1/19/13 Wright State at Valpo game thread

[crusaderjoe]

Nice win by the guys. Didn't get to see the game but it looks like VU is starting to string a little mo' now.  Color me with cautious optimism.   We accomplished something last night that we didn't do at all last year, which is win five consecutive games against D-I opponents.  We haven't won at least six in a row against D-I competition since 2007-2008.

Sorry wh--I have to disagree with you about the ARC.  The WSU fan is right IMO; our venue is a high school facility at best and probably would not even be the best high school facility in NWI as far as sight lines and seating configurations go. East Chicago Central H.S. is probably better.  We need a new or updated venue badly and as a collegiate program VU should not be competing with area high schools for game venue atmosphere, particularly in Indiana.  I hope we do something soon.  Where's the roll out of that five year plan??

[LaPorteAveApostle]

[LaPorteAveApostle]

Broekhoff wouldn't have gotten to that point if the rest of your team hadn't played well enough to keep the game close so He could do his magic.

...

so He could do his magic.

...

[wh]

Sorry wh--I have to disagree with you about the ARC.  The WSU fan is right IMO; our venue is a high school facility at best and probably would not even be the best high school facility in NWI as far as sight lines and seating configurations go. East Chicago Central H.S. is probably better.  We need a new or updated venue badly and as a collegiate program VU should not be competing with area high schools for game venue atmosphere, particularly in Indiana.  I hope we do something soon.  Where's the roll out of that five year plan??

You're reading too much into my comments.  I want a revamped ARC as much as anyone, following some variation of the Loyola model.  That would enhance an already good experience, as opposed to destroying it like a big barn would.

[oklahomamick]

What looked to hurt us was the time between games WSU had compared us with their subbing in fresh legs often, but our collective fight overtook their fresh legs! Great wins this week!

The time between games did not hurt Detroit.  They blew UIC out of the building.  And they don't have the depth we do....

[vu72]

Sorry wh--I have to disagree with you about the ARC.  The WSU fan is right IMO; our venue is a high school facility at best and probably would not even be the best high school facility in NWI as far as sight lines and seating configurations go. East Chicago Central H.S. is probably better.  We need a new or updated venue badly and as a collegiate program VU should not be competing with area high schools for game venue atmosphere, particularly in Indiana.  I hope we do something soon.  Where's the roll out of that five year plan??

You're reading too much into my comments.  I want a revamped ARC as much as anyone, following some variation of the Loyola model.  That would enhance an already good experience, as opposed to destroying it like a big barn would.

Totally agree with wh.  What we have is one of the most exciting venues around--not because it has comfy seats and the best bratwurst anywhere, but because the fans are right on top of the floor, it is intimate and LOUD.  ESPN has said it is one of the most exciting.

Having said that, do we need improvements?  Absolutely and no one in the administration would say otherwise.  It is a matter of funding and I presume the five year plan you reference will have this in its content.  As I stated in previous posts, what I understand from what President Heckler has said on other ocasions is that once the new fieldhouse is done the ARC will be "gutted" and then the new "arena" will be built. This I presume will be a reconfiguring and small expansion to the existing space to create a bowl like setting, better concessions and restrooms, a club of some sort etc. As wh also said, along the lines of what Loyola has now. If we go much past 6000 seats it will be a mistake given the demographics of the surrounding city and size of the student body.

[valpopal]

If you missed it in all the excitement of the game, there was another reason to be pleased last night sitting at the end of the Valpo bench between Rossi and Chadwick: the new kid on the block. Here is my photo of Keith Carter making his initial appearance in a Valpo warm-up suit at a home VU game. I'm glad he got to experience a terrific first game.

[StlVUFan]

Refs didn't influence this game much, they blew calls both ways.

I had exactly the same impression.  I yelled about a number of non-calls, but I also noticed Valpo benefiting from several non-calls as well.  That charge achieved by Wil Bogan down the stretch (on Sledge?) was crucial and highly questionable in my opinion.  I literally saw the exact same non-call once on each side: player drives to the hoop, runs over defender, no foul called.  Both teams were spared the charging foul.

[StlVUFan]

Sorry wh--I have to disagree with you about the ARC.  The WSU fan is right IMO; our venue is a high school facility at best and probably would not even be the best high school facility in NWI as far as sight lines and seating configurations go.

Yeah, but so what?  It is satisfactory enough that a visiting fan's complaint is of no consequence (I saw the same tweet, and I laughed).  That place was electric last night.

And "only one concession stand"  Heavens, you mean fans have to get up off their ass and walk the length of the court to get to it?  Exercise is such a bitch, isn't it?

My god, we fans sure are spoiled, aren't we...

[vusupporter]

If you missed it in all the excitement of the game, there was another reason to be pleased last night sitting at the end of the Valpo bench between Rossi and Chadwick: the new kid on the block. Here is my photo of Keith Carter making his initial appearance in a Valpo warm-up suit at a home VU game. I'm glad he got to experience a terrific first game.

Watch for Carter near the end of the bench on the late-game highlights - definitely appeared to be really into it as the game neared the end.  Great to see from a relative newcomer to the program!

