI had 16 turnovers.
Quote from: wh on January 22, 2020, 10:24:30 PMQuote from: valpopal on January 22, 2020, 10:10:58 PMSouthern Illinois barely holds on to beat UNI. Give them credit for holding home court, but they are also 0-7 on the road this year. Depending upon tomorrow's result against Missouri State, Valpo will either be tied for 4th or tied for 7th.
I see Green had a bad night - 6-15 FG for 16 points and 6 TO's.
I didn't think he was human. Did he miss any free throws?
Quote from: VUGrad1314 on January 22, 2020, 10:13:35 PM
Quote from: valpopal on January 22, 2020, 10:10:58 PMSouthern Illinois barely holds on to beat UNI. Give them credit for holding home court, but they are also 0-7 on the road this year. Depending upon tomorrow's result against Missouri State, Valpo will either be tied for 4th or tied for 7th.
We need to lock in and get this win. It means so much. With UNI taking its second Q4 loss maybe I'm freed up to simply be a Valpo fan now because that is a massive blow to the hopes for a multibid MVC. I still think this conference will get there. There's too much depth and talent in this league for it not to. We just need to finish some of those near misses in the non-con.
As was the case last year, there is simply a lot of parity in this conference, and as a result, multiple bids simply aren't coming soon. Parity means a lot of great games in January, February, and early March, and much fewer games in late March. That's the unfortunate bittersweet result of the parity.
Being a multi bid conference is both the top of the conference being elite and the bottom not being a drag on everyone else.
Quote from: Just Sayin on January 23, 2020, 08:07:21 AMQuote from: wh on January 22, 2020, 10:24:30 PMQuote from: valpopal on January 22, 2020, 10:10:58 PMSouthern Illinois barely holds on to beat UNI. Give them credit for holding home court, but they are also 0-7 on the road this year. Depending upon tomorrow's result against Missouri State, Valpo will either be tied for 4th or tied for 7th.
I see Green had a bad night - 6-15 FG for 16 points and 6 TO's.
I didn't think he was human. Did he miss any free throws?
He did miss one in this game, after making I believe 44 or so in a row.
Multi bids are fine, but I would much rather see good competition game in and game out throughout the season with good teams and parity. Watching many good competitive games all year long beats seeing one and done in the NCAA tourney.
Quote from: valpo64 on January 23, 2020, 01:31:03 PMMulti bids are fine, but I would much rather see good competition game in and game out throughout the season with good teams and parity. Watching many good competitive games all year long beats seeing one and done in the NCAA tourney.
Newsflash: If you have a multibid league you usually get good games throughout the year because it means your league is probably pretty good. And Parity is possible even in multi bid leagues because it may not be the same teams making it every year. And teams from multi bid leagues usually aren't one and done in the Tournament. At least one of them usually wins a game or two at least. And even if they don't just having multiple bids is like winning the first round game before you even play. Multiple bids should be the goal every single year even if it means there are some bad teams at the bottom. Let's face it WE'VE been one of those bad teams our first two years. Before we start throwing stones about wanting more good competitive games (I don't know how you could want more than you've been getting from this conference) let's make sure we aren't one of the bad teams everybody else dreads having to play because it's an easy win that does nothing for them.
Quote from: VUGrad1314 on January 24, 2020, 01:56:04 PM
Quote from: valpo64 on January 23, 2020, 01:31:03 PMMulti bids are fine, but I would much rather see good competition game in and game out throughout the season with good teams and parity. Watching many good competitive games all year long beats seeing one and done in the NCAA tourney.
Newsflash: If you have a multibid league you usually get good games throughout the year because it means your league is probably pretty good. And Parity is possible even in multi bid leagues because it may not be the same teams making it every year. And teams from multi bid leagues usually aren't one and done in the Tournament. At least one of them usually wins a game or two at least. And even if they don't just having multiple bids is like winning the first round game before you even play. Multiple bids should be the goal every single year even if it means there are some bad teams at the bottom. Let's face it WE'VE been one of those bad teams our first two years. Before we start throwing stones about wanting more good competitive games (I don't know how you could want more than you've been getting from this conference) let's make sure we aren't one of the bad teams everybody else dreads having to play because it's an easy win that does nothing for them.
1314, sorry, I'm just not following what you're saying. I think at first you're saying that we should all want parity AND multiple bids. Fine, we should all want that, and multiple final four teams. But, as we sit here, it's just not going to happen with the current level of performance.
You then say that multiple bids should be the goal "every single year even if it means there are some bad teams at the bottom." That, by definition, is not parity. So, it seems that you've shifted to only wanting multiple bids. Plus, if two teams go 1-17, and the other eight teams go 12-6 (i.e, some sort of quasi-parity, which is kind of what we have now), then that will very likely mean one bid for a mid-major conference, even if two of the teams essentially go undefeated out of conference.
For a mid-major conference to have multiple bids, the at-larges will likely need to go nearly undefeated out of conference and in conference. Again, that is veering away from parity.
Look at it this way, if every team in the conference goes roughly 11-2 out of conference, and then goes 9-9 in conference - in other words, there was great performance and parity - then the MVC is a one-bid league that year. I know that sucks, but it is the reality.
For the MVC, parity and at-large bids are diametrically opposed. The more that we have of one, the less that we will have of the other. So, Valpo64's comment of essentially wanting more parity at the expense of bids did have a logical foundation. You may not like the premise, but it was sound.
It was sound if you start from the flawed and mistaken assumption that the bottom teams will always be on the bottom and the top teams on the top. There is nothing to say in the post-Wichita Valley where nobody is outspending their conference mates by 2.5-3 times that any team with the right mix of players and coaching can't take the mantle and carry the conference on a year to year basis. Look at the NFL. That league as an amazing example of parity especially the model of parity that I am talking about. The league has multiple different playoff teams every year and they have some bad (like historically 0-16 bad) teams in that league. I can use just the last two years to illustrate this point:
In the NFC, last year's Super Bowl representative (the LA Rams) missed the playoffs this year In their place, a team that missed the playoffs last year (the San Francisco 49 ers) are going to the Super Bowl to represent the conference. Look at the standings the past several years and you'll see teams rise and fall. You'll see teams have seasons where they make the playoffs (Miami Oakland NY Giants Dallas LA\SD Chargers Indianapolis Minnesota) and years when they miss the playoffs. Sometimes some divisions get two even three teams in sometimes it's only one. In this landscape, except for avoiding the pitfall of only getting one team in (at least on a permanent annual basis sometimes it happens occasionally and that can't be helped) This is the parity model we should be striving for and it IS achievable.
1314, I was still trying to follow what you're saying, and I think I now understand. If I'm right, we're talking about two different things. I (and I believe Valpo64) was talking about parity in a single year. I believe that you're talking about parity over multiple years. I think that you're saying that teams' records will fluctuate over the years, but if the average win percentage over the years is .500 for all teams in conference, then that's parity, and would allow for multiple bids because some teams would be really good in a given year, while some are not so good. Is that right?
You could well be right, but I (and Valpo64) was talking about something different. I was talking about parity in a single year. In other words, all teams finish near .500 in conference. The first place team might be 11-7, and the last place team might be 7-11. In my example, there would be parity, and the dreaded single bid. Which teams are in first place, and which teams are in last place, and whether or not they rotated over the years, simply wouldn't be relevant.
I think that Valpo64 was saying that he'd rather see a 10-way tie at 9-9 than a wide spread with multiple bids. A 10-way tie at 9-9 would be pretty exciting, and I could see the enticement of that, so his point is valid, even if someone doesn't agree.
That makes sense from a game to game fan interest standpoint but we've seen how people pack the gym for ranked teams and how hyped we were when the HL was a multibid league. I'd rather have one or two great atmospheres than a ten way tie in the middle. The MVC should always send its best team or teams to the dance no matter who it is because at the end of the day it's all about tournament wins and credits. That's the entire point of joining the MVC. If we were content to be in a one and done one bid league there was no need for us to move because not only could we have accomplished that where we were we could have BEEN that one and done team more often than not. But that's not exciting. I don't want to be a team that just gets to the tournament and bows out. I want to be a team that wins and strikes terror in the hearts of high majors drawn to play against us even on neutral floors or in away games. I want to be part of a league that wins. And we have that and I'm grateful. Now I just want us to get to the point where we're competing well and winning our fair share of games and titles in this new and better league. If we can minimize the really down years I (and I think the overwhelming majority of the fanbase) will be very happy.
As I watch our Crusaders battle at home in the ARC this season I have to wonder where we stand with our attendance for the 2019-20 season and how does that compare with the rest of the Valley.
With non conference games behind us, 4 conference home games played and 5 left here is the total average number of spectators attending MVC Home Games for this season.
School. Home record. Avg. in attendance.
Bradley (11-1) 5,700
Evansville (5-5) 5,232
IllSt. (6-4) 4,521
SIU (9-1) 4,114
MoSt. (7-3) 4,081
UNI (11-0) 3,894
ISUb (8-0) 3,554
Valpo (7-1) 2,878
Drake (11-0) 2,870
Loyola (9-2) 2,789
Average home attendance in the MVC 3,963
Now it is only fair to compare the average attendance to the capacity of each arena.
