UWGB @ Valpo, Friday 2/13/15 6:00 CST tip ESPN2

[LaPorteAveApostle]

Interview with AP:

that wasn't the associated press at all

[a3uge]

Valpo 3.5 point favorite.

[agibson]

I think this will be a fairly big weekend for prospective students visiting campus.  Hopefully some are able to make it to the game!  The atmosphere, and hopefully the result, should leave a positive impression.

Friday: MSEED Scholarship Day

Friday: Honors Student Night for admitted Christ College students


Saturday: Honors Student Day for admitted Christ College students

Saturday: Chemistry Scholarship Program


Monday: President's Day visitors to the Welcome Center


All weekend: Music Auditions

All weekend: Founders Scholarship Interviews

[wh]

GB Press Gazette game day story:

http://www.greenbaypressgazette.com/story/sports/college/uwgb/2015/02/12/uwgb-men-valparaiso-expect/23319057/

"We have nothing to lose," Wardle said about Friday's game. "The pressure has been on us all conference, every game. This is the first one I feel. ... I told the team we have no pressure. We are going in there to play. We are going to go in there and be aggressive. They have pressure. They have to win this game at home."

Apparently, Wardle is an amateur psychologist on the side. 

Here's the "pressure" reality.  If GB loses this game, they no longer control their own destiny. Their upcoming games against CSU and Oakland would be absolute must-wins, plus we would have to lose to CSU.  This scenario is what's on the line tonight for GB. Wardle knows it, but he also feels the pressure building.  They won by an eyelash at YSU less than 48 hours ago and then drove to Valpo, where they're sitting around in a hotel waiting, and thinking...  'We were behind the entire game at YSU until the very end.  Now we have to go into the dreaded ARC and beat a team we were very lucky to beat at home, a team that's on a roll, a team with more talent, a team with a better coach, a team that almost never loses at home - and do it on national TV with the whole world watching.'  Nope, no pressure there.  None at all...


   

[HC]

Thats just coach talk.  Both teams need to win this game in a bad way.  Should be a great atmosphere tonight!

[valpopal]

On game day, Pomeroy currently has Valpo ranked 59 and Green Bay ranked 60. The ratings are Valpo .760, GB .759. They could hardly be closer.

[truth219]

I hope we have a lot of walk up fans tonight.  Plenty of tickets left.

[a3uge]

This is as close to a must-win game for us as you can get if we want to win conference. Wardle has a point, but maybe he's saying that because the stage was too big for his team last year when it counted? This is the biggest conference home game Valpo has played since maybe 2012 vs Detroit with a completely different team. This is also the biggest conference game UWGB has played in awhile, maybe since 2012 when they got slaughtered by Valpo when they could have secured a bye. I really don't know if Valpo can handle the pressure, but we don't really know if UWGB can either. When it counted last year, UWGB choked against UWM. They shot 35.0% from the field and 21.4% from 3. But when it counted for Valpo, they couldn't get past their first game either. After this GB plays 3/4 games at home with a road game against UIC. They'll hold the tiebreaker over Valpo and could have the Horizon locked up. Valpo, on the other hand, will have 3/4 on the road, including a tough game road game vs Cleveland State. Maybe UWGB will play loose and Valpo will come out tight and commit a bunch of turnovers. Maybe Valpo will feed off the crowd energy and UWGB will crumble under the lights. Whatever it is, these are still two of the top mid major teams in the country and we should see a good game (hopefully better than last time).

[vu72]

I hope we have a lot of walk up fans tonight.  Plenty of tickets left.

I was thinking the same thing.  A few minutes ago there were still 162 seats left in the lower bowl but decent sales up stairs.  Weather seems to be OK for tonight.

[wh]

We can split hairs anyway we want, but this is as close to a must win for both teams as you can get. It's do or die for Valpo, and I expect we will come out and play with amazing focus and intensity. If GB doesn't match that, they could be down by double digets by the first media timeout. Wardle can portray this anyway he wants, he can take the the team to the Valpo Y for a yoga class, whatever. This will be a pressure-packed game regardless in the most hostile environment they've played in all year.

[SanityLost17]

I am nervous about this game, mostly because of their experience.  I am curious to see how the younger guys handle the pressure.  Regardless of the outcome, I think it is safe to say that there will be several "toss up" games in the HL tournament (no matter who ends up hosting).     

