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

[agibson]

Here's the only documentation I can find on this..

How about this one:

http://www.ncaa.com/news/basketball-men/article/2015-06-08/ncaa-changes-shot-clock-30-seconds-makes-other-changes-game

Experimental rule

The panel also approved an experimental rule to allow players six personal fouls, instead of five, in the 2016 postseason tournaments other than the Division I Men's Basketball Championship.

[agibson]

They have a message board at tigerfans.net (specifically   http://www.tigerfans.net/boards/forums/tigers-sports-board.4/). It seems not very active, but they did post a pretty nice preview of our team (in one season-long thread, it seems?).

Maybe I'm missing more active conversations or boards. It's be great if we could get that guy over here, or give them our perspective pn or team, the match, etc. Any takers?

[talksalot]

The LBAA Tournament Boys Championship game tips at 3:30pm Sunday... followed by the awards ceremony...

https://lbaatournament.org/brackets/?tourn_id=7

[agibson]

The LBAA Tournament Boys Championship game tips at 3:30pm Sunday... followed by the awards ceremony...

https://lbaatournament.org/brackets/?tourn_id=7

I have little idea what the actual rules might be. But that makes a Monday NIT game sound pretty plausible.

[VULB#62]

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.

If they increase to six, that makes it possible to commit more fouls in a game.  Has any thought been given to changing the bonus structure so that we don't wind up marching back and forth to shoot free throws , i.e., start the bonus/double bonus later than the 7th/10th fouls?  Just wondering......

[talksalot]

From the TSU board:

NIT is next. Playing @ Valpo. Alec Peters is a dangerous 6-9 Forward who is averaging 18ppg & 8rpg. He's a 3pt shooter who we'll need to close out on, draws lots of fouls and is a high % FT shooter.

<<Insert Photo of Jordan Fouse driving on Jabril>>

Keith Carter is there #2 guy to watch out for and Vashil Fernandez is going to be Mutumbo under the basket. Sounds like they're going to be a zone D as they're going to have a height advantage, butttttt their team is beatable. They lost a heartbreaker in OT in their tournament championship, so their minds might not be in it -- we'll see.

Here are their typical starters. They interchange Hammink with Walker, but with our height I anticipate Walker being in the starting 5.
<<Insert picture of Keith, Tevonn, Vashil, David and Alec>>

[valpopal]

From the TSU board:
...They lost a heartbreaker in OT in their tournament championship, so their minds might not be in it -- we'll see.

I stopped by to watch practice for a little while this afternoon, and I don't think we have to worry about their minds being in it.

[agibson]

From the TSU board:
...They lost a heartbreaker in OT in their tournament championship, so their minds might not be in it -- we'll see.

I stopped by to watch practice for a little while this afternoon, and I don't think we have to worry about their minds being in it.

It didn't occur to me they'd be in Hilltop! I was a little surprised not to find any of them in the main gym. Obviously practice visiting is not a regular hobby of mine.

[ValpoHoops]

The LBAA Tournament Boys Championship game tips at 3:30pm Sunday... followed by the awards ceremony...

https://lbaatournament.org/brackets/?tourn_id=7

I have little idea what the actual rules might be. But that makes a Monday NIT game sound pretty plausible.

Typically, the Sunday LBAA games in the arena are played on the main floor. Perhaps a Sunday night game wouldn't be impossible.

[agibson]

The visitor [sic, was erroneously "Texas Southern" but they're gone at that point, or not playing in the ARC] has got to be entitled to some practice time on the game court. _Maybe_ there are times too early or too late for junior high school players that might be available before Sunday? *shrug*

[talksalot]

Wrong Game... this would be either Florida State or Davidson....

[agibson]

Wrong Game... this would be either Florida State or Davidson....

Yeah, my bad. Fixed above. Perhaps a sign that I'm going too far out on a limb of hypotheticals. Somehow a strangely compelling game to play.

[valpopal]

From the TSU board:
...They lost a heartbreaker in OT in their tournament championship, so their minds might not be in it -- we'll see.

I stopped by to watch practice for a little while this afternoon, and I don't think we have to worry about their minds being in it.

It didn't occur to me they'd be in Hilltop! I was a little surprised not to find any of them in the main gym. Obviously practice visiting is not a regular hobby of mine.

They were in the main gym. I was there during the 3:00 to 4:00 hour.

[HC]

Predictions:
1. Valpo wins 67-54
2. My 5 year old gets super tired and crabby (he's a mean drunk)
3. We host another game and many people here feel foolish for thinking there isn't a plan in place (or I will for posting that)

[FWalum]

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?

Watched this game and not so sure this is a good match up for us.  Very Green Bay-esque team.  Lots of drive and kick with run outs using an athletic smaller lineup that hits the offensive glass hard and shares the ball VERY well.  Alabama State is not the same defensive team that we are, but having Tevonn back at close to 100% to guard on the perimeter could be critical to our success.

