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

[LaPorteAveApostle]

is it me, or do a lot of people think KC suddenly forgot how to play basketball in a month?

[Valpower]

In past years, I'd be more worried about the @Milwaukee game on Sunday.  A real chance for a letdown after being up and prepared for GB on Friday.

The later in the season things get, the more frightening the basement dwellers become.  It's not even the possibility of our team taking them lightly; it's the heights bad teams can reach when they've got nothing to lose and are willing to change their game plan.  Those are the moments that one player (you know, the one who's 1 for 6 on the season from the 3-point line) decides he's "not going out like no punk" and finds superhuman accuracy from waaaaay downtown.

Surviving UIC only went so far towards allaying those fears. I'll be watching the Milwaukee/Oakland game closely.  Talk about nothing to lose.

[agibson]

is it me, or do a lot of people think KC suddenly forgot how to play basketball in a month?

Maybe I'm too used to thinking about soccer injuries, and the demands on the body are somehow less in basketball.  But, he's been off a _long_ time.  And off his feet for much of that.  Maybe his brain hasn't forgotten, though I'm sure even there it takes time and reps to recover your match sharpness, but presumably his body _has_ forgotten.  At least a little. 

[LaPorteAveApostle]

I'm not suggesting he'll come back and pick up right where he left off.

But a number of posters are suggesting that if he plays a lot, we will do more poorly as a team than if he didn't play.  Which is silly.  If that were really the case, the coaches certainly wouldn't be bringing him back for a make-or-break game.

[justducky]

But a number of posters are suggesting that if he plays a lot, we will do more poorly as a team than if he didn't play.  Which is silly. 

He called me silly!     Somebody hold him while I work him over a little and really give him the business.    

Yes the more he plays the more I fear a loss (barring us blowing them out). The KC of early January will not return for at least 2 weeks and maybe longer. This will be just like when he was abducted by aliens  as the guy on the floor will look just like Keith but just not the Keith you were remembering or expecting. So if the game turns bad I hope Bryce fights the temptation of turning to the bench looking for an answer that has yet to return.

Just be patient. We are all glad he is back and he should be ready for a late season run.

[crusaderjoe]

At the D-I level, the last time Valpo had a conference game at the ARC while: 1) currently garnering votes in both the AP and Coaches Polls and 2) against another team that had a near top 50 RPI was when?  Never?

[agibson]

Digging around a little, have we _ever_ been receiving votes in both polls simultaneously, before last week?  I think the answer may be no.

Wow!  Somebody let Aaron know!  Or get a cross-check, at least.

http://collegepollarchive.com/mbasketball/ap/app_total.cfm
seems to have a comprehensive archive of he AP votes.  And, I think we were _not_ receiving votes in the Coaches' poll at any of the times we were receiving votes in the AP.  (Warren Nolan and the ESPN rankings page cover the relevant period.)

I didn't easily found as comprehensive of a source for the Coaches' poll.  But, probably the only time we were in the top-25 was post-season 1998?  #23.

[LaPorteAveApostle]

1) currently garnering votes in both the AP and Coaches Polls and 2) against another team that had a near top 50 RPI was when?  Never?

i would think B----r, right?

[LaPorteAveApostle]

yep

http://www.valpoathletics.com/mbasketball/news/2008-09/8594/25rv-butler-pulls-away-from-valparaiso-in-second-half/#.VNqNC1pp-LA

[LaPorteAveApostle]

and the Snoop Dogg Answering His Own Question Badge goes to
ME

[justducky]

1) currently garnering votes in both the AP and Coaches Polls and 2) against another team that had a near top 50 RPI was when?  Never?

i would think B----r, right?

Butler, CSU, and Valpo were all between 35 and 50 in various RPI ratings simultaneously in 2011. UWM (by beating Butler twice) was also in the top 100. It seems so long ago!

[agibson]

yep

http://www.valpoathletics.com/mbasketball/news/2008-09/8594/25rv-butler-pulls-away-from-valparaiso-in-second-half/#.VNqNC1pp-LA

But this is backwards, right?

The current situation is that _we_ are receiving votes in both polls.  And have a quality opponent remaining in conference play, and coming to the ARC.

Near as I can tell, Valpo has _never_ picked up votes in both polls simultaneously until this season.