[FWalum]

I am nervous about this game, mostly because of their experience.  I am curious to see how the younger guys handle the pressure.  Regardless of the outcome, I think it is safe to say that there will be several "toss up" games in the HL tournament (no matter who ends up hosting).     

I have to admit that watching them handle the pressure against YSU the other night was very interesting.  There was a marked difference between the two teams.  YSU just got tighter and tighter while GB seemed to play with a lot of confidence.  I hope it is not a 1 or 2 possesion game during that final minute. Not that we can't handle it, but I do think they have a slight advantage in that area.

[agibson]

From both of the Valpo gameday articles,it sounds unlikely to me that we'll see much, if any, of Keith Carter.

Still limited in practice as of... Wednesday? Thursday AM?

I don't know what incentive Bryce would have to save him as a surprise.  But, I suppose Wardlevseems has to prepare for his possible presence, either way.

[valpo84]

Valpo-Green Bay game discussed in the SI.com Mid-Major Report for the week. Author also talks about Murray State's Cameron Payne....http://www.si.com/college-basketball/2015/02/13/mid-major-cameron-payne-murray-state

[talksalot]

"Feisty" - interesting description for the ARC Atmosphere...

[a3uge]

Those abrasive links mid-article are "Feisty"

[bombkicker]

Valpo 3.5 point favorite.

Line has moved to -2.5, heavy bettors loving GB and the points.

[bbtds]

Valpo-Green Bay game discussed in the SI.com Mid-Major Report for the week. Author also talks about Murray State's Cameron Payne....http://www.si.com/college-basketball/2015/02/13/mid-major-cameron-payne-murray-state

I don't agree that Alec will have to play his best for Valpo to win this game. You have to believe that Sykes has to play his best but Valpo definitely has the offensive fire power to win with out a lot of scoring from Peters. Darien, Tavonn, Vashil, Jubril, Keith, E.Victor and David are all capable of increasing their scoring to compensate for any lesser scoring from Alec. Even when Alec doesn't have his best game he seems to do just enough scoring to put Valpo over the top and do the important things that bring victories.

[LaPorteAveApostle]

Even when Alec doesn't have his best game he seems to do just enough scoring to put Valpo over the top and do the important things that bring victories.

Alec Peters > 9 pts:  Valpo 21-0
Alec Peters < 10 pts:  Valpo 1-4 (the one win being Trinity Int'l, when he played all of 18 minutes)

PUT THE BALL IN THE HOOOOOOP

[agibson]

Valpo scores more than 50 points, 22-1
Valpo scores less than 50 points, 0-2

The exceptions?  Our loss to UWGB 51-50, and the overtime loss to Oakland 89-75.

You must score points to win!

Also, the team with more points wins!

[Kyle321n]

Even when Alec doesn't have his best game he seems to do just enough scoring to put Valpo over the top and do the important things that bring victories.

Alec Peters > 9 pts:  Valpo 21-0
Alec Peters < 10 pts:  Valpo 1-4 (the one win being Trinity Int'l, when he played all of 18 minutes)

PUT THE BALL IN THE HOOOOOOP

In his career Valpo is 10-9 when Alec goes for 9 or few points (we won when he was scoreless last year against Detroit, I forgot that game). We are 30-11 in games he has double figures. Let's have Alec get his 10-15 points and let someone who isn't getting hounded get 20-25 points.

[vu72]

Pretty disappointing ticket sales.  Still 105 seats in the lower level seats.

[bbtds]

Let's have Alec get his 10-15 points and let someone who isn't getting hounded get 20-25 points.

This is more in line with what I was thinking.

Alec always seems to get his 10-15 points no matter what. He doesn't necessarily have to get his average or play his best.

Here's the quote from the SI story:

If the Crusaders are going to split the season series, they'll need Peters to play his best.

[Kyle321n]

Let's have Alec get his 10-15 points and let someone who isn't getting hounded get 20-25 points.

This is more in line with what I was thinking.

Alec always seems to get his 10-15 points no matter what. He doesn't necessarily have to get his average or play his best.

Here's the quote from the SI story:

If the Crusaders are going to split the season series, they'll need Peters Nickerson to play his best.

FTFThem

[Valpofan00]

Pretty disappointing ticket sales.  Still 105 seats in the lower level seats.

It's fine most of the sales are gonna come from walk ups anyways.