Looking ahead to next November

[vu72]

I don't think we have anyone close to second-team at this point.  Alec didn't show the consistency that would make him a second-team selection.  However, he'll be on one of those teams as a junior and senior because he got the sophomore slump out of the way his freshman year. 

I also believe that we need an athletic Big (at least a PF) to do anything outside of the Horizon.  I've watched a ton of NCAA tournament games so far, and we'd be blown out by most of those teams -- Too much strength and agility in the paint.  We'd be stuck shooting (and missing) 3's.  Another guy like Jubril would be fine, but our guards would be helpless against many of these teams.

you may be watching a lot of games but perhaps you missed Carter's game against Columbia.  The kids took a few games to get used to college basketball and adjust to our guys.  He will be one of the top guards in the conference next year.

Sykes POY
Howard
Felder
Forbes
Lewis

Grady
Tiby
Fouse
Petros
Lee

Don't see Peters in the top 10 pre-season, or even that close - McWhorter, Hain, maybe others will also be ahead of him. It's not an insult - Bryce's system doesn't really build stars, Rowdy notwithstanding.

Don't forget Green Bay - everyone of consequence back except Brown. I'd guess an order something like this: Green Bay, CSU, Valpo, Detroit, Milwaukee, YSU, Oakland, WSU, UIC.

You mean the Green Bay team we took apart without Brown?  Sure, they will be good but I would think CSU would be the favorite and Milwaukee, with three of their top 6 guys back will be respected as well.  I would expect Vashil to an all defensive team selection and Peters second team as could Carter.

[atkins]

vu72 is right about Carter.  I had posted long ago that he would be the best player on the team.  I am not sure he's second-team yet, but he's definitely our best.  I saw Carter play several times before he came to VU, and he was smooth as silk.  I'm glad to see that he's finally shining again. 

[classof2014]

I think Peters will be a first teamer next season. Take out his freshman slump he had in January and he was one of the top scorers on the team and in the league. He had 30 points twice and 29 once.

Take out the 8 from January and he averaged 14 points a game. Next season I would imagine those numbers will go up as well with his rebounding numbers. To think Alec isn't at least going to be a second teamer next season would be ridiculous. If he averages 16-18 points a game and 6-8 boards he's probably gonna be on the first team.

[Pathfinder]

Peters could be a first teamer at the end of the year but he won't be at the beginning of the year. Of course, it's the end of the year that matters.

[a3uge]

Peters could be a first teamer at the end of the year but he won't be at the beginning of the year. Of course, it's the end of the year that matters.

Yeah, giving out player of the year awards before the season even starts is pretty stupid.

[LaPorteAveApostle]

Yeah, giving out player of the year awards before the season even starts is pretty stupid.

HL POY 2011*

*preseason

[a3uge]

Yeah, giving out player of the year awards before the season even starts is pretty stupid.

HL POY 2011*

*preseason

Look at that evil kid. Probably just stole a candy bar from the gas station...

Sent from my Nexus 5 using Tapatalk

[vu72]

Peters could be a first teamer at the end of the year but he won't be at the beginning of the year. Of course, it's the end of the year that matters.

Yeah, giving out player of the year awards before the season even starts is pretty stupid.

Really?  Probably two-thirds of the posts on a fan board are speculative (scores, predictions, recruiting opinions etc.).  Or, I suppose, we could all stop posting, concerning basketball, until next season begins.   

[a3uge]

Peters could be a first teamer at the end of the year but he won't be at the beginning of the year. Of course, it's the end of the year that matters.

Yeah, giving out player of the year awards before the season even starts is pretty stupid.

Really?  Probably two-thirds of the posts on a fan board are speculative (scores, predictions, recruiting opinions etc.).  Or, I suppose, we could all stop posting, concerning basketball, until next season begins.   

There's a difference between a message board predicting who's going to be player of the year at the end of the year and the Horizon League sanctioning an official preseason first/second team/player of the year/newcomer list/best bench celebrator.

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[LaPorteAveApostle]

best bench celebrator

PRESENTING ANDREW DAKICH
EVERYBODY'S ALL-AMERICAN
Andrew Dakich 2013 14 Highlights

[historyman]

Peters could be a first teamer at the end of the year but he won't be at the beginning of the year. Of course, it's the end of the year that matters.

Yeah, giving out player of the year awards before the season even starts is pretty stupid.

Couldn't agree more. The conferences are just indulging the fans need for something to argue about during the pre-season. It doesn't mean one iota similar to my bracket predictions!!

[historyman]

best bench celebrator

PRESENTING ANDREW DAKICH EVERYBODY'S ALL-AMERICAN Andrew Dakich 2013 14 Highlights

http://www.mlive.com/wolverines/index.ssf/2014/03/dakich_michigan_ncaa_tournamen.html

Then it snowballed. Dakich, the son of Dan Dakich -- a former college coach and current ESPN analyst -- turned himself into a swaggering, sashaying sideline show.

