2018-19 VU Schedule

[VUGrad1314]

The other Sweet 16 team isn't Clemson either. I REALLY think it's going to be a buy-game at Purdue.

http://clemsontigers.com/clemson-announces-non-conference-schedule/

[VU2014]

The other Sweet 16 team isn't Clemson either. I REALLY think it's going to be a buy-game at Purdue.

http://clemsontigers.com/clemson-announces-non-conference-schedule/

If it's another game vs Purdue let's hope our best player doesn't get mono again.

[VULB#62]

Hi. WKU fan here. Looking forward to playing you guys for the first time. Any questions about our team, let me know? We are very excited this year.

Welcome.  I think we Valpo folks are just hoping Mr. Bassey has freshman jitters when we play!  I know we have faced 5 star players before but I'm not sure when the last time was, probably when we played Duke and North Carolina or perhaps when we played Carmelo. Now that I think about it Dwayne Bacon was a five star with Florida State.  Still hoping for an exciting game!

Time for someone to start a Myrle Beach thread?

[mjg100]

Tried to post links to our message boards in the OOC message board thread, but I can't do links. If you do a search for: WKU message board
You should see one for Hilltopper Haven and one for 247 sports. Those are the main two. o if someone wants to add them to the OOC message board thread, please do so.

[VUBBFan]

Tried to post links to our message boards in the OOC message board thread, but I can't do links. If you do a search for: WKU message board You should see one for Hilltopper Haven and one for 247 sports. Those are the main two. o if someone wants to add them to the OOC message board thread, please do so.

When you get past making 5 (or is it 10) posts you'll be able to make links and some other stuff in this forum.

[Valpower]

Tried to post links to our message boards in the OOC message board thread, but I can't do links. If you do a search for: WKU message board You should see one for Hilltopper Haven and one for 247 sports. Those are the main two. o if someone wants to add them to the OOC message board thread, please do so.

I was going to wait until the schedule was officially set, but maybe I'll start sooner if no one else gets to it.

[VU2014]

Tried to post links to our message boards in the OOC message board thread, but I can't do links. If you do a search for: WKU message board
You should see one for Hilltopper Haven and one for 247 sports. Those are the main two. o if someone wants to add them to the OOC message board thread, please do so.

Just created a new thread topic for the Myrtle Beach Invitational: http://www.valpofanzone.com/forum/index.php?topic=3194.0

[VUGrad1314]

I think one of these might be us.

https://twitter.com/GW_MBB/status/1019290400417353729

[VUGrad1314]

The Sweet 16 team on our schedule is not Nevada. But their schedule is very good.

https://twitter.com/boettger_eli/status/1019726738853527552

I'm still going to Purdue or Syracuse as most likely. Maybe Kentucky

[VUGrad1314]

No scheduling news in AGES... Wonder if we'll like what we see. Just please no more non-D1s and no panic fill ins with bad teams. A well thought out challenging schedule is all I ever ask for.

[VU2014]

No scheduling news in AGES... Wonder if we'll like what we see. Just please no more non-D1s and no panic fill ins with bad teams. A well thought out challenging schedule is all I ever ask for.

The schedule has probably been done for a while. VU is always one of the last to announce. I'm not sure if there will be non-D1s or not. History says there will be. Just my opinion but I'd rather play a non-D1 than a sub-300 d1 team, because at least they won't hurt RPI. But if we're already of thinking that we probably need to win the Conference Tourney to make the tourney maybe crap sub-200 isn't the worst thing in the world. Preferably I'd like to avoid non-d1s and bad low majors but we need to fill the home schedule somehow. I'm with you on wanting a challenging schedule. Next season schedule is far more important to me then this seasons schedule. I want us to set ourselves in the best position for next season.

From the away games/neutral site games we know about it sounds like we'll at least be getting some challenging opponents on the road, but the home schedule probably won't thrill many.

[VUGrad1314]

Why aren't we out there like Illinois State and UNI making things happen in the non-con? Is it really that hard? Look at the Redbirds' home slate. They haven't danced in 20 years but they haven't let that stop them. That's the kind of schedule we need to see next year. My philosophy has always been err on the side of too tough regardless of where you are in the cycle. It'll only be good for them. That way you at least give yourself a chance.

[wh]

No scheduling news in AGES... Wonder if we'll like what we see. Just please no more non-D1s and no panic fill ins with bad teams. A well thought out challenging schedule is all I ever ask for.

The schedule has probably been done for a while. VU is always one of the last to announce. I'm not sure if there will be non-D1s or not. History says there will be. Just my opinion but I'd rather play a non-D1 than a sub-300 d1 team, because at least they won't hurt RPI. But if we're already of thinking that we probably need to win the Conference Tourney to make the tourney maybe crap sub-200 isn't the worst thing in the world. Preferably I'd like to avoid non-d1s and bad low majors but we need to fill the home schedule somehow. I'm with you on wanting a challenging schedule. Next season schedule is far more important to me then this seasons schedule. I want us to set ourselves in the best position for next season.

From the away games/neutral site games we know about it sounds like we'll at least be getting some challenging opponents on the road, but the home schedule probably won't thrill many.

This is an out-dated paradigm that needs to change.  Several MVC programs assemble better home schedules than Valpo. Mark Labarbera needs to elevate expectations and hold himself and others accountable for getting there.

[VU2014]

This is an out-dated paradigm that needs to change.  Several MVC programs assemble better home schedules than Valpo. Mark Labarbera needs to elevate expectations and hold himself and others accountable for getting there.

Well at least we know that we're getting one epic home game in 2019-20. But I'd like to see us consistently get home-&-homes with some of the better mid-majors in the A10/MWC or even get the mid-majors that consistently finish in the Top 125 range. We had the Rhode Island series which was awesome but those series are few are far between. Scheduling is a tough business and a lot of it comes to down to timing and getting schedules to mix and match together.

