Iona @ Valpo Game Thread - Wednesday 7:05, CIT First Round

[rlh]

Just for those of you who care...yes, we accepted last week, but only on the condition that we not get picked for the NIT.  If we had been chosen for that, we would not be playing in the CIT.  This is a great opportunity to keep playing, in a field of pretty good teams.  Not as good as the NCAA or the NIT maybe, but it's not the worst field ever either.  I for one, am very happy this team gets a chance to play some more....

[a3uge]

Valpo's RPI (71) the 18th best team out of those who did not go dancing. Above 15 teams who are in. 4th best not in NIT. 3rd best in the CIT. 2nd best of CBI teams.

[agibson]

I wonder when they'll announce the CIT seeds?  Before or after the first game?  (Which is tonight.)

Maybe not until after the first round?

Valpo-Iona should certainly be one of the most competitive games, so much for seeding!

It sounds like we did put up a financial guarantee to host.  I wonder what the details were. 
Good of the university to support the team like this.  Hopefully the fans will do their part,
and come out for the game! 

One link for streaming, from the CIT web page, is
http://www.b2livetv.com/partner_members.asp?id=379
which actually has the Valpo game listed at 9 PM EDT.

Looks like it'll be free live?  Not sure if there will be an archive, but that might be for a fee?

Twitter also says:
@JasonBelzer:
Remember, all the games of the @CollegeInsider.com Postseason Tournament (CIT) will be broadcast for free on Fox Sports broadband this year!

[agibson]

In last week's Mid-Major Top 25 Iona entered the poll at #21.  To Valpo's #24.

Pomeroy has the Gaels at #60 overall, to Valpo's #105.  He has the next game in his computer already, picking Iona to win 74-73, winning with 56% probability.  Should be a good one!

[valpo04]

One link for streaming, from the CIT web page, is
http://www.b2livetv.com/partner_members.asp?id=379
which actually has the Valpo game listed at 9 PM EDT.

Interesting... http://www.collegeinsider.com/tournament/results.html has "ALL TIMES EST" and lists our game as 8pm... so now that we are in Daylight time, does that mean 9 or is that simply a typo?  I assume that it is a typo and the game is 7CDT/8EDT since that is what the athletic dept has.

[valpo84]

We are garnering some good lead articles at espn.com's college hoops page.

http://sports.espn.go.com/ncb/news/story?id=6214404

[agibson]

The AP has

"Former NCAA tournament darlings Northern Iowa and Valparaiso highlight the 24 teams selected to play in the CollegeInsider.com Postseason Tournament on Sunday."

as their first sentence.  Not bad!

[agibson]

One link for streaming, from the CIT web page, is
http://www.b2livetv.com/partner_members.asp?id=379
which actually has the Valpo game listed at 9 PM EDT.

Interesting... http://www.collegeinsider.com/tournament/results.html has "ALL TIMES EST" and lists our game as 8pm... so now that we are in Daylight time, does that mean 9 or is that simply a typo?  I assume that it is a typo and the game is 7CDT/8EDT since that is what the athletic dept has.

Whoops - I see I was a bit too quick, in fact.  That b2livetv.com page said 9:00 _EST_.  Which is, I guess correct.

I have no doubt that Valpo has the time right - 8 PM eastern, 7 PM standard (with a daylight savings time wrinkle, that's only 1 AM in France... hmm.... if there's an archive I think I'll still wait until Thursday).  I was just amused that there were (or seemed to be?) conflicting times floating around.

[valpo04]

One link for streaming, from the CIT web page, is
http://www.b2livetv.com/partner_members.asp?id=379
which actually has the Valpo game listed at 9 PM EDT.

Interesting... http://www.collegeinsider.com/tournament/results.html has "ALL TIMES EST" and lists our game as 8pm... so now that we are in Daylight time, does that mean 9 or is that simply a typo?  I assume that it is a typo and the game is 7CDT/8EDT since that is what the athletic dept has.

Whoops - I see I was a bit too quick, in fact.  That b2livetv.com page said 9:00 _EST_.  Which is, I guess correct.

I have no doubt that Valpo has the time right - 8 PM eastern, 7 PM standard (with a daylight savings time wrinkle, that's only 1 AM in France... hmm.... if there's an archive I think I'll still wait until Thursday).  I was just amused that there were (or seemed to be?) conflicting times floating around.

Well 9 EST would be 10 EDT... I think these sites are just designating the time as "standard time" which is wrong as of Sunday!

[letsgovu]

Are there going to be any promotions offered for this game for students?

Seems like it would sure help to have a strong student section on Weds.

[Valpo89]

For anyone old enough to remember the movie "Meatballs" with Bill Murray, CIT reminds me of this song:

We are the C.I.T.s so pity us. / The kids are brats; the food is hideous. / We're gonna smoke and drink and fool around. / We're nookie-bound!... / We are the North Star C.I.T.s!

[csd72]

For anyone old enough to remember the movie "Meatballs" with Bill Murray, CIT reminds me of this song:

We are the C.I.T.s so pity us. / The kids are brats; the food is hideous. / We're gonna smoke and drink and fool around. / We're nookie-bound!... / We are the North Star C.I.T.s!

