MBB 2017-18

[vu72]

Don't think this has been posted yet.  Athlon preseason magazine is out and has Valpo picked fifth in the Valley.  Tevonn is picked first team all conference.  No one else is on either the first or second teams.  All in all, about what I expected from prognosticators.

[VU2014]

An interesting question.

https://twitter.com/Valpo_Hoops/status/905785300215005184

The MVC is overall a much better conference but next year the HL may be a bit top heavier with a few teams. OU put most of their eggs into this year with a senior dominant roster & will take a step back the following year. UIC loses its Center & defensive rock next yr & Dixson may go pro if he has great year. NKU is strong team.

Overall though its definitely the MVC is much deeper & many of the MVC roster have recruited well & will be pretty young next year, including Valpo.

[VU2014]

https://twitter.com/JonRothstein/status/905768016075468800

[IrishDawg]

An interesting question.

https://twitter.com/Valpo_Hoops/status/905785300215005184

The MVC is overall a much better conference but next year the HL may be a bit top heavier with a few teams. OU put most of their eggs into this year with a senior dominant roster & will take a step back the following year. UIC loses its Center & defensive rock next yr & Dixson may go pro if he has great year. NKU is strong team.

Overall though its definitely the MVC is much deeper & many of the MVC roster have recruited well & will be pretty young next year, including Valpo.

It's not even close.  Even without Wichita State or Valpo, the MVC would be a top 10-12 conference.  Horizon just lost one of its best schools in a year in which the conference was ranked 20th and replaced them with IUPUI, who had their best kenpom rating in the last 6 years, and still was barely in the top 200.

Not to mention the MVC as a league is still flush with tournament cash while the Horizon is out of money.

[VU2014]

IrishDawg, agreed. The MVC is a much better conference. But I think I may give the Horizon League the honor of having the best potential team next year though. All of OU's best players are seniors & they bring in Kendrick Nunn who played his first 3 years with Illinois before getting kicked off the team after his domestic assault charges. Another troubled but very talented red-shirt transfer for Kampe & Co. It's tourney or bust for that team.

There is a lot of bottom feeding to pedestrian teams in the HL still: YSU (may be a tad better next season), Cleveland State, UWM, IUPUI, Green Bay got decimated by transfers, WSU took a huge blow in losing Alstork.

Next year might be a down year in the MVC because a lot of teams are so young but the teams will still have a lot talent on the rosters. MSU & Loyola will be the favorites.

[VULB#62]

3 Man Weave asked "TOP TO BOTTOM."  There is no comparison T to B.  MVC hands down

[ml2]

IrishDawg, agreed. The MVC is a much better conference. But I think I may give the Horizon League the honor of having the best potential team next year though. All of OU's best players are seniors & they bring in Kendrick Nunn who played his first 3 years with Illinois before getting kicked off the team after his domestic assault charges. Another troubled but very talented red-shirt transfer for Kampe & Co. It's tourney or bust for that team.

There is a lot of bottom feeding to pedestrian teams in the HL still: YSU (may be a tad better next season), Cleveland State, UWM, IUPUI, Green Bay got decimated by transfers, WSU took a huge blow in losing Alstork.

Next year might be a down year in the MVC because a lot of teams are so young but the teams will still have a lot talent on the rosters. MSU & Loyola will be the favorites.

Don't forget that Oakland has now lost two starters from last year that had eligibility to keep playing, but will not be on the roster in 2017-18 (Isaiah Brock and Stevie Clark). Without those guys OU is still the favorite to win the HL, but they are probably no longer the borderline at-large, "win an NCAA game", type of team that they might have been.

[vu72]

IrishDawg, agreed. The MVC is a much better conference. But I think I may give the Horizon League the honor of having the best potential team next year though. All of OU's best players are seniors & they bring in Kendrick Nunn who played his first 3 years with Illinois before getting kicked off the team after his domestic assault charges. Another troubled but very talented red-shirt transfer for Kampe & Co. It's tourney or bust for that team.

There is a lot of bottom feeding to pedestrian teams in the HL still: YSU (may be a tad better next season), Cleveland State, UWM, IUPUI, Green Bay got decimated by transfers, WSU took a huge blow in losing Alstork.

