Game 35 St. Mary's @ the ARC, Tuesday, March 22; time 6PM CST

[bmlvu97]

I was there, hell of a game.  Alec really took the leadership role with about one minute to go before the end of the halftime.  He had everyone around him and it sure as hell looked like he was giving a "Come to Jesus" speech.  Whatever happened in that halftime, the switch got flipped.

Looking forward to New York...

Brian

[oklahomamick]

ARC looked fantastic on ESPN.  Vashil and K. Carter's last game in the ARC.  Homer and Scott in the crowd.  Great prayer led by Coach Powell with a lot of fans.  Doesn't get better nor are there very many places all this can go down at. 

[ValpoDad89]

Never saw a more dominant 2nd Half against a quality team like I saw tonight. OUTSTANDING!!!

[talksalot]

Now lets hope San Diego State can win tomorrow night and give us a shot at the early game in MSG !

[wh]

March 22, 2016
MBK | NIT Quarterfinals - Postgame Quotes

Saint Mary's 44, Valparaiso 60
Tuesday, March 22, 2016  •  Valparaiso, Ind.

Saint Mary's Head Coach Randy Bennett
On scoring just 13 second half points:  "Some of it was defense.  Some of it was just us.  We had too many guys that had poor performances, offensively.  We haven't had anything like that all year.  Some of it was their big kid blocking shots.  I thought he was the most important player for them tonight.  He can protect the rim.  He made some plays and we got hesitant.  We were not very good offensively in the second half.  You have to make shots in a game like this.  You are playing a good team on the road in a true road game, out of region.  It is a tough game.  You have to play tough.  You have to make the tough shots.  We weren't tough enough in the second half, or good enough."
Was fatigue a factor?  "I don't think so.  We played well in the first half.  I think we didn't play well enough in the second half.  We were up seven (point) with a minute to go in the first half.  Then, we got outscored (something like) 12-zip between that and the first four minutes of the second half.  We dug ourselves a hole.  We had a chance to get back in it.  But, you have to make shots.  I can search and look at everything.  At then end of the day, thing I am going to come back to is that you can't score 13 points against Valpo in a half and expect to come out on top.  Why that happened, I'm not sure.  Some of it was (the fact that) they are good around the basket.  They kept us from getting easy layups.  Some of it was that we missed some easy shots.  Thank goodness (Stefan) Gonzalez could hit a couple."
Describe Valpo's Alec Peters:  "He is a good player.  He is a lot like a player in our confernece, (Kyle) Wiltjer.  He will be a really good player next year (as a senior).  They do a good job of using him.  They get him shots.  They post him, bring him off screens."
Does a game like this leave a bitter feeling, especially being the final game of the season?  "Yes.  We had an incredible season.  I told our guys that.  I just thanked them.  We had an unbelievable year.  Not just that we won.  It was about how good of a group they are.  How good of teammates they were to each other.  We have had really good teams and really tight teams.  We haven't had a better team in terms of being teammates, being cohesive, unselfish.  We aren't going to deny we stunk in the second half.  But, yes it is a bitter feeling.  To score only 13 in the second half and not make a game of it, we are better than that.  I assure you, we are better than that.  You want to leave your best effort, best performance, out there if you are going to get beat.  We just didn't do that in the second half.  In the first half, we played pretty well."
Is this the kind of games that mid-majors should be able to play more often?  "I was just thinking about this the other day.  We used to have the Bracketbuster.  This would be a great Bracketbuster-type game.  We used to play those games, but they don't have that any longer.  So, I kind of miss that.  We played Creighton in the Bracketbuster.  We played Kent State.  We played some good teams from out of our region.  You just aren't going to get those games very often.  Valpo comes out to Saint Mary's and we come out here.  It just doesn't happen.  You are more likely to play somebody from your region.  These are the cool games.  I just wish we could have played a little better for

[valpotx]

Sounds like Coach Bennett is similar to Coach Turgeon.  The fact of the matter was that we are not Georgia, and will adapt to your little backdoor passing scheme.  You aren't going to get uncontested layups against us for 40 minutes, like you did in that game.

It was said a few times on the broadcast, but we set an attendance record of 5,444!  What a fun game to watch, even when we were down.  I will be booking my tickets to NYC in the morning, and am looking forward to yelling down the large contingent of BYU fans that will undoubtedly be at MSG.

Alec Peters also gave a fantastic interview in the postgame.  I am beginning to think that even if Bryce does leave, that he will stay at Valpo.  He seems to have a large chip on his shoulder from bigger schools saying that he was not going to be anything special.  I imagine that he is very happy that he didn't choose Boston College, though they would have been a much different team this year with him.  It seems counter to his statements for him to turnaround and leave for a Power 5 team.

[rink]

Alec Peters with a really nice interview with the broadcast team moments after the game.  On the one hand, he came across as an intelligent, high-character young man -- represented the university very well.  On the other hand, what a great reward for Alec -- a significant amount face time on the main ESPN channel during prime time ... very much a "big-time program" experience for a student athlete who is otherwise under the radar at a mid-major school like Valpo.

[vufan75]

Saw LeCrone at the game again tonight, and at least this time he was sporting a Valpo color by wearing a brown sport coat. Once more, though, it was enjoyable that he had to be present and reminded what the HL missed by not having the tournament at Valparaiso. More exciting and engaging atmosphere, which also better showcased the Horizon League and its best team in front of a national audience: HL Detroit tourney or all three Valpo NIT games?