Bill had some great moments in that movie. When I think of it I think of his rousing sports speech that ended in everyone chanting "It just doesn't matter."

[chelseadal]

I hope they win, but this is a disappointment. No offense to Iona, but that's not beating Washington in the CBI.

I came back and edited this because it comes off as too negative. I am happy that Valpo had a good season and qualified for a post season tournament, but I wish it could have been vs. a BCS school

No offense to Valpo, but that's not beating Washington. I wish we could be playing a BCS school. Go Gaels!

[rlh]

There's no making some people happy...I'm just happy that the team is being rewarded for such an outstanding season with a chance to keep playing...and for you that aren't aware, IONA is not a patsy basketball team.  They have a long standing tradition of being pretty good....Jim Valvano started his head coaching career there and took them to the tournament with Jeff Rowland....anyway, let's hope the Crusaders get to play a couple more games against these "bottom" teams...damn I can't figure some of you people out.....

[valpo04]

There's no making some people happy...I'm just happy that the team is being rewarded for such an outstanding season with a chance to keep playing...and for you that aren't aware, IONA is not a patsy basketball team.  They have a long standing tradition of being pretty good....Jim Valvano started his head coaching career there and took them to the tournament with Jeff Rowland....anyway, let's hope the Crusaders get to play a couple more games against these "bottom" teams...damn I can't figure some of you people out.....

I think its pretty easy to figure out... knowing we weren't making the NCAA, there was hope that we would make the NIT and get a chance to play a "major."  Not making the NIT and "settling" for the CBI/CIT, I'm sure people were hoping that we'd still get a shot at a "major" team, like we did in the CBI.  Instead we are playing in the consolation prize tourney against another mid-major foe. 

I personally don't care and I am glad they are in a tourney with the opportunity to keep playing, but I can certainly understand the disappointment others feel.

[Mr. Doom]

Hello Valpo Fans!
I am an alum/fan of the Iona Gaels.
I can see we are both somewhat disappointed that we ended here rather than in one
of the higher profile tourneys.
Coming from a 1 bid conference, we knew that we were not dancing when we stumbled
in our conference (MAAC) championship game a week ago. We did however have hopes
for the NIT.
It looks like both of our teams got caught in the perfect storm of season conference champs
falling in conference tourneys - our conference was one of them with our season champ (Fairfield)
losing in our tourney semis.
Since the new auto bid rule was adopted for the NIT, the highest number of autos had been 8 -
this year, I believe that jumped to 14.
Anyway, we are now here. I just wanted to stop by and say HI. Let's have a great game and show
everyone why we both deserved higher consideration.
Good luck to you guys and let's both have some fun!

[StlVUFan]

Hello Valpo Fans!
I am an alum/fan of the Iona Gaels.
I can see we are both somewhat disappointed that we ended here rather than in one
of the higher profile tourneys.
Coming from a 1 bid conference, we knew that we were not dancing when we stumbled
in our conference (MAAC) championship game a week ago. We did however have hopes
for the NIT.
It looks like both of our teams got caught in the perfect storm of season conference champs
falling in conference tourneys - our conference was one of them with our season champ (Fairfield)
losing in our tourney semis.
Since the new auto bid rule was adopted for the NIT, the highest number of autos had been 8 -
this year, I believe that jumped to 14.
Anyway, we are now here. I just wanted to stop by and say HI. Let's have a great game and show
everyone why we both deserved higher consideration.
Good luck to you guys and let's both have some fun!

Thanks, Mr. Doom.  The perfect blend of disappointment and optimism -- I love it.

Both teams should be rested.  I assume we're healthy, but I haven't heard anything lately so I don't know for sure.  What's your injury situation?

[vu72]

Nice post from Mr. Doom.  Seems like we have a couple of posters who might want to change their webnames to his!

I will be interested to find out how big the gaels are and what matchups we should be watching.

If I read their record correctly, they beat Richmond!  Don't know what the circumstances were but, Richmond will be a very tough out in the NCAAs.  Richmond beat Purdue!  We are going to have our hand full with these guys.  It will be a tough game which I hope we can win. 

[wh]

Hello Valpo Fans!
I am an alum/fan of the Iona Gaels.
I can see we are both somewhat disappointed that we ended here rather than in one
of the higher profile tourneys.
Coming from a 1 bid conference, we knew that we were not dancing when we stumbled
in our conference (MAAC) championship game a week ago. We did however have hopes
for the NIT.
It looks like both of our teams got caught in the perfect storm of season conference champs
falling in conference tourneys - our conference was one of them with our season champ (Fairfield)
losing in our tourney semis.
Since the new auto bid rule was adopted for the NIT, the highest number of autos had been 8 -
this year, I believe that jumped to 14.
Anyway, we are now here. I just wanted to stop by and say HI. Let's have a great game and show
everyone why we both deserved higher consideration.
Good luck to you guys and let's both have some fun!

When I first saw the name Mr. Doom, I assumed that milanmiracle or rink had changed their user name when they switched to the new board (inside joke).   

