2017-18 VU Schedule

[VU2014]

The Samford game is happening. Should be a good game.

[vufan75]

Any idea as to when game to be played? I'd also like to see us get an A10 opponent if possible. Maybe a home and home series. Perhaps now as an MVC member that is more a possibility....

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[VUGrad1314]

Any idea as to when game to be played? I'd also like to see us get an A10 opponent if possible. Maybe a home and home series. Perhaps now as an MVC member that is more a possibility....

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I remember reading somewhere that VCU and possibly Richmond were looking for home and homes with a top 75 school (we fit that bill) I wonder if they're still looking or if we're in talks with them. I also remember someone speculating that we would play someone from the ACC. They said it would be part of an MTE, but we're already playing in Savannah. Maybe it's a connecting game to our time out there. Georgia Tech Clemson and Florida State wouldn't be too terribly far. One thing's for sure the more I hear about this schedule the more excited I become. It's shaping up to be a really strong one.Hope ML and the coaching staff keep up the good work!

Anybody else notice that we will have a lot of games in common with Loyola ? I don't know if this was by design but it's smart. With the Ramblers projected to be as strong as they are,  it should help our metrics should our team mature faster than expected and we find ourselves in the mix for an at-large.

[crusadermoe]

No love for the Samford and Son possibility for scheduling LeMont?  I thought that was pretty good. 

[bbtds]

No love for the Samford and Son possibility for scheduling LeMont?  I thought that was pretty good. 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bwPZu9L-CP0

[VUSWIM08-12]

Looks like the schedule is shaping up to be fairly tough. If we go above .500 for the season I would consider that a solid reload year. 20+ wins would be an excellent season.  Thoughts?

[VULB#62]

SO O O  O  O  O  many questions still to be answered.  But it will be exciting to see how it all works its way out.

[VUGrad1314]

I've long felt that  with all the new players being incorporated into the system and the conference change, 18-22 wins seems like a reasonable benchmark for the team this year with mhigher expectations next year. I agree that the schedule looks good so far. I believe that regardless of our expectations we should put together an at large quality schedule just in case those low projections are wrong.

[jtm]

It appears Valpo is playing @ UC-Riverside on December 20.

http://gohighlanders.com/schedule.aspx?schedule=381&path=mbball

[VUGrad1314]

At least it's a road game. The good news about this is that it means the Santa Clara game out west is a go. The bad news is that this isn't exactly the strongest opponent and there had to be better options in the area.

[VUGrad1314]

Also appears we'll play SELA at home as part of the Savannah Invitational  Wonder how many nonconference slots we have left. Feels like the schedule could use a little more meat.

https://twitter.com/happeninghoops/status/890037945159356416

I have to say though that this is shaping up to be a pretty solid schedule on the whole and I commend the program's willingness to take the team on the road this much. This experience should help them a lot in conference play.

[justducky]

At least it's a road game. The good news about this is that it means the Santa Clara game out west is a go. The bad news is that this isn't exactly the strongest opponent and there had to be better options in the area.

Agree that UC-Riverside is not what I was expecting, but I am prepared to listen to a full explanation. 

Anybody willing to provide us with any positive spin on this development?

[FieldGoodie05]

Also appears we'll play SELA at home as part of the Savannah Invitational  Wonder how many nonconference slots we have left. Feels like the schedule could use a little more meat.

https://twitter.com/happeninghoops/status/890037945159356416

I have to say though that this is shaping up to be a pretty solid schedule on the whole and I commend the program's willingness to take the team on the road this much. This experience should help them a lot in conference play.

So (2) B1G teams and several solid mid majors isn't enough "meat" for a rebuilding year?  AT LARGE DOESN'T EXIST for VU in 2017/18. 

[jtm]

Kent State was also hosting Mississippi Valley State as part of the Savannah Invitational, so the Delta Devils may be coming to Valpo as well.

[jtm]

Nevermind, the Samford game covers that. My bad.