UNI McLead Ctr. Holds (6,650) and is filling at an average of 59% capacity.
Valpo ARC (5,100) 57%
Loyola Gentile Ctr. (4,963) 57%
Evansville Ford Ctr. (10,000) 53%
Bradley Carver Arena (11,060) 52%
ISUb Hulman Ctr. (10,200) 52%
SIU Banterra Ctr. (8,284) 50%
IllSt. Redbird Arena (10,200) 45%
Drake Knapp Ctr. (7,152) 40%
MoSt. JQH Arena (11,000) 37%
*for our good friend 1314 here is Murray State.
**and while I am at it let's include Belmont a school that plays in a similar size arena to Valpo.
Murray St. (10-0) 4,307 avg. attendance at the CFSB Ctr. which holds 8,600 fans 51% full.
Belmont (8-1) 1,990 avg. attendance at the Curb Event Ctr. which holds 5,000 fans at 40% full.
With 5 home games left Valpo needs a strong showing to stay ahead of Drake and Loyola in overall attendance.
Quote from: VALPO LI on January 28, 2020, 09:26:54 PM
With 5 home games left Valpo needs a strong showing to stay ahead of Drake and Loyola in overall attendance.
Unfortunately, Valpo's home conference attendance figures look to only go down from this point forward. The Loyola game, already in the books, traditionally sees the largest crowd (4364 this year, 5148 last year), and the other conference home games played thus far include in-state competition (Indiana St. and Evansville). The fourth game against Drake was the second largest conference draw at the ARC last year. The remaining home games include the three lowest drawing conference teams from last year: Missouri St., Southern Illinois, and Bradley. I wouldn't rely on UNI and Illinois State pulling enough fans to counter the likely low attendance for those three.
To compare with last year:
School, 2019 to 2020
Loyola 5,148 to 4,364 (L both years)
Drake 4,160 to 3,190 (L 2019, W 2020)
ISUb 3,014 to 2,805* (L 2019, W 2020) *Sat night game.
Evansville 2,592 to 3,044 (L 2019, W 2,020)
IllSt. 3,818 (W 2019)
UNI 3,160 (W 2019)
SIU 2,371 (W 2019)
Bradley 3,160 (W 2019)
MoSt. 1,333 (L 2019) ** Blizzard
Attendance is already down a total of 1,511 for those 4 games played compared to last season.
I see we have a half-time performer scheduled for Saturday night....
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MVTYRox_bu0
and I see the Valpo Chamber of Commerce (which is has 800 members) is promoting the UNI game with $12.50 chairbacks and a pre-game reception.
I was at the Bradley game at the Civic Center last night. the 114 members of the "Basketball Band Course" were in attendance, and so were the 12 students. Actually, it was only 10. I talked to the band director and he said that 2 of the regular student attendees were in class. 5,037 attendance. Not counting the Bradley Cross Country team there to show off their Conference Championship trophy they won At VALPO last fall, Cheerleaders and Dance Team... there were exactly 10 students.
OK... and let's talk "Sponsorships." I really thought this was just wrong... but maybe it's me.
When a Valpo player stepped to the line for a 2-shot foul... as the referee was handing him the ball... the PA guy says "REMEMBER TO TEXT CRUSENS TO 91880 IF THE PLAYER MISSES BOTH FREE THROWS FOR YOUR CHANCE FOR FREE PIZZA". This is AFTER the player had the ball bounced to him.
BTW, Nobody won any pizza last night on that promotion.
Any thoughts on that?
Kind've bush league to be saying stuff after the player has the ball. Reminds me of when the VU band would come on the court and aim their instruments into the opposing teams huddle at a timeout, lol. I do like the sponsorship for missed free throws though. Lots of sponsorship opportunities to explore....have to have to a dance partner though to make them all happen.
The Simon Says guy is excellent. He usually does 1-2 Cavs games a year. Not Red Panda, but next level half-time show.
Quote from: valpo84 on January 31, 2020, 11:24:17 AMThe Simon Says
to help you google him... it's really Simon Sez (if you add "Halftime act" you'll avoid all of the Mexican Restaurants)
MVC analytics indicates a 58% chance that we end up a Thursday team with a high probability (56%) of finishing 7th or 8th. We also have a credible shot (22%) at getting the sixth spot and avoiding Thursday with some hope (19%) for higher with our next highest probabilities being 12% for fifth and 5% for fourth. There is also a 2% shot that we finish either third or ninth.
http://mvcfans.com/viewtopic.php?f=2&t=5466
Even a 6th place finish would be a huge mark of progress for this program. Regardless of result from there, that finish and an off-season without too many impact transfers would be a huge momentum builder going forward. If this happens I would fully be on board with a Lottich contract extension. (It's not the years that matter, it's the buy out.)
As of today's KenPom rankings, both the NC and C games for the season are ranked in the same order as the conf. only rankings.
1. N. Iowa
2. Loyola
3. Bradley
4. Ind. St
5. So. Illinois
6. Drake
7. Valpo
8. Miz. St.
9. Ill. St.
10. Evansville
As of today according to the MVC Analytics we have a 79% chance of being a Thursday team with a whopping 51% chance of finishing 8th. We might be slowly improving but these are not good numbers and there's really no way to dress them up to make them look good.
http://mvcfans.com/viewtopic.php?f=2&t=5466&start=10
Home game attendance update for this year so far. With 3 more home games left.
Just in conference this year (5 out of 6 games had less fans in attendance compared to last year.
Loyola 4,364 (2020) Lost - 5,148 (2019) Lost
Drake 3,190 (2020) Won - 4,160 (2019) Lost
Ind.St. 2,805 (2020) Won - 3,014 (2019) Lost
Evansville 3,044 (2020) Won - 2,592 (2019) Lost
Ill.St. 3,220 (2020) Won - 3,818 (2019) Won
UNI 2,030 (2020) Lost - 3,160 (2019) Won
Average attendance during conference play in 2019 was 3,126 with a home record of 4-5.
Average attendance so far during conference play in 2020 is 3,109 with a home record of 4-2 with 3 more games to go.
Need a strong showing in the last 3 home games to stay ahead of last years attendance record.
Quote from: VALPO LI on February 07, 2020, 10:51:42 AM
Home game attendance update for this year so far. With 3 more home games left.
Just in conference this year (5 out of 6 games had less fans in attendance compared to last year.
Loyola 4,364 (2020) Lost - 5,148 (2019) Lost
Drake 3,190 (2020) Won - 4,160 (2019) Lost
Ind.St. 2,805 (2020) Won - 3,014 (2019) Lost
Evansville 3,044 (2020) Won - 2,592 (2019) Lost
Ill.St. 3,220 (2020) Won - 3,818 (2019) Won
UNI 2,030 (2020) Lost - 3,160 (2019) Won
Average attendance during conference play in 2019 was 3,126 with a home record of 4-5.
Average attendance so far during conference play in 2020 is 3,109 with a home record of 4-2 with 3 more games to go.
Need a strong showing in the last 3 home games to stay ahead of last years attendance record.
Seeing that we are basically tied with Northern Iowa and Indiana State, I think we are holding our own. Those two schools have enrollments of over 10,000.
Sorry if I wasn't clear but the numbers in bold are attendance #'s at the ARC for each game played for 2020 compared to 2019. It shows so far in conference play our attendance is slightly down but we still have 3 games to go.
My earlier post dated 1/28 showed us averaging closer to Drake and Loyola in attendance.
Quote from: VALPO LI on February 07, 2020, 11:45:48 AM
Sorry if I wasn't clear but the numbers in bold are attendance #'s at the ARC for each game played for 2020 compared to 2019. It shows so far in conference play our attendance is slightly down but we still have 3 games to go.
My earlier post dated 1/28 showed us averaging closer to Drake and Loyola in attendance.
I wouldn't count on attendance rising. More likely, the average will decline. The remaining home games include the three lowest drawing conference teams from last year: Missouri St., Southern Illinois, and Bradley. The Saturday night "Hall of Fame" game against Bradley will be our best bet for a good crowd.
Quote from: vu72 on February 07, 2020, 11:22:10 AM
Quote from: VALPO LI on February 07, 2020, 10:51:42 AM
Home game attendance update for this year so far. With 3 more home games left.
Just in conference this year (5 out of 6 games had less fans in attendance compared to last year.
Loyola 4,364 (2020) Lost - 5,148 (2019) Lost
Drake 3,190 (2020) Won - 4,160 (2019) Lost
Ind.St. 2,805 (2020) Won - 3,014 (2019) Lost
Evansville 3,044 (2020) Won - 2,592 (2019) Lost
Ill.St. 3,220 (2020) Won - 3,818 (2019) Won
UNI 2,030 (2020) Lost - 3,160 (2019) Won
Average attendance during conference play in 2019 was 3,126 with a home record of 4-5.
Average attendance so far during conference play in 2020 is 3,109 with a home record of 4-2 with 3 more games to go.
