2018-19 VU Schedule

[vu72]

Either way we lose though? Hopefully their entire squad comes down with a stomach ache to give us a fighting chance.

They did lose three senior guards.  Don't know if that was a lot of scoring or not.

[VUGrad1314]

Nah not too much just a combined 27.4PPG from two of those guys.Oh and Brandon McCoy (16.9PPG 10.3RPG) declared for the draft and I don't think he's coming back. That's 3 of their top 4 scorers. They're bringing back #2 14.6 ppg and 3 more guys who averaged at least 5PPG so the cupboard isn't entirely bare and they should be decent but I'm not intimidated by this group to be honest.

[FieldGoodie05]

UNLV is a great scheduling get for us. So much smoke around Nevada as our other Sweet 16 opponent. We're traveling to Vegas They're coming to Chicago depending on the dates we should be able to work something out. They also appear to be looking for a team for a neutral site game in LA but I assume they're looking for a P5 opponent. Wish we would consider buying out the home games against SIUE and UCR  and see if we could get SMC or BYU who I know will be in the area. That would set up a nice Western road trip next year if we make those series.

We better learn how to replace the best defender we have had in quite some time (Tevonn).  UNLV can straight score, we are going to have a hard time keeping up with their pace and still play defense.  This game will help define next years squad quite early because we could play it tight and lose by 6 pts OR get hammered by 25 pts.  Oh boyyyy

Alright, brain fart.  In my head I was thinking this was Nevada that we were playing (Martin twins). Now that I have my brain engaged, we do stand a much better chance of competing.  Wowza

[VUGrad1314]

Keep a happy thought, Goodie, we might still end up playing Nevada. And I say BRING IT ON!!!

[VUGrad1314]

UNLV is a great scheduling get for us. So much smoke around Nevada as our other Sweet 16 opponent. We're traveling to Vegas They're coming to Chicago depending on the dates we should be able to work something out. They also appear to be looking for a team for a neutral site game in LA but I assume they're looking for a P5 opponent. Wish we would consider buying out the home games against SIUE and UCR  and see if we could get SMC or BYU who I know will be in the area. That would set up a nice Western road trip next year if we make those series.

Two more teams I'd rather play at home than UCR and SIUE that I think we can get Western Kentucky (playing @Indiana State) and Murray State (also playing@Evansville) If you have to sacrifice the Ball State game for a year or move it so be it. A step up like this in the quality of games on offer should help move attendance in a positive direction. And I think we're good enough to win some of these games as well.

[talksalot]

We've never played UNLV... but we have played well in that area...

Oren will be thrilled to see that AMTRAK's Southwest Chief leaves Chicago at 3pm Monday... arrives in Kingman AZ, where a bus will meet the train and get to Las Vegas at 3:14am Wednesday... in time to get in a nap before the game...

and Amtrak will arrange a bus leaving from the Las Vegas airport at 10pm Wednesday to catch the Southwest Chief in Kingman AZ at 2am... on Thursday... arrives in Chicago at 3:15pm Friday... 36 hours on the train... what a fun ride... AND ONLY $360 ROUND TRIP (Plus meals).   

Of Course, Non stop out of O'Hare at lunchtime on Wednesday, go to the game and catch the redeye back into Ohare, back in Valpo in time for an 8am class on Thursday for almost exactly the same price... but what fun is that???

[bbtds]

You have to wonder what the reaction was from Oren and Parker was when they learned Valpo was getting a game in Vegas.

EDIT: Now I've just listened to USH and heard Parker's reaction.

[covufan]

With the trip to Vegas already booked, maybe we should extend a few days to get a game with S Utah


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[VU2014]

With the trip to Vegas already booked, maybe we should extend a few days to get a game with S Utah

I guess we have some history with southern utah? That was before I was following the team. But I'd take a hard pass on them, as of right now. They aren't a good team and would be a hit to our RPI. Southern Utah was a sub-250 team. If they want to come play a one off game at the ARC, sure.

We already have a "nostalgia" series starting with Oral Roberts next season. I'm hoping ORU is a little better next season.

[bigmosmithfan1]

With the trip to Vegas already booked, maybe we should extend a few days to get a game with S Utah

A million times no. Why on earth should we be looking to add road games against bad teams from leagues ranked well below the Valley just because we're in the area? That gets us nowhere, and we need as a program to get out of this mentality.

If we were able to add a game while we're out that way with Utah or BYU or Arizona State or something (as part of a series, though I wouldn't trust Utah as far as I could throw them to actually return a game), then great. Otherwise, fly out and play UNLV and then fly home like a serious program does. We're not in the Mid-Con anymore.

[EddieCabot]

They're @Loyola Nov 27 We're @UNLV Nov 28... The plot thickens...  Assuming they have no game in the Chicago area afterwards and come back home immediately, we wouldn't have to wait long to set that game up.

Keep in mind though that we're traveling to Myrtle Beach around the middle of the month a week or so after the season begins. Given the proximity and the presence of Skara still on their roster Clemson is also a real possibility.

