Game 33: Texas Southern at the ARC, NIT First Round

[agibson]

So, if we win games, like in the NCAAs, do we win money for us or for the conference or do we keep part of/all of the gate?

It's a good question. My hunch is that we hopefully don't have to pay-to-play like you do with the CBI and CIT, but that there may not be too much in it $-wise for us, either. Maybe the home team gets all or most of the gate?

The TV deal with ESPN was about 12 years, for $500M (compared to CBS at 11 years and $6B) but included the women's NCAA, the college baseball and softball world series, etc, etc.

So, I don't think there's a whole lot of money getting splashed around to the participants.

Last year almost half of even the first round games were on ESPN or ESPN2, with a few on ESPNU, and only about 5 relegated to ESPN3. I'm not finding good info at the moment on this year's tournament, but they flashed it during the selection show, didn't they? Seemed mostly about ESPN3, including the Valpo game?

Last year the 2nd round was ESPN3-free, and the 3rd round was all ESPN or ESPN2. Westwood One appears to have exclusive radio rights to the semi-finals and final, which could mean no Todd Ickow?

[agibson]

Didn't we host Bethune Cookman in the first HL championship season?

Good call
http://www.valpoathletics.com/mbasketball/boxscore/2012-13/3259/bethune-cookman-vs-valpo-11-24-2012/

[agibson]

[tweet]709228419192475648[/tweet]

Mark Adams on the call. Seems to have become something of a Valpo fan, at least.

[VULB#62]

KenPom 177 (a bit below Detroit). Probably a 16 seed if they had won their conference tournament? (Which was in Houston, but not on their home court; single bye, or more like four teams playing in from a ten team conference.)

#241 defense, #130 offense. Reasonably methodical, playing only 1.5 possession per game faster than we do (#199 tempo to our #261).

I wonder if we'll open as... 15 point favorites? Or more?

But, obviously, very much can't overlook them. Our record in the post-season is not good. Hopefully a good warm-up game after a week off, and a lot of emotion, but got to play the game, got to win the game.

Caution. (1) Road games for TSU are not something that bothers them. (2) On the road in December they lost to Iona by only 10 points.

[valpotx]

Valpo 77
Texas Southern 62

[oklahomamick]

I can't find a Vegas line anywhere.

[talksalot]

Didn't we host Bethune Cookman in the first HL championship season?

Yes we did... nice catch!  and we beat 'em 77-64 (November 24, 2012)

[frontrowfan]

Do we season ticket holders get first crack at our seats? (I'm assuming this is the case, unless we've sold out most of the chairbacks already.)

Worth calling the box office? I assume they're holding them for you - I can't get three together in the center chairback section, for example.

got our season tickets seats. 

[covufan]

Looking forward to watching this game, hopefully with a good Valpo crowd!  I don't know what ticket sales have been like in the last 12 hours, but I would think about giving reduced/free admission to kids wearing Gold/Brown, especially those that have been playing basketball on the campus recently.

We need to come out to play.  With St. Mary's in our bracket, it won't be easy to get to NY.

Valpo  80
Tx Southern  60

[atkins]

Think we win big, but because of our inconsistency, who knows? Time to show some fire and sustain it over the entire game.  That should be easy to do at home.

[NativeCheesehead]

Think we win big in front of a small crowd.  Win>15. Crowd < 3000. Unless the guy who counted the attendance at the tournament final is there. Then Crowd>8000

[Kyle321n]

Do we season ticket holders get first crack at our seats? (I'm assuming this is the case, unless we've sold out most of the chairbacks already.)

Worth calling the box office? I assume they're holding them for you - I can't get three together in the center chairback section, for example.

got our season tickets seats. 

I decided to "splurge" and get chairbacks for the game, got them in Section G, row N.  I'm thinking I should have waited until after 5 PM since that's when they are releasing the season tickets that are snatched up, but who knows how the chairbacks will show up for their season tickets, so I got what I could.


As for the game itself I think we got a pretty favorable draw for the 8 seeds. While all the 8 seeds aren't great, we got the team we match up best against. Wagner is a really strong defense and they force a good amount of turnovers, High Point also turns over teams quite a bit and their offense is really good, and Bucknell has three forwards who are big time scorers.