Need a strong showing in the last 3 home games to stay ahead of last years attendance record.
Seeing that we are basically tied with Northern Iowa and Indiana State, I think we are holding our own. Those two schools have enrollments of over 10,000.
Not everything is gloom and doom. The atmosphere at the ARC is infinitely better than any year in recent memory - return of halftime shows, the RailCats promo guy (a real pro), new (to the ARC) music blaring away at key moments, a very engaging big time pizza giveaway student shooting event, etc.
Two takeaways:
• I can only speak for my family, but the game time fun stuff I described above makes losing a little less dramatic. It's more like it's a shame we lost, but we still had a good time. In other words, the game is the main attractions, but not the only attraction. I hope that makes sense.
• I'm confident that when we start winning consistently again, that place is going to rock again. I can see a 4000+ average in our future.
Like your reply "wh"
-good to hear the atmosphere has gotten better. I just would have thought the attendance numbers would have been a little higher with us having an 8-2 home record.
Quote from: wh on February 07, 2020, 01:13:01 PM
• I'm confident that when we start winning consistently again, that place is going to rock again. I can see a 4000+ average in our future.
I hope you are correct, but mark me down as very skeptical. In our peak season when the team won 30 games and went to the NIT finals in 15-16 with Alec Peters, the average attendance was 3573. That includes a stellar home schedule with teams like Iona, Belmont, Missouri State, as well as the big local draw against IPFW, and three NIT games, with the two against Florida State and St. Mary's (helped by an on-campus Lutheran school tournament draw, if I remember correctly) totaling 10,435. I don't see a scenario that would top that season, even if we made the NCAA tournament, particularly because that would eliminate those NIT home games. I see the best possible average we could hope to achieve would be about 3500.
Quote from: VALPO LI on February 07, 2020, 01:42:38 PMLike your reply "wh" -good to hear the atmosphere has gotten better. I just would have thought the attendance numbers would have been a little higher with us having an 8-2 home record.
It's not that surprising. We're not competing and haven't for years. You have to follow the team really closely to know we're improving at all because right now with the same issues over and over again it doesn't look that way to the casual fan. People are tired. They're exhausted. The Lottich era has been very trying for all fans casual and die hard and only the die hards who are willing to put in the energy to take the deeper looks from game to game and see the small incremental improvements can see it. But it just takes too much energy to do so.
Quote from: valpopal on February 07, 2020, 01:48:33 PM
Quote from: wh on February 07, 2020, 01:13:01 PM
• I'm confident that when we start winning consistently again, that place is going to rock again. I can see a 4000+ average in our future.
I hope you are correct, but mark me down as very skeptical. In our peak season when the team won 30 games and went to the NIT finals in 15-16 with Alec Peters, the average attendance was 3573. That includes a stellar home schedule with teams like Iona, Belmont, Missouri State, as well as the big local draw against IPFW, and three NIT games, with the two against Florida State and St. Mary's (helped by an on-campus Lutheran school tournament draw, if I remember correctly) totaling 10,435. I don't see a scenario that would top that season, even if we made the NCAA tournament, particularly because that would eliminate those NIT home games. I see the best possible average we could hope to achieve would be about 3500.
You make a strong argument for a 3500 ceiling. I'm thinking that being a top team in the Valley would carry more prestige and garner more attention locally, regionally and even nationally, and that would translate into more people wanting to see the Crusaders play in person. Just an educated guess, nothing more. Hopefully, we get a chance to find out. ;)
I am watching Drake play UNI on NBC Sports Chicago and I can't help but record some observations:
Drake is a REALLY GOOD TEAM. Robbins is special Murphy and Penn are strong all around players and they defend like crazy. Our win over them is nothing to sneeze at. A.J. Green is his usual A.J. Green self with range out of the gym. He's incredible. And yet... UNI got off to an extremely slow start in this game and took forever to score at all. Green was scoreless in the first ten minutes. They have also struggled every time they've made a run getting over the hump and taking\building a lead (they lead by one right now). If this were Lottich and Valpo we'd be grousing and grumbling terribly. I know it's hard because we're used to winning and being a highly successful team but maybe we're not giving nearly enough credit to the opposing defenses and the job they do against us. This is a great league especially on defense and perhaps we would all do well to acknowledge that a little bit more than we do. Also the announcers have made a real point of mentioning multiple times that Drake recruits extremely well in our own backyard. They seem surprised that Drake has so much region talent on their roster.
This is amazing! What an environment! I hope we can be part of games like this sometime in the near future! Holy crap this is great!
Dude were you around during the 5 of the six seasons we won the HL? Did you make the home game against SLU? Or home game against Rhode Island? Any of the NIT home games? The Oakland and Detroit games were really cool. Did you attend any of our home HL championship games?
We have been part of those kind of games. And it wasn't too long ago. It's amazing how 3 bad years can make US forget.
Quote from: oklahomamick on February 08, 2020, 06:33:37 PMDude were you around during the 5 of the six seasons we won the HL? Did you make the home game against SLU? Or home game against Rhode Island? Any of the NIT home games? The Oakland and Detroit games were really cool. Did you attend any of our home HL championship games? We have been apart of those kind of games. And it wasn't too long ago. It's amazing how 3 bad years can make you forget.
I was around for all of that and went to most of them It's been a long three years. I just want to feel that excitement and that environment again. We should be having this excitement game in and game out in this conference and I hope we reach the point soon where we do.
Reports are that SIU has 5000+ at the Banterra Center for their game against Missouri State. That's what happens when you win and fans feel legitimately hoepful: they show up. The ingredients to solving attendance issues are simple: 1. Win 2. Make fans feel hopeful. That's it.
6500 fans just watched SIU take sole possession of 2nd place with Marcus Domask winning the game for the Salukis at the horn. He is averaging over 15ppg in the MVC as a freshman. Makes you wonder how many he'd have averaged in the HL (he had originally committed to NKU until Brannen bolted for Cincinnati). He probably would have averaged 20+ I'm not kidding.
Thoughts? UNI in or out? Also it is really time to quit calling that SIU loss a bad loss. It's not. They're the second place team in the conference and that road game will probably end up Q2. I do agree that the WVU loss really hurts because it would have not only given them another great Q1 win but also likely would have enhanced their SOS by allowing them to play Wichita State. That said, South Carolina is quietly putting together a really nice year. Don't sleep on that win.
https://www.midmajormadness.com/2020/2/6/21126145/bubble-watch-ncaa-tournament-2020-selection-northern-iowa-at-large-mvc
The numbers are in:
The only way to guarantee we avoid Thursday as things stand right now is to win out...
At 5-1 it becomes a near certainty (98.5%)
At 4-2 we have a 2 in 3 chance of avoiding Thursday.
At 3-3 and below we are almost certainly a Thursday team.
Here are our remaining games(Conference record and NET ranking)
February 12 SIU (9-3 146 2nd MVC) 7 wins in a row
February 15 @ Illinois St 3-9 202 9th MVC) All of their wins have been at home but they are beatable there as their 7-4 record suggests but they did take down UNI and Indiana State at Redbird Arena
February 19 @Drake (6-6 138 6th MVC) 10-1 at home Only loss to SIU. This game will be critical and not an easy one to get.
February 22 Bradley ( 7-5 107 T4th MVC) Bradley just got Childs back and with him healthy and in their lineup a winnable game just got significantly tougher
February 25 Missouri State (5-7 148 T7th MVC) We are tied with them but they have head to head and ever so slightly higher metrics. This is another game we absolutely have to have.
February 29 @Indiana St (7-5 91 T4th MVC) Undefeated at home. Nobody has been able to come into the Hulman Center and come away victorious. Having our Thursday status come down to this game would be a very dicey proposition.
Our minimum goal for the rest of the season should be 4-2. With three home games (SIU Bradley Missouri State) and 3 games against teams we've already beaten (Illinois State Drake Indiana State) we definitely have a chance. Protecting home court alone (a tall order with SIU and a healthy Bradley coming in) would get us almost all the way there but the fewer road wins we have to rely on getting the better because all three of those teams we play on the road are all really good at home. If we can somehow cool off SIU and win @Illinois St this week it would give us a great chance of getting into the top 6. All we would need to do to have a reasonable chance at that point would be to defend home court or steal one on the road and beat Missouri State for example at home. it's impossible to predict wins and losses for us in this league so we have to take it game by game and see where we are but the path is there to avoid Thursday even from our difficult position. It's just up to us to take the opportunity.
UNI is SO CLOSE to a national ranking! With a nationally televised game against the Ramblers at Gentile coming up for them an undefeated week might do it for them! This would be really good for the conference!
