Motor City Madness ... What a joke

[VULB#62]

I don't understand the league's strategy at this point. What exactly does the neutral court tournament benefit the whole league long-term? Other than a quick arena payment, I'm not sure I've heard a decent argument for the change from the league's point of view.

Very interesting point that hasn't been talked about much.  Take the immediate cash from Olympia....           and then we'll somehow do something, sometime to upgrade the conference RPI to make the HL an at-large conference and in the meantime hope that whoever wins the HL tournament gets a seed higher than 15 and wins a couple of games (where the real money is I understand).  Comes down to tactical vs. strategic thinking.

[oklahomamick]

Do you guys think Kampe and Oakland tell recruits that the conference tournament is down the road and their families will be about to watch them play extra games and possibly win a ncaa bid every year?  Huge recruiting advantage

Do you guys think Valpo had recruits on campus watching us win ncaa bids at home in front of an electrifying crowd?  Huge recruiting advantage.  We had some good recruiting classes after hosting the tournament.....Wait, no more advantage, at least for us.  That advantage is now in Detroit. 

[VU2014]

https://twitter.com/kenpomeroy/status/837384748003549188

http://kenpom.com/blog/2017-horizon-league-forecast/

2017 Horizon League forecast
Ken Pomeroy | March 2, 2017

Horizon League (conference rank: 19th)
March 3-7
All games at North Charleston, S.C.
kPOY: Alec Peters, Valparaiso
Regular season champ: Valparaiso (preseason #69 / 1st HL, current #94) and Oakland (preseason #163 / 3rd HL, current #110)
Overachiever: Northern Kentucky (preseason #277, current #155)
Underachiever: Milwaukee (preseason #227, current #280)

"The big story out of the Horizon League is that Valpo's Alec Peters will be unable to play in the event, or any other event that the Crusaders might participate in the rest of the season. Peters missed the last two games of the regular with a leg injury that turned out to be serious enough to require missing the next few weeks.

Though the resulting chances tabulated below do not consider Peters' absence, the results of the two games he missed shouldn't cause Valpo fans to give up hope. The Crusaders played two games that were expected to be toss-ups: road games against Wright State and Northern Kentucky. They beat Wright State in a tight game and lost to NKU in a close one.

Generally, I think the impact of an injured player is overstated in college hoops. People covering [whatever] tend to overstate the impact of any event, because it's good for business to say "hey guys, this is really important!" No doubt Peters' injury affects Valpo and the Crusaders always had to deal with the issue of being swept rather easily by Oakland in the regular season, anyway. But they still have Shane Hammink and Tevonn Walker and early indicators are positive that they can take on additional offensive responsibilities. While Oakland is surely the actual favorite, Valpo isn't far behind and no worse that the second-most likely option this week.

I've given Detroit a half share of home court and Oakland a quarter share in this event.

[VU2014]

Do you guys think Kampe and Oakland tell recruits that the conference tournament is down the road and their families will be about to watch them play extra games and possibly win a ncaa bid every year?  Huge recruiting advantage

I guarantee you Kampe tells recruits the Tourney is in their backyards and uses that as a selling point families and local Michigan recruits.

Do you guys think Valpo had recruits on campus watching us win ncaa bids at home in front of an electrifying crowd?  Huge recruiting advantage.  We had some good recruiting classes after hosting the tournament.....Wait, no more advantage, at least for us.  That advantage is now in Detroit.

Yep I remember sitting next to recruit one year at the conference Tourney in Valpo.

I also remember meeting Alec and Jubril when Valpo cut the nets down on the court during Rowdy's senior year. I believe both may have signed before then but you get the point.

https://www.instagram.com/p/BQ0XntbDCEI/?taken-by=4apeters

"These guys were at the HL Championship game in 2013 before high school graduation - 4 yrs later-"

[FWalum]

On Playing the Tournament at a Neutral Site: "For us right now, the biggest factor is that we've been treated like royalty here. We feel that people have really embraced us at the hotel, at every restaurant. At every place we've gone, it's really special. We get that tournament feel and that tournament atmosphere. We're a big family at Valpo, so it's cool to be in the same place as the men.

Seems Tracey Dorow thinks this Detroit experience is pretty cool.

[valpo64]

YSU beats Oakland on last second bucket!      LOVE IT!!

[SanityLost17]

Say what you want about J. Slocum.  He probably doesn't care super much anymore, and given his budget, why should he. 

But...

That was one of the greatest play calls I have ever seen.  The BALLS he had to run that play knowing full well that unless executed perfectly, time may expire before the shot goes up...wow..

[justducky]

Belmont now Oakland both banished to the NIT. Our slim NIT at large hopes have gotten slimmer. Looks like NCAA or bust.

[SanityLost17]

Also....

Last year the 1/2 seeds play the 3/4 seeds cold.   They lose because of the new sight lines and the other teams having played in the gym already.  So they change it.  Surely, if they play the 7-10 seeds they will be fine playing in that gym for the first time...right?     

