Game #14 - Home - UIC January 2, 2016

[talksalot]

Since nobody else started it... and we're 23 hours from tip...

just some personal thoughts....

Valpo by 20

OU = 135   

Valpo 77 - UIC 57

[oklahomamick]

I don't recall the year but I remember when we started HL season 0-1 with a home loss to UIC.  We went on to win the season. 

[StlVUFan]

I don't recall the year but I remember when we started HL season 0-1 with a home loss to UIC.  We went on to win the season. 

You're thinking of Loyola, in 2013.

[hailcrusaders]

I don't recall the year but I remember when we started HL season 0-1 with a home loss to UIC.  We went on to win the season. 

You're thinking of Loyola, in 2013.

Loyola had a respectable team that year. Better than UIC this year.

[StlVUFan]

I don't recall the year but I remember when we started HL season 0-1 with a home loss to UIC.  We went on to win the season. 

You're thinking of Loyola, in 2013.

Loyola had a respectable team that year. Better than UIC this year.

Agreed.  But we never lost to UIC at the beginning of conference play.

[HC]

Valpo by 17. Let's go with 78-61. I'm excited my team doesn't play so I can finally go to the game tomorrow afternoon.

[a3uge]

Valpo favored by 26.5 lol

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[wh]

Valpo favored by 26.5 lol

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Oh my word. Take the points!

[justducky]

Being that this a home game against one of the weakest teams in Div 1, nothing would surprise me. We should see big bench minutes, some strange combinations, and perhaps some new wrinkles.

Alec Peters will be held to single digits! At least that is what I expect Bryce to do.

[VULB#62]

Being that this a home game against one of the weakest teams in Div 1, nothing would surprise me. We should see big bench minutes, some strange combinations, and perhaps some new wrinkles.

Alec Peters will be held to single digits! At least that is what I expect Bryce to do.

Ah....... Bryce is the AntiKampe

[VULB#62]

Rethinking my snide remark below, it occurs to me that Bryce's all-in team philosophy might actually be a recruiting handicap. (Preface: I don't know Felder at all). Assuming a player like Felder is available, despite being recruited by a highly successful Valpo  program, he might be turned off by the fact that most of our best players contribute within the Valpo system and are not "featured" (translation: playing long minutes and allowed to run up stats).  "Valpo players" to me at least, are kind of special in that regard. Having said that, it follows that  I doubt we'll ever see a guy who averages, say, 24 ppg/35 mpg on our roster.  Does that make sense?

Granted, it's about team wins, but wouldn't it be nice to maintain the winning tradition AND have a nationally featured player who is a tremendous scorer as well?  Just askin.......

[oklahomamick]

I don't recall the year but I remember when we started HL season 0-1 with a home loss to UIC.  We went on to win the season.

You're thinking of Loyola, in 2013.

Loyola had a respectable team that year. Better than UIC this year.

Agreed.  But we never lost to UIC at the beginning of conference play.

Correct. 

[oklahomamick]

Rethinking my snide remark below, it occurs to me that Bryce's all-in team philosophy might actually be a recruiting handicap. (Preface: I don't know Felder at all). Assuming a player like Felder is available, despite being recruited by a highly successful Valpo  program, he might be turned off by the fact that most of our best players contribute within the Valpo system and are not "featured" (translation: playing long minutes and allowed to run up stats).  "Valpo players" to me at least, are kind of special in that regard. Having said that, it follows that  I doubt we'll ever see a guy who averages, say, 24 ppg/35 mpg on our roster.  Does that make sense? Granted, it's about team wins, but wouldn't it be nice to maintain the winning tradition AND have a nationally featured player who is a tremendous scorer as well?  Just askin.......

I agree and have thought about that.  Several of our players would be getting more minutes at other midmajors.  If Green Bay landed Skara, he would be playing almost every minute. 

[VULB#62]

I only used Felder as an example, but there have been a number of really good "featured" opponents over the last few years like McCallum at Detroit, and Brown and Sykes at Green Bay also at Oakland (Travis Bader?), but those teams never lived up to the hype generated by their featured player. You guys can probably think of a lot more.  Make no mistake, I thoroughly enjoy the unselfish team play that Bryce demands and the players have bought into.  Yet, sometimes way in the back of my mind, I kinda wish Bryce would unleash a guy like Alec and pad his stats a bit more. In one way it draws even more attention to the whole program ala Dougy McBuckets and sends a message to talented recruits that "you might get great personal press clippings every now and again"  .  If AP, for instance, was playing in a feature role in another program, he'd personally have even better stats than he does now in ours I'll bet.

[talksalot]

From the UIC home page:

CHICAGO -- With non-conference play now in the rearview mirror, UIC shifts its focus toward familiar Horizon League foes beginning with a visit to Valparaiso on Saturday, January 2 at 1 p.m. CST.

The game will air on the American Sports NetworkFollowing, Brock Bowling
(PxP) and Bob Donewald (Sr) (Color) [available locally on Comcast SportsNet
Chicago], and it can be seen locally on Comcast SportsNet Chicago. ESPN3 will also provide an online stream of the conference clash, while Jonathan Hood, Kenny Williams and Chris Bleck will provide the radio call on ESPN1000 Chicago.

