Game #6 - BYU Wed 11/23 MGM Grand Main Event, Las Vegas 11PM CT

[vu84v2]

Really good job hanging in there and giving a strong effort to cut the deficit from 12 to 2 at the half. Have not seen Williams play this well since his Freshman year. Peters hanging tough with the flu has 11 points (all inside). Defense is going to win this game, since BYU seems to get frustrated if they are not running up and down the floor.

[rogerwilco]

This is a good game. I'm enjoying it. I have most of tomorrow to catch up on sleep.
64-62 Valpo now...Hopefully, BYU's foul issues will propel the Crusaders to victory!

[vu84v2]

Great win!!   It wasn't really defense, but clutch offense again and again. Great second half. So many players came up big - especially Walker's clutch three, Hammink's numerous great driving baskets, and Peters' great drive for Valpo's last basket.

[wh]

Great game, Crusaders!!!

[jloose128]

Great game! Hung in there after every blow that BYU dealt!!

[valpotx]

That was a fun game, and our guys really stepped up.  It was back-and-forth, and we never caved in the second half.  If we play that way more often than not, we are going to have another special season.  You can tell that BYU fans are used to getting a lot of home-cooking foul calls, as they protest EVERY...SINGLE...CALL .  Lexus is looking really good, and appears to be primed for getting more minutes, as he has separated himself from Max.  Shane is now 1/18 from 3, and it seems like each is in-and-out in some form or another.

[vu72]

A great "signature" win for our new coach against a team with obvious "inbreding" or at least bad haircuts!!  Nice to see Alec playing with flu still dominating the game and our much reduced rotation playing so well against a bigger lineup.  A VERY BIG WIN!!!!

[bbtds]

Very good win. Much, much better play from the Crusaders. Not perfect but a very solid performance. In the end Alec makes a play and Mika doesn't. Hoooowsa!

Nice way to start off Thanksgiving Day! Anybody putting their Turkey in the oven now?

[VUfan]

Super win😂

[a3uge]

Great win! Way to gut it out after being down early. I thought we were going to get blown out.

[swiftmutiny]

Whew, what a nail biter!  This was a hard fought, well deserved win against a very good team. I hope they're able to build off of the success they've had at this tournament.

[a3uge]

Whew, what a nail biter!  This was a hard fought, well deserved win against a very good team. I hope they're able to build off of the success they've had at this tournament.

Aka not drop an after Thanksgiving matchup to ball state...

[VUSWIM08-12]

Whew, what a nail biter!  This was a hard fought, well deserved win against a very good team. I hope they're able to build off of the success they've had at this tournament.

Aka not drop an after Thanksgiving matchup to ball state...

Yes. No slouching on Ball St!! And then find a way to beat Rhode Island at the ARC!!

[rink]

In Lottich We Trust!!  Love the poise the team exhibited.  Looked really overmatched, smaller, slower, less prepared, and every bit the 6 point underdog in those first ~10 minutes.  Great composure chipping away to nearly even at half, and then mostly controlled the game throughout the second half.  And this while committing too many turnovers and missing countless bunnies at the rim.  Hopefully this propels the team to play with confidence against Ball St and Rhode Island.

I did not expect we would win playing BYU's high-scoring game.  But 92-89 ... 181 combined ... shattered the over-under!

[wh]

https://www.twitter.com/NWIOren/status/801693526043955202

https://www.twitter.com/NWIOren/status/801693739676680192

https://www.twitter.com/NWIOren/status/801693847117926400

[rink]

>> "I'm going back to Valpo to shoot 100 free throws."

Said with sincerity or jokingly in post-win relief?

[Pgmado]

100 percent sincerity. Said he was glad Valpo won, but was really troubled by missing free throws.

[wh]

Frustrated Cougars fall to Valpo

http://www.heraldextra.com/sports/college/byu/basketball/men/byu-men-s-hoops-frustrated-cougars-fall-to-valpo/article_7c959012-0388-5952-9569-c3f36a72f9af.html

[vu72]

The game appeared to calm any concerns about point guard as both Lexus and Max played very well.  Really good game from a very tight lineup with only Sorrolla getting more then 3 minutes of action beyond the starting five and Max.  Alec was off the charts good considering how sick he was.  Really unbelievable.  Won the rebounding battle by 9!  Just a great game all around!!

[vu72]

http://www.sltrib.com/blogs/byusports/4628861-155/byu-basketball-cougars-lose-another-wild

[vu84v2]

Frustrated Cougars fall to Valpo

http://www.heraldextra.com/sports/college/byu/basketball/men/byu-men-s-hoops-frustrated-cougars-fall-to-valpo/article_7c959012-0388-5952-9569-c3f36a72f9af.html

Eric and Trevonn really came up big...

[ValpoDad89]

Great effort and no quit. When you see something like that it speaks to the coaching staff and the kids response to them. If they don't believe or have confidence in the staff that early 12 point deficit turns to 20 fast. Seen it with other teams. I think the hiring of Lottich is already bearing fruit.

Also great to see the guys we need to step up stepped up. The starting 4 minus Peters were all big time last night / this morning. We know what Alec is going to do but we need solid efforts from Walker, Hammink and Adekoya especially on a game by game basis. If Williams and Joseph contribute as well, look out. Also, you basically had a 6 man rotation with 4 of 6 playing 30 minutes or more. All of those 4 had plenty of gas left in the tank at the end of the game. While it may go unnoticed, these kids stamina helped win that game. Hats off to the Conditioning of this team. I think that's a part that will play big as our next 4 games are against KenPom rated 4-155. Easiest is Ball State at 155, we know KY and RI but we have to go down to Springfield and play 129 MO St. I saw them last night against DePaul and they look much improved over the team I saw the Cru blow out in the Arc last year. I think the 6 man with sprinkles of time for Sorolla and a minute for Smits is going to be par for the course the next couple of weeks.

[crusaderjoe]

Great great win.  I don't care what anyone says...BYU is a P5.  Two gutty wins in Vegas against big time opponents.

We need to get BYU on the schedule next year.  We can't kill this series. Two fantastic games separated by five points in championship environments.  Go to Provo next year and then get a neutral return game in Chicago or Indy.  Get it done.

Happy Thanksgiving.

[bbtds]

Can we call this Alec Peters' "Michael Jordan" game?

[bbtds]

Great great win.  I don't care what anyone says...BYU is a P5.  Two gutty wins in Vegas against big time opponents.

We need to get BYU on the schedule next year.  We can't kill this series. Two fantastic games separated by five points in championship environments.  Go to Provo next year and then get a neutral return game in Chicago or Indy.  Get it done.

Happy Thanksgiving.

As usual it takes two to tango. If you were BYU would you play Valpo next season? It depends on if you view your program as above Valpo or not. Many in Provo probably see themselves if not above Valpo at least very differently.