The fact remains if we want to comfortably be a multibid league and not have our leading team (or maybe teams?) sweating out Selection Sunday then we ALL need to get better as a conference and make good on some of those near misses we had in the non conference. I've said it before and I'll say it again if Valpo (or Illinois State) had beaten Cincinnati If Valpo had beaten Arkansas if Illinois State had beaten UCF If Loyola had taken care of Colorado State and Davidson and not lost to Coppin State if Missouri State had beaten Xavier and Miami and not lost to Little Rock if Evansville had beaten SMU and not totally imploded if Indiana State had beaten Duquesne and Dayton (and yes if UNI had held on against West Virginia let's be fair) we would probably be talking about UNI having an easy path to an at large and maybe even have developed a team (Loyola? Indiana State? Missouri State even?) with strong enough metrics to join them. Either way, the wins UNI has piled up against these teams would have been far weightier had we done our part in the non-conference. It's just on us to take advantage of the talent we have and get it done at every opportunity to turn these close losses into meaningful Q1\Q2 wins.
Quote from: VUGrad1314 on February 11, 2020, 01:53:18 PM
The numbers are in:
The only way to guarantee we avoid Thursday as things stand right now is to win out...
At 5-1 it becomes a near certainty (98.5%)
At 4-2 we have a 2 in 3 chance of avoiding Thursday.
At 3-3 and below we are almost certainly a Thursday team.
Here are our remaining games(Conference record and NET ranking)
February 12 SIU (9-3 146 2nd MVC) 7 wins in a row
February 15 @ Illinois St 3-9 202 9th MVC) All of their wins have been at home but they are beatable there as their 7-4 record suggests but they did take down UNI and Indiana State at Redbird Arena
February 19 @Drake (6-6 138 6th MVC) 10-1 at home Only loss to SIU. This game will be critical and not an easy one to get.
February 22 Bradley ( 7-5 107 T4th MVC) Bradley just got Childs back and with him healthy and in their lineup a winnable game just got significantly tougher
February 25 Missouri State (5-7 148 T7th MVC) We are tied with them but they have head to head and ever so slightly higher metrics. This is another game we absolutely have to have.
February 29 @Indiana St (7-5 91 T4th MVC) Undefeated at home. Nobody has been able to come into the Hulman Center and come away victorious. Having our Thursday status come down to this game would be a very dicey proposition.
Our minimum goal for the rest of the season should be 4-2. With three home games (SIU Bradley Missouri State) and 3 games against teams we've already beaten (Illinois State Drake Indiana State) we definitely have a chance. Protecting home court alone (a tall order with SIU and a healthy Bradley coming in) would get us almost all the way there but the fewer road wins we have to rely on getting the better because all three of those teams we play on the road are all really good at home. If we can somehow cool off SIU and win @Illinois St this week it would give us a great chance of getting into the top 6. All we would need to do to have a reasonable chance at that point would be to defend home court or steal one on the road and beat Missouri State for example at home. it's impossible to predict wins and losses for us in this league so we have to take it game by game and see where we are but the path is there to avoid Thursday even from our difficult position. It's just up to us to take the opportunity.
Step one... Complete... And Drake losing creating a 3 way tie at 6-7 was a very helpful development that I didn't necessarily count on. On to Normal. If we can get that road game (and they are very tough down there so it won't be easy) we'll be halfway to our four win goal already! Go Valpo! I BELIEVE!
The new numbers are in and here's how they shake out:
Have successfully avoided Thursday: UNI
Will avoid Thursday barring an epic collapse: Bradley Loyola SIU
Fighting to Avoid Thursday: Indiana State Drake Missouri State Valpo
Locked into Thursday Already: Evansville Illinois State
So we've got four teams for two spots in the top six--the Fighting to Avoid Thursday Group. I'm going to focus on these four teams and break down their schedule and their odds. All data comes from this fine thread and the work of the poster Hacksaw on MVC Fans. I am just aggregating the data and analyzing it by taking a deeper dive into the schedules. Since NET is a tiebreaker for seeding I will list their NET rankings as well even if they aren't the most relevant thing in the world. Here's the thread from which the data comes: http://mvcfans.com/viewtopic.php?f=2&t=5466&start=50
Drake 6-7 152 T6 MVC
Needs to go at least 3-2 to have a near coin flip 50% chance to avoid Thursday. 4-1 boosts their chances to a robust 95%.
Remaining schedule: 2\16 Vs Evansville 2\19 Vs Valpo 2\22 @Illinois State 2\25 @Loyola 2\29 Vs UNI
The Bulldogs have been terrific at home with a 10-1 record but with an absolutely brutal two game stretch to close out the year, it feels like their fortunes may come down to their home meeting with Valpo on the 19th. Nothing is ever guaranteed in the Valley though so a surprise win or loss is not out of the question. I see them going 3-2 or 2-3 in this stretch (probably 3-2 and setting up that coin flip but it's really on the razor's edge for Drake as far as avoiding Thursday goes. That Missouri State loss stung and took away most of their wiggle room.
Indiana State: 7-6 102 5th MVC
Needs to go 3-2 to have a near certain chance to avoid Thursday 2-3 would raise those odds to just over 13%
Remaining Schedule: 2\16 Vs Missouri State 2\19 Vs UNI 2\22 @ Evansville 1\15 @ Illinois State 2\29 Vs Valpo
Even after the road loss to Bradley the Sycamores are probably the best positioned of this group to avoid Thursday. They have no time to lick their wounds and have to shake off that loss quickly and rebound for a big game against the Bears on Sunday. For their part The Bears just blew out Drake by 35 at home and look like they are beginning to find their footing and be the team we thought they were when the season began.(Hat tip to the late Dennis Green RIP) Fortunately for Indiana State they are undefeated at home. It doesn't get any easier as the conference leading Panthers follow the Bears into the Hulman Center followed by road games against two hungry teams looking to build momentum before St Louis before meeting Valpo at home to close the year. That game could be very meaningful depending upon how things shake out but I expect them to go 2-3 or 3-2 down the stretch and have a good chance of avoiding Thursday. It might come down to the Valpo game at the end though.
Missouri State 6-7 134 T6 MVC
Needs to go 3-2 to have a 3 in 4 shot of avoiding Thursday Those odds go up to nearly 99% at 4-1.
Remaining Schedule: 2\16 @Indiana State 2\19 @Bradley 2\22 Vs Loyola 2\25 @Valpo 2\29 Vs SIU
Although you can make the argument that among the teams fighting to avoid Thursday Missouri State has been playing the best basketball of any of them (Valpo might have something to say about that though) the Bears probably have the toughest remaining schedule of any team. First they face the Sycamores in Terre Haute who are perfect at home this season. Then they follow that with a trip to Carver to play the resurgent Bradley Braves before returning home to play Loyola and then hitting the road to play our Crusaders followed by a home game with SIU. If you're scoring at home that's 3 remaining games against the top 4 in the conference with tough road games in Terre Haute and Valpo to contend with as well. Fortunately, two of those top four games are at home but it's never easy to play Loyola or SIU even though they have both thrown up some clunkers as a road team. It's an absolutely brutal stretch but if any team is talented enough to come through it it's Missouri State. Realistically, I think they probably go something like 2-3 or so but they are talented enough to win all of these games.
Valpo 6-7 144 T6 MVC
Needs to go 3-2 to have a 3 in 4 chance of avoiding Thursday with 4-1 making it a near certainty.
Remaining Schedule: 2\16 @ Illinois State 2\19 @Drake 2\22 Vs Bradley 2\25 Vs Missouri State 2\29 @ Indiana State
One game at a time needs to be the mantra for this group the rest of the year. Yes that upcoming clash at the Knapp Center is very important but not if you get caught looking ahead and fall into the upset trap against Illinois State. They are playing much better of late too coming off a win at home over Indiana State and a very game effort where they played well in a loss in Cedar Falls to Northern Iowa. If Valpo isn't ready for them they could suffer a very damaging loss. That said, if they can win in Normal and pull off a big surprise in the Knapp Center the Crusaders will be in fine shape as Bradley and Missouri State come to town as they try to secure their first top six finish as an MVC member. I can't help but think that that game in Terre Haute to close the year is going to be significant. I base that on nothing concrete. It's just a feeling brought on most likely because it's the Valley and all of the games matter. There can be no looking ahead though. This upcoming road trip and the two home games that follow are every bit as critical as the ISUb game might be. We're reaching the stage where for teams in our position each game is more important than the last. Anywhere between 2-3 and 4-1 feels possible here. The race should come down to the wire.
Once again check out the great analytic work done by Hacksaw on MVC fans. His data helped me do this schedule breakdown.
http://mvcfans.com/viewtopic.php?f=2&t=5466&start=50
Bradley has a big first half and then holds off a huge SIU rally to win in Carbondale evening their records at 9-5. A UNI victory tonight would create a 3 way tie for second place and likely give the Panthers a stranglehold on first place in the race for the regular season title being 3 games up with 4 to play. Maybe we beat the Salukis twice in the sense that they were still looking back on their loss at the ARC which caused them to have such a bad first half. In any case, our game against Bradley just took on a little added significance if we can stay within two games of them before we play them. First things first though we have two important and tough games before that including one tonight. Lock in focus and let's get it done! Go Valpo! I BELIEVE!
Step two... Complete!!! Back to .500 and on to Des Moines for a tough one in the Knapp Center! Two home two away and all of them huge implications in the standings!
