11/8/2013 Friday 7:30 p.m. CST -- Murray State at Valpo -- Game Thread

[historyman]

Hello Valpo fans looking forward to the start of basketball season.  I will be making the trip up from Murray.  I have a quick question.  Should I go ahead and buy my ticket in advance?  This is my first trip to Valporaiso and was just curious if this game is in jeopardy of a sell out.  Thank you and good luck on the season.

I would buy one ahead of time just so you're sure to get a good seat if you want one near the Racers' bench. Section D is behind the visitors bench. Click on the section you want to see which seats are remaining.

Here's the website to buy a ticket for the Murray State at Valpo game

http://www.etix.com/ticket/online/performanceSearch.jsp?performance_id=1751945&cobrand=valpo

[a3uge]

Hello Valpo fans looking forward to the start of basketball season.  I will be making the trip up from Murray.  I have a quick question.  Should I go ahead and by my ticket in advance?  This is my first trip to Valporaiso and was just curious if this game is in jeopardy of a sell out.  Thank you and good luck on the season. 

Just buy them online. You can pick your exact seat from the map.

http://www.etix.com/ticket/online/performanceSearch.jsp?performance_id=1751945&cobrand=valpo

It won't be sold out, but you probably don't want to end up in the Mezzanine. It's $25 for a chairback seat and $10 for everything else. You probably want D, which is where the block of visitor tickets are.

[Valpofan00]

Any ideas when they will show the intro video or make it available online? Thanks

[valporun]

Probably will see the intro video posted after Friday night's game.

[milanmiracle]

how could a D-I team allow a single NAIA player to drop 38 on them without assigning someone to shut him down? 

I didn't see the game, so I can't really speak of this individual performance, but I am not shocked to see an NAIA player drop 38 on a D1 team especially when hot from deep. A buddy of mine who played NAIA ball hit 10 3's in a game and didn't play a whole lot after halftime. He did the same type of thing in HS against D1 competition including all state players. I am not saying it's common, but I wouldn't be surprised nor would I be too concerned. Hot is hot and as long as you can get the shot off...

*Some NAIA players are really very capable of being good D1 players...see the Indiana State player who averaged 10+pts per game and transferred to NAIA Div 2 Indiana Wesleyan.

[talksalot]

Hi ClearTheTrack...    Sellout?  Probably not.  Lots of things going on at the ARC on Friday as we celebrate 4 NCAA tournament teams from last year (Basketball, Baseball, Softball and Golf)...  Section E is behind the Visitor's Bench, EE is in the mezzanine level above it (and right around the corner from Concessions and the bathrooms).  I just looked for two tickets at our website, and it offered row "B"; not the greatest seats since you'll have to look up and over the team bench and the scorer's table, to see the other end of the court.   Try for row 5 or higher.     Parking will be an issue...that's the reason to come early...and we have a women's volleyball match starting at 4pm so there may be some cross-over crowds in the parking lot.

If you come early, you can eat in the Harre Union "Founders" hall has a nice variety... and walk across the street to the Chapel.  Definitely worth the visit.  Supposed to be a bit nippy (about 40 when the game gets out, no rain in the forecast); and you will probably be a 10/15-minute walk from your car.  Don't park on the neighborhood streets; although, the city would appreciate the donation to their parking fine fund.  The parking lots are pretty well marked.

[Clearthetrack]

Thank you for the information guys. I look forward to the trip. I love seeing a university and gymnasium for the first time.  I am not one to barely make it to a game on time so I will get there very early. I will never forget sitting in my bedroom as a 13 year old watching ya'll's current head coach nail that game winner against Ole Miss and then watching the second round victory against Florida State.  I know Valpo has had good teams since then but what a dance memory that is.  I hope to see Murray and Valpo have outstanding seasons that result in conference championships.  I feel this game provides a stiff test for the new Racers in our stable.  I'm also looking forward to spending some time driving through the beautiful state of Indiana!

[classof2014]

FYI park in the old tennis courts, immediately west of the ARC, by the old hospital (aka the large expanse of dirt). I don't think you'll find the ARC anywhere near as nice as the CFSB Center, it will remind you quite a bit of your high-school gym, just larger. Hope you have a good time on Friday, not as good as Valpo fans though! But may I welcome you to beautiful Northwest Indiana, where the waters are brown and the air is thick!

[setshot]

Correct me if I am wrong,but wasn't a Valpo grad. Calvin Luther a coach and AD at Murray State?

[wh]

Correct me if I am wrong,but wasn't a Valpo grad. Calvin Luther a coach and AD at Murray State?

Yes, according to Wikipedia:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cal_Luther

Pretty interesting.

[LaPorteAveApostle]

Calvin Luther

if his middle name was melanchthon that's the most protestant name i ever heard

[Clearthetrack]

Cal Luther also coached at UT Martin during the transitional days to division 1.  He was before my time when he was at Murray State and didn't know he was Valpo grad.

[historyman]

Luther became DePauw University's head coach in 1954. In his first season as head coach, he coached DePauw to a rare tie against Wabash. DePauw defeated Wabash 67-66, however the coaches of both teams decided the game should be recorded as a tie due to a scorers error.

