2013-2014 Season

[wh]

Still waiting to hear who made the decision to award HL POW to someone playing a completely undermanned D-2 opponent in what was for them a freaking practice game! 

While I'm at it, wardle is an a-hole for keeping Brown in so long, and a bigger a-hole yet for submitting for POW consideration a player's only performance of the week against an undersized, outmanned D2 playing a practice game.  He must feel like he owes Brown big time for saving his job. Thank God we didn't lose to that knucklehead in last year's semi's.

[bbtds]

I agree. The fact that those awards are given out without enough thought given to the process for choosing the winners makes those awards useless. I'd rather the HL office not bother with it.

I agree ... these awards have been total BS.  Except the ones awarded to Valpo guys ... those were legit.

No, the HL awards are about as bogus as your comment and wh's comments about Brown. I'd rather you and wh not bother.

[valpotx]

I have said the same thing many times, which is probably why he chose the name Eddie Cabot from Reservoir Dogs

[valporun]

Why not ask the HL to change it to "Candidates for PoW could ONLY QUALIFY if the numbers come against NCAA D-1 opponents"?

[classof2014]

Congrats to Lexus Williams on being named FoW! Valpo is 3 of 4 for FoW honors. Peters has 2 and Williams with 1, Oakland's Felder is the only other freshman to be the FoW.

Bobby was noted as a top performer. Overall the Valpo freshmen class is gonna dominate the FoW honors this year.

[valpopal]

Your Horizon League Freshman of the Week, Lexus Williams:Congratulations!

[valpopal]

Bobby Capobianco: a Horizon League Top Performer of the Week: Congratulations!

[classof2014]

Nice article on Jubril in the NWI Times. Had no clue the his plus minus on the season is +84 which is absolutely astonishing.

http://www.nwitimes.com/sports/college/valparaiso-university/stats-don-t-tell-full-story-of-vapo-s-adekoya/article_f34a335c-983f-5d70-865b-4c7e0d66eb88.html

[wh]

Great interview with Lexus Williams after he won Freshman of the Week:

http://www.horizonleague.org/sports/mens-basketball

Click on featured videos.

[valpopal]

LaVonte Dority, a Horizon League Top Performer of the Week: Congratulations!

[talksalot]

 

[valpopal]

Congratulations to Alec Peters, named Horizon League Freshman of the Week for the third time!

[LaPorteAveApostle]

they should just rename it the Alec Peters award and give the other kids a chance.

[wh]

Congratulations to Alec for being named Horizon League Player of the Week by College Sports Madness:

http://www.collegesportsmadness.com/article/8166

It's amazing how obvious the right selection is to an organization not driven by a political agenda of "steering" the choice to specific HL players and programs to serve the "greater good."

[Kyle321n]

Congratulations to Alec for being named Horizon League Player of the Week by College Sports Madness: http://www.collegesportsmadness.com/article/8166 It's amazing how obvious the right selection is to an organization not driven by a political agenda of "steering" the choice to specific HL players and programs to serve the "greater good."

Right now they have Milwaukee on the 14 line.  That'd be pretty good for them and a decent sign if one of the HL's top schools win it.

[valpotx]

Absolute crap that he only received FOTW from the HL.  What a joke...

[classof2014]

Absolute crap that he only received FOTW from the HL.  What a joke...

To defend the HL and their decision, Barlow was 2 assists away from a triple double and it was to a legitimate D1 program not like Alec Brown's triple double against a DII program. So he was deserving.

[wh]

Absolute crap that he only received FOTW from the HL.  What a joke...

To defend the HL and their decision, Barlow was 2 assists away from a triple double and it was to a legitimate D1 program not like Alec Brown's triple double against a DII program. So he was deserving.

I respectfully disagree.  Here's Barlow's game stats that the announcement failed to mention:

-- 6 TO's (tied for the 2nd most TO's in a game by any HL player this year)
-- 8-21 from the field (38%)
-- 1-7 from 3 (14%)
-- 21 shots to score 21 points (no explanation necessary)
-- played all 40 minutes

In contrast, the same stats for Alec:

-- 3 TO's
-- 9-16 from the field (56%)
-- 4-7 from 3 (57%)
-- 16 shots to score 30 points
-- played 36 minutes
-- 8 rebounds (2 away from a 30 and 10 double/double)

Anyone who knows anything about basketball should be able to easily see that Alec's total performance is by far superior to Barlow's.   