2\19 @ Drake 2\22 Vs Bradley 2\25 Vs Missouri State 2\29 @ISUb. I'll try to do another breakdown tomorrow after the Valley Action is done so that we know what we're working with or Monday. But so far we've done waht we have to do to stay alive and we will have plenty of opportunities to make our statement! It's all in front of us now! We can do this! Go Valpo! I BELIEVE!
Loyola with a huge overtime victory at Gentile to pull within a game of the Panthers for the regular season title. UNI has a really tough remaining schedule so this is definitely not over yet. Man this conference is fun! Is this enough parity for some of you fans that like parity throughout the year? :) Feels like everyone is still playing meaningful games! I love this!
Loyola may be heading to an at large consideration after that performance, which is good for MVC.
I doubt that very strongly unfortunately. With a NET rating over 100 going in and a REALLY bad loss to Coppin State I sincerely doubt they get there. Their only hope would be winning out and losing to UNI in the Finals but even then I don't think they'd have enough of a resume. Had they not lost to Coppin State and if they had beaten Davidson and Colorado State it would be easier to see their path to an at large but since none of those things happened I doubt they get in.
That was a fun game to watch. Aj green had a 3 to send it to Ot but the. Received a bloody nose and started playing bad by forcing shots. I don't think uni scores in OT.
I was going for UNI. Was really hoping the panthers go undefeated and then lose to a Loyola in the finals and getting an at large.
I don't know if they can do it now. Their margin for error prior to the finals has to be pretty much zero now though. Unless South Carolina can keep winning and give UNI a second Q1 win. But even then I don't know.
I'll take a look at the numbers and remaining schedules once they're posted but it doesn't take a genius to know that Wednesday night in Des Moines is CRITICAL. We NEED This one. It would put us in a great position going into the final three games. This is easily the most important game of the year and I hope the team plays like it! Lock in focus and play well. Take that second half effort and intensity shown against Illinois State and give us two halves of that against Drake! Go Valpo! I BELIEVE!
Here's where we stand now:
Have Successfully Avoided Thursday: UNI*
Locked into Thursday Already: Evansville Illinois State
*Loyola can get there with one win. A single win by Bradley and SIU drops their odds of going to Thursday to .1% and 1.9% respectively.
The numbers like Indiana State and Missouri State to be the teams that emerge from this four way tie for fifth to play on Friday. Valpo has the third highest odds at 54% chance of being a Thursday team so we're in coin flip territory right now. Drake has the lowest odds at 72% but I imagine we both would flip positions depending on the outcome on Wednesday in Des Moines. That game is critical and a must win.
All teams involved in this tie up need at least a 2-2 record to have a reasonable chance at being a Thursday team though Drake would really benefit from being 3-1 as a 3-1 finish drops them from a 74% chance of being a Thursday team to an 11.5% chance. All other teams involved in this four way tie have a better than 99% chance of avoiding Thursday if they go 3-1.
Here we go, done in order of NET Rating:
Indiana State 7-7 T5 MVC 109
Needs to go 2-2 for an 80% chance of avoiding Thursday. Those odds drop to 20% if they finish 1-3.
Remaining Schedule: Feb 20 UNI Feb 23 @ Evansville Feb 26 @SIU Feb 29 Valpo.
The Sycamores had their air of invincibility at home smashed emphatically by Missouri State taking a 71-58 loss yesterday. They have now lost 3 in a row and it doesn't get any easier for them taking on the conference leading Panthers hungry for a victory after a tough loss in Gentile to Loyola. They then follow it up with a tough road trip to Evansville who keeps getting closer and closer to picking somebody off. Is February 23 the night they do it? and to Carbondale where the Salukis have been extremely tough. The Sycamores fortunes could come down to that Valpo game in the Hulman Center on February 29.
Missouri State 7-7 T5 MVC 127
Needs to go 2-2 for a 71% chance of avoiding Thursday the odds of being a Thursday team jump to nearly 89% if they finish 1-3. 3-1 drops their odds of being a Thursday team under 1% which it likewise does for both Indiana State and Valpo as well.
Remaining Schedule: Feb 19 @Bradley Feb 22 Vs Loyola Feb 25 @ Valpo Feb 29 Vs SIU
The Bears have looked like a different team the past 4-5 games since getting run off the floor in the McLeod Center in Cedar Falls to close out January. They have won two in a row including an emphatic beatdown of Drake at home and a somewhat surprising road win @ Indiana State shattering the Sycamores perfect home record on the season. Still, a trip to Carbondale and the ARC alongside dates with the Ramblers and Salukis is nobody's idea of an easy schedule. If they play the way they've played in February--like the team we all expected them to be at the start of the year--they have a good chance to avoid Thursday, but three quarters of the top four of the conference and a desperate Valpo team will not make it easy on them.
Valpo 7-7 T5 MVC 139
Needs to go 2-2 for a 59% chance of avoiding Thursday 3-1 makes it over a 99% chance.
Remaining Schedule: Feb 19 @Drake Feb 22 Bradley Feb 25 Missouri State Feb 29 @ Indiana State
I've said it before and I'll say it again. This could very well come down to the game in Terre Haute but the game in Des Moines is a must. Like all the teams in this list Valpo needs to take it one game at a time. The schedule did them some favors as the Crusaders only have to face one team in the top 4 of the conference to close out the year. However, their remaining home games are against two of the hottest and most talented teams in the conference. Neither one will be easy even with the ARC crowd behind them. The team very much controls its own destiny, but like Drake, any loss takes the Crusaders margin for error down to near zero. They've done their job so far after falling to 5-7 with that close loss at Gentile winning the next two games but each game going forward features a tough and desperate opponent who needs a win. The Crusaders had better come ready to play every night.
Drake
7-7 T5 MVC 154
Needs to go 2-2 for a 26% chance to avoid Thursday 3-1 gives them just an 11.5 % chance of playing on Thursday while 1-3 makes it a near certainty.
Remaining Schedule: Feb 19 Valpo Feb 22 @ Illinois State Feb 25 @ Loyola Feb 29 UNI
Following a tough loss to Northern Iowa and a blowout in a pivotal road game, the Bulldogs gutted out an 85-80 victory over Evansville to set up this huge date with Valpo on Wednesday. We saw first hand how tough it can be to play in Redbird Arena so that game is far from a given for the Bulldogs and that final week is brutal even if UNI is a home game. The good news is that Drake has been terrific at the Knapp Center. The bad news is Loyola has been terrific at Gentile Arena and the Crusaders might--just might--have learned to win on the road. Pinning your Thursday fortunes on beating (or even splitting) against Loyola and UNI is a really tall order but it's the Valley. Anything is possible. Everything is doable
So there you have it: Drake faces the longest odds but can go a long way toward changing their fortunes if they beat Valpo. Valpo needs this road win desperately as they have two very tough home dates against two hot and talented teams prior to a difficult road game. The numbers favor Indiana State and Missouri State but they have some very tough games on their schedule that could dampen their chances of avoiding Thursday. This is going to be a very interesting and fun race to monitor these next two weeks and nothing is decided by any means. It's all about the results on the court and winning down the stretch. We can do this! We're playing better and we've played ourselves into a better position than we were in a week ago. Let's finish this season strong and play on Friday! Go Valpo! I BELIEVE!
1314, I'm going to re-phrase your summary slightly, though we might be saying some of the same things.
4 teams are tied at 7-7. Seems certain that 2 of those 4 teams will play on Thursday. Valpo plays all three of the others who are in the tie. Of the teams in the tie, the other three only play Valpo. So, Valpo's strength in completing will have a significant affect on all 4 teams. Valpo already has one home win against two of the other three, and an away loss against the other. So, if each team holds wins at home while playing against tie-mates, then chances of Valpo playing on Thursday go up, because that means that Valpo went 1-2 against the other teams in the tie. That puts Valpo at 8-9, with a home game at Bradley as the only other game. If VU wins that game (big IF), then it finishes 9-9.
As 1314 pointed out, Drake seems to have the toughest battle ahead. I kinda think that they will take one of the two open Thursday slots.
Only 5 potential final results are available for Valpo:
A. 11-7
B. 10-8
C. 9-9
D. 8-10
E. 7-11
Seems to me that D & E = Thursday, with C being a risky unknown for now. Which means, holding serve at home, plus one road win to get it done. A would be really nice.
How big is this Drake game? Take a look at this isolated outcomes simulation(Scroll down to Hacksaw's latest posts).
A win by Valpo drops our odds of being a Thursday team (for the time being after the game) to a cool 32%. A loss raises them to 68% and takes away much of our margin for error.
