2017-18 VU Schedule

[VU2014]

I talked to someone I trust and they said it was happening. Also Paul and Michael both confirmed publicly so seems like a lock. To be honest I was wondering if they were going to try and push the West Coast road trip (return game) till the 2018-2019 season (which we are projected to be much stronger with Fazekas and a full year under our belt with these 6 new guys) but looks like its happening next season. I was hoping Coach Lottich could pull some strings or use his Stanford Connection to get a series with Stanford. Would be awesome to play Stanford at their place this year and then play them at home in 2018-2019 when are projected to be even stronger. I'm guessing they called but P5 hardly ever give return games anymore.

Take a look at the month of December. Pretty tough schedule. Lots of road games. A very good test and these road trips could be pretty good for team bonding.
Dec. 7 - @ Purdue
Dec. 9 - @ Ball State
Dec. 14 - @ Northwestern
Dec. 20 - @ UC-Riverside
Dec. ? - @ Santa Clara

https://twitter.com/Valpo_Hoops/status/890235139082657792
https://twitter.com/NWIOren/status/811286081366855680

Michael did a great interview with Coach Lottich a few months ago talking about next seasons schedule. The strategy makes sense for this team.
https://twitter.com/MichaelOsipoff/status/842099090255155201

[VUGrad1314]

I have to say for the grousing I have done about games like SIUE and UC-Riverside being on the schedule I will gladly take our schedule over that of Southern Illinois. Their home slate is hideous and their road games aren't great either unless Murray State and SLU have suddenly improved dramatically. Talk about a team that's trying to get fat off of  easy layups at home. I will say that their MTE in Vegas is nice but really not a great deal better than ours in Savannah. (They will play two of Duquesne, Nevada, and San Francisco in late December.) That timetable dovetails with our California trip and may help explain why UC-Riverside is on the schedule in the first place, as I viewed USF as the ideal opponent to pair with Santa Clara. Don't get me wrong, I'd love to play St Mary's, Stanford or Cal, but I'd prefer to save those series for next year when we'll be more experienced, deeper, and stronger. As strange as it sounds, UC-Riverside may have been the best possible get for our schedule for the time we'll be spending in California. Here's a link to the schedule announcement for the Salukis.

http://siusalukis.com/news/2017/7/28/mens-basketball-unveils-2017-18-non-conference-slate.aspx

[VULB#62]

They do play Louisville, however.

Ah......

.........The picture of their athletic complex is pretty cool, though.   

It would be nice to have that arena.

[VU2014]

https://twitter.com/EnthusiAdams/status/891648461749325824
https://twitter.com/KampeOU/status/891692629532057602
https://twitter.com/pfeiffjd/status/891697011875094529
https://twitter.com/EnthusiAdams/status/891702957112250368
https://twitter.com/ValpoAD/status/891760197848399872
Of course there is a Butler fan that says screw the Mid-Majors schools but while he was in the Horizon League was complaining about scheduling. SMH.
https://twitter.com/Title_BU/status/891712814615867395
https://twitter.com/EnthusiAdams/status/891720037253476352

[vu84v2]

If the potential schedule (so far) is true, Valpo has two road games against teams with an RPI less than 330 in 2016-2017. I realize that scheduling is difficult, but that does not seem good.

[VUGrad1314]

At least they're road games. As for the buy-game vs. home and home debate, I'd say it's situation dependent. Who are you using the proceeds from the buy game to buy yourselves if anyone  and is the home and home against a mid major against a program that can benefit your team's SOS or is it a team that can positively impact attendance\ be a game your fans would travel well to? If you're going to use the money from the buy game to productively move your program forward then take the buy game. If the home and home is an RPI drag, take the buy game. If it's a good home and home then take it that meets the conditions specified above . Great question though.

[VU2014]

If the potential schedule (so far) is true, Valpo has two road games against teams with an RPI less than 330 in 2016-2017. I realize that scheduling is difficult, but that does not seem good.