[classof2014]

I do agree that Alec's performance was better but I can see why they picked Barlow and it's much better than pick Alec Brown for having a triple-double by against a D2 school. I see the HL's reasoning behind their pick though. Perhaps Alec has a few more 30 point games in him this season to finally get the recognition he deserves.

[vu72]

Take a look at Duke Mondy's stats versus Michigan State:

Mondy, Duke......... g 10-17   3-5    1-1    1  5  6   4  24  3  3  0  7  40

That's 10 for 17, 3 of 5 from the 3, 1 for 1 on free throws, 6 boards, 3 tos and 3 assts and 7 steals!!  That's after 7 steals against Indiana.  We had better watch out for this guy.  Certainly a POW candidate.

[classof2014]

Take a look at Duke Mondy's stats versus Michigan State:

Mondy, Duke......... g 10-17   3-5    1-1    1  5  6   4  24  3  3  0  7  40

That's 10 for 17, 3 of 5 from the 3, 1 for 1 on free throws, 6 boards, 3 tos and 3 assts and 7 steals!!  That's after 7 steals against Indiana.  We had better watch out for this guy.  Certainly a POW candidate.

Actually it was against Michigan State, which makes it even more impressive against a top 5 team.

[LaPorteAveApostle]

Yeah, if they picked Mondy I would have been cool with that, because great game against a very good team (and great if they had Gary Harris suit up).

But 21 points on 21 shots...over 30 points on 16 shots?  If the stats were reversed, I'd be embarrassed that we won.  But at least UIC won't get shut out of everything this year.

Poor Hayden Humes, btw.

[valpopal]

As we await the appearance of Carter in the lineup, I have been looking at the team's stats thus far and comparing with last year's final stats. Although some things may change when we get to conference play that could alter stats a bit, the out of conference schedule this year is much tougher than last year; therefore, we might be able to see some indications in the stats anyway.

Compared to last years' final stats, as of now this year's team: scoring more points; shooting a higher field goal percentage, a higher 3-point percentage, and a higher free throw percentage; pulling down more rebounds per game. On defense, this year's team is holding opponents to a lower field goal percentage and a lower 3-point percentage, though total opponents scoring is higher (possibly due to the increased number of foul shots and the new rules limiting defense).

As of right now, Valpo is #1 in the conference in scoring, field goal percent, 3-point percent, field goal percent on defense, and rebounding margin.

Considering this was regarded by many as a rebuilding year, it appears the term "reloading" seemed more appropriate, and acknowledging the greater maturity or experience of last year's team, I think we have to be pleased with what we are seeing so far, especially without Carter thus far and as the freshmen gain more experience all the time. The team could/should surprise many around the league who had predicted a poor year for the Crusaders.

[classof2014]

Not say it's gonna happen but there is not one game left on this schedule that we don't have a good chance of winning. There have been times the defense completely shut a team down and when the offense is clicking its best in the HL.

The difference between this year's team and last year's team is our athleticism. When we go with Bobby at the 5, we're a threat to score from every anywhere on the court. I think the addition of Moussa has been huge defensively. He's a terrific rebounder and has completely taken away inside shot. He's also been huge on the offensive glass giving us second chances.

I wouldn't be shocked if we go 14-2 in conference play. We get KC, who from what some said might be the best player in the HL, add him to a team that is already playing at a high level and he can put us over the edge. I don't know what type of defender he is but if he can shut down guys like Sykes and Perry, we have something really special.

Great offense + Great Defense = Success

[FWalum]

I don't know what type of defender he is but if he can shut down guys like Sykes and Perry, we have something really special.

I think it will be interesting to see how he plays defense for VU.  I am not sure that our style really compares to what he has been most familiar with from his high school days. Proviso East played what we use to call Helter Skelter, a man defense that involved extreme ball pressure with the guards trapping at almost every opportunity. Awareness by the other defenders is key as they must rotate properly and cover the passing lanes. PE created a ton of turnovers and got lots of break out points off those turnovers.  Their offense really was their defense.  This experience may help him when we are in the amoeba zone.  From the video that I have seen he definitely can stay in front of his man, but will have the tendency to go for the steal and probably make a few of them