(13) Valpo vs. (4) Maryland NCAA 'Second' Rd Fri 3/20 4:40 PM EDT TNT

[SanityLost17]

My official prediction...and I hope that I am wrong.   

I think we are going to have trouble scoring.  Peters will have trouble finding open looks.  Darien will be cold and force too many shots.  Tevonn will still be a step slow from the injury and will have trouble getting to the rim against their quick guards, and Vashil will miss at least 2 ally-oop dunks. 

Our defense will keep us in the game throughout.  Maryland will never lead by more than 12 points, but we will never be able to cut the lead to under 5 points.  With five minutes to go it will be a 6 point game.  They will hit their free throws down the stretch.  Final Score 54-63 

The announcers will praise our defense and our youth.  We will learn many lessons from this game and will be ready to make a run sometime in the next 2 years. 

[wh]

It feels like it's been 2 weeks since the game was announced. The feel good stories are  all nice, the predictions are all interesting and the national exposure is all good, but I am so ready to get this thing going. Patience never has been 1 of my stronger virtues. 

[talksalot]

My ESPN bracket was entirely based on Geography.  The school closest to the Chapel (based on google maps shortest route driving)...

Valpo beats Iowa in the National Championship.

The Midwest Bracket finals were all Indiana Schools...go figure.... Notre Dame is closer than Butler... sorry, Dawgs.

I'll bet you didn't know (or care) that Wofford is 6 miles closer to Valpo than Arkansas.... and Ohio State is 5 miles closer than Xavier.

[wh]

Nothing better to build our players' confidence than knowing there have already been 2 victories today  by not 1 but 2 14/3 underdogs. Why not us!

[talksalot]

Conversely, name a #4 seed that isn't taking this first game seriously NOW.

[atkins]

Wasn't able to convince anyone in the office pool to select Valpo against MD.  Thought I'd get a couple to at least humor me. As one colleague told me, "You couldn't beat the worst Mizzou team in history, so how can you stay on the court with Maryland?" I think he's wrong, but he's got a valid point. 

OK, try, "very young team", or, "it was our first road game and our players didn't know each other"  or... Think of something!

Wasn't able to convince anyone in the office pool to select Valpo against MD.  Thought I'd get a couple to at least humor me. As one colleague told me, "You couldn't beat the worst Mizzou team in history, so how can you stay on the court with Maryland?" I think he's wrong, but he's got a valid point. 

OK, try, "very young team", or, "it was our first road game and our players didn't know each other"  or... Think of something!

Why do we have to have excuses for being better later in the season? Many teams learn to play better together as the season progresses. Excuses don't make a team play better. If we lose we didn't play well enough for the game that was played (Mizzou) and if we have a good to great win we played better against an accomplished team (Murray State). It really doesn't reflect that much on the good to great team we are about to play. There is sometimes too much analysis done on the sideline. Some great teams have really bad games and some poor teams have great games many others fall somewhere in between. The Mizzou game will not effect the Maryland game in any way except for the Maryland overanalyzers and Maryland's game against Oakland will not effect Valpo vs Maryland in any way except for the Valpo overanalyzers. We don't need excuses for our friends or colleagues if we truly believe Valpo will beat the Terrapins!!!!

Many great points.  However, I'm honestly not sure that we would beat Mizzou even now.  It would be pick 'em in my opinion.  We don't have any impressive victories against powerhouses or even semi-powerhouses.  We have a lot of victories against mid-majors, most of which are simply middle-of-the-pack.  I'd feel better if we had a good win against even a lower-half dweller in a major conference. 

[LaPorteAveApostle]

I'm honestly not sure that we would beat Mizzou even now.  It would be pick 'em in my opinion.  We don't have any impressive victories against powerhouses or even semi-powerhouses. 

[hailcrusaders]

I wonder if/how much Thursday upsets have affected Friday 5/12, 4/13, 3/14 matchups. Do the underdogs play with newfound confidence? Or are the favorites given that much more incentive to take their game seriously?

[Valpower]

I wonder if/how much Thursday upsets have affected Friday 5/12, 4/13, 3/14 matchups. Do the underdogs play with newfound confidence? Or are the favorites given that much more incentive to take their game seriously?

No team doesn't take this seriously already, though I'd wager that these games, in revealing how flimsy the superiority of the majors is on a neutral floor, scare the bejeezus out the favorites.

[vu72]

Wasn't able to convince anyone in the office pool to select Valpo against MD.  Thought I'd get a couple to at least humor me. As one colleague told me, "You couldn't beat the worst Mizzou team in history, so how can you stay on the court with Maryland?" I think he's wrong, but he's got a valid point. 