Next year might be a down year in the MVC because a lot of teams are so young but the teams will still have a lot talent on the rosters. MSU & Loyola will be the favorites.

Don't forget that Oakland has now lost two starters from last year that had eligibility to keep playing, but will not be on the roster in 2017-18 (Isaiah Brock and Stevie Clark). Without those guys OU is still the favorite to win the HL, but they are probably no longer the borderline at-large, "win an NCAA game", type of team that they might have been.

Where did you read that Clark isn't on the team?

[VU2014]

vu72, it was officially announced that left a few weeks ago. Rumor was he got into more trouble at OU.

[covufan]

Where did you read that Clark isn't on the team?

vu72, it was officially announced that left a few weeks ago. Rumor was he got into more trouble at OU.

Also on verbalcommits:

https://verbalcommits.com/schools/oakland

Also - Oakland is at current maximum for scholarships, so those players have been replaced (scholarship-wise).

[vu72]

I don't know if the Valpo Sports Administration is reading our board but it seems all the grousing about the lack of out-reach to the community and the general lack of advertising has heard and an advertising/community outreach plan is beginning to take shape!  Well done!!   

http://www.valpoathletics.com/football/news/2017-18/17559/valpo-announces-football-promotional-schedule-fan-information/#.WbLcNsh97IV

[VU2014]

Its nice seeing the Team & Coaches at the Popcorn Festival.
https://twitter.com/coachgore/status/906538866026450944
https://twitter.com/ValpoU/status/906586280347172866

[M]

Yes, the team and the university was well represented at the popcorn fest today. Markus Golder wouldn't let me turn down a street early this morning 😂

[wh]

Season tickets (bleachers) are $177/15=$11.80/game.  Season tickets are always priced slightly below single session prices. So apparently, general admission tickets are being raised from $10 to $12 ($12x15=$180).

Looks like chairback prices have gone up, too.

[VU2014]

A small increase seems reasonable to me, especially with the switch to a much better Conference next season.

[VU2014]

To compare prices with other MVC Teams:
I talked to a friend who is a Loyola season ticket holder since they were in the Horizon League and apparently the first season they entered the Valley their athletics department significantly raised the ticket prices and it actually hurt their attendance. That combined with the mediocre product on the court since joining the Valley caused their attendance to slide.
Loyola Season Tickets:
Court Side: $545
Gold: $270 (+additional minimal donation $50)
Maroon: $215 (+additional minimal donation $30)
GA: $160
For recent alumni (08-17) they have significantly lowered prices which is pretty nice for each of the tiers besides Courtside seats.


INDIANA STATE BASKETBALL TICKET PRICING:
Seat Location   Ticket Price   SAF Donation Required (Per Seat)
Courtside   $335   $400
Floor I   $271   $300
Floor II   $271   $250
Priority I   $231   $175
Faculty/Staff (Priority I)   $195   $175
Priority II   $215   $125
Faculty/Staff (Priority II)   $165   $125
Upper Concourse   $65   NONE

http://www.gosycamores.com/sports/2016/11/20/ticket-information.aspx

Evansville:
Floor (Courtside) Seats: $450
Other sections range from: $324-$252
Then they also have their special Purple Ace Club pricing
If you want to take a look: http://gopurpleaces.com/documents/2017/5/31//2017_2018_MBB_ST_Seating_Map.pdf?id=4308

Bradley:
Courtside: $1,000      
Platinum: $800   
Gold: $450   
Silver: $390      
Bronze: $285
White: $110
Red: $165

They have a *Premium Price* raise for the Illinois State Games

Illinois State's 2016-2017 Pricing:


Southern Illinois:
Seats range from $250-$150-$125 (the catch is the best seats require donations up $400, others require up to $250/$200/$150/$50)
https://ev3.evenue.net/cgi-bin/ncommerce3/SEGetEventInfo?ticketCode=GS%3ASIU%3AMB1718%3AMBS%3A&linkID=siu&shopperContext=&pc=&caller=&appCode=&groupCode=MBST&cgc=