You hit the nail on the head again Pal. Too bad Detroit was chosen but I presume HL must need $$$ pretty badly with Butler Final 4 money to league drying up.  League "sold out" to get a few bucks. Sad. We need to move on sooner rather than later when there is an opportunity. Strike while iron is hot! And please BOD move up timetable to reno ARC. A face-lift would help advance MBB and help garner more favorable VU pub in media.

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-G920A using Tapatalk

[oklahomamick]

ARC looked fantastic on ESPN.  Vashil and K. Carter's last game in the ARC.  Homer and Scott in the crowd.  Great prayer led by Coach Powell with a lot of fans.  Doesn't get better nor are there very many places all this can go down at.

And to top it off, the home run play.  How fitting

[bbtds]

ARC looked fantastic on ESPN.  Vashil and K. Carter's last game in the ARC.  Homer and Scott in the crowd.  Great prayer led by Coach Powell with a lot of fans.  Doesn't get better nor are there very many places all this can go down at. 

I don't think you would have seen a prayer circle as that at any place but Valpo with the preacher leading the congregation and a hearty "AMEN" at the end.

[nkvu]

Since I started following the team again in 1998 I've got to say that no "projects" have done more than Vasil. He has become a FORCE on defence and has added a bit of offense too. I am so happy for him I can't tell you.

[bbtds]

I was there, hell of a game.  Alec really took the leadership role with about one minute to go before the end of the halftime.  He had everyone around him and it sure as hell looked like he was giving a "Come to Jesus" speech.  Whatever happened in that halftime, the switch got flipped.

Looking forward to New York...

Brian

I think in some way Alec says: "I don't know about you guys but I didn't come this far to lose. We can beat this team if we play like we are capable of playing. Now let's do what we are capable of doing. If you can't score give me the ball!!!!

[wh]

We held them 14 points below their previously lowest scoring game of the season.

[VULB#62]

Was out of my room all day here in China, plus could not get to any online info about the game until I got back around 5:30 PM.  Because it was already Wednesday here when the ball was tipped off in Indiana,  I could have told you all that Valpo won before the first basket was scored. But I didn't want to spoil the drama and excitement.

Actually I was on pins and needles all day here and when I got back to the hotel went right to my iPad and the Valpo Athletics site. I thought that the story was a misprint -- held SMC to 13 points in the second half???  Impossible, musta been 31.  So happy when I realized w it was just 13 freakin points!

On to MSG!

BTW, did they play New York, New York over the PA?

[historyman]

BTW, did they play New York, New York over the PA?

I believe that is what they played along with some modern song about NYC. Since standing in different places in the ARC means you might not be able to hear what is being played. The nice culmination of the season is that the students stormed the court (the brits call it a "court invasion" or in soccer a "pitch invasion") So when it was time for the prayer circle, the players invited in all the students and it was a circle almost as big as the full court. "Preacher" went on and gave a prayer with a loud "amen" at the end.

[humbleopinion]

On to MSG!

BTW, did they play New York, New York over the PA?

No, not "New York, New York," but they played some other song about New York.  Of course, being unfamiliar with pop songs for the last thirty years, I didn't recognize it.  They turned off the music so those in the court-sized prayer circle could hear. I'm not a big one for public displays of faith, but I have to say it was pretty cool, and I joined the "amen" at the end.

[valpo04]

On to MSG!

BTW, did they play New York, New York over the PA?

No, not "New York, New York," but they played some other song about New York.  Of course, being unfamiliar with pop songs for the last thirty years, I didn't recognize it.  They turned off the music so those in the court-sized prayer circle could hear. I'm not a big one for public displays of faith, but I have to say it was pretty cool, and I joined the "amen" at the end.

[FWalum]

Pretty much just played the chorus from the above mentioned Alicia Keyes arrangement.

[agibson]

Pretty much just played the chorus from the above mentioned Alicia Keyes arrangement.

Probably a lot more familiar for the players, if not as good for singing along. They followed it with some numbers maybe more familiar to the chair backs.

[wh]

ARC looked fantastic on ESPN.  Vashil and K. Carter's last game in the ARC.  Homer and Scott in the crowd.  Great prayer led by Coach Powell with a lot of fans.  Doesn't get better nor are there very many places all this can go down at. 

I'm still in this "afterglow" period trying to wring out every drop of good feeling from last night. 

Could someone talk about the TV coverage?
Could you get a sense of how loud the ARC was?  Were there a lot of positive things said about Valpo?  What was said about how we completely shut down SM's offense in the 2nd half?  Any specific compliments about any of our players?  Any other good stuff...

[mb230611]

Congrats, and good luck at MSG! What a dominating performance in the second half.

[FWalum]

 Just left the alumni office. They are feverishly working, trying to put together packages for hotels and such around Madison Square Garden. Contact them ASAP if you need any help!

[wh]

Congrats, and good luck at MSG! What a dominating performance in the second half.

Thanks!  I will be pulling for Oakland big time in Las Vegas next Monday.  We're all on the same team in the OOC and post season. 

[valpopal]

On to MSG!

BTW, did they play New York, New York over the PA?

No, not "New York, New York," but they played some other song about New York.  Of course, being unfamiliar with pop songs for the last thirty years, I didn't recognize it.  They turned off the music so those in the court-sized prayer circle could hear. I'm not a big one for public displays of faith, but I have to say it was pretty cool, and I joined the "amen" at the end.

Actually, they did play "New York, New York" after the prayer circle, and it sounded great as those in my section sang along!

[talksalot]

I'm watching the Replay... Dakich was very positive about the whole team.  Good conversation about Power teams not coming to places like Valpo...