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From the "it figures" department: No favors from Brock Stull and Milwaukee today.  If they could have hit 1 free throw in 3 opportunities in Oakland earlier this year, we wouldn't be talking about a 2-seed.  #Milwaukee #TheBadLand

Welp.  I guess it was Oakland's year after all, which is what I said when we got spanked by them at home.  Too bad for our kids; they've had every possible obstacle thrown at them this season.  Perhaps a silver lining, in that they've had to operate without Alec, and did so as well as they could have.  Almost swept the weekend, which nobody would have expected.  And we nearly pulled it out.  Too many missed FTs and too many 2nd-half turnovers.  T-Walk and Hammink, though.  Gutsy.

I guess we're not calling travels on the home team today.  Three obvious travels, 8 points after no-calls.

I saw that!  They also had "UCI" for UIC on the side-slate.  And, I was unaware Wichita State had replaced Wright State in the Horizon League, which they also had up at one point.

They've got our number this year.  Too quick.  No team in the league takes us out of our game the way Oakland does.  Kampe's had plenty of cracks at us.  And when Peters is missing FTS, well, you know the rest.

Even as I watched the game end, I couldn't be disappointed.  All I wanted to see out of this game was for us to make it a game; to keep it close, to play hard, to NOT LET NERVES OVERCOME US and to play our game, the way we have all season.  Even though we were on the losing end of the score, it's very difficult to not consider this the biggest moral victory since placing 3rd at the Great Alaska Shootout in 1999, or the 1997 Boston College loss.  If we can keep this group together, we will be a force to be reckoned with next season, for sure.  We'll be a marked team, but we were marked in the HL Tourney anyway and won despite injuries to significant players.  Additionally, if Smits and Relvao develop as quickly as Tevonn and Skara have... look out!

I've heard a lot of talk about "how free throws killed us".  Well, yes; they've been this way all season, we just have never seen the missed-FT issue cost us a ballgame. 

I've heard a lot about the two calls at the end of the game that "decided it".  There were a few calls that went our way earlier in the game that absolutely should not have, so I'm not sold on those two calls deciding the game.  For one, I'd say Maryland's post defense decided the game (or our lack of being able to penetrate that defense).  Or, yes, free throws.  Those two things.

Would it have been nice to win?  Absolutely!  But, let's not forget how special 1998 was, and that they were a senior-laden bunch with an All-American player.  Expecting 1998 every time we make the tournament is foolhardy.  But again, taking into consideration how young we are and how close we came... there is absolute reason to be happy!  Imagine if we had allowed the nerves to get to us, or had Peters or Tevonn not hit shots all game.  We'd have been blown out and we'd yet again have to deal with the national Valpo-doesn't-belong-in-the-conversation label.  At the very least, we showed up, we played respectfully with a top-10 team on the national stage... and came up just a bit short.  Admit it: it was a VERY good season.  Better than any of us expected. 

And, in looking at this team, and how well they play together, there's now a reasonable expectation we can notch another NCAA win within the next few years.

Thanks guys!  So proud of all of you!  Proud to be a Crusader fan!

As I read all the stuff and see a little video on Maryland I'm thinking back to 2013 and what they lacked against a BIG opponent. To me, our biggest difference is in our guards.  Erik was very quick, but slight. Dority was strong but short.  Bogan was a good shooter but slow. I could go on.  We were undersized, relatively slow and lacked muscle.

Enter this years team.  Just looking at guys like T and D Walker and you see both speed and muscle.  Much more BIG like.  Then throw in a freak guard like T and a speedy sure handed Keith and we have the personnel at the guard spots to compete.

As others have said, the key to a win will be Alec and Vashil, as well as Jabril and David.  If they can control the boards and make some shots we can definitely be in this game. 

I hope Bryce uses the 5-on-6 tactic Homer used in practices.  Homer started using that drill following the Arizona year in order to handle quickness.  It definitely helped in the following years.  If the team is rotating 5-on-6 in practice and are able to spread the floor a bit, it will bode well against the bigger programs.

America, get familiar with Delanie Walker...

http://collegebasketballtalk.nbcsports.com/2015/03/10/introducing-cinderella-meet-the-valparaiso-crusaders/

Wow.  Not sure I've seen a Valpo team with this much character in all the years I've been watching them.  Sure, Green Bay shot horribly, but credit our second-half defense; it was definitely the key to victory last night.  SO GLAD THEY'VE PROVEN ME WRONG; to do what they did virtually without BOTH Walkers AND a cold Peters... amazing.  Nobody thought David Skara would step up the way he did, and without him, we're not celebrating another trip to The Big Dance.  Conversely, if we had been told Skara would be our leading scorer, I'd say most of us would've gulped in disappointment.  I could write a novel about how deep this team has been this season, but hey, that would be preaching to a joyous, happy choir.  Hopefully we can make a little noise!  Go Valpo!

