MBB 2017-18

[crusader05]

I know they do a Pep Rally and BBQ where they meet all the fall teams during their welcome orientation but am unsure if they learn the song

http://www.valpo.edu/admission/files/2017/06/2017-welcome_week_brochure_general.pdf

[VULB#62]

My main question is:  Is it a "meet and greet and eat" or is it a VU Athletics orientation/indoctrination with a full agenda of items?   Like ....  a brief history of our programs, our rich traditions, the significance of being an MVC member, and football in the PFL along with basic cheers and the fight song (at the end of every home football game the team comes over to the sidelines and does the Valpo fight song at a crazy pace with lots of clapping and it would be good to extend that to the basketball court as well).... followed by meet/greet/eat.

[valpo84]

Late to the party but:

As to #TBT, I think a Valpo alum or two has already played pretty well in #TBT http://www.news-sentinel.com/sports/former_mad_ants_reunite_for_the_basketball_tournament_20170712&profile=-1 and http://bleacherreport.com/articles/2539280-my-experience-coaching-hungry-hoopers-with-1-million-the-line

[VU2014]

I'm 100% with this guy!
https://twitter.com/BFQuinn/status/901072832293203968
https://twitter.com/BFQuinn/status/901072832293203968
https://twitter.com/JeffEisenberg/status/901074969672548352
https://twitter.com/NWIOren/status/901088029019918336

I think its Butler
https://twitter.com/NWIOren/status/901108252351635457
https://twitter.com/Valpo_Hoops/status/901125127697465344

[wh]

The tweet doesn't specify, but presumably we're talking home-and-home - not 2-for-1 or all away games. That said, my top 2 choices would be Butler with Norte Dame a very close second. Purdue wouldn't even be on my radar.

[covufan]

The tweet doesn't specify, but presumably we're talking home-and-home - not 2-for-1 or all away games. That said, my top 2 choices would be Butler with Norte Dame a very close second. Purdue wouldn't even be on my radar.

ND was on my list as well.  From Purdue and Notre Dame I'd take a once every 3 or 4 years at VU or Chicago game.  Butler would have to be home and away. 

[VUSWIM08-12]

My main question is:  Is it a "meet and greet and eat" or is it a VU Athletics orientation/indoctrination with a full agenda of items?   Like ....  a brief history of our programs, our rich traditions, the significance of being an MVC member, and football in the PFL along with basic cheers and the fight song (at the end of every home football game the team comes over to the sidelines and does the Valpo fight song at a crazy pace with lots of clapping and it would be good to extend that to the basketball court as well).... followed by meet/greet/eat.

The last year I was apart of it was in 2012 and it was maybe 60-75 minutes long, The freshman got to meet the rest of the team. MLB, Heckler, and one other person spoke about the school. That was it. Food was always good!

[vu84v2]

Choices for one game per year, as part of a 2-for-1 deal:
1. Butler (I am probably in the minority, but this is a great potential rivalry and we need to accept that they have moved far ahead of Valpo. A 2-for-1 is a good deal, since it continues a great rivalry that benefits Valpo)
2. Notre Dame
3. Purdue
4. Marquette
5. Indiana
6. Northwestern

1-for-1 deals: Any top four team from the Atlantic 10, MWC, West Coast Conference and American Athletic (and I would gladly take a 2-for-1 with a team like Wichita State or Gonzaga).

I am not sure why a survey asking this question would include UWM or Oakland.

[VU2014]

Choices for one game per year, as part of a 2-for-1 deal:
1. Butler (I am probably in the minority, but this is a great potential rivalry and we need to accept that they have moved far ahead of Valpo. A 2-for-1 is a good deal, since it continues a great rivalry that benefits Valpo)
2. Notre Dame
3. Purdue
4. Marquette
5. Indiana
6. Northwestern

1-for-1 deals: Any top four team from the Atlantic 10, MWC, West Coast Conference and American Athletic (and I would gladly take a 2-for-1 with a team like Wichita State or Gonzaga).

I am not sure why a survey asking this question would include UWM or Oakland.

I would also accept a 2-for-1 with Butler, but I don't think that offer is on the table unfortunately... I think part of the reason has to do with Butler not wanting to "legitimize" Valpo Basketball. If Valpo a former In-State rival who plays in a less high profile Conference beat them then it would build up more buzz & hype for Valpo, which would be a net-negative for Butler Basketball. This is just my theory on it all. Yes Butler schedule Indiana State for H-&-H but Indiana State has not been the same caliber of program/team Valpo, in my opinion.

