2014-15 HL Tournament Thread

[valpotx]

If they would have had a couple more wins in the occ with the wins they got in conference they could get in the cbi. 

Tex will never get to see petrol play again. 

Amen!  I am curious why we don't reshuffle the matchups to where the 1 seed plays the lowest seed left?  I don't know why I thought we would be playing UIC when I saw that Oakland lost, but it would be nice!

[Valpower]

I don't feel much like kicking Oakland when they're down. Everyone, including us, is only 1 off-night away from similar ending.

Fine, wh, but understand that any future kicking will lack conviction. Me? I'm gonna kick 'em because they lie about the true reason for scheduling power conference foes.

[classof2014]

Play like we did last Friday we win easily. Not too worried about tomorrow night, Bryce will have the guys ready.

Valpo 71 Cleveland 57

[a3uge]

Reshuffling seeds would make sense. Have to imagine it would be annoying for the HL to pack up and switch sites.

As for the Detroit CSU game: GW seemed to play his starters until a minute left. Hopefully they're pretty warn out for tomorrow.

[sliman]

I thought Cleveland State look awfully good tonight.  They may have the best guard combination in the league.  Clearly they learned in the last game against us that they need to push the tempo.  I'm nervous.

[valpotx]

Valpo 68
CSU 62

Pushing the tempo against us will not help them, as we like that style just as much.  The games against CSU stay close because they make us run long sets, and we end up taking desperation shots.  If they switch to an up-tempo style, that is much more our style than theirs...

[a3uge]

GAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH so excited.

[wh]

From the Oakland Press.  Is there anything more Kampe could have said to throw freshman Nick Daniels under the bus.  He all but blamed Daniels for the loss:


Dante Williams converted a four-point play to pull the Grizzlies within one, 64-63, with 41 seconds left. Oakland freshman Nick Daniels then made a costly mistake when he intentionally fouled UIC's Ahman Fells.

The intentional foul in the final minute gave Fells two free throws and UIC the ball. Fells made one of two and then Jason McClellan hit two free throws to give the Flames a 67-63 lead with 26 seconds left.

"The intentional foul at the end of the game was a huge, huge play," Kampe said. "I told a lot of media people going into this thing, we had seven guys who had never played in a tournament before. One of those guys made that foul. He's still sitting in there believing I told him to do it. That's what we're going through right now.

"We wanted to foul 33 and we wanted to foul him immediately. He took that as just go grab him, didn't realize or didn't know or wasn't thinking or whatever that we can't do that. It was definitely the right call, it was an intentional foul. That was a huge play. It was a one-point game.

"Huge play because there's still going to be 20 seconds left if we just get a foul in a normal spot there," Kampe added. "We're gonna have the ball down three with 20 seconds left and there's still plenty of time to just go get a two or make a 3 because there's still a lot of time left. That was a huge, huge play. It just came as a freshman mistake. I guess I'll take the blame for it."


If I was Daniel's dad and read that I would be telling my son that we're going to be looking for a new school starting tomorrow because that a-hole coach that says 'we win and lose as a team' is a liar.  He doesn't have your back and never will. 

[oklahomamick]

That's why kampe red shirts all his freshman.  I havent seen a roster with more red shirts than oakland, I get it now. 

[frontrowfan]

I thought Cleveland State look awfully good tonight.  They may have the best guard combination in the league.  Clearly they learned in the last game against us that they need to push the tempo.  I'm nervous.

Certainly point guard play was instrumental to their win but....Detroit looked very disorganized and defense was haphazard.  Howard was frustrated with his coaching based on comments he made to his teammates that I could hear from the floor

[agibson]

If I was Daniel's dad and read that I would be telling my son that we're going to be looking for a new school starting tomorrow because that a-hole coach that says 'we win and lose as a team' is a liar.  He doesn't have your back and never will. 

Yeah, pretty ruthless from Kampe.  As a fan, I appreciate his candor, his easygoing style with the press.  It's fun, you get a lot of good info, etc.

But, really harsh on a young player.

[talksalot]

Talked to Kampe before the game last night... and he could not say enough good things about Tevonn Walker...and that other Walker... which was brought up... because he will have two new players next season... named Walker.   OK you play by play guys... take it away.

[usc4valpo]

tx, you are sounding like Billy Packer which is not a good thing.  The teams were seeded at the beginning of the tournament and the bracket should stay in place.  Reseeding is bogus. UIC earned their way up the bracket and should face GB.


Compare it to this - in the NCAA tournament, should they reseed the teams after each round?  If a 16 seed team defeated a 1 seed team, is it sensible that the 16 seed team  face the 2 seed? I would say not - the 16 seed earned the right to face the 8 or 9 seed.


Also, IMO, sometimes the seedings may not be correct. I kid you not.

[justducky]

Yeah, pretty ruthless from Kampe.  As a fan, I appreciate his candor, his easygoing style with the press.  It's fun, you get a lot of good info, etc.