Sorry, all, but the loss of Tevonn will be too much.

GB 63
Valpo 58

Besides, I'd rather be wrong and win.  But, I truly feel the loss of Tevonn makes any chance of a win in the field of 64 nearly impossible.  If Carter doesn't show up big - time on Tuesday, I'm afraid he and Max just won't cut it at the next level. 

Go Crusaders!  Prove me wrong!

Going into this season, I don't think anybody would've predicted where we finished (unless you had that blindness so prevalent in Bears and Cubs fans); most people would've laughed at the prediction we'd win the league this year.  Here are some of my key intangibles for the season (that won't show up on a stat sheet):

1.  The Kids Can Play!

  From the opening game, the Crusaders rode the talent and poise unexpected in its youth.  Alec Peters is playing like an upperclassman, and has since he put on a Valpo uniform.  With his performance at CSU Friday night, culminating in his corner-3/FT to put us up 8 with 1:11 to go, he's secured himself Horizon League Player-of-the-Year honors. 

  Add Tevonn Walker to that mix: an exciting player who has showtime capability.  I think you'd have to go back to Bryce Drew to see any freshman play with the wherewithal T. Walker displayed this season.  He should be a lock for Freshman POY, and we finally have that dribble-drive finisher we've so desperately longed for, lo these many years.

  All in all, it's a crazy-young team; one that can only grow and improve on what they've done this season.  If Drew and Company can keep this core together, visions of future at-large bids are finally worth discussing!

2.  2014-15 Coach of the Year

  I will admit, I was lukewarm about the news Valpo hired Bryce as their head coach when Homer retired.  Sure, Valpo has recruited on the Drew name, and they're a valuable asset in that they play the game the right way and are a group of the nicest, most down-to-earth people you'd ever hope to help enrich your kid's basketball knowledge.  But, although he was the greatest player to wear the uniform in his playing days, I was not confident he would transition well from player to coach.  One thing I always said about Homer (and Scott) was that they had the necessary charisma to be a head coach at Valpo; not only the cheerleader mentality Homer so aptly created back in 1988, but poise and calmness under pressure.  Bryce always struck me as a more brash, less charismatic figure who--don't get me wrong--brought all the x's and o's to the table, but someone I thought might not deliver in relating his knowledge effectively to student athletes the way his father and brother seemed to be able to do.  He and his coaching staff, no doubt, never had me guessing their recruiting abilities.  But, as we all know, it's a team that wins in college hoops; rarely can one player lead a team to a conference championship.

  Obviously, by the middle of his first season at the helm, I had been proven completely wrong about his effectiveness as a coach.  His demeanor IS different than his Drew predecessors, but his style as a coach has been as effective as it can be, not to mention his basketball resume and accomplishments instill an immediate respect in his players.  He's surrounded himself with great assistants, and the way he's handled the team this year and "chess-matched" through adversity--with the lack of 2-for-1s strategy aside--has been nothing short of masterful.  His staff's recruiting is great, and we continue to score really big commitments for our future, which, let's face it, looks very bright!

3.  It's the Chemistry, Stupid!

  It doesn't show up on a stat sheet, but it's almost more important than numbers.  You cannot win at the college level without it.  This team gelled better than anyone would have expected, and the necessity to mature quickly certainly helped to build this group's unity.  Lexus: out, Tevonn: in.  Carter: out, Nickerson: in.  Injuries facilitated a bench quick to prove (and improve) themselves.  Necessity is the mother of invention, and this team invented an unexpected, young, unified juggernaut that will be an absolute force in the league for years to come.  And, character?  This team is full of it.  How else could we go from an uninspired loss at Calihan to such a poised, winner-take-all clincher against a pumped CSU team yet to lose at Wolstein?

  Number 1 seed?  Wow.  Just wow.  What a season.  What a team.  Whether we take the tournament title or not, you can bet we won't be picked to finish fourth next season.  Bryce and Company are leading Valpo Basketball forward.  So desperate, we are, to finally match 1998.  That time very well may be on the "Horizon".  Let's just have fun and watch these guys play for another shot at another dance!  Go Valpo!

Of all Horizon League teams, Detroit is the worst matchup for us.  It will be a tough game; they'll be ready to play, but Valpo--knowing they're the #1 if they win--will prevail.  No sense in making @CSU a must-win.

Valpo 63
Detroit 60

Milwaukee wins!  Looking good for Valpo at the #1 if we beat DET?

Does anyone know the status of Doug Anderson following Saturday's fall?  He returned, but wasn't much of a factor, but his absence might really benefit Valpo tonight.