[StlVUFan]

Again good luck the rest of the year, and I hope your fans noticed we are not the same team as last year. As a Raider fan, i get tired of hearing how teams will beat us because we havent played anybody, hopefully this silence some of our teams critics.

Abso-damn-lutely.  It is obviously now a joke that you guys were picked 9th in the preseason poll.  I saw the evidence with my very own eyes last night, plus the game against Loyola.

[historyman]

and I hope your fans noticed we are not the same team as last year. As a Raider fan, i get tired of hearing how teams will beat us because we havent played anybody, hopefully this silence some of our teams critics.

I certainly was very impressed with the way the Raiders played as a team and how well they played defense. If not for the three point shooting of Kenney and the clutch all around play of Broekhoff, WSU would have walked into the ARC and pulled off a win in the toughest environment in the Horizon League. That was the loudest the ARC has been this year. I was impressed by Coach Donlon's ability to almost pull off the biggest upset of the year in the HL. He certainly had the team prepared to battle the Crusaders. Your team impressed the hell out me. 

[StlVUFan]

By the way, what did you guys think of Ryan "Ali Faroukhmanesh" Broekhoff on that 3 near the Valpo bench when we had a 1 point lead, plenty of time left on the shot clock, and about 35 seconds to go?  ONIONS!

[HC]

There are 3 concessions not one.

[LaPorteAveApostle]

WSU is better than advertised--but come on.  Their OOC SOS:  311.

Chicago State's expected SOS:  299.

Come. On.

[HC]

Agreed, heck I don't think they will finish above .500 in league play.

[FWalum]

and I hope your fans noticed we are not the same team as last year. As a Raider fan, i get tired of hearing how teams will beat us because we havent played anybody, hopefully this silence some of our teams critics.

I certainly was very impressed with the way the Raiders played as a team and how well they played defense. If not for the three point shooting of Kenney and the clutch all around play of Broekhoff, WSU would have walked into the ARC and pulled off a win in the toughest environment in the Horizon League. That was the loudest the ARC has been this year. I was impressed by Coach Donlon's ability to almost pull off the biggest upset of the year in the HL. He certainly had the team prepared to battle the Crusaders. Your team impressed the hell out me. 

Was at the game and what I saw from WSU last night was amazing to see.  Man have those kids bought into his program on both O and D.  They really break you down on Offense and consistently got easier shots than we did, they run the O moving the ball and eventually we made a mistake or switch to a mismatch and they made us pay.  If we don't make some clutch and many times contested shots they walk out of the ARC with a W.  WSU is legit if they continue to be able to play that way against the rest of the league.

[KL31NY]

By the way, what did you guys think of Ryan "Ali Faroukhmanesh" Broekhoff on that 3 near the Valpo bench when we had a 1 point lead, plenty of time left on the shot clock, and about 35 seconds to go?  ONIONS!

As a UNI basketball fan (in addition to Valpo of course), I love the reference to Farokhmanesh. He was open, why not shoot it if you're gonna score!

[LaPorteAveApostle]

That's true...they are an excellent team in the true sense of the word (too often lost in translation these days).

I suppose an accurate reading of the statement when the WSU fan says "teams will beat us because we havent played anybody", he IS admitting, "we haven't played anybody".  And they haven't.  Unless you count VMI, Hofstra, Eastern Illinois, NC A&T (a school, not a long-distance provider), and both Idaho and Idaho St.  Also Idaho why they scheduled BOWLING GREEN because they LOST that one.  Count those, but don't count Mount St. Joseph because they're D-III. (And yet, they get credit for Wisconsin-Milwaukee...hmm....)

He's also right that just because they've played nobody doesn't mean they aren't good.

But it doesn't help.

[LaPorteAveApostle]

He was open, why not shoot it if you're gonna score!

[KL31NY]

Like

[valpopal]

I had the morning off today, so I uploaded about 40 photographs I took at the Wright State game to my Valpo Basketball Photography blog, where it is easy to scroll through them. There are now about 200 pictures on the blog. It was an exciting game and a fun one for photos. If you were at the game, you will probably spot yourself in one of the crowd shots. All the photos can be found at the following: http://photography226.wordpress.com/

Here are a couple as a sample:

[FWalum]

Agreed, heck I don't think they will finish above .500 in league play.

I would have to call into question your judgement if you don't think the team we saw on Saturday will win 5 out of the next 11 games.  That would surprise the heck out of me.

[HC]

I've been wrong once before, I can't remember when though.  I was right about UIC being a fraud and might be taking a bit more a risk calling WSU the same.  My reasons for thinking this way:
1) They don't score points
2) They don't rebound well (317th in the country)
3) They don't shoot the 3 well
4) They haven't had many challenging teams yet
5) They still have 2 games with Detroit, 2 with YSU, and 1 with Valpo not to mention having to go to CSU, UIC and GB

I could end up being wrong, and thats ok....but then again, you might end up having the heck surprised out of you.

[78crusader]

The trouble with thinking WSU just isn't very good is...they had us beat for 38 minutes Saturday night.  On the road.  In front of a great crowd.

Paul