A win by Drake drops their chances of being a Thursday team to 58% but a loss puts them at a 93% chance. This team is going to have the home crowd behind them where they have been terrific and they are going to be desperate. Valpo had better be ready. This is the biggest game of the season. Go Valpo! I BELIEVE!
http://mvcfans.com/viewtopic.php?f=2&t=5461&start=40
Good article on Evansville...
https://www.midmajormadness.com/2020/2/20/21143635/evansvilles-todd-lickliter-is-still-singing-the-song
The level of disrespect being shown to UNI and the MVC is just shocking. I understand the Panthers didn't do themselves any favors with that 0-2 week but come on man...
https://www.espn.com/mens-college-basketball/story/_/id/28577356/ncaa-tournament-bubble-watch-updated-look-wildest-bubble-years
Quote from: VUGrad1314 on February 23, 2020, 08:10:36 PM
The level of disrespect being shown to UNI and the MVC is just shocking. I understand the Panthers didn't do themselves any favors with that 0-2 week but come on man...
https://www.espn.com/mens-college-basketball/story/_/id/28577356/ncaa-tournament-bubble-watch-updated-look-wildest-bubble-years
Why is it shocking, their NET was #47 last I checked. They'd have to have zero upsets in P5 tournaments right?
They have a road win in Boulder and a neutral site victory over South Carolina in Cancun. Sadly a lot of the series they scheduled didn't work out as they had hoped because the other program wasn't as good as they thought they would be (Old Dominion Marshall Grand Canyon) That West Virginia loss still stings so much. They had that game and they would have gotten to play Wichita State after that if they had won. I just feel like this conference has earned far more respect historically than it has been shown in recent years and that makes me sad. It's hard to beat a Valley team on the road and everyone knows it That's why most MVC teams can't get home games. They don't play us because they're scared and know we'll win our fair share of games against them and the committee knows that too yet they constantly stick their thumbs in our eyes and tell us to schedule better. It's so unfair and it's terrible. Meaningful reform must be made. When a conference in the top third of conferences struggles to get even a second bid then the top 20% of conferences have way too much power.
Looking at Standings across college hoops last night -- only 2 mid-major conferences have 2 or more wins vs "ranked opponents" -- MVC and WCC (which has benefit of 2 top 25 teams in conference). MVC has a top 25 win by its last place 0-16 conference record team. Conference USA even has 0 wins.
Frankly across all mid-major conferences, the total number of games versus ranked teams is ridiculously low.
By the way, how is Butler ranked with a below .500 record in conference? This will be an interesting year for selections and seedings. Lots of parity. Lots of major conference teams with under .500 records. I'm still a firm believer that no team should get an at large unless they play .500 in conference (any conference). If you can't play .500, especially in conferences that you now have 18 or 20 games, then you have shown your body of work is mediocre. A win at home against a top team in your conference shouldn't save a mediocre season. A win or 2 in conference tourney shouldn't save you. Teams that win conference seasons, particularly in higher ranking mid-major conferences should be rewarded for their ability to have an overall good season. (I understand the realities, etc., but if I were commish for a day, this is where I start).
https://twitter.com/valpoathletics/status/1231945378326622208?s=21
I don't have a fancy outcome predictor, yet here are the remaining games for the logjam of MVC teams who are fighting to avoid the first round tournament games.
ISUb 9-7 @SIU Valpo
MoSt 8-8 @Valpo SIU
Valpo 8-8 MoSt @ISUb
Drake 8-8 @Loyola UNI (Drake has no common opponents to the other three teams, and could finish anywhere from 8-10 to 10-8).
If Valpo wins out, then could tie for fourth in conference at 10-8, finishing ahead of a 9-9 MoSt and winning a head to head tiebreaker with ISUb (with two wins).
If Valpo goes 1-1 and finishes 9-9, it depend on who they defeat as both MoSt and ISUb could be 10-8, or 9-9 and 11-7.
If Valpo goes 0-2 and finishes 8-10, they would end up no worse than 8th, and could tie for 7th.
https://twitter.com/mjhackman/status/1231949551751352320
UNI stumping for tournament consideration regardless of the results in St Louis
https://twitter.com/ValleyHoops/status/1232107946307276800
I remember somebody asking if they could see the coaches teleconferences. I found it for this week! Note the Twitter Handle because I think they post them each week.
https://twitter.com/ValleyHoops/status/1231972834035015680
According to the probabilities here's how everything shakes out:
A win in Terre Haute puts us in the 4\5 game (unless the wheels fall off for Bradley and we pass them in the NET which would give us the 3 seed)
A loss by Valpo and by Missouri State gives us the six seed
A loss by Valpo and a win by Missouri State over SIU would have the NET determine the tiebreaker which Missouri State would likely win because they are already ahead of us and would have a win while we lost.
We can't leave this in the hands of the Missouri State-SIU game. We need to win in Terre Haute! Go Valpo! I BELIEVE!
Discussion of it here:
http://mvcfans.com/viewtopic.php?f=2&t=5466&start=100
If you haven't registered over there I encourage you to do so We could use more of a Valpo presence on that board.
Quote from: VUGrad1314 on February 23, 2020, 10:25:41 PMMeaningful reform must be made. When a conference in the top third of conferences struggles to get even a second bid then the top 20% of conferences have way too much power.
I think this has been known for a long time but the Major major schools think they are the reason that people watch the Big Dance and they will control the number of spots given to at-large teams as long as Mid-Majors accept that they can't change the status quo of Major-Major teams, even with losing records, getting the majority of at-large tournament slots.
Those of you who Tweet Cast your votes for JFL!
https://twitter.com/hoops_mvc/status/1232738224486875140
NET RANKINGS from NCAA site through 2/26 games:
UNI 44
Loyola 98
Ind St 101
Bradley 107
MSU 130
Valpo 133
SIU 152
Drake 163
Ill St 206
E'Ville 256
Vote for Javon!
https://twitter.com/hoops_mvc/status/1232738224486875140?s=21
Anyone who voted for Tyreke Key should have their Twitter poll voting privileges revoked. There are three choices this year: Green Krutwig and JFL. That's it. I'd have put Key behind at least one other player if not a couple (Phyfe and Domask come to mind)
Anybody know what the TV schedule looks like for Thursday, Friday, Saturday, Sunday for the MVC tournament?
As in, what network is everything on? I have Sling TV, ESPN+, as well as local antenna and am wondering if I will be able to watch any of the games. Thanks!
Quote from: SanityLost17 on February 28, 2020, 11:53:54 AM
Anybody know what the TV schedule looks like for Thursday, Friday, Saturday, Sunday for the MVC tournament?
As in, what network is everything on? I have Sling TV, ESPN+, as well as local antenna and am wondering if I will be able to watch any of the games. Thanks!
https://twitter.com/ewieberg/status/1233426873767649280
Quote from: SanityLost17 on February 28, 2020, 11:53:54 AMAnybody know what the TV schedule looks like for Thursday, Friday, Saturday, Sunday for the MVC tournament? As in, what network is everything on? I have Sling TV, ESPN+, as well as local antenna and am wondering if I will be able to watch any of the games. Thanks!
[tweet]1233462723624800258[/tweet]
LUC considered a very dangerous team next year while UNI and SIU got some love in the conference. I think Valpo and ISUb can join this list of rising young teams as well. I think next year will be a very good year for the Valley!
https://twitter.com/CBB_Central/status/1232361299222372352
A nice statistical deep dive by a UNI fan. Maybe there's still a chance? We can help a lot by staying Q2 which we hopefully should be able to do if we win nice and big on Thursday.
https://twitter.com/DrMattSmithPT/status/1234102135559774210
https://twitter.com/DrMattSmithPT/status/1234108337974841349
https://twitter.com/DrMattSmithPT/status/1234108339182850048
https://twitter.com/DrMattSmithPT/status/1234108340399198208
Evansville men are 0-18.
Evansville women are 0-16.
Things could be worse.
The Evansville men's team has really improved since the coaching change. Even though they have not won a MVC game they are getting much closer to getting the job done so they cannot be taken lightly.
How in the world did they beat Kentucky?
They also beat Murray St. and nearly lost to SMU. But 0-18 in MVC.
Quote from: oklahomamick on March 02, 2020, 11:42:18 AMHow in the world did they beat Kentucky? They also beat Murray St. and nearly lost to SMU. But 0-18 in MVC.
Before the turmoil. Can't even compare the team before and after the turmoil. That should be viewed as two distinct seasons.
If my reply to your post looks similar like it appears in another thread you're right because it does. It's such a shame what happened for everyone involved. If McCarty could have behaved himself Evansville might have been an at large contender and would have been a true credit toward helping UNI and the rest of the MVC improve their ratings and metrics which could have made a material difference in the multibid hopes even if Evansville themselves did not make it. You're acting like that team had nothing at all happen to it and was just the same team under the same coach and that's totally wrong.
According to this article the last 10 teams in are the following (NET SOR Strength of Record BPI KenPom and Sagarin Included UNI and other elite mids on the bubble will appear in this pool for comparison's sake to assess their at large chances.
