"Classic" Games at the ARC

[Valpo89]

Here's the release on the ARC games for the 2K Classic. Come see the University of the District of Columbia (huh?) and IU-Kokomo!



Field Finalized For 2K Sports Classic

Akron and Duquesne, both postseason teams from a season ago, highlight the squads coming to Valparaiso as the Crusaders' men's basketball team hosts a subregional round of the 2K Sports Classic Benefiting Coaches vs. Cancer at the Athletics-Recreation Center on Nov. 18-20.  It marks the first time Valpo has hosted part of an in-season men's basketball tournament since 1977.

The Valparaiso Subregional begins at 5 p.m. on Friday, Nov. 18 as Duquesne faces University of the District of Columbia.  Later that night at 7:30 p.m., the Crusaders take on Akron, which won 23 games last season and appeared in the NCAA Tournament.

Saturday evening's action starts at 5 p.m. as well, as Duquesne and Akron play the early game.  Valpo returns to the court at 7:30 p.m., matching up against IU Kokomo.

The Valparaiso Subregional of the 2K Sports Classic concludes on Sunday with two more games.  The Crusaders play Duquesne, which advanced to the quarterfinal round of the 2011 CBI, at 3:30 p.m., with IU Kokomo and UDC closing tournament play at 6 p.m.

Valparaiso opens the 2K Sports Classic with a previously announced game at Arizona in the Tucson Regional.  The Crusaders will take on the Wildcats on Monday, Nov. 7 at 8 p.m. CT in a game that can be seen live nationwide on ESPNU.

[Crusader65]

University of the District of Columbia - UDC is a division 2 program lead by second year coach Jeff Ruland who played professionally for teams in Washington, Philadelphia and Detroit and spent nine years as the head coach of his Alma Mater, Iona College.  The school wants to build a program with local talent but has been requiting many transfers back to D.C. area from other major programs.  Had a turn around year under Ruland last year from just 1 win before he arrived to 11 of their last 18 (11-13) season last year.  They play in the Division 2 - East Coast Conference (University of Bridgeport, CW Post, New York Institute of Technology, Mercy College, Queens College, Dowling College, Molloy College, St. Thomas Aquinas and UDC).  How did they get into an in season tournament accept to be fodder of the other programs?  IU - Kokomo first year program joining NAIA in Fall of 2012.  That would make it a club sport intill then. Wow! - again a reach for why?

[agibson]

The first year of a club basketball team!  (OK, they don't plan to continue being a club team....)  At least they're close by.  (I drove through Kokomo last week - I had no idea there was an IU campus there.)

And, at least we don't have to play UDC.

Great to have Duquesne come to the ARC, and great to have Akron back.  Probably more than makes up for having to play Kokomo.

[valpopal]

I like playing Duquense and Akron, but I'm disappointed in the other two teams participating. I was hoping for another team of higher caliber and a four-team round robin.

I'm also curious as to why Valpo and Duquesne play three games while Akron only plays two. I guess it will be good for Valpo to play one of the weaker teams in between the games with Akron and Duquesne, while those two have to play tougher games back-to-back.

[rlh]

As much trouble as the "tournament" was having getting teams to play, you take what you can get.  At least we have a full field.

[valporun]

As much trouble as the "tournament" was having getting teams to play, you take what you can get.  At least we have a full field.

Is some of this problem with getting teams into these "tournaments" due to NCAA rules about number of tournaments a team can play every four years, or because these "tournaments" only advance the host schools, and help other schools get some games they didn't have to agonize over the phone trying to schedule on their own? I'm not sure that these "tournaments" count towards the RPI or SOS, since they weren't scheduled by the schools, but I'm glad that we aren't always in the same tournaments, where only the name schools get to advance to a bigger venue, like the 2K Classic, Jimmy V., or Coaches vs. Cancer...

[valpofan56]

As much trouble as the "tournament" was having getting teams to play, you take what you can get.  At least we have a full field.

I'd rather not have a tournament at all than have one with a club team that me and a few guys I play with at the park district could stand a decent chance at beating

[agibson]

I'm not sure that these "tournaments" count towards the RPI or SOS, since they weren't scheduled by the schools,

Well, the non-D1 games don't count for RPI, by definition of the RPI.

But, all the D1 games during the season count, whether they're in one of these tourneys or not.  I assume the NCAA gets it right in their calculations, but the various unofficial sites do often have problems with home vs. neutral vs away for these events.