Valpo @ IPFW - 7pm ET - Saturday, Dec. 20

[ml2]

I wanted to start this thread a little early to include information about the bus and pregame event for this game before the registration deadline.

Visit http://alumni.valpo.edu/s/1347/index.aspx?sid=1347&gid=1&pgid=1296&cid=2794&ecid=2794&crid=0&calpgid=61&calcid=1962 before Midnight on Monday, December 15 to register online. Or call the Alumni Office at 219-464-5142 during normal business hours.

Options:

Game only - $6/person (Game tips at 7pm ET at the Hilliard Gates Center on the campus of IPFW)
Sit with other Valpo fans and cheer the Crusaders on to victory for just $6 with our group ticket rate. We already have 60+ people signed up, so there should be a good Valpo crowd in the stands.

Dinner only - $10/person (4:30pm ET to 6:30pm ET in the Grand Lobby of the IPFW Alumni Center)
Enjoy a dinner of hamburgers, chicken and BBQ pork sandwiches, pasta salad, homestead beans, fresh veggies, fruit and soft drinks, catered by alumni owned Goeglien's. A cash bar will also be available. Coach Homer Drew and Athletic Director Mark LaBarbera (aka ml) will be in attendance as well.

Dinner and game together - $16/person

Bus to/from Ft. Wayne, dinner and game - $40/person
For fans in the Valpo area, get everything all in one! Transportation to and from Ft. Wayne. Dinner with other fans, Coach Homer Drew and Athletic Director Mark LaBarbera and a game ticket in the Valpo section for $40. The bus will leave from the main entrance of the ARC (Union Street) at 1:15pm CT and travel directly to the pre-game dinner. After the game is over the bus should return to Valpo at roughly 10:30pm CT.

Hope you can join us and help bring a little of the ARC home court advantage to IPFW!

[bbtds]

If you happen to be traveling from other parts of the state of Indiana or other states it's good to remember an important new feature about I-69. When INDOT numbered the exit numbers for the I-69 extension in central and southern Indiana they also renumbered the I-69 in northern Indiana. INDOT plans to add exactly 200 miles to I-69 when the project is finally completed so for all exits north of I-465 in Indy you add 200 to the old exit number.

I noticed that the IPFW website uses the old exit numbers for directions to the IPFW campus.

The actual exit number for Coldwater Rd is 312 (the old exit number is 112). The exit number for Goshen Rd/US30/US33 is 309 (the old exit number is 109).


http://www.gomastodons.com/sports/2010/6/10/FacilityDirections.aspx?tab=drivingdirections

[FWalum]

Would love to see and talk to as many forum members as I can before the IPFW game!  Anybody going to be able to make the dinner and game?

[wh]

Usually, nothing takes precedence over a VU basketball game, but it just so happens that our little 3-yr-old grandson has a part in a Christmas play at his preschool. I love that little guy more than life itself - gotta be there for him.   

[valpotx]

Valpo 72
IPFW 56

[LaPorteAveApostle]

Gentlemen (and the occasional lady who stops by): 

I have good news and bad news. 

The good news is that the VU Athletics people are so prescient as to literally see the future.

The bad news is this:


DON'T TAKE THE BUS IT'S A TRAAAAAP

[covufan]

Finals will be over.  From my memory, we have not done well against IPFW.  To make up for FWalum's trip to see the New Mexico game, we need a full game from the team.  I'd love to see tx's prediction of 72-56, but I think it will be closer:

Valpo  72
IPFW   66

[valpo4life]

I expect this game to be close for the majority of the action with a little spurt from us to jump the lead to 8-10 points and then keep it around there. I see a game where IPFW is never really out of it, but we don't let them put any real pressure on us in the last 2 or 3 minutes. 78-71 final.

[bbtds]

Finals will be over.  From my memory, we have not done well against IPFW.  To make up for FWalum's trip to see the New Mexico game, we need a full game from the team.  I'd love to see tx's prediction of 72-56, but I think it will be closer:

Valpo  72
IPFW   66

You mean it won't be 65-62???  I called Vegas and placed a bet.

[LaPorteAveApostle]

thanks i was beginning to think everyone had missed that.

[valpopal]

[tweet]544651805465268225[/tweet]

[covufan]

You mean it won't be 65-62???  I called Vegas and placed a bet.

You mean it won't be 65-62???  I called Vegas and placed a bet.

If the score ends up being 65 - 62, someone from the University better get on this board quickly with an "I told you so!"

[talksalot]

Random thoughts

The Mastadons have 4 D1 wins...against teams with a combined record of 2-30.  Realtimerpi showing Valpo on top 71-70.

That site has us tieh $ win over Murray State (on nice winning streak) and two Bad Losses with Mizzou and Lobos both out of top 100.

Did y'all see that James Madison beat Ball State by 20 tonight?

[LaPorteAveApostle]

Did y'all see that James Madison beat Ball State by 20 tonight?

