2/6 - UIC @ the Pavilion

[chef]

Now a subject I can embrace...Chicago Restaurants! Here's my recommendations -
Little Italy - Tufano's would me my choice. However, I see it's closed, so you can't beat the original Rosebud on Taylor.
Greektown: Nothing better than Greek Islands, although Roditys is close and they have free parking.
Chinatown: Triple Crown
Before the game, get a beef and Italian Ice at Carm's. Tell Steve I sent you there.

[bbtds]

Now a subject I can embrace...Chicago Restaurants! Here's my recommendations -

Oh, you don't bet on opponents' games?

[bbtds]

I assume smj didn't identify himself as a Valpo fan.

Near as I can tell Ticketmaster only ever had those three sections, lower deck, in the corner.

Do you have to go to the box office in person for decent service? Or maybe they only care about season ticket holders? Strange.

Not to be prejudiced but I could probably tell from a phone call who the Valpo fans are and who the UIC fans are. The Valpo fans are 9 out of 10 of the phone calls.

[wh]

I've been to the UIC game several times. I can't imagine today being any different than the rest. Park in the adjacent parking garage ($5 - extremely reasonable by Chicago standards), walk a half block to the ticket window at the main entrance, ask for seats behind the Valpo bench, walk in and enjoy.

[talksalot]

Looking at some of the games today... this is a national ranking table that might be fun to compare the before with the after...

here's the before:

AVERAGE MARGIN OF VICTORY

1. Louisville +19.1
2. Saint Mary's College +16.8
3. Michigan State +16.6
4. Indiana +16.5
5. Purdue +16.4
6. West Virginia +15.8
7. SMU +15.5
8. North Carolina +14.5
9. Villanova +14.5
10. Oklahoma +14.2
11. Arizona +14.0
12. Gonzaga +14.0
13. Duke +13.5
14. Valparaiso +13.4
15. Iowa +13.3
16. Wichita State +13.0
17. Connecticut +12.8
17. Kansas +12.8
19. Miami (FL) +12.6
20. Cincinnati +12.4

[a3uge]

Looking at some of the games today... this is a national ranking table that might be fun to compare the before with the after...

here's the before:

AVERAGE MARGIN OF VICTORY

1. Louisville +19.1
2. Saint Mary's College +16.8
3. Michigan State +16.6
4. Indiana +16.5
5. Purdue +16.4
6. West Virginia +15.8
7. SMU +15.5
8. North Carolina +14.5
9. Villanova +14.5
10. Oklahoma +14.2
11. Arizona +14.0
12. Gonzaga +14.0
13. Duke +13.5
14. Valparaiso +13.4
15. Iowa +13.3
16. Wichita State +13.0
17. Connecticut +12.8
17. Kansas +12.8
19. Miami (FL) +12.6
20. Cincinnati +12.4

Wonder what the avg conference game winning margin is?

[talksalot]

 Valpo total conference points:  807    
Opponent total conference points:  618

Averages:    80.70   61.80

Difference:  18.90

[a3uge]

ESPN3 not working.

[a3uge]

There we go.

[Pgmado]

ESPN3 not working.

Neither is UIC's offense.

[a3uge]

The reffing is absolutely embarrassing in this game.

Lol @ UIC knocking the ball out off Hammink and then it's called off Valpo.

Boxing out is not a foul!!!

[justducky]

RPI only drops down to 40. I thought it might be worse than that.

[talksalot]

MARGIN OF VICTORY... with a lot of games to go...

1. Louisville +19.1
2. Saint Mary's College +16.8
3. Michigan State +16.5    down from 16.6
4. Indiana +16.5
5. West Virginia +15.8
6. SMU +15.5
7. Purdue +15.3
8. North Carolina +14.5
9. Villanova +14.4  down from 14.5
10. Oklahoma +14.2
11. Arizona +14.0
12. Gonzaga +14.0
13. Valparaiso +13.6  up one spot, and from 13.4
14. Iowa +13.3
15. Duke +13.3 ... down 2 spots from 13.5
16. Wichita State +13.0
17. Connecticut +12.8
17. Kansas +12.8
19. Miami (FL) +12.6
20. Cincinnati +12.4


Defensive points per game:

1. Arkansas-Little Rock 58.4
2. Louisville 59.8
3. Virginia 60.1
4. San Diego State 60.1
5. Saint Mary's College 60.3
6. Villanova 61.0
7. Connecticut 61.2
8. Valparaiso 61.5
9. Wichita State 61.7
10. Old Dominion 61.8

[talksalot]

I'll stick this tidbit in here... because it probably won't last very long...