OK, try, "very young team", or, "it was our first road game and our players didn't know each other"  or... Think of something!

Wasn't able to convince anyone in the office pool to select Valpo against MD.  Thought I'd get a couple to at least humor me. As one colleague told me, "You couldn't beat the worst Mizzou team in history, so how can you stay on the court with Maryland?" I think he's wrong, but he's got a valid point. 

OK, try, "very young team", or, "it was our first road game and our players didn't know each other"  or... Think of something!

Why do we have to have excuses for being better later in the season? Many teams learn to play better together as the season progresses. Excuses don't make a team play better. If we lose we didn't play well enough for the game that was played (Mizzou) and if we have a good to great win we played better against an accomplished team (Murray State). It really doesn't reflect that much on the good to great team we are about to play. There is sometimes too much analysis done on the sideline. Some great teams have really bad games and some poor teams have great games many others fall somewhere in between. The Mizzou game will not effect the Maryland game in any way except for the Maryland overanalyzers and Maryland's game against Oakland will not effect Valpo vs Maryland in any way except for the Valpo overanalyzers. We don't need excuses for our friends or colleagues if we truly believe Valpo will beat the Terrapins!!!!

Many great points.  However, I'm honestly not sure that we would beat Mizzou even now.  It would be pick 'em in my opinion.  We don't have any impressive victories against powerhouses or even semi-powerhouses.  We have a lot of victories against mid-majors, most of which are simply middle-of-the-pack.  I'd feel better if we had a good win against even a lower-half dweller in a major confrence. 

[/b]

After today's game, do you really think we need to beat anybody from a major conference--who won't play us?  Just check out some of the win from a Muray State or Portland of even Green Bay.  We could win those games, we just haven't had the chance. And after tomorrow, my guess is the scheduling just got REALLY tough!

[historyman]

I hope for the player's sake we don't lose like Wofford did to Arkansas. Two very open shots from beyond the arc that would have tied the game and the Terriers go down by only 3 to a top half of the SEC team that could have been beaten. 56-53.

[StlVUFan]

I hope for the player's sake we don't lose like Wofford did to Arkansas. Two very open shots from beyond the arc that would have tied the game and the Terriers go down by only 3 to a top half of the SEC team that could have been beaten. 56-53.

I'll settle for not going down like Eastern Washington: manhandled by Georgetown with the blessing of the referees.

[valpotx]

I really hope that our guys have a renewed vigor in seeing all of these mid-majors battle, and some win, against the larger programs.  If you can't get up for a game like this, why even get up?

[classof2014]

Repeat of the Murray State game. We win 87 to 59.






I'm allowed to dream, right?

[VUfan]

Just play as you have the last three games as a team supporting each other and with all of your focus. En.joy the game play like you love it. Only what is between the lines counts today. You played all year for this day. Have a great game!!   

[WiscoCrusader]

No more "this wasn't supposed to be the year anyway".
No more "we have at least two more years".
No more "we should have been a 12 or Maryland should have been a 3".
No more "they will out-physical us" or "we will be a step slow".
No more "we are too beat up from a long season".

Today is the day.  This is the moment.  Play like there will be no other moment.  Play like this is the last moment on Earth.

We've waited 17 years for this day.  Let's live in it.

Go Crusaders!

[wh]

Valpo All-Access: E.Victor Nickerson and Jubril Adekoya

[crusadermoe]

I have never heard Nickerson or Adekoya talk before.   They sound like mature well-spoken guys. 

Don't under-estimate the importance of those traits in situations like this.  Poise is big.   Everyone has to play and keep assignments instead of over amping;.

[wh]

Tevonn and David:

Valpo All-Access: Tevonn Walker and David Skara

[justducky]

I'm bored. I think maybe I will go out fishing all afternoon. Any of you guys want to come along?   

[atkins]

I feel better now.  One of my colleagues who lives, breathes, eats and sleeps college basketball informed me that he picked Valpo over MD on one of his two brackets.  I asked him to explain his contradictory selections, and he told me that it depends upon which Maryland team shows up to play.  He thinks it will be Maryland in a blowout or Valpo in a nail-biter.  I'll take the later.

[vu72]

So, will we be in the gold shoes today?  Let's just hope Bryce doesn't decide on the gray uniforms!!

[gamelord]

This game time delay is killing me lol. Unfortunately I don't have cable right now so am resorting to listening to wvur on tunein radio. Listening to Todd is well worth it anyway.

[78crusader]

Same old story.

[Valpofan00]

Ugly start. Vashil is struggling offensively not a surprise. Cant get shots to fall.