I don't think the Coaching Staff is looking for a outright bid next season, which is completely understandable. I don't like see games against SIUE either but I understand why we're doing it. The SIUE games was made for the St. Louis Alumni and not for basketball reasons.

With all the turnover of the roster and losing that senior class its understandable to take a "lighter" schedule next season and on top of that join a different Conference. I'm good with the schedule so far. I wish we had some more exciting home games scheduled but thats the nature of being a Mid-Major these days. When the Top 6 conferences refuse to play at other teams arenas and even the A10 and AAC teams try and do the same its makes it extremely tough to land compelling home games for Mid-Majors.

Home Games:
-Utah State - solid game and not a bad team

-Samford - won't get anyone excited but they should be a solid team

-Southeastern Louisiana - ...... well they're a home game... and they won't a be a push-over. They have a explosive tiny PG named Marlain Veal who is a stat stuffer and if he's on could push us.

I would expect us to hopefully have a more aggressive schedule in the 2018-2019, although I'm not sure we will be able to land 2 'Big 10' teams to play us that season because they know the roster should be more competitive with Fazekas, Burton being a senior, Bakari being a JR, and all the next guys having a year under their belt. To be honest the schedule isn't that bad for this season so far from what we've seen so far.

[VU2014]

ML2 dropping knowledge on a delusional Butler fan.

https://twitter.com/mlabarb1/status/892019414681477120
https://twitter.com/mlabarb1/status/892019770752729089
https://twitter.com/EnthusiAdams/status/892029001103028224
https://twitter.com/Title_BU/status/892029306955870209
https://twitter.com/mlabarb1/status/892032799909302272
https://twitter.com/mlabarb1/status/892035014870872064
https://twitter.com/Title_BU/status/892029666508374017
https://twitter.com/Title_BU/status/892029899925594113

[vu84v2]

If the potential schedule (so far) is true, Valpo has two road games against teams with an RPI less than 330 in 2016-2017. I realize that scheduling is difficult, but that does not seem good.

I don't think the Coaching Staff is looking for a outright bid next season, which is completely understandable. I don't like see games against SIUE either but I understand why we're doing it. The SIUE games was made for the St. Louis Alumni and not for basketball reasons.

With all the turnover of the roster and losing that senior class its understandable to take a "lighter" schedule next season and on top of that join a different Conference. I'm good with the schedule so far. I wish we had some more exciting home games scheduled but thats the nature of being a Mid-Major these days. When the Top 6 conferences refuse to play at other teams arenas and even the A10 and AAC teams try and do the same its makes it extremely tough to land compelling home games for Mid-Majors.

Home Games:
-Utah State - solid game and not a bad team

-Samford - won't get anyone excited but they should be a solid team

-Southeastern Louisiana - ...... well they're a home game... and they won't a be a push-over. They have a explosive tiny PG named Marlain Veal who is a stat stuffer and if he's on could push us.

I would expect us to hopefully have a more aggressive schedule in the 2018-2019, although I'm not sure we will be able to land 2 'Big 10' teams to play us that season because they know the roster should be more competitive with Fazekas, Burton being a senior, Bakari being a JR, and all the next guys having a year under their belt. To be honest the schedule isn't that bad for this season so far from what we've seen so far.

My comments were much more towards building an exciting non-conference schedule that will draw more fans for home games and increase interest going into the MVC season. Games against SIU-E and UC-Riverside are negatives, not positives. And how many stronger mid-major teams play not one but two games on the road against sub RPI 330 teams? Additionally, I question how many Valpo fans in St. Louis (most of whom would be in the suburbs of St. Louis) are going to drive 25-50 miles on a Wednesday night to go see Valpo play a low D1 team.

[VU2014]

My comments were much more towards building an exciting non-conference schedule that will draw more fans for home games and increase interest going into the MVC season. Games against SIU-E and UC-Riverside are negatives, not positives. And how many stronger mid-major teams play not one but two games on the road against sub RPI 330 teams? Additionally, I question how many Valpo fans in St. Louis (most of whom would be in the suburbs of St. Louis) are going to drive 25-50 miles on a Wednesday night to go see Valpo play a low D1 team.

