2017-18 VU Schedule

[crusadermoe]

Can't we get some MAC home and home games beyond Ball State?  That used to be our typical OOC level game. 

Maybe we got sick of Ohio interstates after adding NKU to the Horizon and need a break. Noow that I think of it, NIU and the Michigans all have crappy RPIs so never mind.

[VUGrad1314]

Can't we get some MAC home and home games beyond Ball State?  That used to be our typical OOC level game. 

Maybe we got sick of Ohio interstates after adding NKU to the Horizon and need a break. Noow that I think of it, NIU and the Michigans all have crappy RPIs so never mind.

I do think Akron Ohio University Buffalo and Toledo could be worthy adds to the schedule. I would mention Kent State but Valpo is already rumored to be playing them. I see some potential in Western Michigan and Eastern Michigan as well ,especially Western.

[bigmosmithfan1]

We used to play Western pretty regularly in the 70s and 80s. In fact, the first game in the history of the ARC back in 1984 was a loss to WMU. (Everyone remembers the Dedication Game against ND that year, but that was actually the third or fourth home game of the season).

[VU2014]

Smart move by the MW Presidents. I hope MVC president do the same and try and do everything possible to help it's teams (or at the Top Contenders every year) get the best Non-Conference game possible.

https://twitter.com/boettger_eli/status/872464631029280768

http://www.mwcconnection.com/2017/6/7/15754320/mountain-west-presidents-are-looking-to-beef-up-non-conference-basketball-schedules

Mountain West presidents are looking to beef up non-conference basketball schedules
Weak schedules have held the MWC back in recent years.
by Eli Boettger@boettger_eli  Jun 7, 2017, 7:45am PDT

.........

"To improve the schedules, the board of directors concluded that they will do the following:

-Use metrics to better assemble non-conference schedules

-Be given assistance in balancing games that are played at home or on the road

-Athletic directors will work with coaches to piece together schedules that better resemble that of the MWC football programs"

............

[VU2014]

https://twitter.com/ValleyHoops/status/872491674391396352
https://twitter.com/valpoathletics/status/872491887806078977
https://twitter.com/ValpoU/status/872493318143438848
https://twitter.com/ValleyHoops/status/872491674391396352

[VU2014]

Wonder what caliber of opponents we'll have coming to the ARC next season?

Purdue, Northwestern, Ball State are good away game OOC opponents, and the MVC/MW Challenge land us an interesting opponent at home.

-(Away) SIUE (Nov. 15)

-*(Away) Santa Clara TBD* (maybe there is a return game)

-(Home) Utah State (Nov. 28) (MVC/MW Challenge)

-(Away) Northwestern (Dec. 7) All-State Arena

-(Away) Ball State (Dec. 9)

-(Away) Purdue (Dec. 14)

[wh]

Aggie men's hoops to play at Valparaiso
By Shawn Harrison sports editor  9 hrs ago 

http://news.hjnews.com/allaccess/aggie-men-s-hoops-to-play-at-valparaiso/article_21c578f4-c64d-5bcd-b508-f18145b79844.html

[vu72]

Aggie men's hoops to play at Valparaiso
By Shawn Harrison sports editor  9 hrs ago 

http://news.hjnews.com/allaccess/aggie-men-s-hoops-to-play-at-valparaiso/article_21c578f4-c64d-5bcd-b508-f18145b79844.html

Wow!  This could be a really tough matchup.  They are big and experienced.

[VULB#62]

Aggie men's hoops to play at Valparaiso
By Shawn Harrison sports editor  9 hrs ago 

http://news.hjnews.com/allaccess/aggie-men-s-hoops-to-play-at-valparaiso/article_21c578f4-c64d-5bcd-b508-f18145b79844.html

Wow!  This could be a really tough matchup.  They are big and experienced.

I liked this quote from the USU coach:
"We are excited to play another program that has a proud basketball tradition, similar to our tradition," Aggie head coach Tim Duryea said in a release. "It has been a program that has national respect among coaches and is looked at, in the coaching profession, as a program that does things the right way."

[crusadermoe]

Time to step back and celebrate the scheduling we have now.  We have some tough games where we are the clear underdog, but capable of winning. 

Not a whiplash schedule of Duke or something, then Chicago State, then a Top 20 team, then an RPI #330 team.  Not blaming anyone just glad we have managed to schedule well last season and for this coming year

[VU2014]

UNI just released their Non-Conference Schedule. A very strong Non-Conference.

How the heck did they manage to get a home game with Xavier!? We would kill to have Big East schools come play at the ARC.

https://twitter.com/UNImbb/status/873162765963108352

[VUGrad1314]

UNI just released their Non-Conference Schedule. A very strong Non-Conference.

How the heck did they manage to get a home game with Xavier!? We would kill to have Big East schools come play at the ARC.

https://twitter.com/UNImbb/status/873162765963108352

Now that we're in the Valley too that just might start happening Not saying it's likely but at least we've got a shot at seeing it now if we establish ourselves as a consistent top contender in the conference. Even Indiana State got Butler to play them in Terre Haute so I wouldn't be terribly surprised to see it happen at all.

[FieldGoodie05]

UNI just released their Non-Conference Schedule. A very strong Non-Conference.

How the heck did they manage to get a home game with Xavier!? We would kill to have Big East schools come play at the ARC.

https://twitter.com/UNImbb/status/873162765963108352

Now that we're in the Valley too that just might start happening Not saying it's likely but at least we've got a shot at seeing it now if we establish ourselves as a consistent top contender in the conference. Even Indiana State got Butler to play them in Terre Haute so I wouldn't be terribly surprised to see it happen at all.