We all know the Valpo Teams the last 5 years since Butler left Horizon League could legitimately give Butler a run for their $ & have a chance beat them. In fact in Butler's last year in the Conference Valpo went 3-0 against Butler! I'd also put $ on the 15'-16' Valpo Team over the 15'-16' Butler Team that year. You can argue Valpo has had the best player between the two teams since Shelvin Mack graduated. Butler's staff knew Peters was a future NBA player so they saw the risk.

The Valpo Coaching staff has a relationship with the LaVall Jordan & the new Butler Coaching staff because LaVall coached at Milwaukee last year & Coach Gore even goes further back with LaVall in his time as a Butler Assistant Coach.


I agree with vu84v2 about taking a 2-for-1 with any of those teams, but those 2-for-1 deals just don't happen as much anymore because Power Conference/Big East schools just buy home games instead of giving return games Example: Purdue & Northwestern next season... those teams would rather make the home game revenue and limit the risk by not have to play in a tougher environment & good opponents arena. Maybe the new "quality win" definition from the NCAA Committee will change that a little but the Committee actually NEEDS to enforce it.

I'd love for a 2-for-1 with Gonzaga &/or WSU but that won't happen. Gonzaga doesn't operate like a mid-major. They pay for home games & almost never give return games unless its a really good Power Conference opponent. Wichita State is unlikely because we're the school that is replacing them in the MVC. Just seems unlikely WSU would agree to that in the near future.

I wouldn't mind a home-&-Home with Oakland or Milwaukee eventually as long as there were strong teams. May not happen anytime soon because this Horizon League divorce seems to have some hurt feeling from the Horizon's side. Everyone has a boss & I'm not sure certain Horizon League administrations want to "help" (not sure many HL teams could help from a RPI/SOS standpoint) or play us. I could see Milwaukee happening at some put sooner rather then later because Valpo has a large & active alumni base up in the Milwaukee/Wisconsin area. I could actually see a series with UWM being a 2-&-2 series.

Point is that scheduling is not easy and scheduling has become much tougher the last 7-10 years with Power Conference Teams refusing to actually play TRUE away games in the Non-Conference schedule. Something needs to give with the Power Conference Scheduling Cartel because its hurting the sport of college basketball as a whole.

[Pgmado]

Choices for one game per year, as part of a 2-for-1 deal:
1. Butler (I am probably in the minority, but this is a great potential rivalry and we need to accept that they have moved far ahead of Valpo. A 2-for-1 is a good deal, since it continues a great rivalry that benefits Valpo)
2. Notre Dame
3. Purdue
4. Marquette
5. Indiana
6. Northwestern

1-for-1 deals: Any top four team from the Atlantic 10, MWC, West Coast Conference and American Athletic (and I would gladly take a 2-for-1 with a team like Wichita State or Gonzaga).

I am not sure why a survey asking this question would include UWM or Oakland.

I included...

Milwaukee because it's one of the largest alumni bases for Valparaiso. Moving out of the Horizon League takes a game out of that market and could potentially hurt fundraising in Wisconsin.

Oakland because for better or worse, Oakland is Valparaiso's biggest rival in the post-Sweet Sixteen Era. The programs battled each other in the Mid-Con, then competitive non-conference games and once again in the Horizon League. It's a shame that this game won't be on the schedule this season. Great measuring stick for both teams.

[VU2014]

Maybe its just me but I always viewed Butler as a bigger & more intriguing rivalry to the Valpo fanbase.

Oakland is a certainly a rival & those games were the most fun to attend in the post-Butler Horizon League other then maybe the very brief Detroit-Mercy games during the Ray McCallum Jr. era when UDM had a pulse & their students were completely misbehaved vandalizing Valparaiso. But that rivalry went no where because Valpo pretty much dominated them after that.

Oakland has always been fun because Kampe kind of played on the rivalry a little even though they've always felt like the little brother to Valpo following us around and occasionally having some good team. They definitely got the best of Valpo last year. I would have loved to see Valpo play them at full strength with Jubril & everyone healthy.

It could just be me but it feels like the Valpo vs Oakland games meant more to the the OU fanbase then it did to the Valpo fanbase. The rivalry did pick up a bit the last few years when Kampe brought in some the trouble but very talented Red-shirt transfers and they OU stepped up its play. My view point could be because when I was a student I got to see the Butler at its peak when I was a student. Those Valpo vs Butler game were always so much fun and there was an added element of buzz and meaning to them.