Personally, I take some consolation in the fact that about a third of the 100 teams in the NCAA and NIT have lower RPI's than either Valpo or Iona.  Also, either one of us is more than capable of running the table in the CIT.  That's more than enough to hold my excitement.  The fact that some BCS conference's 8th place team isn't in the tournament means nothing to me.  By the way, don't worry about about watching the game.  I'll be there in person and will be happy to report out after the game as to where your team went wrong.   

[covufan]

I'm not sure how the CIT came up with the first round games.  If it was for exciting games, the VU - Iona matchup could be a great game.  Of the 24 teams in the CIT, I'd say that Iona and VU could have each played a lower RPI team, and then met in the semi-finals or somewhere else along the way.  

[letsgovu]

I saw a post in the Iona forum that someone had linked to that had a good point in that if a team was going to shell out the bucks for a home game, they might have a problem with getting paired with a team with a much lower RPI such as Iona.  This theory makes sense to me but I don't know if there is any truth to it.

I think it will be a good game.  I bought my ticket last night. 

[Mr. Doom]

A brief rundown on the Gaels.
We came off a 21 win season last year. 3 years earlier we won 2 games all year resulting in hiring Rick Pitino
asssistant coach Kevin Willard as our HC. In 3 years he returned us to a 20 win team. After last season he moved
to the Big East taking HC job at Seton Hall.
At that point our administration took what many considered a gamble, by hiring a HC who had no prior D1 coaching
experience. We hired C.W. Post (D2) HC Tim Cluess. He had a great reputation in the N.Y. City metro area as a pure
winner on the high school, junior college and D2 level; however, no D1 coaching experience. He also brought an entirely
new style of ball. Willard was a very defensive oriented coach. Cluess loves to run.
With new coaches, an entirely new system and several new players (including a Junior College All-America - Mike Glover)
we opened the season in a 3 game tourney in Cleveland by losing to Kent State, Cleveland State and Bryant. There
were already screams being heard in New Rochelle, N.Y. (Iona's home) about the impending disaster. Our next game was
against Richmond and most wondered how bad that would be. This turned out to be a great game which Iona won in double
OT 81 - 77. The turnaround had started. Our next game was against Albany - we won that also by shooting 18 for 30 from
3 point with starter Kyle Smyth 8 for 13 from 3.
We were on a 7 game win streak until we visited the undefeated Orange at the Dome in Syracuse. We played a great game
though ultimately losing by 6. Mike Glover scored 25 shooting 9 for 11 from the field  with 16 rebounds.
We had ups and downs the rest of the way - we were on a 9 game win streak before losing our conference championship game.
Up front we start 6'7" and 6'8" with 6'10" soph coming off the bench.
Mike Glover can be a beast up front. Our PG Scott Machado is our 2nd leading scorer and has been at or near the top in NCAA
assists all year - he finished 3rd in the nation.
We shoot 3s .370 as a team; however, our top 3 point shooter, Kyle Smyth, is our one significant injury problem. He went down in the
first half of championship game and did not come back. I have serious doubts that you will see him.
We do like to play an up tempo game and will run the court with anyone. Our D has been a work in progress; however, it has picked up
recently.

[valpofan56]

Went over and re-introduced myself to the False Prophet's Board as they were entertaining the idea of Valpo possibly playing at the Mabee Center in a later round of this tournament.  They are just as uptight as ever . . . 

[a3uge]

Went over and re-introduced myself to the False Prophet's Board as they were entertaining the idea of Valpo possibly playing at the Mabee Center in a later round of this tournament.  They are just as uptight as ever . . . 

Yeah, I looked at that and found it odd they were tearing Valpo for joining the Horizon League. The Summit League is terrible; we're the last team to win a NCAA tourney game for the conference (1998).

As far as Iiona:
Top 100 RPI Wins:

• 42 - Richmond
• 78 - Long Island
• 88 - Hofstra
• 98 - St. Peters (2 of 3)
• 99 - Fairfield

Sub-200 RPI Losses:

• 253 - Bryant
• (199 - Sienna)

And Valpo's for comparison:

Top 100 RPI Wins:

• 36 - Butler
• 40 - Missouri St.
• 44 - Cleveland St
• 51 - Oakland
• 97 - Milwaukee

Sub-200 RPI Losses:

• 337 - Toledo
• 202 - Loyola

And for fun's sake, lets do Oral Roberts:
Top 100 RPI Wins:

Sub-200 RPI Losses:

• 240 - North Dakota St.

And they wonder why we joined the Horizon?

[ValpoHoops]

Went over and re-introduced myself to the False Prophet's Board as they were entertaining the idea of Valpo possibly playing at the Mabee Center in a later round of this tournament.  They are just as uptight as ever . . . 

Yeah, I looked at that and found it odd they were tearing Valpo for joining the Horizon League. The Summit League is terrible; we're the last team to win a NCAA tourney game for the conference (1998).

Technically, we aren't the last team to win an NCAA game...when Oakland won their "play-in" game, they officially won an NCAA game, and got an extra "full share" of money for it.