You can't schedule for the fans. You have to schedule for the teams needs. I'd love to see us playing Top Mid-Majors every year and playing home-&-homes with P5/BE teams but that just isn't realistic in this current era of College Basketball (hopefully it changes).

I think will probably try and make it a alumni event like VU has done with Milwaukee Alumni Base which has been pretty successful. If I lived in the St. Louis area I'd definitely come to watch Valpo play. The St. Louis Alumni are going to be spoiled every year with Arch Madness. Also keep in mind there is a large Lutheran population in St. Louis so depending on how they market/advertise this thing they could probably draw maybe a few casual fans.

[vu84v2]

While I agree that you have to be realistic regarding what a mid-major can schedule, I think that you always need to strongly consider the fans when developing a schedule. Last season's non-conference schedule was great. Eight home non-conference games, including #21 Rhode Island along with Indiana State and Santa Clara, and quality neutral site opponents. This schedule has three home non-conference games so far, and only one would generate some interest (Utah State). Plus, giving two non-conference road games to vastly inferior programs? Arrggh!!

Marketing to Valparaiso fans and potential students in the St. Louis area using Arch Madness makes a lot of sense. That is one of the many benefits of moving to the MVC. Edwardsville is not akin to people living in St. Louis like the MECCA is to people living in Milwaukee. The Valpo turnout at Milwaukee was great last year, but I would bet that they won't get 100 Valpo fans at Edwardsville.

[RacerJoeD]

Have you seen the gym at SIUE? 100 fans is more than enough to make it a home court...

[VULB#62]

Have you seen the gym at SIUE? 100 fans is more than enough to make it a home court...

Slightly over 4K capacity.  But they have nice red chairbacks   

http://www.siuecougars.com/facilities/vadalabene_center_basketball

[vu72]

Have you seen the gym at SIUE? 100 fans is more than enough to make it a home court...

Slightly over 4K capacity.  But they have nice red chairbacks   

http://www.siuecougars.com/facilities/vadalabene_center_basketball

Hey!  They drew 1028 on a Saturday night for the big IUPUI game!!

[humbleopinion]

Have you seen the gym at SIUE? 100 fans is more than enough to make it a home court...

Slightly over 4K capacity.  But they have nice red chairbacks   

http://www.siuecougars.com/facilities/vadalabene_center_basketball

Build it and they will come?

[bigmosmithfan1]

I believe it's been reported elsewhere that the SIU-E contract was signed *prior* to our MVC invitation, so I don't think that should be looked at as any sort of standard for the future, nor should anyone dwell on it too much. An HL team giving a home-and-home to an OVC squad is hardly unprecedented.

The Butler scheduling is indeed an anomaly. The reason they weren't frozen out in scheduling like every other good mid-major (pre Final 4) was the desire by many top teams to get a good road game in the fertile recruiting territory of Indy (or they had a player from Indy that they were trying to get a game near home to support -- Dean Smith famously brought North Carolina to Hinkle in the early 90s to play a then-awful Butler team for just this reason when Eric Montross was on the team). If Butler were located in Kokomo or Anderson, they'd have had every bit of the difficulty in scheduling that every other quality midmajor has faced for the past three decades.

[VU2014]

The Butler scheduling is indeed an anomaly. The reason they weren't frozen out in scheduling like every other good mid-major (pre Final 4) was the desire by many top teams to get a good road game in the fertile recruiting territory of Indy (or they had a player from Indy that they were trying to get a game near home to support -- Dean Smith famously brought North Carolina to Hinkle in the early 90s to play a then-awful Butler team for just this reason when Eric Montross was on the team). If Butler were located in Kokomo or Anderson, they'd have had every bit of the difficulty in scheduling that every other quality midmajor has faced for the past three decades.

The fertile recruiting argument doesn't hold up anymore these days. Its true that it had an impact before every game was on TV or able to be streamed but imo the real reason is because the the times have changed greatly in the last 5-10 years or so.

Scheduling is much different then it was even in 2010. P5s/BE teams were willing to play on the road in Non-Conference but now days they won't do it because they can just buy home games and reduce risk of a loss and it increases their tourney chances.