[bigmosmithfan1]

I think the odds of us scheduling any team from a league that is currently suing us (that don't already have signed contracts) are slim and none.

Returning ND to an annual game, as it was for a good fifty years, would be #1 on my list on an ongoing 2-for-1 basis.

Also, for the life of me, I don't know how we've never been able to get Dayton on the schedule in the modern era (not even as a one-off guarantee game roadie at UD Arena). We've been in the same football league for 20 years!

[IrishDawg]

I would also accept a 2-for-1 with Butler, but I don't think that offer is on the table unfortunately... I think part of the reason has to do with Butler not wanting to "legitimize" Valpo Basketball. If Valpo a former In-State rival who plays in a less high profile Conference beat them then it would build up more buzz & hype for Valpo, which would be a net-negative for Butler Basketball. This is just my theory on it all. Yes Butler schedule Indiana State for H-&-H but Indiana State has not been the same caliber of program/team Valpo, in my opinion.

We all know the Valpo Teams the last 5 years since Butler left Horizon League could legitimately give Butler a run for their $ & have a chance beat them. In fact in Butler's last year in the Conference Valpo went 3-0 against Butler! I'd also put $ on the 15'-16' Valpo Team over the 15'-16' Butler Team that year. You can argue Valpo has had the best player between the two teams since Shelvin Mack graduated. Butler's staff knew Peters was a future NBA player so they saw the risk.

The Valpo Coaching staff has a relationship with the LaVall Jordan & the new Butler Coaching staff because LaVall coached at Milwaukee last year & Coach Gore even goes further back with LaVall in his time as a Butler Assistant Coach.

I liken the Butler-Valpo rivalry probably in a similar manner to how Xavier looked at Butler for many years after they left the MCC for the A-10.  For Butler, prior to getting Xavier on the schedule, they had to legitimize themselves by making the tournament 6 of the previous 10 years, with 2 Sweet 16s and 6 tournament wins and even then they waited until Butler had a team full of underclassmen to schedule games against them starting in 2008-09.  That was to get a home and home.  I'd actually think a 2 for 1 would be something that Butler's coaching staff would listen to.  Butler had tried to go to that model with Evansville and Ball State when those series ended in 2014, but neither of those schools were willing to bite.

I'm not in Butler's coaching staffs heads, but aside from a rivalry game that is more intense on Valpo's side than Butler's (and Butler has these rivalries too against Xavier and IU), how does a win against Valpo help Butler?  I know that Valpo is capable of winning the game, but in order for there to be interest in a game that Butler could lose, there has to be something that can be gained, whether it be on a tourney resume, recruiting or otherwise.  Valpo's two 1st round exits and single tournament appearance when I agree that they've had the most individually talented player during this time on either side in a conference that has been steadily sliding backward since Butler left isn't a strong case.  Especially when Butler can get tournament team wins against the Vermonts and Bucknells (which were similar in kenpom ratings to the last 2 Valpo tourney teams) of the world without having to leave Hinkle.  That's the challenge and the case that Valpo's coaching staff will have to make in order to schedule games (especially home and homes) with Butler in the future.

[VU2014]

https://twitter.com/CoachRagsVU/status/902608620625514496
https://twitter.com/CoachSampsonUH/status/902277271800688644

[RS]

Not sure if this was mentioned before but looking at the roster for this year it shows that VU has a redshirt transfer from Valpo HS. Steven Helms is listed as a sophomore and a transfer from Carroll College in Montana where he was coached by Carson Cunningham. Averaged 6+ points a game as a freshman and started 4 games for #1 ranked NAIA divsion 1. Lost in quarterfinals of national championship. Remember him as a decent bball player at the HS. Any comments or additional info?

[VU2014]

I have never seen Steve play but I'm sure many on this board have. Anyone have a scouting report or can anyone share what his game is like?

Status: Walk-on
Year: 2016 (SO)
Position: PG
Height: 6-2
Weight: 180
Hometown:Valparaiso, IN
High School:Valparaiso High School
Previous College: Carroll College (NAIA)

http://www.hudl.com/profile/3493755/steve-helm

https://twitter.com/helenaironline/status/842520613491281920
http://406mtsports.com/college/frontier-conference/carroll-college/carroll-s-helm-is-nation-s-best-at-the-line/article_718f939e-25e0-5daf-ac24-8d9f16c4912d.html?utm_content=bufferc0602&utm_medium=social&utm_source=twitter.com&utm_campaign=buffer

Carroll's Helm is nation's best at the line
ERIK C. ANDERSON erik.anderson@helenair.com Mar 16, 2017

.........