Florida 33 42 26 33 32
Xavier 43 34 50 43 27
Texas Tech 23 50 21 23 36
Rutgers 34 41 35 32 44
Providence 44 53 52 46 29
Stanford 28 59 45 35 54
Texas 59 39 65 54 35
Cincinnati 53 57 48 44 40
Wichita State 45 31 40 41 34
NC State 55 54 49 53 47
St Mary's 31 35 37 36 38
UNI 37 40 55 39 65
Utah State 38 48 3642 43
E Tennessee St 41 26 51 66 52
Richmond 48 47 42 50 67
Lundardi adds Indiana Mississippi State and USC as teams on the bubble so I'll include their numbers Incidentally he has UNI as a 10 seed in the bracket that came out today:
Indiana 54 27 39 38 31
USC 39 36 61 52 53
Mississippi St 52 49 41 49 52
Looking at these numbers you have to like UNI's chances even if they don't win in St Louis. though most every other team has good resume building opportunities available to them so these numbers will change a lot. I think it's best if they just win in St Louis and not have to sweat out the committee but I'll see how I feel about that after each game as we have more data points entered in and the picture clears up a bit more (though it will still remain muddy but they might still have a chance yet especially if they can get to the finals and it's a close game to a good NET team (talking top 4 in the conference at minimum but preferably Loyola or Indiana State.)
JFL deservedly makes the first team all MVC and the all defensive team
Donovan Clay makes the All Freshman team.
Region Product Roman Penn (Drake) made the all newcomer team as well.
Teams broke down as follows:
1st team
A.J. Green (UNI)
JFL
Tyreke Key (ISUb)
Cameron Krutwig (Loyola)
Austin Phyfe (UNI)
2nd Team:
Darrell Brown (Bradley
Elijah Childs (Bradley)
Keandre Cook (Missouri State)
Liam Robbins (Drake)
Marcus Domask (SIU)
Third Team
Jordan Barnes (ISUb)
Tate Hall (Loyola)
Nate Kennell (Bradley)
Roman Penn (Drake)
Gage Prim (Missouri State)
All Freshman Team
Donovan Clay
Marcus Domask (SIU)
D.J. Horne (ISUr)
Marquise Kennedy (Loyola)
Jake LaRavia (ISUb)
All Newcomer Team
Marcus Domask (SIU)
Tate Hall (Loyola)
Jake LaRavia (ISUb)
Roman Penn (Drake)
Gage Prim (Missouri State)
All Defense Team
Isaiah Brown (UNI)
JFL
Liam Robbins (Drake)
Christian Williams (ISUb)
Lucas Williamson (Loyola)
Just shows how good and deep this conference is. The future is very bright at programs like UNI ISUb Loyola and ours. I understand that both of the Panthers first team selections are sophomores.
22-12 Drake early.
Panthers better wake up or it's UNIT.
43-33 Bulldogs at half. Wow. What is happening? Absolute worst time to have a terrible half. You have to think the selection committee is watching right now so this will not help their case even if they are able to survive and advance. For their sake and for the sake of the MVC's multibid hopes I hope they'll come out okay but man that was brutal at the worst possible time...
That's better! Come on UNI!
Green is playing selfish basketball and needs to shoot less. He has a great supporting cast and needs to trust his teammates.
This is what watching the '15-16 and '16-17 Horizon League Tournaments from a neutral perspective was like
This is gross. I'm gutted right now I really wanted the MVC to be a multibid league or to at least send a team that could win in the tournament again...
Quote from: VUGrad1314 on March 06, 2020, 01:48:02 PMThis is gross. I'm gutted right now I really wanted the MVC to be a multibid league or to at least send a team that could win in the tournament again...
That said the UNI fanbase deserves every minute of this. I call them Wichita-lite. All the hubris none of the resume to back it up. Everyone they lost to was "a bad team." Maybe UNI just wasn't all that great. I think this game proves it. Away from home UNI is very average.
Also, if this were a Valpo game and Lottich were coaching we would be giving him so much grief for the team's inability to score. Interesting how our perspective changes when emotion isn't involved.
Has UNI done enough to get a bid?
Quote from: oklahomamick on March 06, 2020, 02:01:18 PMHas UNI done enough to get a bid?
With this Q3 butt kicking? Their THIRD Q3 loss? Absolutely not.
Quote from: VUGrad1314 on March 06, 2020, 02:05:20 PM
Quote from: oklahomamick on March 06, 2020, 02:01:18 PMHas UNI done enough to get a bid?
With this Q3 butt kicking? Their THIRD Q3 loss? Absolutely not.
NIT----2 seed? Depends on many unknowns. The only big surprise here was the margin.
Quote from: oklahomamick on March 06, 2020, 02:01:18 PM
Has UNI done enough to get a bid?
Even if they had, this is the perfect scenario for the Committee to take a pass.
Gotta win on the road UNI has 4 conference road losses and 2 neutral floor losses one of them being a total blowout. That's not good when your best wins are Colorado and South Carolina. If they had beaten West Virginia (and possibly Wichita State who they would have played) there would at least still be some sort of conversation but right now as the resume stands absolutely not enough and nowhere close. The bubble is popped and the race for the bid is wide open. So let's do it! Might as well be us.
I like the underdog win as much as anyone, but this drubbing of UNI was not good for the league. No way they get at-large consideration. Had they made it to Sunday, then could still be in the discussion. Now, MVC is definitely a one-bid league, which hurts from a marketing standpoint and a financial standpoint.
As has been discussed before, the parity in the conference this year and last year make for exciting games, but doesn't do much for the league on Selection Sunday.
I like that any team can beat any other team at any time. However, I'd also like to see a couple of teams in the tournament. If the parity each year continues, then all of the teams are simply going to need better performances in the non-con.
As it stands now, in order to get recognition and money, we need our lone representative to win at least two games. No easy task.
https://twitter.com/ValleyHoops/status/1236027808348098561
https://twitter.com/ValleyHoops/status/1236023810618519552
Who do we want to win between Missouri St. and Indiana St? Who do we match up with better? Javon better be taking an ice bath. He looked gassed.
Hard to tell. We split with both so it may not matter. ISUb has an amazing offense Missouri State has scary talent. We were so bad in that ISUb game and we were so good in the last MSU game. It's hard to use either as a barometer. Right now it looks like it'll be MSU anyway but who knows? I mean we erased an 18 point second half deficit after all.
Missouri State up big in the second half....but then again so was Loyola
Saw this on Loyola forum.
The Flames beat Youngstown State at Gentile tonight before approx. 800 fans.
Their stadium was booked for a college robotics competition. I wonder what the attendance there was?
Sounds like a major oversight by the Athletic Department in failing to reserve the date.(Or else they're thinking of dropping men's basketball for robotics...)
Quote from: hailcrusaders on March 06, 2020, 10:19:13 PMMissouri State up big in the second half....but then again so was Loyola
And here come the Sycamores. What was 18 is now 11 with 13 minutes to go.
Missouri State it is then. They played very well this evening. Hopefully they used up all their mojo.
Three for four on seed upsets today, with 4 Bradley over 5 SIU the only favorite to advance. Did not see that coming!
Bradley will now be the MVC auto bid placeholder in tomorrow's Lunardi bracket update. Wow.
Missouri State looked very impressive. Seemed like they barely broke a sweat tonight. We'd better be ready. Go Valpo! I BELIEVE!
Hey if we can have more PIG team quarterfinal wins in one day than there have ever been why can't we make the Finals? Nothing saying we can't so let's do it!
8 and 7 seeds beat 1 and 2 seeds: A Tale of 2 Conferences:
Big 10: "This just shows the depth of this conference and the unimaginable grind these teams go through night in and night out. A testament to why they're getting 126789 teams in the tournament this year."
MVC: "Ha! UNI and Loyola lost to Drake and Valpo! I told you this conference sucks! The top of this conference have been such fraudulent paper tigers all year. They're lucky they at least have the auto bid."
Tell me, what makes these situations so different? Why can't we be considered for the good strong deep league that we are and get a little love from the committee? We're just like the Big 10 in that we are deep and cannibalize each other so what gives? Asking for a friend.
Because one conference has huge media rights and sponsors and the other one doesn't.
Quote from: oklahomamick on March 07, 2020, 05:29:55 AMBecause one conference has huge media rights and sponsors and the other one doesn't.
There's definitely a strong element of media bias involved. It has seemed we've spent the entire season trying to figure out how North Carolina is going to make the tournament. I've also been a strong supporter of not going with a power 5 conference 8th place finisher over an at larger from a "lesser" conference but I'm not sure this is the year to be complaining about the MVC in that fashion. UNI had a real bad loss in a conference quarter. They didn't lose in a conference final on a buzzer beater. They essentially shot themselves and the conference in the foot. Not that the tournament performance should be the overriding factor but it was absolutely the wrong thing to happen.
There will be teams with a sub par .500 conference record Making the NCAAt
Here is what I don't get, if the MVC played 90% of there non-conference games at home like the P6 conferences do, we would have a 70%+ non-conference winning percentage also. The bias is blatant, the only way the committee can't see it is for all of the $$$$ obscuring their view. Any semblance of fairness has been lost and the more the NCAA tries to "fix" things the worse it gets.
Quote from: VUGrad1314 on March 07, 2020, 02:15:56 AM
8 and 7 seeds beat 1 and 2 seeds: A Tale of 2 Conferences:
Big 10: "This just shows the depth of this conference and the unimaginable grind these teams go through night in and night out. A testament to why they're getting 126789 teams in the tournament this year."