Butler was lucky that Brad Stevens and Gordon Hayward were at the right place at the right time. If Lickliter stuck around and didn't take the Iowa job who knows where they'd be. Yes they Stevens was on staff but you don't know if Hayward would commit there and Stevens is a superior coach to to Lickliter. If Butler didn't go on those 2 magical Tourney runs to to the Finals I don't think they'd get the invite to the Big East as soon as they did. I think they eventually would have moved up to the MVC or A10 but not the BE.

The A10 & AAC still have more scheduling leverage over other Mid-Major Conference (A10 is MM but AAC isn't, imo) but they don't have nearly the leverage the of Big East or P5 Teams. Something needs to change in the scheduling. Mid-Majors have always been able to do more with less in terms of resources but the schedule monopoly is something the NCAA needs to address. Teams need to start playing on the road more in non-conference.

[VUGrad1314]

I believe it's been reported elsewhere that the SIU-E contract was signed *prior* to our MVC invitation, so I don't think that should be looked at as any sort of standard for the future, nor should anyone dwell on it too much. An HL team giving a home-and-home to an OVC squad is hardly unprecedented.

That's right. Most of these scheduling agreements were concluded (Purdue Ball State  Northwestern SIUE Santa Clara Savannah Invitational) before we were invited to the MVC. These teams were negotiating with Horizon League Valpo not MVC Valpo. We're essentially playing an HL nonconference schedule this year and I think we've scheduled really well by HL standards and pretty well by MVC standards. I'm not sure if Purdue and Northwestern would be more or less likely to play MVC Valpo (probably more), but I'm sure we've got a real chance to see BE teams and better quality mid majors both at home and on the road in the future. I would hope and expect that the days of scheduling multiple bottom feeding programs are soon behind us.

[jtm]

Here's your Santa Clara confirmation:

http://www.santaclarabroncos.com/sports/m-baskbl/2017-18/releases/20170801ru31v6

[VULB#62]

Cool!

[oklahomamick]

So the official valpo basketball schedule coming out around September?  Right on schedule 👍

[vu84v2]

While it is always annoying to not have the schedule come out until September, I feel that waiting may be a good strategy for Valpo. It allows them to consider possible games with desirable opponents who also have one remaining game to schedule or had someone drop them at the last minute. In other words, being patient can possibly increase Valpo's leverage.

[bigmosmithfan1]

True, but it can also result in games with a D-3 or a terrible 300+ D-1 because we need someone, anyone to fill the slot.

I've heard MVC schedules typically come out a bit earlier but obviously with the membership realignment everything is a bit behind this year. Either way, our non-conference schedule should be viewed as mostly an HL OOC schedule, since most games were either contracted or in the works prior to our MVC invite. VU will be entering discussions for next year's OOC in a stronger position.

[VUGrad1314]

http://nmstatesports.com/news/2017/8/2/mens-basketball-aggies-and-fighting-illini-battle-at-the-united-center.aspx

Any chance we can get New Mexico State to the ARC at some point right around this game with a return game in Las Cruces next year to be scheduled some time around the MWC\MVC challenge when we'll likely be in the neighborhood since we'll be on the road? Or we can play the whole series this year and tack it onto the California trip. I know the logistics will be tough to pull off for the game @Valpo because we have Northwestern on the 14th and Santa Clara on the 18th while they play this game at the UC vs Illinois on the 16th; but it would be a great addition to our schedule  if we could pull it off. I doubt either team is interested in playing a back to back though and that's likely  what this game would be given the time windows involved. Perhaps we could move the Northwestern game up in order to accommodate this game as well but that of course would depend on Northwestern's schedule and given how hard it is to get P5 games a home game with NMSU or a Home and Home with them, as nice as it would be,  isn't worth losing the Northwestern game over.

[vu84v2]

Getting a game against a team like NMSU is what I was getting at by being patient. From a basketball standpoint, NMSU is a lot like Valpo - a good team that can have scheduling challenges.