Crusaders come join the discussion on MSU 247.

[Pulling69]

We look foward to hearing your . it's the most active MSU board you will find, never a dull moment here

Why can't we post links?

[vuweathernerd]

you're new and we've had issues with spam in the past. hit 5 posts, and then you can post links.

[Pulling69]

5th post.

[Pulling69]

http://michiganstate.247sports.com/Board/93/tOfficial-Valpo-look-a-like-thread-17539420/1

[walldozer]

http://michiganstate.247sports.com/Board/93/tOfficial-Valpo-look-a-like-thread-17539420/1

^ That link is hilarious.  Here is another with a forum discussion about Valpo.

http://michiganstate.247sports.com/Board/93/Get-To-Know-Valpo-17542615/1

[vu72]

It's one of those free for 30 days but you must give them credit card info so if you forget they nail you.  I'll pass...

[valpotx]

I just love BCS conference fans trying to analyze mid-major teams based on stats alone.  Though we are not a great rebounding team, we do have a +4.4 rebound margin, yet they see us as terrible in rebounding because we are 248th in total rebounds.  All that means is that we have a very high shooting percentage overall, so we don't get many offensive rebound chances, and our defense can let in easy scores as well, limiting defensive rebounds.  They also think that Broekhoff will be guarding a 6'10" guy, which I don't see happening.  If they go big, I would have to think that we will see Bobby and KVW matching their bigs, with Rowdy playing the SF.

[Pulling69]

its free just look for create free account. believe me barely anyone pays for that crappy product. we were an indepedent vbulletin board but our owner sold out and joined this   network.

[Giant Moose]

I'd rather stay on their site as to not give 247Sports any more hits. Their site is much better and the people who run it probably actually care about their users.

Plus they figured out how to prevent people from posting Spam links in their first 5 posts. That would take Noah 20 years to figure out how to do.

[agibson]

and our defense can let in easy scores as well, limiting defensive rebounds. 

Your description might be right, but that sounds like it still adds up to a bad rebounding team.  When did that happen?  Rowdy's numbers did tail off down the stretch...

I'd be curious to see a number like percentage of available defensive rebounds grabbed - I couldn't quickly come up with one.

Our shooting numbers do look phenomenally strong - higher than I expected in terms of national ranking.

[RBWSpartan]

I'd rather stay on their site as to not give 247Sports any more hits. Their site is much better and the people who run it probably actually care about their users. Plus they figured out how to prevent people from posting Spam links in their first 5 posts. That would take Noah 20 years to figure out how to do.

I've thought this - their board blows away the functionality of our board.

[agibson]

I'd be curious to see a number like percentage of available defensive rebounds grabbed - I couldn't quickly come up with one.

Our shooting numbers do look phenomenally strong - higher than I expected in terms of national ranking.

OK - checking some numbers.

Executive summary: our defensive rebounding is just fine.  Michigan is really good at offensive rebounding, so I'm sure it'll be a challenge.

We shoot the ball really well.

More details:
I don't _quite_ understand some of the numbers I'm seeing on bbstate.com.  But, statsheet.com seems OK (compared to e.g. ESPN)

http://statsheet.com/mcb/teams/valparaiso/team_stats?type=all

Sites seem to say we don't get many rebounds overall, ranking perhaps 247th at 32.9 per game.

We don't get a lot of offensive rebounds (309th in the country, at 8.9 per game), and a lot of that's because we don't miss many shots.  But, we're also pretty mediocre at offensive rebounding when given the opportunity (31.6% offensive rebound rate, for 183rd).

But, indeed, we're perfectly good at defensive rebounding.  We only pull down 24.0 per game (144th) but it's at a good rate (72.4% defensive rebound rate, good for 39th in the country). 

So, that more or less makes sense.  We're actually quite good at defensive rebounding, but mediocre at offensive rebounding (and don't miss many shots).

Our shooting numbers are very good. FG% 6th in the country (48.9%) with a fairly high percentage of our points coming from 3's (31.2%, for 70th).  Our 3Pt% is 37.6%, good for 39th in the country.  Advanced shooting stats like Effective Field Goal % (56.4% for 5th in the nation) and True Shooting % (59.8% for 6th in the nation) are very high.

Efficiency is very high as a team, 109.4 for 33rd in the nation.

Turnovers are, of course, a problem, with a 22.2% turnover percentage (53rd worst in the nation).

http://statsheet.com/mcb/teams/michigan-state/team_stats?type=all

How does MSU compare?  Total rebounds are better (37.3 per game for 53rd) and they are very good at offensive and defensive rebounding (percentages are 35.8% for 58th, 72.1% for 46th - that not quite as high as Valpo).  Their FG% is also high (46% for 48th), 3P% is mediocre (34% for 156) and advanced shooting stats are pretty good (50.7% for 90th, 54.4% for 93rd).  Their efficiency is decent, 105.4 for 107th.  Turnovers are a bit of a problem for them also (20.7% turnover percentage, 128th worst in the nation).

So, from these numbers we don't look so bad.  It's certainly not obvious here that we'll get killed on the glass - though MSU is a strong offensive rebounding team - I'm sure that will be a challenge.  We shoot very well.

And, of course, MSU's numbers are against a considerably more difficult schedule (3rd in the country, by RPI SOS; though ours wound up at a surprisingly decent 152nd).  So, that slides everything in their favor.  But, our tempo free numbers aren't bad at all.  (Not adjusted for strength of schedule.)   

[agibson]

Oh, and, while I'm not convinced I'm looking at all the teams (someone can probably get a sounder number), we might be #4 in the country in 2PT FG% at 56.36%.  (Creighton's number one at 56.44%.)  Gonzaga and Belmont are squeezed in between there, and Eastern Kentucky's not much worse at 56.2%.

[agibson]

and our defense can let in easy scores as well

Oh, and to come back to this directly.

Our defensive numbers actually look sort of OK.  Allowed, FG% 41.6% (109th), 2FG% 44.5% (66th), 3FG% 33.6% (158th).  Even if MSU's numbers might be slightly better, FG% 39.8% (39th), 2FG% 44.8% (75th), 3FG% 30.2% (26th).

A high opponents' field goal percentage isn't appreciably hurting our rebounding numbers.

[webbvufan]

http://michiganstate.247sports.com/Board/93/tOfficial-Valpo-look-a-like-thread-17539420/1

^ That link is hilarious.  Here is another with a forum discussion about Valpo.

http://michiganstate.247sports.com/Board/93/Get-To-Know-Valpo-17542615/1

+1   Looks like you guys have a lot of fun over there.

[demonstrationHall]

Not here right now to analyze, regurgitate statistics or pass on opinions, I do reserve this right for later on however. Just wishing Valpo congrats on a fine season and cheers to a good game Thursday.

[vu84v2]

I posted a very fair and honest rundown on Valparaiso on this Michigan State site.  Not a lot of subsequent discussion (dissapointed)...a few good comments and a few more people who just viewed Valpo as a speed bump.  Oh well.

[walldozer]

I posted a

Can you post a link to your write up?  Thanks!

Edit, got it: http://michiganstate.247sports.com/Board/93/Valparaiso-17552356/1