Below are a few headlines as UIC preps to head out on the three-game road trip with the first stop at Valparaiso on Saturday afternoon:

DIXSON DOES IT AGAIN
For the third time in seven weeks, UIC's Dikembe Dixson was named the Horizon League Freshman of the Week on Monday, Dec. 28. The Freeport, Ill., native poured in 17 points to go along with a game-high nine rebounds and a career-best three steals in a victory over Purdue Calumet on Dec. 22. Dixson becomes the first-ever Flame to win the HL Freshman of the Week award three times, and he is the first player in program history to win at least three weekly recognitions of any kind since Mark Miller won the conference's Player of the Week award four times during the 1997-98 campaign.

SHARING THE ROCK
UIC has registered double-digit assists in eight of its 11 games this season, reaching 15-plus helpers six different times. The Flames notched 20+ assists in a single game for the second time this season when they registered 21 against Purdue Calumet on Dec. 22. Paris Burns handed out a season-high seven helpers against the Peregrines, while Lance Whitaker had seven second-half assists last time out vs. Northern Illinois. The team had 18 assists, and 12 in the second half, against the Huskies Tuesday.

LINEUP SHUFFLE
UIC head coach Steve McClain has used nine different starting lineup combinations in 11 games after mixing it up once again against Purdue Calumet on Dec. 22. McClain has used the same starting five of Paris Burns, Dikembe Dixson, Dominique Matthews, Tai Odiase and Lance Whitaker three times, including last time out vs. NIU (Dec. 29). In total, ten different Flames have received a starting nod, while Odiase and Dixson have opened all 11 games thus far.

COACH'S KID
Freshman Drew Hackett enjoyed a standout prep career at Munster H.S. in Munster, Ind., and he did it all while playing for his father, Mike Hackett. The duo helped the Mustangs win four conference championships, and sectional titles in 2013 and 2015. Hackett has appeared in 10 of 11 games with two starts. The guard is averaging 10.8 minutes per game.

MILESTONE WATCH
UIC, which began NCAA Division I play in 1981, needs one win to reach No. 500 at the level. The school's first team was fielded in 1947-48 and the program owns 808 all-time victories.

STRONG FINISHERS
Statistically speaking, UIC has been a more productive team in the second half this season. The Flames have seen increases in points per half (30.6|37.1), field goal percentage (.375|.392), 3-point field goal percentage (.287|.333) and free throw percentage (.585|.663) in the second half this season. The team's assist/turnover ratio also jumps from 0.8 in the first half to 1.1 in the second.

[talksalot]

Horizon League HOME Openers...

2014-15 - Valpo 79 Youngstown State 64
2013-14 - Valpo 87 UIC 72
2012-13 - Loyola 63 Valpo 54
2011-12 - Milwaukee 57 Valpo 55
2010-11 - Valpo 79 Youngstown State 55
2009-10 - Milwaukee 55 Valpo 54
2008-09 - Butler 75 Valpo 62
2007-08 - Milwaukee 71 Valpo 69

[valpocleveland]

I can think of 2 players that Bryce could have played 38+ min a game in his short coaching career: Peters and Broekoff. The current team is 9 guys deep so playing Peters more takes away from the depth strength. I think the 12-13 team was even more deep with 9-10 guys getting minutes. Again, playing Broekoff more would have taken away from this depth. It is hard to argue with results as both of these teams won the conference and played in the Tourney. Could they have beaten Maryland or MSU if their stars played more minutes all season, I don't think so.

Out of curiosity does anyone anyone know how many minutes per game Bryce averaged his Jr or Sr seasons? If playing a star more minutes increases the chances of winning I think Bryce would do it, he's paid to win games. I just don't think the star has been bright enough or the bench weak enough to warrant.

[agibson]

Out of curiosity does anyone anyone know how many minutes per game Bryce averaged his Jr or Sr seasons?

Just to test the site I was recently tipped off to (thanks a3uge)
http://www.sports-reference.com/cbb/players/bryce-drew-1.html
has limited statistics back that far.

34.8 mpg his junior year, no minutes his senior year (and he's the only player on the team with minutes his junior year?).  About the same his first two years.

Brandon Wood averaged a bit less than 32.  Broekhoff about 32 in his last two years, 15 and 28 the first two.  Peters about 30.

[a3uge]

Skara is starting in place of Darien.

That's some big time size, but not a lot of ball handling. Nonetheless, Darien has been terrible offensively this year.

[a3uge]

Did something happen to Skara? I turned the game on when it was 4-0 and haven't seen him in yet.

[a3uge]

Can't complain too much up 17, but Valpo has to be one of the worst teams at burning clock. Darien turn around fadeaway 3 and a foul on the rebound. Yeesh. I wish Valpo would just ignore the clock and try to get a good look. UIC probably isn't going to run it down the court and score in 15 seconds anyways, so you might as well go for a decent look.

[a3uge]

Announcer thinks this is a 2 or 3 bid league this year. Lol.

[govalpogo]

That LeCrone interview was ridiculous.  HL a "high major," "getting better and better every year," "2 or 3 bid league this year,"  Wowsers!

[a3uge]

Valpo favored by 26.5 lol

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Oh my word. Take the points!

We beat the spread!!!

[agibson]

And the RPI plunge begins. Down to 42nd on the win.

Is this how Butler felt?