In the NBA, only three players retired have career free throw percentages of 90 percent.

While Helm's not NBA Hall of Famer Rick Barry, who galvanized with his famous "granny style" approach to breaking the sacred 90 percent barrier, he's instead refined an Indiana technique that has been taught for many years.

.........

In the NBA, only three players retired have career free throw percentages of 90 percent.

While Helm's not NBA Hall of Famer Rick Barry, who galvanized with his famous "granny style" approach to breaking the sacred 90 percent barrier, he's instead refined an Indiana technique that has been taught for many years.

..........

Looks like he's a pretty good athlete.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IytOd1JwIjg

[vu72]

Wow!  Presumably a red-shirt with the transfer up??  Same height as Micah but 25# heavier!  But then again, Tevonn and Max have him by 55#

[VU2014]

Wow I guess he won't actually be eligible to play till 2020-2021  because he has to red-shirt this upcoming season and then serve his mormon mission. He'll definitely be fully physically mature by the time he he sees the court for VU. Either way its nice to see a local Valparaiso kid committing to play for his hometown University!

https://twitter.com/NWIOren/status/903007209637990400
https://twitter.com/NWIOren/status/903007892189712390
https://twitter.com/NWIOren/status/903008152500801537
https://twitter.com/NWIOren/status/903008926815457280

[FieldGoodie05]

I have never seen Steve play but I'm sure many on this board have. Anyone have a scouting report or can anyone share what his game is like?

Status: Walk-on
Year: 2016 (SO)
Position: PG
Height: 6-2
Weight: 180
Hometown:Valparaiso, IN
High School:Valparaiso High School
Previous College: Carroll College (NAIA)

http://www.hudl.com/profile/3493755/steve-helm

Do we have the next Seth Colclasure on our hands in 2020?

[vu72]

Wow I guess he won't actually be eligible to play till 2020-2021  because he has to red-shirt this upcoming season and then serve his mormon mission. He'll definitely be fully physically mature by the time he he sees the court for VU. Either way its nice to see a local Valparaiso kid committing to play for his hometown University!

https://twitter.com/NWIOren/status/903007209637990400
https://twitter.com/NWIOren/status/903007892189712390
https://twitter.com/NWIOren/status/903008152500801537
https://twitter.com/NWIOren/status/903008926815457280

Just read the part about the Mormon mission and can't recall ever having a Mormon on the team before.  So let's say he was 18 out of high school, now 19, sitting out till 20 then two year trip gets him to 22 with three years of eligibility gets him to 25!  There are guys retiring from the NBA at that age!!

[NativeCheesehead]

And now you see why BYU football is always pretty good.

[Valpower]

I'm not well-informed on the particulars of Mormon mission service and its required level of dedication, but I wonder to what extent they are allowed to concern themselves with staying sharp in their respective sports.  In other words, does the church tailor locations for athletes that will allow them to work out or do they just send them where they are needed and not worry about it?  One could certainly lose a few steps not playing for two years.

[vu72]

I'm not well-informed on the particulars of Mormon mission service and its required level of dedication, but I wonder to what extent they are allowed to concern themselves with staying sharp in their respective sports.  In other words, does the church tailor locations for athletes that will allow them to work out or do they just send them where they are needed and not worry about it?  One could certainly lose a few steps not playing for two years.

Nor am I but it is fairly well documented that folks taking those trips seem to return still able to perform at a pretty high level.  Witness the regular stream of 25 year olds put on the floor by BYU!

[VU2014]

I'm not well-informed on the particulars of Mormon mission service and its required level of dedication, but I wonder to what extent they are allowed to concern themselves with staying sharp in their respective sports.  In other words, does the church tailor locations for athletes that will allow them to work out or do they just send them where they are needed and not worry about it?  One could certainly lose a few steps not playing for two years.

Nor am I but it is fairly well documented that folks taking those trips seem to return still able to perform at a pretty high level.  Witness the regular stream of 25 year olds put on the floor by BYU!

There are plenty of examples of guys returning from their Mormon Missions much stronger & better players then before they left. Example: Eric Mika returned last season & he averaged 20 pts & 9 REBs last year for BYU.

I'm not sure how much each player works on their skills during their missions. I'm assuming if a player wanted to they could still work out during their missions.

[M]

I will be surprised if he ever sees any PT. Being a walk on plus having to sit this year plus being gone the next two years....