Looking to February (and March)

[wh]

We ended the 1st half at 6-2.   

What are your thoughts about the 2nd half?

[valpotx]

Another 6-2, with losses at Green Bay and at either WSU/Loyola

[HC]

I think there are only two maybe three iffy games left: vs. Detroit, at GB and at WSU. I still think that Valpo can win 7 of their final 8

[valpopal]

At the beginning of the season I predicted Valpo would go 12-4 in conference, 6-2 in each half of conference play. Though I thought the losses in the first half would be at Detroit and at Youngstown, I'm pleased we were able to hang a loss on Detroit at their home. I'm going to stick with 12-4, and I will be satisfied if the team ends conference with that record. However, most of all I hope they enter the conference tournament totally healthy.

[StlVUFan]

However, most of all I hope they enter the conference tournament totally healthy.

It's so basketball, isn't it?  You get a week off, the veritable "Chance to rest and heal" time, and it works in the opposite direction, so much so that Luke Gore's line of the night (before wakeradio.com crapped out on me in the middle of his postgame interview) was, "The good thing about tonight is that we get to play again in 2 days."

I'm still waiting for some information on just how Matt Kenney hurt his back.  My goodness, Billy Donlon whines about having to play 3 road games in 5 days, but Bryce has a week to prepare for YSU and Matt Kenney goes down.

This just in: sports is weird.   

[VUfan]

6-2 for the second half. Valpo could easily go 8-0  but that's asking a lot. A record of 12 and 4 will be hard to beat.

[78crusader]

My prediction is: this disappointing season continues, with a 5-3 finish.  Paul

PS yes, I still think this has been a very disappointing season.  YSU is not a very good team and we should be winning these games. 

[setshot]

6-2 for the second half. Host to the Horizon League Tournament. A loss in the tournament finals. Host to a 1st. round NIT game. A win in the first round,but lose in the second round. Wait till next year. 

[historyman]

YSU is not a very good team and we should be winning these games.

The Penguins may not have been playing this well all season but the team we played last night was shooting extremely well and played one of the better games against Valpo so far this year. Don't put YSU's performance for last night down because of their record. That was a hot Youngstown team we played. Kendrick Perry was on fire.

[truth219]

Okay we used to beat teams up on the road in the summit. Now we are in a better conference, but we also have a better team. Let's look at some of our losses oakland, nebraska, loyola, and youngstown state. None of those teams will make the ncaa tourney. We haven't played a solid 40 mins of basketball since the first game of the season. We are way to vulnerable to say valpo could easily go 8-0 in the second half. We just got by wsu and green bay. It seems like everybodys got excuses and quite frankly they are annoying. Like everyone says good teams win the games they are supposed to. One thing that is a sheer sign of talent is consistnacy. Something this team needs to improve on.

[StlVUFan]

Let's look at some of our losses oakland, nebraska, loyola, and youngstown state. None of those teams will make the ncaa tourney.

Did they have Selection Sunday already and I didn't get the memo?

[truth219]

Seriously come on....those teams are all mediocre to crap

[covufan]

Another 6-2, with losses at Green Bay and at either WSU/Loyola

Ditto

Let's look at some of our losses oakland, nebraska, loyola, and youngstown state.

These are the losses that frustrate the coaches, team and fans, especially the Oakland and Loyola games.  The coulda, woulda, shoulda games.  In 2010, when Butler was on a run, these are the types of games that Butler would find a way to win.  I've been impressed with our ability to not give up, even when we are behind and not playing well.  This is a good, strong team.  We need to find ways to win these kind of games if we are to move up in the RPI and other ranking systems.  We can win when we play well, but can we win when we are not playing well?  How do we change things during the game?  How do we continue the pressure if we are winning, so that we don't give up a lead at the end of the game? 

I'm looking forward to the second half of the HL season, and looking forward to selection Sunday!

[StlVUFan]

Seriously come on....those teams are all mediocre to crap

Oakland could easily win the Summit League tourney in March, and then it doesn't matter how crappy they look to you, they are in.  You're probably right about Nebraska.  I don't have a problem with Loyola being on your list, but I'm not with you on YSU right now....

... which brings me to my main point:

This is not yet March, and anything can happen.  Chicago State came this close to getting the auto-bid in 2006, and everyone was saying the same thing about them around this time of year.

The odds may be against them all, but stranger things have happened.

[StlVUFan]

I've been impressed with our ability to not give up, even when we are behind and not playing well.  This is a good, strong team.  We need to find ways to win these kind of games if we are to move up in the RPI and other ranking systems.  We can win when we play well, but can we win when we are not playing well?  How do we change things during the game?  How do we continue the pressure if we are winning, so that we don't give up a lead at the end of the game? 

As you pointed out, we *have* done this several times.  For some reason we couldn't find that comeback last night, but we found it against WSU (we found it against Detroit, but they helped quite a bit as Todd pointed out).

I'm not sure the team needs to search for the answer to your question, because I think they've found it before.  Maybe they need to remember it.

[talksalot]

I just selected 6-2... with Green Bay and another stumble permitted.   I'm hoping to get to the Resch center for the March 2 game... but my real hope is to go 2-0 at home in March.

[Kyle321n]

I said 7.  I think the Detroit game isn't nearly as big as winning in Ohio this coming week. If we can take care of the Ohio games then I believe we have a 2 game cushion to play with, which can be lost by losing at home against Detroit, but with the crowd we should have on a Saturday for an ESPN2 game...
Speaking of home court advantage, I don't think we win in GB. I don't think anyone wins in GB the rest of the year which kind of scares me. If they win out then I think Detroit falls to the 3 seed which would only make me happier.

   

Valparaiso		8-2
@ CLEV	4-6	W
@ WRST	6-4	W
vs DET	7-3	W
@ L-IL	3-7	W
vs YSU	5-5	W
@ GB	6-4	L
SOS: 0.516		13-3

Detroit		7-3
@ MILW	1-8	W
@ GB	6-4	L
Vs CLEV	4-6	W
@ VALP	8-2	L
Vs L-IL	3-7	W
@ UIC	5-6	W
SOS: .450		11-5

Green Bay		6-4
Vs WRST	6-4	W
Vs DET	7-3	W
@ CLEV	4-6	W
@ YSU	5-5	L
Vs MILW	1-8	W
Vs VALP	8-2	W
SOS: .516		11-5

Wright State		6-4
@ GB	6-4	L
@ MILW	1-8	W
Vs VALP	8-2	L
@ CLEV	4-6	W
@ UIC	5-6	W
Vs YSU	5-5	W
SOS: .483		10-6

[bbtds]

Congrats to the 4 posters who were bold enough to predict a 7-1 record for Feb/March.

Go ahead and take your bow now!

[covufan]

 

[bbtds]

Are you taking a bow of congrats (meaning did you predict 7-1 for Feb/March?) or are you bowing to those 4 posters who predicted 7-1?

[covufan]

Are you taking a bow of congrats (meaning did you predict 7-1 for Feb/March?) or are you bowing to those 4 posters who predicted 7-1?

Bowing to the four.  If I had correctly predicted the 7-1, I would have posted a pedestal or some other high place, so that I could look towards those bowing to me!