[VUGrad1314]

Again if Illinois State can get Ole Miss FGCU VCU BYU etc. If Loyola and even UIC can get St Joseph's If UNI can get Xavier and others If Indiana State can get Butler then why can't Valpo? We're as good a program as any of those except UNI may have us beat right now. We need more than one great home game per year. More Rhode Islands. More Belmonts. More Murray States. Even Jacksonville State would be okay, Less IU-WhoCares. The WCC and WAC are always hurting for games. Use that to get St Mary's BYU  New Mexico State GCU  even San Francisco  San Diego or Utah Valley would be fine depending on how competitive they look. There's no reason we can't get South Dakota State to come down here. Or Vermont. Princeton Yale Harvard Cornell whoever js the best of the Ivies. Teams like that. The top teams of CUSA and  the CAA, as well as the A10\MW even the AAC could\should be options for home and homes.. The MAC often has a few solid teams We don't NEED a bunch of P5 games if you get and play the right mids. That's the code. Play and beat a bunch of teams that finish in the top 100 in RPI and finish in the top 2 of their conference. Do this and not only do your tournament fortunes improve but so should gate receipts. The key is getting the word out for how good to schedule actually is.

MLB has done and is doing a fantastic job with the program and the department as a whole. He has my support my respect and my unceasing gratitude for what he has done\continues to do. Scheduling is one of  the final hurdles; and that's not all on him. The coaches from Lottich on down need to work as hard on scheduling as they do on recruiting game preparation and player development. in all facets that make up a program, of which scheduling is one, demand more. The players last year showed that they would rise to a challenge. Reward them and put your faith in them by challenging them even more. No tune up games. No easing in. That's what exhibitions are for. Play as many of those as NCAA rules allow. Every regular season  game needs to be a test that will prepare them for the MVC the NCAA Tournament or at least the NIT. An at-large berth to the NIT needs to be the minimum goal.

[VUGrad1314]

This is an out-dated paradigm that needs to change.  Several MVC programs assemble better home schedules than Valpo. Mark Labarbera needs to elevate expectations and hold himself and others accountable for getting there.

Well at least we know that we're getting one epic home game in 2019-20. But I'd like to see us consistently get home-&-homes with some of the better mid-majors in the A10/MWC or even get the mid-majors that consistently finish in the Top 125 range. We had the Rhode Island series which was awesome but those series are few are far between. Scheduling is a tough business and a lot of it comes to down to timing and getting schedules to mix and match together.

Need to see if Coach Townsend can convince Coach Crean down in Georgia to agree to a home and home. If we start it next year it dovetails beautifully with Vanderbilt. I do think that Coach Townsend has the relationship with Coach Crean necessary to get that done.

[VU2014]

This is an out-dated paradigm that needs to change.  Several MVC programs assemble better home schedules than Valpo. Mark Labarbera needs to elevate expectations and hold himself and others accountable for getting there.

Well at least we know that we're getting one epic home game in 2019-20. But I'd like to see us consistently get home-&-homes with some of the better mid-majors in the A10/MWC or even get the mid-majors that consistently finish in the Top 125 range. We had the Rhode Island series which was awesome but those series are few are far between. Scheduling is a tough business and a lot of it comes to down to timing and getting schedules to mix and match together.

I'm sure they have a fine relationship but you normally only see those former player-coach connection series come together when the former player gets a head coaching job. It would be awesome if there is anyway that could happen but I'm not optimistic.

Any word on who that other S16 team is? Purdue only officially announced 3 opponents. I'd be surprised if we were on their schedule back-to-back years but you never know.

A lot of the Top programs slowly release their schedule to try and milk the news cycle.

[VUGrad1314]

Like I said I think it's either
1. @Purdue
2. @Kentucky
3. Syracuse  Possibly neutral site

[VUGrad1314]

I guess it's not all bad. We could be Bradley... This schedule is terrible. May have to give Wardle the nickname Baker Brian for all these cupcakes. Bradley may be the Braves but this schedule is anything but.
https://bradleybraves.com/schedule.aspx?path=mbball

[EddieCabot]

Well at least we know that we're getting one epic home game in 2019-20.

Which game is that?  I'm too lazy to go back an re-read the thread.

[VUGrad1314]

Vanderbilt They're finally going to pay off the Bryce contract.

[EddieCabot]

Vanderbilt They're finally going to pay off the Bryce contract.

Thanks! 

[vu72]

Vanderbilt They're finally going to pay off the Bryce contract.

Thanks! 

I don't think that has been confirmed.  Bryce wanted to wait so he didn't have to play against players he recruited.  Those would include Derrik Smits and Micah Bradford, though neither actually played for him so perhaps it will get started this coming season.

[historyman]

Vanderbilt They're finally going to pay off the Bryce contract.

Thanks! 

I don't think that has been confirmed.  Bryce wanted to wait so he didn't have to play against players he recruited.  Those would include Derrik Smits and Micah Bradford, though neither actually played for him so perhaps it will get started this coming season.

It's been confirmed by Vandy's AD to mlb that in 2019-20 Vanderbilt will come to the ARC and in 2020-21 Valpo will play at Vandy.

[Chairback]

Again if Illinois State can get Ole Miss FGCU VCU BYU etc. If Loyola and even UIC can get St Joseph's If UNI can get Xavier and others If Indiana State can get Butler then why can't Valpo?

Have you seen our "Gym".  Why would any top 150 want to come and play in a high school gym.  It's a big problem that never gets addressed.  These next two years are critical ( both facilities and team performance ) for the program and being successful moving forward.