MVC: "Ha! UNI and Loyola lost to Drake and Valpo! I told you this conference sucks! The top of this conference have been such fraudulent paper tigers all year. They're lucky they at least have the auto bid."
Tell me, what makes these situations so different? Why can't we be considered for the good strong deep league that we are and get a little love from the committee? We're just like the Big 10 in that we are deep and cannibalize each other so what gives? Asking for a friend.
Big Ten has 14 teams, so generally if you finish middle of the pack in the best conference in a given year, you're getting in. 2 years ago they only got 4 teams in.
The MVC only has 1 team this year that's got an at-large resume (UNI). Loyola lost to Coppin State at home and had no Quad 1 wins (the entire league had 2 all year).
Some of it is opportunity that the MVC doesn't get in the non-conference, but that's also partly due to not having an alpha team in the conference (Dayton, SDSU, Gonzaga) that major conference opponents know will be good year in and year out and isn't a risk to schedule and can get into prestigious tourneys.
The MVC is a good league, but teams make the tournament, not leagues.
gotta believe that having 4 6 7 8 was not their weekend seeding plan.
Quote from: FWalum on March 07, 2020, 12:09:50 PM
Here is what I don't get, if the MVC played 90% of there non-conference games at home like the P6 conferences do, we would have a 70%+ non-conference winning percentage also. The bias is blatant, the only way the committee can't see it is for all of the $$$$ obscuring their view. Any semblance of fairness has been lost and the more the NCAA tries to "fix" things the worse it gets.
NCAA Tourney Committee members:
Kevin White - Duke AD
Bernard Muir - Stanford AD
Jim Schaus - Ohio AD
Janet Cone - UNC Asheville AD
Mitch Barnhart - Kentucky AD
Craig Thompson - MWC Commissioner
Jim Phillips - Northwestern VP of Athletics
Bernadette McGlade - A10 Commissioner
Chris Reynolds - Bradley AD
Quote from: talksalot on March 07, 2020, 12:28:53 PMgotta believe that having 4 6 7 8 was not their weekend seeding plan.
IF the bracket was going to be busted and pulverized to smithereens I am so glad that we are part of the ones doing the busting! GO Valpo! I BELIEVE!
Bradley looked really good today against a tired Drake team. Their size will be a problem if we're fortunate enough to play them tomorrow. But first thing's first we need to lock in and play well against a very tough and talented Missouri State team. I think we can do it! Go Valpo! I BELIEVE!
I like our chances better against Bradley, than I would have against Drake. Their big, guy with the puffy hair, Penn, and that f*er that seems to get every backdoor cut for a layup, really owned us in most situations.
Cincinnati, a "bubble team" (with a record similar to ours) is probably pretty dang happy that we keep winning....
By the way, there should be 0 further discussion about IU and the tourney. They should be out.
this is the FIRST time two PRIVATE schools in the MVC meet in the final of the MVC Tourney since.... 1999 when #1 seed Evansville was beaten by #2 Creighton.
Elgin with some interesting thoughts about Expansion RPI\NET the future of the league and scheduling.
http://www.valleyhoopsinsider.com/the-state-of-the-valley/
Beginning to endorse a 12 team model.
Thinks NET allows teams to control their own destiny more and play their way in
Thinks we can get back to multibid status again
Wants to work with peer conferences on scheduling
Seems happy or at least okay with how the tournament has unfolded.
Talks about facility improvements across the Valley (HINT HINT HINT HINT HINT)
With the rumors around some PAC-12 teams joining the Big 12, and AAC teams joining the PAC-12, this offseason will be interesting on the realignment front
Quote from: valpotx on March 08, 2020, 02:09:31 PMWith the rumors around some PAC-12 teams joining the Big 12, and AAC teams joining the PAC-12, this offseason will be interesting on the realignment front
What are you hearing? Are there serious rumors of something like Arizona and Arizona State to the Big 12? Why would the PAC 12 want anyone from the AAC unless the conference gets totally gutted?
Just the usual rumors, nothing substantiated. The last that I read was UCLA, USC, Washington, Oregon, Arizona State, and Arizona forming a West division in the Big 12.
Quote from: valpotx on March 08, 2020, 03:47:29 PMJust the usual rumors, nothing substantiated. The last that I read was UCLA, USC, Washington, Oregon, Arizona State, and Arizona forming a West division in the Big 12.
I remember hearing something about a merger and reconfiguration of the two conferences where some of the current Big 12 and some of the current PAC 12 get left out but the resulting conference is much stronger than either one is on their own. It would be interesting in that case to see what happens to those left over.
I have a feeling teams from the Big 12 would move to the Conference of Champions than vice versa.
Quote from: usc4valpo on March 08, 2020, 05:45:44 PMI have a feeling teams from the Big 12 would move to the Conference of Champions than vice versa.
Unless you're a member of the Bill Walton family, I don't know why you'd think that. Perhaps there is a vaccine for the feeling?
With that said, I don't think anybody is going anywhere of any note.
The Big 12 TV money is stronger than the PAC-12 money. The potential for what you are talking about was a few years back, but is not the current landscape per a few articles:
https://theathletic.com/1652568/2020/03/04/big-12-conference-expansion-pac-12-targets-use-oregon-washington-arizona-arizona-state-ucla/
https://www.azcentral.com/story/sports/college/asu/2020/03/05/pac-12-football-lose-asu-usc-oregon-washington-ucla-big-12/4964313002/
So would this be like a football move with a basketball scheduling agreement while maintaining two separate conferences or are we talking full on all sports merger. Either way not good for anybody outside the P5. This would be the third conference that the Big XII would have an agreement with joining the Big East and the SEC while the Big East also has that overlapping agreement with the Big 10 which is itself tied in with the ACC.
Attention Luke Gore Northern Iowa (and well pretty much everyone else)
https://twitter.com/NickatCourier/status/1236731535304376323
The case for Northern Iowa. I hope somebody whose opinion and decision matters but I'm afraid it's going to fall on deaf ears...
https://twitter.com/NickatCourier/status/1237114090939654145
Why do I love the Valley? Let this be a partial summation as to why...
http://www.valleyhoopsinsider.com/march-moments-what-lies-ahead/
What I love the most is that it is not and has never really been a single program doing the heavy lifting. All schools seem to contribute to the success of the league and that is a beautiful thing. Every school has their chapter that they have written when they contributed greatly to the success of the conference. And schools are writing and revising their stories yearly.
It's great that we now are in "The Valley". The quality of this League is soooooo far above the Horizon and Summit Leagues that it's not even funny. No comparison. King Kampe and the rest of the Horizon are a big step below the MVC.
Vote
https://twitter.com/managergames_/status/1240672797174706179?s=21I'm
Anyone know if our International players were able to get home to their families? Are they still here in the states?
Krikke
Freese-Vilien
Siggy
Quote from: FieldGoodie05 on March 20, 2020, 08:33:33 AM
Anyone know if our International players were able to get home to their families? Are they still here in the states?
Krikke
Freese-Vilien
Siggy
And Daniel Sackey
Nice/recent write-up on our Loyola win:
https://bustingbrackets.com/2020/09/21/ncaa-basketball-best-games-2019-20-season-valparaiso-vs-loyola/
Maybe I'm wrong... Maybe I'm being overly optimistic... But it feels like we're being slept on BIG TIME among MVC Fans... Everyone has us rated between 7-9. I think 7 is our absolute floor with 4 or 5 being our ceiling right now.
http://mvcfans.com/viewtopic.php?f=2&t=5568
Quote from: VUGrad1314 on October 05, 2020, 05:28:48 PM
Maybe I'm wrong... Maybe I'm being overly optimistic... But it feels like we're being slept on BIG TIME among MVC Fans... Everyone has us rated between 7-9. I think 7 is our absolute floor with 4 or 5 being our ceiling right now.
http://mvcfans.com/viewtopic.php?f=2&t=5568
How outsiders feel about Valpo's chances depends mostly on their outsized view of JFL's impact. While I will miss his savvy defense, I won't particularly miss his offensive efficiency and occasional slow starts. I'm probably bigger on Donovan than I was on Javon and worry more about replacing the solidness and versatility of Kiser and the shooting of Fazekas.
One of the best games we played (I believe it was at Missouri St.) from an all-around perspective was without JFL and I hope we can build on that. We've got a lot to look forward to in 4 seniors, the sophomore year of last season's freshmen standouts, Ben and Donovan, and the newcomers. Also, as hard as I was on him last year, I'm very excited to see what another year of wisdom brings to Sackey's game.
Valpo has apparently been picked 8th in the preseason poll. Hopefully we can prove to be better than that ranking.
https://twitter.com/PantherST/status/1322542340247085056
It can't hurt to be thought of as an underdog. At the same time we, too, have been greatly effected by the virus and will find that preparation for the season was at truly a minimum just as for the other teams in our conference. All teams will be much better at the end of the season than starting out.