[a3uge]

At home vs a SWAC team. Should be a 16.5 point victory.

[agibson]

2. My 5 year old gets super tired and crabby (he's a mean drunk)
3. We host another game...

I was surprised by the late tip - maybe a request from the visiting team? Apparently not for TV. Local schools start half an hour late Wednesday's, but I'll feel guilty taking my kids - they'll be tired in the morning.

Definitely won't have as many families as for eg a Saturday game.

I have moderate confidence there will be a plan to host a home game. 60-75%? I'll be surprised if they announce it immediately after the game.

[classof2014]

Time to get our first post-season victory tonight in what seems like forever ago. The one thing that worries me is that they come out flat and disappointed of not going where they wanted to go. Is the NIT the NCAAs? No. Still an NIT tournament champion banner would look nice hanging in the rafters of the ARC.

[VUfan]

Beware of the Ides of March !!!!

[VULB#62]

Paul's game intro article:

Crusaders begin path to New York on Tuesday night
VALPARAISO | As the pain of not making the NCAA tournament has set in over the last 24 hours and with the opportunity to make a run in the National Invitational Tournament in front of them, the Valparaiso men's basketball team got back to work on Monday afternoon.

Coaches and managers worked late into the evening on Sunday preparing a game plan for Texas Southern which was delivered to the team before Monday's practice. That didn't stop some of the players from doing their own research when they got back to their dorm rooms following the selection show.

"We definitely went back and did some homework," Valparaiso junior Jubril Adekoya said. "We talked to a couple guys we know and we know some of these guys from playing AAU. They're a pretty athletic group."

The Tigers (18-14) feature one of the most intriguing players that will ever grace the court at the Athletics-Recreation Center in redshirt freshman Derrick Griffin (6'7"). Once hailed as one of the top wide receiver    prospects in the country, Griffin enrolled at Miami (Fla.) in 2013 but was an academic non-qualifier. Griffin arrived at Texas Southern this season and was a standout on the gridiron before taking the hardwood and earning SWAC Player of the Year, Defensive Player of the Year and Newcomer of the Year accolades.

While Griffin will be a handful for the Crusaders (26-6) along with seniors Chris Thomas and Malcolm Riley, Valparaiso will be heavily favored in the game as it enters the NIT as one of the No. 1 seeds. Winning on Tuesday will be the first step of what the players hope is a five-game healing process that culminates with cutting the nets down in Madison Square Garden.

"Only by winning this whole thing we can erase the sting we have of not making the tournament," Valparaiso senior Keith Carter said.

Carter is anxious to get back on the court on Tuesday night after he ended Valparaiso's 99-92 overtime loss to Green Bay sitting on the bench with five fouls. With a second lease on life, Carter gets another opportunity to play at the Athletics-Recreation Center.

"I feel like I let my teammates down (in Detroit)," Carter said. "It feels good to have another home game. A goal of ours now is to win this whole tournament."

Adekoya was a freshman the last time Valparaiso hosted a postseason game — a last second loss to Columbia in the 2014 College Insider.com Tournament — and the junior forward sees a marked difference between the two situations.

"We were pretty young back then," Adekoya said. "The leaders of our team, I feel like we have more leadership now and that's a big difference. We're a closer knit group and we're hungry to keep winning games."

FYI
DERRICK GRIFFIN
6-7, 225#
13.1 PPG*
58 Blocks*
291 RBs*
33 Minutes/game**
FG% 65.7%*
FT% 51.9%
3 Point % 0.00 (0-3)

* Leads team
** 2nd most

[agibson]

Yeah, feels like we're going up against a 21st century Bo Jackson or something. It didn't make the print cut, but someone on twitter (probably Paul?) mentioned that there was also an incident involving a punch. On the court? So, an emotional player, perhaps. And obviously decorated.

[VULB#62]

Shoots almost 66% from the floor and has more ORBs than DRBs.  At 225 lbs. he'll be a hand-full down low.  But with 6 fouls instead of 5, putting him on the FT line at 51% could come into play.

[Kyle321n]

Shoots almost 66% from the floor and has more ORBs than DRBs.  At 225 lbs. he'll be a hand-full down low.  But with 6 fouls instead of 5, putting him on the FT line at 51% could come into play.

Sounds like someone we played previously... Jalen Billups anyone?  Griffin takes a lower percentage of shots, but a similar amount of total shots. Vashil was able to handle Billups, but I'd kind of like to see Alec d up on Griffin. Alec's got a similar build but has 3 inches on him.  That would be a fun match up.

[historyman]

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.

I'm in section G and within 2 rows of row N.
Can you yell something different so I know who you are? Like "what's that, talksalot, I can't understand what you are saying."

[wh]

Very excited about watching the Crusaders in action tonight. I have surprised myself at how quickly I have been able to move past the disappointment of not playing in the Big Dance. Going to the Dr's. for a check-up, just to make sure everything's ok. Low T?