Wowsers.  That oughta get our attention.  But...not until after this game.

In other news, if IPFW made this their fight song and alma mater, I might seriously start rooting for them.
CAKE - Mr. Mastodon Farm

(On Dec 21, that is.)

[bbtds]

If the score ends up being 65 - 62,

What do you mean "IF?"

I got $7.43 riding on this game.

That was all I had left on my Visa gift card after purchasing a live video camera drone.

http://www.hammacher.com/Product/Default.aspx?sku=12518&PID=7101032&source=cj&utm_source=Affiliate&utm_medium=CPA&utm_campaign=CJ

If you hear my drone outside your house look up and smile. I'm watching you!!!

[Kyle321n]

Well we'll most likely be without Jubril for this game*, which hurts because they have a pretty potent 1-2 punch inside. Their centers are clearly the focal point of their offence with Steve Forbes finishing 30.1% of their possessions. For comparison Alec leads us with 26%. Forbes is only on the court 64% of the time, but another 11% of the time back up center Brent Calhoun is on the court and he finishes possessions 24.4% of the time. That means we're going to have to stop the inside game, and these are some wide bodies we're going to deal with down low. Their starting back court is the next highest usage % but effectiveness is right around Jubril's, so they shouldn't be a terrible challenge for Keith and the Walkers.

They are an experienced team with the 16th oldest team in the country (again, remember when we were #1 with Rowdy and Co?! Those were good times.) Their most frequently played line up consists of 3 seniors, a Junior and a Sophomore. They actually don't have a Freshman who has played minutes this season.

They have beaten a single team with a KenPom of under 275 (Miami (OH) at #274) and their other wins are 300+. Dartmouth (199), GA Tech (93) and Purdue (49) are their losses.

As for Valpo we're down to 104 (our lowest rating since before the Music City Challenge). We're predicted to win this one 70-68 and I would guess that if we do our KenPom will still stay steady since they are rated 196 and it's a road game.

This should be a good test for our bigs, but if we play like we did previous to New Mexico then we should win by double digits. If we play like we have since New Mexico we stand a shot of losing this game.  It's a shame Jubril won't be in this game* because he would have a good learning experience from this game. Instead he gets the experience of "Don't go to a party with 100+ people if you're underage.

With Goshen on Sunday I see our bench getting most of the burn then since we'll need Vashil, Alec, Skara and maybe even *shudders* Chadwick for this game.


*Pure speculation on the "Jubril won't play" front. I have no knowledge one way or the other but I can't see him playing Saturday or Sunday.

[FWalum]

I understand that Aaron Leavitt has arranged for Bryce to be on The Fan ESPN 1380 this Friday at around 3:30 PM EST.  This local sports talk show is hosted by Fort Wayne radio personality Billy Elvis who I believe went to Luther High South in Detroit. They stream live so you can listen via TuneIn Radio App or Click Here to listen on your computer.  This game is receiving more buzz than usual and I have been told that it will be a sell out despite students not being here for Christmas Break.  Of course it doesn't take much to fill up the Gates Center considering it only holds 1894.

[LaPorteAveApostle]

Their centers are clearly the focal point of their offence with Steve Forbes finishing 30.1% of their possessions.

[historyman]

I don't see much of a resemblance except in the name.



http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vyYQJMv_w7s#t=11

[FWalum]

Who is coming to the game!  If you don't want to say on the board then PM me.  Would be great to put a face with an avatar/nickname.

Here is some more Tom Davis talk somewhat related to this game.  Tom has proposed a new and improved Crossroads type instate tournament involving all of the state's D1 schools.  Statewide Hoop Battle

[classof2014]

This game may show how valuable or unvaluable (??) Jubril is to the team. Still don't know if he's gonna suit up but I'm guessing it'll be a no, although something like this hasn't happened for a while in VU sports so I guess this will be a good measuring stick on how strict the VU basketball teams are as well as VU athletics in a whole. I would expect a 1-2 game suspension for Jubril anything more in my mind than 2 games is extreme for underage drinking (in my mind).

[bbtds]

I would expect a 1-2 game suspension for Jubril anything more in my mind than 2 games is extreme for underage drinking (in my mind).

You may have missed this.

As I expected, public penalties for Adekoya and Hammink will be two game suspensions. Adekoya now and Hammink when he becomes eligible next fall.

[historyman]

Let me know if I have this wrong. The only place to get live video for tomorrow's game against IPFW is the Summit League website which is a pay website for viewing games. The game will not be on ESPN3. Does anyone know the exact cost?

http://www.thesummitleague.org/landing/index

There is a button for video of the South Alabama at IUPUI game at 12:00 noon CT but no button for the video of the Valpo at IPFW game.

[VU75]

Go to  the IPFW site.  Single game video is six bucks. 

[bbtds]

The IPFW live video website for Valpo game 12/20/14 7:00 p.m. EST

Here is the website to buy the game→→→Mastodon All Access