3/21, 12:15pm ET: NCAA First Game: (14) Valpo v. (3) Michigan State Game Thread

[humbleopinion]

Why didn't we bomb away (esp. Kenney) and full court press when we got within 15.      Odds of catching them would be 200:1 but hey it's your one shot in life to get a memory. 

If Buggs had made his 2 intentional foul FTs and Ryan hit his open 3 we come within 10 with 8+ minutes. 

Why leave anything on the court? 

And Kevin hit his layup...

[LaPorteAveApostle]

Can't help but think we lost this game in a sense last year--in the HL final.

We played, not like the team in the nation with the most experience, but like tournament newbies.  And I will always wonder if we'd gotten this out of our system last year, if we wouldn't have won our game this year.

Kind of like SophBryce getting blown out by Arizona, and then doing better each year thereafter.

[LaPorteAveApostle]

Also, ladies and gentlemen, BEN FLIPPIN BOGGS!

FIFTEEN points in eleven minutes!  4-6, incl 3-4 downtown, 4-4 at the line...what does a guy have to do to get more PT around here?

[Giant Moose]

Drew will have you guys in the tourney more years than not. Enjoyed my time on your board; hope to see you all again.

[valpotx]

Terrible shooting effort.  They gave us wide open looks throughout the game, and we missed way too many 3s/layups to compete against a top team.  Good recovery in the end to lose by 11, even when they kept their starters in until 1:30 or so.  Good career for those leaving us, and thank you for getting us back.  Hopefully those coming in will get us past the first game in the coming years!  Thank you Seniors for your efforts, and righting our basketball ship!   

I will be hoping that MSU advances far into the tournament, as you can't hate Izzo.  Other big programs are easy to hate, but not MSU

[rink]

I'm as critical as anyone, and honestly I didn't see any signs of playing scared or "deer in headlights".  I thought we played tough, confident, and looked like we belonged every step of the way. We even out-hustled them, IMO.  But when shots don't fall and you have a size/speed/depth/skill disadvantage going in, there isn't much you can do.  If we shoot to average, it's an extremely close game.

[jack]

Actually, if they shoot to average, they may have won.

[StlVUFan]

This is what was supposed to happen.  I was hoping they'd show more poise in the first half, but it's easier said than done.

This is why Kampe plays as many of the Big Boys as he can, to try to prepare his team for this kind of a game.  I dunno if it really works, but that's the theory.

Early on, I thought they kept us in it by their mistakes, though I could be wrong.  That one play where MSU flubbed the dunk, Ryan came up with it, and then dished it right back to the home team to get the dunk right.

All in all, I think they tried their best to rise up to the challenge, but it's easy to talk about how your game plan when you step onto the Big Stage.  It's another thing to actually do it.

Here's what never fails to amaze me: if I was one of Valpo players out there, I'd be an emotional wreck and you'd be able to tell it easily watching at home.  How they keep their composure while their season is dying before their eyes is beyond me.

Hats off to them.

[StlVUFan]

I'm as critical as anyone, and honestly I didn't see any signs of playing scared or "deer in headlights".  I thought we played tough, confident, and looked like we belonged every step of the way. We even out-hustled them, IMO.  But when shots don't fall and you have a size/speed/depth/skill disadvantage going in, there isn't much you can do.  If we shoot to average, it's an extremely close game.

[Chairback]

LaPorteAveApostle good point and I think you are right.  If we would have gotten it out of system last year....

I've enjoyed watching this team but excited about the future.  Next years Horizon League overall will be a better league. 

[vu72]

Clearly we had SOME open looks that we missed and missed some bunnies too, but, those bunnies were attempted with HUGE guys in their face and those threes--most were defended very well.  The biggest problem was one and done shot wise.  I haven't seen us out rebounded like this maybe ever.

What a game for Erik. Unbelievable effort as he had to be dead tired.  Why wasn't Will playing more?

Anyway, we finished the entire year not losing by more than 13 points to anyone.  Very impressive.  It will now be a very long off season.  I'm starting the attidepressants tomorrow. 

[valporun]

I feel we might have "bombed away" in the 2nd half if we had timeouts used better than Bryce used them. We were gassed during that "comeback", so hopefully in the offseason, Bryce learns how to manage time out use in future games.

[valpospartan]

This is why Kampe plays as many of the Big Boys as he can, to try to prepare his team for this kind of a game.  I dunno if it really works, but that's the theory.
Hats off to them.

Izzo has always done the same thing.   Some early season losses oft time pay dividends later on.

[valpopal]

Once more, I applaud this special senior class, a great group of guys on and off the court. They brought Valpo back to the NCAA tournament, but the true impact might be felt in future years if the high profile brought about by their accomplishments results in strong recruiting classes and increased support for the basketball program.

In fact, we can already anticipate a large promising freshman group who should view the players in the picture below as models and inspiration. My thanks to the seniors: take a final bow and then hold your heads up high!   

[justducky]

LaPorteAveApostle good point and I think you are right.  If we would have gotten it out of system last year....

Even an NIT run last year could have helped.

I've enjoyed watching this team but excited about the future.  Next years Horizon League overall will be a better league. 

I miss these guys already. The Horizon will be better next year, but Valpo will likely be more like Butler was last year with a 100 to 130 rpi at best. Maybe dangerous late season. This year was fun! And interesting!

[LaPorteAveApostle]

I miss these guys already.

this.  +1000.

So glad to be back in the tournament, and they deserved it.

I knew this day would come again...just didn't think that Ole Miss would have a Bryce Drew and Valpo have a Keith Carter before it did :/

[a3uge]

I knew this day would come again...just didn't think that Ole Miss would have a Bryce Drew and Valpo have a Keith Carter before it did :/

Haha, too ironic to get over that.

[Kyle321n]

Here's my recap of the game

I'll put together a postmortem for the season once the entire HL is done.

[StlVUFan]

This is why Kampe plays as many of the Big Boys as he can, to try to prepare his team for this kind of a game.  I dunno if it really works, but that's the theory.
Hats off to them.

Izzo has always done the same thing.   Some early season losses oft time pay dividends later on.

That's to his credit, believe me, but his team *is* one of the "Big Boys" I was talking about

[VUfan]

Hats off to a great team and a special year! the best to the Seniors wherever life takes you .. 

[vu72]

Could you imagine us with only 7 turnovers and forcing 17 and losing?  MSU will be a very tough out.  A fantastic effort in any event.

[truth219]

Rowdy and van wijk blew our chances of winning this game by going for a combined 2-17...that's god awful for being out two best players.

[DMvalpo18]

So is it going to be a while before we get back to the tourney? It seems like our time in it has come and gone pretty fast. And it will be strange indeed to not see Ryan in a Valpo uniform anymore.

[Kyle321n]

So is it going to be a while before we get back to the tourney? It seems like our time in it has come and gone pretty fast. And it will be strange indeed to not see Ryan in a Valpo uniform anymore.

We definitely have a chance if Junior leaves for the NBA next season. If he leaves, I'm going say we're the 3rd best team in the league which gives us a good shot at making the tournament with a conference tourney run.

[vu72]

So is it going to be a while before we get back to the tourney? It seems like our time in it has come and gone pretty fast. And it will be strange indeed to not see Ryan in a Valpo uniform anymore.

We definitely have a chance if Junior leaves for the NBA next season. If he leaves, I'm going say we're the 3rd best team in the league which gives us a good shot at making the tournament with a conference tourney run.

Even if he doesn't leave, I doubt they will be the issue, but they will be pretty good.  They lose Minnerath and Anderson. They had no bench.  The teams to beat will be Wright State, Cleveland State, Green Bay and YSU.