Could you imagine any school conceding a tie to their arch rival due to a scoring error in this day and age? That really makes me proud that he was a Valpo grad. It sounds like something Homer and Bryce would do.

[historyman]

I will never forget sitting in my bedroom as a 13 year old watching ya'll's current head coach nail that game winner against Ole Miss and then watching the second round victory against Florida State.

You were right, valpotx, ya'll is a much more common expression than I thought.   

[wh]

Gueye ready for long-awaited Valparaiso men's basketball debut

http://www.nwitimes.com/sports/college/valparaiso-university/gueye-ready-for-long-awaited-valparaiso-men-s-basketball-debut/article_bcb005e1-5308-5a7f-bd29-5491a344552d.html

[bbtds]

For CleartheTrack and anyone else coming from the Purchase area of Kentucky you may want to use I-69 through Indiana. I recently went to Evansville from Indy that way and it wasn't too bad.

As usual you take 641 north to I-24 east to I-69 north/east to Pennyrile Pkwy north to Henderson. Take US41 across the Ohio River into Evansville and then I-164 east then north till it becomes I-69 north (north of I-64). When I-69 ends west of the Crane Naval Base (NSWC Crane) you come off the ramp onto US231. Go south 1/4 mile (this may have been all reconfigured since I last went this way due to the new construction starting on the new section of I-69 towards Bloomington) and turn left on Hwy 45/58 going east. Go to the north end of Crane and turn left to continue on Hwy 45 north towards Bloomington. (Hwy 58 continues straight into Owensburg). It's 30 miles from where I-69 ends to Hwy 37 in Bloomington. When you get to Bloomington take Hwy 37 north. There's a few stoplights on 37 but a lot of them will stay green as you go through. When you get to I-465 in Indy take it West and then it will curve North. When it crosses I-65 take I-65 North towards Chicago. At US30, exit 253, go East on US30 through the Southlake Mall area, then about 10 miles, with many stoplights, into Valparaiso. When you get to the Industrial Revolution Restaurant on the left, it's after two railroad overpasses, turn left on Linwood Ave, which is a 135 degree or so left turn. Take Linwood to the 5 way stop sign intersection at Union, Garfield & Linwood. Turn right on Union. You'll see the ARC on the left after the stop sign at University Park. If you want to see our magnificent chapel and eat at the Harre student union continue straight, pass the stop sign at McIntyre Court, till you see a parking lot on the left. Turn left into the parking lot and park. The Harre Union is the huge building straight east, the chapel, you can't miss, is directly south of the Harre Union and the Christopher Library is directly west of the chapel and attached to the Arts and Sciences building.

This route will take you through many parts of Indiana I'm sure you have never seen before. It takes just a few minutes longer and is about 20 more miles and is mostly divided highway (I-69, Hwy 37, I-465, I-65, US30). It also avoids any Chicago area traffic.

Some might be tempted to take US231 north to I-70 east to I-465 in Indy. That section of US231 goes through some very winding White River country south of I-70. If you have the time and like the windy, curvy roads then by all means that is the road for you.

[LaPorteAveApostle]

Post Trib weighs in

http://posttrib.suntimes.com/sports/23583618-556/mens-basketball-lavonte-dority-may-be-small-in-stature-but-he-has-huge-role-for.html

http://posttrib.suntimes.com/sports/23583619-556/mens-basketball-valparaisos-5-keys-to-the-season.html

[valpopal]

A sneak peek at the banners to be raised during pregame ceremonies:

[rink]

There's no national/regional broadcast of this game, correct?  I got my hopes up thinking two mid-majors with good name recognition would warrant at least an ESPNU consideration, but I checked the cable guide last night and saw nothing.

[bbtds]

There's no national/regional broadcast of this game, correct?  I got my hopes up thinking two mid-majors with good name recognition would warrant at least an ESPNU consideration, but I checked the cable guide last night and saw nothing.

Correct. There is not a national/regional broadcast of this Murray State at Valpo game. It's on HLN and the Valpo Sports Radio Network.

[wh]

A sneak peek at the banners to be raised during pregame ceremonies:

Wait a minute!  I assumed we were raising the conf. championship and NIT banners from 2 years ago. Don't last year's banners have to first hang in the hallway for a year "according to tradition?" 

Seriously, as noted many times last season this is something we've missed the mark on for many years.  I'm glad to see that someone has finally done something about it. 

[wh]

Pre-game story from Murray, KY Examiner:

Murray State opens as 6 1/2 point underdogs at Valparaiso

http://www.examiner.com/article/college-basketball-murray-state-opens-as-6-1-2-point-underdogs-at-valparaiso

[valpotx]

Seems like a good prediction.  A lot of new faces on both sides, and a good player unavailable for Murray State.

[Kyle321n]

Does anyone know what time the banner ceremony will start? I don't want to show up and miss it!

[classof2014]

Does anyone know what time the banner ceremony will start? I don't want to show up and miss it!

Not sure but I'd guess 7:15ish.