[talksalot]

we'll play SELA at home

Just looked at the Lion's 2017-18 roster... they have 5 Redshirt Seniors; 1 true (and 1 redshirt) Freshman.   They were 16-16 last year, 5-12 away from "The University Center"

http://www.lionsports.net/facilities/?id=2

Built in 1982 at a cost of $16.3 million, the UC has seating capacity for 7,500 and hosts many other functions including Southeastern's commencement, a variety of concerts and community events, and the circus. For home basketball games, there's no denying the electric atmosphere in "The Jungle." During the 2011-12 basketball season, a new electronic message board was added to the press row area to improve the aesthetics.   so...7,500 seats... SEASON ATTENDANCE: 11557; they were 11-3 at home, Average Home Attendance:   826 people. (11% capacity)     This may be a snide comment, but was there a high school in Porter County that averaged a smaller crowd?   Just asking for a friend.

Largest home crowd was McNeese State where they packed in 1,353 people ... smallest crowd was Florida A&M, 486 people.

Their RPI ended at 251, SOS was 324; Best win was at #161 New Orleans, their only win last year against a team with a winning record.

[talksalot]

Valpo is playing @ UC-Riverside

The Highlanders were the identical 2-8 against top 200 RPI teams last year that SELA was.

RPI 330, SOS 303, opening this season on an 8-game losing streak.  Best win was New Years Eve over #124 Grand Canyon by 20.

Their Average Home Attendance?    804  (12 home games, total was under 10,000 people)

Now HERE'S an Arena:    http://gohighlanders.com/sports/2009/1/24/MBB_0124090629.aspx

The SRC Arena opened as part of the Student Recreation Center in January 1994, providing a state-of-the-art facility for students to build their physical fitness as well as a home for the Highlanders men's and women's basketball and women's volleyball teams.

The Arena has also hosted events such as Midnight Madness, the Chancellor's Convocation for New Students, graduations, and concerts.

In the summer of 2003, a new public address system and sound enhancing tiles were installed, and during the 2010-11 academic year, the Highlanders added a video board and courtside panel tables to improve the entertainment experience for fans, and expand the sponsorship opportunities for our corporate partners. In the summer of 2016, the floor was completely refurbished for the first time since the SRC's opening, and the walls were painted to match UC Riverside's updated color scheme.

The entire 80,000-square-foot building was planned by students and funded through student fees. It is home to an extensive intramural program open to all students and it includes four racquetball/wallyball courts and one squash court, a 6,000-square foot weight training facility and a 3,000 square foot area dedicated to cardio-fitness machines. It also has full locker rooms and three multipurpose rooms.

[VUOR63]

Shoot.  I was hoping Valpo might play at Stanford.

[SanityLost17]

Seems to me as though the coaching staff is adding some (hopefully) guaranteed wins to the schedule to balance it out.  I have a feeling they are of the mindset to not over-schedule in a rebuilding year.   

The team is going to struggle early and get better as the season progresses.  No chance whatsoever of an at-large this year.  So we need to schedule like it. 

I personally like the schedule.   We seem have some top notch teams, some good mid-majors on neutral courts, and a fair number of very winnable games in case the team fails to gel as quickly as we hope.

[justducky]

Shoot.  I was hoping Valpo might play at Stanford.

Me too. Seems like a pay game or initiating a higher quality road-home series should have been the objective. If they will be coming to the ARC in 18-19 I doubt they will be able to attract much of a crowd.

[M]

I think its a real good idea to schedule very winnable road games in noncon.  Learning to win on the road is huge.

[VU2014]

I like the way our 2017-2018 Non-Conference schedule is shaping up. I like it for this particular team. With 6 new guys and graduating the last senior class its going to be a transition and this team will need to find its identity and chemistry together.

[VULB#62]

Whatever prepares us best for the MVC season.

[justducky]

I like the way our 2017-2018 Non-Conference schedule is shaping up. I like it for this particular team. With 6 new guys and graduating the last senior class its going to be a transition and this team will need to find its identity and chemistry together.

Well I asked for some positive spin on this Riverside game and you folks have lined up to provide it.      BUT

Lets jump to 18-19 when many are expecting us to be an at-large contender. If Riverside comes to the ARC what benefit will it provide us?  Ok- I know I may have asked the same question about Santa Clara last year (before they handed us our heads) but every year is different. Is it too early to start speculating on our 18-19 OOC schedule?

Rule of thumb for any season------It is always easier to fill in junk opponents than to lock in the consistently good ones.

[M]

Do we know for sure that there will be a return game?