In case you missed the fact that he was the son of a region guy.

[LaPorteAveApostle]

An Andrean grad, of course (father not son).

Father has become legendary Twitter troll besides.

[humbleopinion]

Peters could be a first teamer at the end of the year but he won't be at the beginning of the year. Of course, it's the end of the year that matters.

Yeah, giving out player of the year awards before the season even starts is pretty stupid.

Couldn't agree more. The conferences are just indulging the fans need for something to argue about during the pre-season. It doesn't mean one iota similar to my bracket predictions!!

So giving out the awards before the season gets fans talking and arguing about the selections?  The league shouldn't do something that draws attention to the players and the teams?

[LaPorteAveApostle]

I dunno.  I kind of think we'd find something to argue about anyway.

I think the real value of preseason picks is to go back and ridicule the people who thought dumb things.

Heck, we've been doing that to ourselves the last week or so

[ARCInsider]

[Kyle321n]

Wait...  I never said that! And how did you find my Halloween pictures?

[ARCInsider]

Nice digs, Kyle!

[historyman]

Peters could be a first teamer at the end of the year but he won't be at the beginning of the year. Of course, it's the end of the year that matters.

Yeah, giving out player of the year awards before the season even starts is pretty stupid.

Couldn't agree more. The conferences are just indulging the fans need for something to argue about during the pre-season. It doesn't mean one iota similar to my bracket predictions!!

So giving out the awards before the season gets fans talking and arguing about the selections?  The league shouldn't do something that draws attention to the players and the teams?

Never said they shouldn't have the pre-season awards just that it shouldn't be taken very seriously. Take it for what it's worth. Nothing except time killing for the HL fans.

[wh]

Crusaders looking forward as workouts begin

http://www.nwitimes.com/sports/college/valparaiso-university/crusaders-looking-forward-as-workouts-begin/article_6380509a-46ea-59b1-a3b5-ad906d471281.html

[valpopal]

It doesn't mean anything at this point except as a source of discussion, but Mid-Major Madness posts a very early look at next season. Valpo gets little respect as it will be in a "rebuilding" year and is predicted to finish sixth with no all-conference players.

I can't blame them for their lack of confidence in the Crusaders at this point, especially with Nickerson and Chadwick as big question marks and the open spots on the roster yet unfilled. However, I wouldn't be surprised to see Bryce find a player or two to add that will fill in the gaps. In addition, I expect to see big advances in the play of our freshmen, as well as Carter and Fernandez by the time fall arrives.

Here is the article:http://www.midmajormadness.com/2014/4/17/5624972/ncaa-college-basketball-2014-2015-early-predictions-horizon-league

[valpotx]

I love how he talks about GB getting a taste of life without Brown...but how did they do during those 2 games?? 

I see a third place finish for us, behind CSU and Milwaukee.  Jordan Aaron will be gone, so they will be more efficient

[a3uge]

I love how he talks about GB getting a taste of life without Brown...but how did they do during those 2 games?? 

I see a third place finish for us, behind CSU and Milwaukee.  Jordan Aaron will be gone, so they will be more efficient

Bold prediction: Milwaukee will miss the tourney.

[a3uge]

So a Milwaukee team that finished 5th last year is going to finish 4th now that they have a postseason ban... uh...

And Detroit 3rd? Really? I know 2-7 are virtually tossups, but 3rd?

But I'm not sure how plugged into the Horizon League this guy is when his Valpo analysis is:

Team ends up younger still after this season, with Lavonte Dority and Bobby Capobianco gone. Could surprise, but this looks like a rebuilding year.

Really? Isn't every team younger after each season? I mean, unless you're Kentucky you're going to have a few seniors on the team... Going into last year we lost every starter. How could we be even younger than that? We're returning 4/5 of the top minutes, and returning 4/5 starters. Dority is gone, but Capobianco could only check in when Vashil/Moussa inevitably got into foul trouble. I'd be shocked if they actually regressed from last year, so painting them below Detroit, Milwaukee, and Oakland is a bit of a head scratcher.

I see something like this:

CSU
UWGB
Valpo
Oakland
WSU
Detroit
YSU
UWM
UIC

But I wouldn't label Valpo as in a 'rebuilding year' when the conference appears so weak, and I certainly wouldn't label Milwaukee as a 'potential spoiler' when they're NOT EVEN ELIGIBLE TO SPOIL!

[Pathfinder]

These guys say 4th. http://basketballpredictions.blogspot.com/2014/04/2014-15-preview-mid-majors-part-ii.html