Blunt yes ruthless no. I might have said it exactly as Kampe did because freshman have so many large gaps in their knowledge! If that means that I am also an a-hole then fine. I will wear it as a badge of honor.

[Valpofan00]

I'm very nervous for this game. Cleveland state wants us bad. They haven't forgotten what happened last Friday when we went into their place and took their right to host. Their pissed.

[truth219]

How are tickets moving?

[classof2014]

We should win tonight. We're at home, both teams will be confident.

Last night Detroit played like garbage, tons of open looks for CSU, no matter what team you play if you give 3-point shooters open looks they're gonna score. Detroit wasn't prepared last night for CSU, CSU was prepared for Detroit. Bryce is head and shoulders above McCallum and Valpo will be ready tomorrow.

Come out tonight and hit a few quick shots and jump out to a nice lead that CSU has issues clawing back in.

Key to the game is Vashil, if he plays 30+ minutes we win.

[agibson]

How are tickets moving?

Looks like they're moving well.  First I've checked, so I can't really comment on the pace.   But, as a snapshot:

Best single available:
BB row JJ seat 14

Best pair available:
DD row KK seat 16-17

Nothing for sale downstairs.

BB, CC, and DD seem more than half sold, on aggregate.

AA pretty available, and a huge block (row NN and up) that seem not to be for sale (yet?).
Same story for EE.

Hard to know what's being held back, for other teams, or for other purposes.

But, definitely the best advance sales this season.  A sell-out seems reasonably likely.

That said, these are session tickets, good for both games?  Hopefully departing fans (losing team especially?) don't leave too many holes.  Probably there's no way to re-sell them.

[elephtheria47]

Yeah, tickets are for both games. Kind of nervous about Cleveland State as well, they have the ability to turn it on and both games this year has been close. Hoping for a great atmosphere. In the end, I think we pull it out.

[hailcrusaders]

Thoughts:

The UIC Oakland game was insane. Credit to UIC. I walked in late and Oakland was up about 15-3 and I thought it was over before it got started. The GB UIC game tonight is incredibly intriguing. Never thought I'd say this but I wouldn't be surprised if the Flames play Tuesday.

In the second game, it loomed to me like Detroit lost the first half and CSU won the second. Not that Detroit played well either half. Committed like 20 turnovers.

We'll have de facto home court advantage, and hopefully that will swing some officiating toward our favor. Critical given CSU play style. Gotta make our free throws.

Will CSU continue to shoot lights out from 3? I hope they can't keep that up because 3P accuracy will be vital if the game pace slows. Also, will the Vikings feed off momentum, or will fatigue set in? Waters kept his starters in until :34 last night. Will he pay for it tonight? If you're Bryce, do you push the tempo?

Regarding first game tickets, I could see both UIC and GB selling pretty well, given geographic proximity. I assume GB has a sizable alumni base in Chicagoland, and both teams travelled pretty well in the 2013 tourney. We'll see how many stick around for the nightcap.

Should be fun.

[classof2014]

Detroit's defense was awful last night. I didn't watch the whole game but from the times I did CSU had easy shots, they didn't have many open looks against Valpo. Lewis and Lee are their big perimeter threats, we have defenders that can mirror them quite well in KC/EVN and Tevonn. I think we win, our style of play matches up well with CSU. Last Friday we were patient and waited for shots we wanted and we hit them, no need to settle. Bryce will have the guys ready, it'll be a tough game, probably physical which benefits Valpo some because CSU played last night. Wonder it they'll have any nagging injuries from yesterday.

I wouldn't be surprised to see some full court press early on, they started it late last game and through the offense through a loop. I would imagine Bryce will have the guys prepared for that.

I really hope we blow them out of the water. Doubt that'll be the case based on CSU keeps games low scoring. If the game does turn into a shootout we win.

[hailcrusaders]

Somewhat unrelated, but blackpantheruwm had this to say about the HL tournament in Valpo over on the GB board:

"This is something else that can't be understated about Valpo: the Horizon League takes over the town during the tournament. I highly, highly, highly recommend leaving Friday morning, enjoying the day in Valpo, checking out the games Friday night (so nice without a dog in the fight), watch some conference tournament action elsewhere at BW3's or some other bar, going to the two semifinals, then leaving Sunday morning ready to maybe return Tuesday.

It's so cool seeing fans from all the different schools in town. You got a taste of hosting which was nice, and we've done it a few times, but there's something about Valpo that is kinda special for the tournament - I prefer it even to the tourneys at Hinkle Fieldhouse, probably because bars were far from Butler's campus."

[agibson]

What's the Vegas line looking like?  Valpo by 5?

[agibson]

I wouldn't be surprised to see some full court press early on, they started it late last game and through the offense through a loop. I would imagine Bryce will have the guys prepared for that.

I thought we handled the press well in the first CSU game, and other times when we've seen it this season (WSU? did even OAK try?).  It didn't go quite as smoothly in the game @CSU.  Made me a little nervous.

Hopefully we return to our assured ball handling tonight.

[truth219]

4.5