Best winning % for D1 games:

1. Xavier 91.3%
2. Oklahoma 90.5%
2. SMU 90.5%
4. Arkansas-Little Rock 90.0%
5. Maryland 87.5%
6. Villanova 87.0%
7. Chattanooga 86.4%
7. North Carolina 86.4%
7. South Carolina 86.4%
10. Dayton 85.7%
11. Saint Mary's College 85.0%
12. Hawaii 83.3%
12. Michigan State 83.3%
14. Indiana 82.6%
14. Louisville 82.6%
14. Saint Joseph's 82.6%
14. Virginia 82.6%
18. Akron 81.8%
18. Grand Canyon 81.8%
18. Iowa 81.8%
18. Kansas 81.8%
18. Oregon 81.8%
18. UAB 81.8%
18. Valparaiso 81.8 
18. West Virginia 81.8%

[talksalot]

Box Score check for this game...

Vashil did get credit for 6 blocks in the official book

Rebounds:
Valpo 20 Offensive 28 defensive total 48
UIC  20 Offensive 21 defensive total 41   

Assists:
Valpo 20 (on 28 baskets)
UIC    8 (on 19 baskets)

FT's
Valpo  10/17 58.8%
UIC   15 / 32:  46.9%

Turnovers
Valpo 11
UIC 11

Valpo
2 point Baskets  21/42  50%
3 point baskets    7/23  34.4%
Total Percentage:   43.1%

UIC
2 point Baskets  17/43  39.5%
3 Point Baskets   2 /15  13.3#
Total Percentage:  32.8%

[justducky]

So we start the day with a 32 RPI and a predicted end of season RPI of 29. So with our win at UIC and IPFW losing our RPI falls to 44. Fine! At least I can understand that flawed approach.  What I do not understand is our predicted RPI falling as well to #41. What in the cornbread hail 

[VULB#62]

RPI / Shmarpi. How did we play? I thought we had a hard time responding to their beginning of the second half surge. I also thought we did not dominate in rebounding like we usually do. Dixon, good as he is, got too many opportunities. Comments?

[Smj]

We had three of our starters foul out and Vashiel ended the game with 4 fouls. ...   I did not like the way the game was called by the refs.  (Not the worst reffing I've seen - just not the best)

As for tickets - it is stupid that I got better tickets by waiting and buying at the window just before the game.   

Great valpo turn out. ....   almost as many valpo fans as uic fans

Go Valpo!

[a3uge]

Valpo won by 18 and had 3 players foul out. That has to be some sort of record.

[historyman]

FT's
Valpo  10/17 58.8%
UIC   15 / 32:  46.9%

Remember when teams realized that hitting free throws won games?

[historyman]

Dixon

Dixson

Vashiel

Vashil

[Smj]

We definitely did not look as crisp as we have in other games.    It is difficult not to play to your competition ...   

I was looking forward to seeing the third string in this game but it didn't happen. ...

Go Valpo!

[Smj]

Dixon

Dixson

Vashiel

Vashil

Phone's - auto correct...  happens....

Go Valpo!

[historyman]

Dixon

Dixson

Vashiel

Vashil

Phone's - auto correct...  happens....

Go Valpo!

So do missed free throws unless you go to work to correct them. 

[agibson]

Watching a bit of the replay on ESPN3 - has their product actually gotten _worse_ over the years?

Some of the fault may be with the production crew - my stream starts a couple of minutes into the game.  But, it seems to just break in with ESPN commercials at random moments, for long stretches. And jumps around in their own bar of location in the video.  Not to mention the complete inability to use that bar to scroll through the video in any reliable way... What a disaster.

MLB's streaming product was better years ago.  NBC Premier League Live Extra is better.