Here's a look at the game via KenPom


Texas Southern has a good amount of experience (more than us, surprisingly)  but they are much shorter than we are, they don't shoot threes and FTs particularly well, and it seems they get a lot of second chance points with their high Offensive Rebound percentage and 2 point shooting. It's good that Tevonn will be back for this game as he's one of our better rebounders.

[VUfan]

A caution this is the Post season Valpo has Mastered the "one and done" move remember Iowa, Iona, Maryland MSU I could go on you get the point winning in March has been an up hill fight. Despite the record VU 78 TSU 63 

[humbleopinion]

Texas Southern has a good amount of experience (more than us, surprisingly)  but they are much shorter than we are, they don't shoot threes and FTs particularly well, and it seems they get a lot of second chance points with their high Offensive Rebound percentage and 2 point shooting. It's good that Tevonn will be back for this game as he's one of our better rebounders.

Add the sixth foul, and it seems to be a setup for Vashil to have a great night.

[covufan]

According to ESPN, this game will still be on ESPN3.  Was hoping it was broadcast elsewhere

[agibson]

Here's a look at the game via KenPom

Interesting that they rebound pretty well despite their (lack of) size. And that they have among the poorest FT "defenses" in the nation - I don't know what's going on there.

Aren't the efficiencies supposed to average to 100 across D1? Isn't the normalization in the "adjusted" efficiency? I'm confused.

[agibson]

I can't find a Vegas line anywhere.

Yeah, the NCAA lines went up pretty quick (surprise, surprise). I assume the other tournaments will eventually get lines, but who knows? Even regular season, not every game obviously gets a line (or not one that shows up on my usual trivial googling, at least).

[talksalot]

They just came up...

vegasinsider.com

All of Tuesdays games:
http://www.vegasinsider.com/college-basketball/scoreboard/scores.cfm/game_date/03-15-2016

Valpo opens at 16.5... down to 15.5 in about a half-hour...

Gamecocks are at 17 over High Point...the only game projected to be more of a blowout...

[agibson]

For those curious about ticketing arrangements: word on the street is that it's free for VU students, but they need a hard ticket. At least, it's apparently been announced that it's free for a "limited number" of students. I trust that's to create buzz, encourage students to take affirmative action of picking up a ticket, etc. and that in the end all students will be welcome.

But, for any students reading, don't count on that! Head on over to the ARC and pick up your ticket!

[talksalot]

If you want to watch Texas Southern... ESPN has one of their games on the archive list...

http://espn.go.com/watchespn/player/_/id/2734537/

from 2/29 against Alabama State

They have a HUGE band... I wonder if they will make the trip?

[talksalot]

Interesting listing to the game... the TSU team is very disciplined... I think he said 4th fewest fouls-against in the country.

They are Very Experienced, willing to RUN anytime.. they committed 480 fouls on the season (opponents 687).  Valpo committed 640 (opponents 626)

[hailcrusaders]

Texas Southern has a good amount of experience (more than us, surprisingly)  but they are much shorter than we are, they don't shoot threes and FTs particularly well, and it seems they get a lot of second chance points with their high Offensive Rebound percentage and 2 point shooting. It's good that Tevonn will be back for this game as he's one of our better rebounders.

Add the sixth foul, and it seems to be a setup for Vashil to have a great night.

Joke, or are they really toying with an increased PF limit?

[talksalot]

Here's the only documentation I can find on this... and it says "Likely"...

http://www.usatoday.com/story/sports/ncaab/2015/05/15/sixth-foul-college-basketball-rule-changes-tom-izzo/27380575/

[agibson]

I don't have a cite handy, but I don't think there's any doubt. All post-season tournaments except the NCAA are playing with six fouls.

Like they experimented with the 30 second shot clock and widened no-charge arc last post-season.

[agibson]

Looking forward to watching this game, hopefully with a good Valpo crowd!  I don't know what ticket sales have been like in the last 12 hours,

Steady stream of foot traffic at the ARC when I bought my tickets half an hour ago. Faculty/staff, students, community members. No waiting, but keeping several agents busy.

We'll know more when they release season ticket seats (did someone say 5 PM?). But CC is selling OK and BB a bit. More than usual 28 hours before a mid-week game, I might guess. But I have no stats, and even if true it may well not be predictive.

Peeked into the gym - seeing the cross-court two court setup made me wonder: is there a chance they have to play on top of extra lines if they host the 2nd round?