[valpopal]

Oren is doing his best to stir community interest by writing an article each day this week about past key games between Green Bay and Valpo. Here is an example citing Matt Kenney's big game topped of by the now well-known home run play called so often by Bryce: http://www.nwitimes.com/blogs/sports/valparaiso-university/valparaiso-green-bay-defining-a-rivalry-no/article_538fcaec-b178-11e4-a337-d7dda98d9a34.html

[crusaderjoe]

yep

http://www.valpoathletics.com/mbasketball/news/2008-09/8594/25rv-butler-pulls-away-from-valparaiso-in-second-half/#.VNqNC1pp-LA

But this is backwards, right?

The current situation is that _we_ are receiving votes in both polls.  And have a quality opponent remaining in conference play, and coming to the ARC.

Near as I can tell, Valpo has _never_ picked up votes in both polls simultaneously until this season.

Correct.  That was backwards.  I don't think we've ever held simultaneous votes during the regular season either, which would make the UWGB game historical simply in that respect. 

I'll be rooting for Green Bay tonight, if nothing more than to see if VU can begin to control its own destiny as we close out the year.

[classof2014]

What I'm hoping for in this game... KC comes back has a career night... 32 points, 11 assists, 10 boards, 4 steals, and only 1 turnover (he is human), as Valpo wins 89 to 58.

***back to reality***

What will most likely happens... KC comes back and plays well... 11 points, 3 assists, 4 boards, 1 steal, and 3 turnovers in 26 minutes of action as he splits time with EVN. There is still the chance that KC doesn't even play. If he plays he makes our team better, I don't think he'll be as rusty as people think. I'm sure he's been shooting in the gym and probably has been practicing for a while.

It does happen from time to time when a player comes back from injury and is so excited to be back on the court he has a career night. Obviously that's what I'm hoping for is a career night out of KC, chances are it'll be a rather pedestrian performance if he is back.

[FWalum]

Lets put ourselves in Wardle's position when it comes to defending KC. First thing I tell my team is that we are going to challenge him physically, lots of ball pressure on the dribble, body up/bump on the drive, make him pick up the dribble and then maybe back off into the passing lanes and force him to put up some shots.  If KC passes the test by showing enough quickness to get around his man and handles the physical contact while hitting a couple of shots then all is well.  I am sure that Wardle will make it easy for Bryce to make the decision if KC is ready to play or not.

[agibson]

It looks like Paul's not the only one adding extra stories this week.

Osipoff, at the Post Tribune (with their new Chicago Tribune website) is in the act as well:
http://www.chicagotribune.com/suburbs/post-tribune/sports/ct-ptb-mens-basketball-valparaiso-st-0211-20150210-story.html

[crusadermoe]

Wow    Green Bay rallied to catch YSU and win 63-62 after trailing 58-48.     

Does that affect psyche of Green Bay?    Lovely road trip for them.   YSU Wed. night and then Valpo Friday after.     

[a3uge]

Horrible spot for UWGB after unexpectedly battling YSU. Green Bay was terrible when the pressure was on last year, but this Valpo team hasn't really had a game this big. Hard to say which team is going to show up on both sides.

[Valpower]

Wow    Green Bay rallied to catch YSU and win 63-62 after trailing 58-48.     

Does that affect psyche of Green Bay?    Lovely road trip for them.   YSU Wed. night and then Valpo Friday after.     

This is the perfect psychic "storm" for Valpo. No defeat from which their opponent needs to recover, just delicious, unshakeable doubt.

[Valpofan00]

I'm sorry but Green Bay is so overrated.

[Valpower]

I'm sorry but Green Bay is so overrated.

Not by the people who know the game, of course, because  they're not prone to hyperbole.  As a reminder, Valpo is the one with votes in the AP and Coaches' polls.  Green Bay fans' opinions do not constitute "overrated". Green Bay is solid, but not unbeatable, like us. They've won the games they were supposed to and at least one they weren't.

[a3uge]

I'm sorry but Green Bay is so overrated.

Not by the people who know the game, of course, because  they're not prone to hyperbole.  As a reminder, Valpo is the one with votes in the AP and Coaches' polls.  Green Bay fans' opinions do not constitute "overrated". Green Bay is solid, but not unbeatable, like us. They've won the games they were supposed to and at least one they weren't.

They almost lost to YSU tonight. I think that's why some people are saying they are overrated, or at the very least beatable.

[wh]

Valpo Basketball Preview 2|11|15

[Valpower]

They almost lost to YSU tonight. I think that's why some people are saying they are overrated, or at the very least beatable.

No arguments on "beatable". The question is, who's saying they're great? At this point, preseason predictions and rankings are water under the bridge and not even their early-season defeat of a ranked opponent has currency.  We almost lost to UIC and yet we've got votes in the two major polls. That sounds more overrated than anything I'm aware of about GB and yet I don't consider us overrated.