There appears to be a line that P5 conferences use to schedule, amongst a myriad of other reasons:

A) those considered to be a bad loss for a P5 team (VU pre 1995?)

B) those on the cusp of a bad loss for a P5 team (VU 1995-______)

C) those that enhance OOC RPI if they win.  VU today is trending toward this category OR barely has reached this line. 

It has taken us so long to reach Option C because we have played in sub par conferences for much of our existence in D1, right?

Just my two cents.  Is welcome others' opinions...

[oklahomamick]

This may be off topic or already discussed. 

When the Valley was at the top or near the top of mid-major conferences, why didn't their leadership go get Butler?  Could they have gotten the Bulldogs?  I think Butler in the MVC was a better fit than Butler in the A10. 

[VUGrad1314]

This may be off topic or already discussed. When the Valley was at the top or near the top of mid-major conferences, why didn't their leadership go get Butler?  Could they have gotten the Bulldogs?  I think Butler in the MVC was a better fit than Butler in the A10.

Same reason Murray State wasn't added this time: a reluctance to go to an 11 team schedule, adherence to the double round robin, and I would add a perceived lack of need to do so since the Valley was already a consistent multi bid league. I don't think schools were all that eager to leave the Horizon League back then either as it was a great, highly competitive mid-major league just a notch below the Valley. Remember, this was a time when Cleveland State, Wright State, Milwaukee, and even UIC were much better than they are now.


Realignment for basketball reasons didn't really become a thing until recently as most decisions have been driven by football. Without the football-centric move that fractured the Big East and created the American, Creighton, Butler, Wichita State, Loyola, Valpo, VCU, George Mason, and much of the old Conference USA and Sun Belt to name several examples aren't in the conferences they are in today. Some of these moves, like Butler to the A10 and possibly the A10's decision take on VCU and George Mason, likely still occur without football , but most do not . 

[jtm]

Chicago State released their schedule yesterday - and Valpo is nowhere to be found. So there's that.

[VU2014]

Chicago State released their schedule yesterday - and Valpo is nowhere to be found. So there's that.

I feel pretty bad for Tracy Dildy and Chicago State basketball team financial situation, but I'm also pretty happy we aren't playing them again next season.

Just took a look at their schedule and they've got a handful of guaranteed pay games on their schedule. The Coaching community is definitely helping them out.

[zvillehaze]

-Rumored to be in the Savannah Invitational Tournament
(Complicated b/c Loyola is also suppose to play in it, but the NCAA has granted exceptions in the past. Ex: There have been exceptions for swiftly executed conference realignment. Villanova and Xavier were both in 2013 Battle4Atlantis. And of course the year before, Butler and Xavier played a non-conference game both as members of the A10. But we all know the NCAA tends to favor policy towards the larger schools and sticks the middle finger to Mid-Majors like Valpo. Other participants include: UNC-W (a shell of itself from last year), and Kent State who was solid last year in MAC with 22-14 (10-8) and got hot and won their conf tourney. Kent State didn't graduate anyone.

Per Blogging The Bracket, https://www.bloggingthebracket.com/2017/6/7/15736894/2017-18-college-basketball-early-season-tournaments-events-mte-neutral-site-showcases-thanksgiving , Valpo will be playing at Savannah.  Looks like Valpo will have two home games against teams in the "Visitors" bracket before heading to Savannah.  At Savannah, Valpo and Loyola will each play games against Kent State and UNCW, ensuring that they won't meet each other before the MVC season.

[VU2014]

https://twitter.com/thed1docket/status/875813545627103232

[jtm]

Confirmed:

November 24 vs. Kent State
November 25 vs. UNCW

Both games at 7:30 PM ET at the Savannah Civic Center.

[VU2014]

Confirmed:

November 24 vs. Kent State
November 25 vs. UNCW

Both games at 7:30 PM ET at the Savannah Civic Center.

I'm excited for the Savannah Invitational. I'm going to road trip down to Savannah and make a weekend out of it.

[jtm]

I'm hoping to at least attend on Friday, as the Carolina/Clemson FB game back in Columbia on that Saturday takes precedence.

[VU2014]

Heard a rumor that Samford (SoCon) is scheduled to play Valpo at the ARC next season. Anyone else heard this? I'm trying to confirm it and see if its true.

Not a bad game at all. Samford was 20-16 (Conf: 8-10) last season. Beat an A10 team in SLU last season (they weren't great last year) & they played Florida State (very good team) last season and hung in tough against them 76-68.

They'll be a heavy senior team next season.

[VUGrad1314]

Heard a rumor that Samford (SoCon) is scheduled to play Valpo at the ARC next season. Anyone else heard this? I'm trying to confirm it and see if its true. Not a bad game at all. Samford was 20-16 (Conf: 8-10) last season. Beat an A10 team in SLU last season (they weren't great last year) & they played Florida State (very good team) last season and hung in tough against them 76-68. They'll be a heavy senior team next season.

Very good game if true. Hope you're right.

[bbtds]

Heard a rumor that Samford (SoCon) is scheduled to play Valpo at the ARC next season. Anyone else heard this? I'm trying to confirm it and see if its true.

Not a bad game at all. Samford was 20-16 (Conf: 8-10) last season. Beat an A10 team in SLU last season (they weren't great last year) & they played Florida State (very good team) last season and hung in tough against them 76-68.

They'll be a heavy senior team next season.

?
If VU played Samford and Lemont State College of PA in the same week would that be the Samford and Son trip?