I think this is a really good idea, but I don't see a game with Nevada happening for a couple of reasons:

1. Nevada might be ok with hosting Valpo this year, but Nevada will want no part of playing Valpo at the ARC in two years against the roster Valpo will have.

2. I would think the MWC-MVC would like to keep these teams available as the marquee matchup in the 2019 challenge series (like Loyola-Nevada this year).

[bigmosmithfan1]

At a higher level, I'd think the MWC and Valley probably want to keep some "exclusivity" around the matchups between the two leagues. So, while they probably don't have an aversion to schools from those two conferences scheduling each other independently of the "Challenge," I'm fairly certain they don't want schools scheduling those games during the same week of the event, potentially confusing fans/media about which games are part of the challenge and which ones are not.

[may know]

This board won't permit me to post "external links" but some UNLV wanna-be writer was tweeting how we'll be a sub-250 RPI game and how the MVC/MWC Challenge is such a waste of time.

Just have to chuckle. P5 ego. 9th place results.

[bbtds]

We already have a "nostalgia" series starting with Oral Roberts next season.

Do you think the fact that we have never won a game at the TV studio/arena named the Mabee Center has something to do with renewing the series with Oral Roberts or that Richard Roberts is no longer associated with the school and doesn't call off classes in the middle of conference tournaments.

[vusupporter]

Guessing the fact ORU's new head coach was formerly on Baylor's staff was a big part of it.

[VUBBFan]

This board won't permit me to post "external links" but some UNLV wanna-be writer was tweeting how we'll be a sub-250 RPI game and how the MVC/MWC Challenge is such a waste of time. Just have to chuckle. P5 ego. 9th place results.

I believe you have to post 10 times before you're allowed to import anything. Got to earn your wings before we can let you can fly.

[VU2014]

Guessing the fact ORU's new head coach was formerly on Baylor's staff was a big part of it.

If ORU gets a series with Baylor before us it would be really disappointing. I totally understand not wanting to play your brother's team but this will be coming up on the 3 seasons since a Drew has been the Head Coach at Valpo. I and many other would love to get a series going with Baylor. I know Coach Gore is close to Scott. Maybe they are waiting for the right time? Or is it that playing Valpo would be too emotional for him? Because Scott was literally instrumental in building the program from the ground up with his Dad. We would not be where we're at today as program without Scott Drew. Extremely grateful for everything he has done for the program even if it has been 15 years since he coached on the sidelines at the ARC.

I hope we can eventually get a series going with Baylor.

[EddieCabot]

Or is it that playing Valpo would be too emotional for him?

I believe this is the primary reason.  It also makes me wonder if the Valpo-Vandy games will ever happen.   

[bigmosmithfan1]

I think the Vandy game is part of some contractual obligations, so it's way more likely to happen than Baylor. (Though I think we might be able to talk Baylor into a game soon -- the Drew family aversion is primarily with coaching against family members. For that reason, you won't see a Baylor-Vandy game unless it happens in a tournament. Homer always said the toughest game he ever had to coach was when VU played Toledo when his son-in-law Casey Shaw was playing for the Rockets).

[VU2014]

I could absolutely imagine the tournament committee pairing up Vandy and Baylor in the future. They do that type of stuff all the time. Ex: Vandy vs Northwestern 2 years ago. I could also see us getting paired against Vandy if the circumstances with the seeding wasn't too wonky. The seeding is an absolute joke.

[VUGrad1314]

Might the transfer of Gordon increase the likelihood of us playing Butler in the near future given that Gordon is from Indianapolis and his name is prominent in the Indy hoops scene?

[M]

I would bet...not

[VUCPB alum]

The only way that we would play a game in Indy this year would be against IUPUI. Either that or the the entire planning committee for the Crossroads Classic are fired and the replacements expand the playing field to include all of the D1 schools in Indiana, in which case through sort of irony we will still play IUPUI and maybe IPFW

[bbtds]

The only way that we would play a game in Indy this year would be against IUPUI. Either that or the the entire planning committee for the Crossroads Classic are fired and the replacements expand the playing field to include all of the D1 schools in Indiana, in which case through sort of irony we will still play IUPUI and maybe IPFW

[VU2014]

Might the transfer of Gordon increase the likelihood of us playing Butler in the near future given that Gordon is from Indianapolis and his name is prominent in the Indy hoops scene?

Nope. Butler isn't in the business of doing us any favors. I'd prefer we don't take a buy game against them. I'm in the camp that it needs to be either a series or a neutral site game against them. I hope we don't play IUPUI (a RPI hit) or any other bad low/mid-major just to get someone a game close to home. It's only 2 1/2 hours from Indy so his friends and family can pretty easily see his games.

The Crossroads Classic isn't expanding as much as I wish they would...

If Brandon Newman decides to play somewhere other then Valpo, maybe his coach decides to pull a Purdue with Robbie Hummel and give him a game in his home town on a 1-for-1 or a 2-for-1. But still fingers crossed he chooses Valpo and if not, hopefully he doesn't choose a Conference rival.