So far tonight the 1 seed goes down to the 9 seed.    Perhaps playing on one day's rest is not as bad as all the old men making decisions thinks it is?   I mean, these are 18-23 year old for the most part.  You recover pretty quickly.   

Win or lose for Valpo tonight...  The neutral format has been a disaster for the league!   Now both Detroit/Oakland are out of the tournament with 4 days of games left! 

[valpotx]

Say what you want about J. Slocum.  He probably doesn't care super much anymore, and given his budget, why should he. 

But...

That was one of the greatest play calls I have ever seen.  The BALLS he had to run that play knowing full well that unless executed perfectly, time may expire before the shot goes up...wow..

I don't think that was a set play.  That was just good court awareness by Morse.  I knew that YSU would be a tough game for anyone, as Morse is the type of guy that can set the tone for a game.

[talksalot]

Lecrone worst nightmare

[valpotx]

If GB loses, than it will be even more embarrassing for the league.  Playing at JLA in the men's bracket has rewarded the league with an 0-4 record for the teams with the better seed...

[justducky]

Lecrone worst nightmare

Yes Lecrone has been our worst nightmare. I know the HL doesn't pay him that well but we are still getting short changed. How does he still have a job?

Would love to see an NKU championship and a deep Oakland NIT run.

[valpotx]

I do have to say that Drew McDonald is going to be a stud for NKU over his JR and SR seasons.  That kid plays with a fire, and is very talented. 

[FieldGoodie05]

Another stellar effort by Kiser....I vote him scholarship worthy.  Good season of work for the young man.

[VUBBFan]

Another stellar effort by Kiser....I vote him scholarship worthy.  Good season of work for the young man.

Yeah. He may not be the greatest player but he plays hard and doesn't give up. He deserves to be rewarded. I think it will depend on whether they find another recruit they deem better.

[valpotx]

I have to believe that Kiser is getting that last scholarship, regardless of who comes up on the radar. 

[justducky]

I have to believe that Kiser is getting that last scholarship, regardless of who comes up on the radar. 

If he can become a 30% 3 point shooter he could get 15 minutes per game even if we picked up a couple 4 star recruits. That said I hope he seldom or never has to start for us again. He is better suited to match up against most opponents second string 3.

Might he get to a Ben Boggs level? Uhhhhhhh- maybe. A lot can happen in 3 more years.

[VUBBFan]

I have to believe that Kiser is getting that last scholarship, regardless of who comes up on the radar.

I hope so. Like I said I think he deserves it.

[bbtds]

Also gotta w ok nder if anyone's actually going to be at the rest of these games

In case you're w ok ndering, I will be at the rest of these games. 

[FieldGoodie05]

I have to believe that Kiser is getting that last scholarship, regardless of who comes up on the radar.

If he can become a 30% 3 point shooter he could get 15 minutes per game even if we picked up a couple 4 star recruits. That said I hope he seldom or never has to start for us again. He is better suited to match up against most opponents second string 3.

Might he get to a Ben Boggs level? Uhhhhhhh- maybe. A lot can happen in 3 more years.

He is only a freshmen but I would agree.  His overall game right now is an "off the bench" type of player.  He is an improved version of Davidson and therefore will get minutes.  His rebounding and ability to guard and rebound is a plus.

His offensive game does need to develop.

[brycepeters]

Everyone's complaining but Valpo wouldn't have won the regular season anyways because Peters was too hurt to play.

It's clear they would have lost whether this game was played at Oakland JLA or in China.

I think after the five year contract is up, the league will realize the tournament needs to be more centrally located and switch the venue to Milwaukee Chicago or somewhere in Ohio.

Detroit threw them the most money for now, but will they continue to do so when they see the poor attendance numbers?

The league said there was 8000 for last nights games. That probably includes the first session of women's games which was probably 1000 or so combined. Way better than any of our home venues would have gotten.

Tuesday will be embarrassing playing the game in an empty area, but had Oakland made it or Detroit it certainly wouldn't have been empty. The neutral site isn't the problem at all, it's the location. Detroit is not centrally located. Tourney needs to be in Chicago Milwaukee or perhaps Cleveland?

[VU2014]

Not sure who I'm going to "root" for the rest of the Tournament...

I'm thinking I'm going to root for YSU. Maybe if they make the Tourney it will reinvigorate there basketball program and they'll stop being a drag on the conference. Plus they have the only player left in the Conference tournament that could "go off" and create his own buckets which is what you need in the NCAA tournament even they will be a 15-16 seed. Seeding doesn't matter for the Conference anymore anyways because GB and NKU will still be 15-16 seeds regardless.

Either way the Horizon League will most likely get embarrassed in the first round now anyways. May as well hope Morse can go off in that game and maybe YSU's program uses making the Tourney as momentum.

[brycepeters]

Valpo without peters would have gotten embarrassed in their first round game too don't kid yourself

Oakland was the only team that had a chance at a respectable showing

[VU2014]

Valpo without peters would have gotten embarrassed in their first round game too don't kid yourself

Very defensive today... Never said Valpo had a shot in the 1st round NCAA game without Peters.