Missouri State:
Probably one of the most expensive tickets. Their pricing is all over the place so I'll just post the link.
http://www.missouristatebears.com/sports/2016/7/21/tickets-mosu-tickets-m-baskbl-html.aspx

Drake:
SECTION
PREMIUM CENTER (C, D, E, N, O, P): $248 (Required Donation: $250)
PREMIUM OUTER (A, B, F, G, M, N, Q, R): $248 (Required Donation: $150)
RESERVED CENTER (3, 4, 5): $248 (Required Donation: $120)
RESERVED OUTER (1, 2, 6, 7) $248 (Required Donation: $75)
GENERAL ADMISSION (8-25) $129 (Required Donation: $0)


Northern Iowa:
Adult (Chairbacks and North Bleachers): $219.00 - $299.00   
South Bleacher (Gen. Adm.): $159.00
-Sections 106, 108, 113 & 115 require a $100 per seat donation to PSC
-Sections 107 & 114 require a $250 per seat donation to PSC

[VU2014]

Just a reminder Luke Gore will be on the student run radio station WVUR 95.1 FM tonight talking with the Student's College Basketball radio broadcast Happening Hoops. He'll be breaking down the schedule and talking about this upcoming season. It will be 7pm CT.

http://streema.com/radios/The_Source_WVUR_FM

https://twitter.com/happeninghoops/status/907278872487645185

[VU2014]

https://twitter.com/ValpoAD/status/907658784805462017

[VU2014]

This!!! Paul is 100% correct

https://twitter.com/NWIOren/status/908769794157109249
https://twitter.com/NDmbb/status/908766303409901568

[EddieCabot]

This!!! Paul is 100% correct

I know Paul is busy with fall high school sports, but maybe he'll take some time and write about this.

[VU2014]

This!!! Paul is 100% correct

I know Paul is busy with fall high school sports, but maybe he'll take some time and write about this.

Definitely worth writing about.

I believe the Missouri Valley Conference Basketball Media Day is coming up pretty soon.

[crusadermoe]

Two new forecasts

Lindys. 
4th place behind MSU, Loyola, and ILstate

Street and Smith
5th behind same plus No Iowa.   They pick them #

Both have Tevon on first team all conf

[EddieCabot]

Two new forecasts

Lindys. 
4th place behind MSU, Loyola, and ILstate

Street and Smith
5th behind same plus No Iowa.   They pick them #

Both have Tevon on first team all conf

I still think these predictions are undervaluing the impact Joe and Bakari will have.  These are two P-5 guys who have spent a year practicing with the team.  I guess we'll see!

[crusadermoe]

Might be very true.

Street and Smith noted Burton for All-Newcomer team and noted that he and Bakari had high major creds as transfers.  I don't see transfers at that level coming into the mix for other MVC teams.  S&S seemed to suggest  Valpo is a dark horse for title. 

Frankly, Missouri State and Loyola just don't seem like steady teams with solid  returning starters.  I think it's wide open for at least five teams with Valpo just as able as any to win it.  Jacobsen coaching is always an x factor down the stretch.  I am probably looking forward most to that game at UNI on espn2.

I also think predictors might overplay the "first time through the league" factor.  Valpo won on the road in Terre Haute and Springfield, MO (without Jabril) last year so there's that.

[VUGrad1314]

Might be very true.

Street and Smith noted Burton for All-Newcomer team and noted that he and Bakari had high major creds as transfers.  I don't see transfers at that level coming into the mix for other MVC teams.  S&S seemed to suggest  Valpo is a dark horse for title. 

Frankly, Missouri State and Loyola just don't seem like steady teams with solid  returning starters.  I think it's wide open for at least five teams with Valpo just as able as any to win it.  Jacobsen coaching is always an x factor down the stretch.  I am probably looking forward most to that game at UNI on espn2.

I also think predictors might overplay the "first time through the league" factor.  Valpo won on the road in Terre Haute and Springfield, MO (without Jabril) last year so there's that.

They also had a senior on that team that went on to be drafted and a couple other seniors  that went on to play in high level European leagues. Make no mistake Valpo lost a lot of talent last year but I think they've added a lot as well  Should be a fun season in a tough wide open conference