Game #14 - MVC Run Starts @ Indiana State December 28 6pm NBCSports Chicago

[talksalot]

The New Era begins... 9-4 entering conference play.  All-Time against the Sycamores, Valpo is 31-50

The Sycamores have one more non-con game with Elon on Friday.  They have an RPI of 220, with an SOS of 116, against D1 teams, they are 2-1 at home, 1-2 on the road and 0-3 Neutral site games.  They are 0-4 against top 100 RPI, with obviously their top win being against Archie and the Gang 90-69 in the opener.  Their worst loss is to #227 Ohio in 4-Overtimes.  Like UCR, the Sycs beat Air Force.... playing in the MVC/MWC Challenge game.

## Player gp-gs min avg fg-fga fg% 3fg-fga 3fg% ft-fta ft% off def tot avg pf dq a to blk stl pts avg
02 Barnes, Jordan 11-11 372 33.8 55-126 . 4 3 7 45-88 . 5 1 1 32-38 . 8 4 2 3 36 39 3.5 28 2 45 31 1 9 187 17.0
04 Scott, Brenton 11-11 339 30.8 53-138 . 3 8 4 21-63 . 3 3 3 19-30 . 6 3 3 5 57 62 5.6 23 0 23 24 3 16 146 13.3
25 Davis, Qiydar 11-6 302 27.5 45-97 . 4 6 4 9-28 . 3 2 1 24-31 . 7 7 4 17 42 59 5.4 25 1 14 19 7 17 123 11.2
11 Key, Tyreke 11-5 308 28.0 34-87 . 3 9 1 8-30 . 2 6 7 27-38 . 7 1 1 4 35 39 3.5 24 1 16 26 2 14 103 9.4
34 Murphy, Brandon 11-10 201 18.3 25-41 . 6 1 0 0-0 . 0 0 0 30-43 . 6 9 8 20 20 40 3.6 23 1 8 15 7 8 80 7.3
35 Thomas, Devin 8-6 136 17.0 9-25 . 3 6 0 5-11 . 4 5 5 21-26 . 8 0 8 6 15 21 2.6 13 0 4 17 6 0 44 5.5
41 Rickman, Emondre 11-1 169 15.4 18-45 . 4 0 0 0-0 . 0 0 0 13-26 . 5 0 0 18 36 54 4.9 22 0 6 9 12 2 49 4.5
05 Kessinger, Bronson 11-5 185 16.8 14-29 . 4 8 3 3-10 . 3 0 0 3-6 . 5 0 0 12 17 29 2.6 20 0 9 8 5 5 34 3.1
13 Hughes, Clayton 11-0 128 11.6 11-20 . 5 5 0 5-11 . 4 5 5 6-6 1.000 1 6 7 0.6 22 1 4 12 3 7 33 3.0
01 Ojinnaka, Demonte 11-0 103 9.4 7-23 . 3 0 4 5-15 . 3 3 3 0-0 . 0 0 0 0 6 6 0.5 14 0 4 5 0 1 19 1.7
20 Huenermann, Daniel 5-0 8 1.6 1-3 . 3 3 3 0-1 . 0 0 0 2-4 . 5 0 0 1 1 2 0.4 1 0 0 0 0 0 4 0.8
03 Knight III, Trey 8-0 48 6.0 1-2 . 5 0 0 0-0 . 0 0 0 4-7 . 5 7 1 1 3 4 0.5 6 0 1 5 1 1 6 0.8
24 Deady, Matt 6-0 20 3.3 1-3 . 3 3 3 0-1 . 0 0 0 1-3 . 3 3 3 2 4 6 1.0 3 0 0 1 0 0 3 0.5
10 Claycomb, Ethan 3-0 6 2.0 0-1 . 0 0 0 0-1 . 0 0 0 0-0 . 0 0 0 0 1 1 0.3 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0.0
Team 17 18 35 6
Total.......... 11 2325 274-640 . 4 2 8 101-259 . 3 9 0 182-258 . 7 0 5 107 297 404 36.7 225 6 134 178 47 80 831 75.5
Opponents...... 11 2325 277-641 . 4 3 2 72-224 . 3 2 1 197-269 . 7 3 2 104 299 403 36.6 230 5 137 165 42 74 823 74.8

Cavernous Hulman Center (Capacity 10,200) has not seen big turnouts...

Missouri St.Louis 2,612
Ball State 3,274
Air Force 3,797
Indianapolis 3,491
Green Bay 2,924

This is Game #14.  We've won the last 3 times, losing at Central Florida.  Overall, we are 19-12 in the past 31 seasons in Games #14 of the season.

[covufan]

The inaugural MVC season is here.  The slate is clean. The new year begins now!

Valpo   70
Ind St.  68


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[valpolaw]

Call me negative if you want.  This is going to be a loss and we're in for a very long season.   

[M]

I predict a win every game so I'm not stopping now.  67-65 win. 

[valpotx]

Indiana State 75
Valpo 61

[talksalot]

Real Time RPI predicts Valpo 82-72
Warren Nolan RPI predicts Valpo 72-71; the ELO prediction has Valpo 76-66, Valpo with a 97% chance of winning

and I feel I have to point out that Valpo has NEVER lost a Missouri Valley Conference Men's Basketball game.

[Valpo89]

Real Time RPI predicts Valpo 82-72
Warren Nolan RPI predicts Valpo 72-71; the ELO prediction has Valpo 76-66, Valpo with a 97% chance of winning

and I feel I have to point out that Valpo has NEVER lost a Missouri Valley Conference Men's Basketball game.

Those predictions were probably made not knowing Valpo's injury/sickness/suspension situations.
I predict another low double-digit loss.
This team really could have used David Skara and Lexus Williams.

[FieldGoodie05]

Real Time RPI predicts Valpo 82-72
Warren Nolan RPI predicts Valpo 72-71; the ELO prediction has Valpo 76-66, Valpo with a 97% chance of winning

and I feel I have to point out that Valpo has NEVER lost a Missouri Valley Conference Men's Basketball game.

Those predictions were probably made not knowing Valpo's injury/sickness/suspension situations.
I predict another low double-digit loss.
This team really could have used David Skara and Lexus Williams.

Mehhh, I disagree.  Lexus is not a shooter like is needed.  Skara was a great hustle player.  But he wasn't given the chance to create on a regular basis.  I'm ok with development of this team.  Only feel bad that a .500 season is upon us.

[bbtds]

Indiana State 75
Valpo 61

It will be worse than Riverside, Joe is gone for good, first game back for Tevonn who will be weak and this will be a tougher opponent than Riverside. Bradford will keep throwing up three point air balls whether he ever makes one or not. He might even go 0 for 15 from three.

Valpo  49
Indiana State  84

Sorry, but the truth is the truth. It's where this season has gone this holiday time. Once Tevonn gets stronger things will get better.

[wh]

Indiana State 75
Valpo 61

It will be worse than Riverside, Joe is gone for good, first game back for Tevonn who will be weak and this will be a tougher opponent than Riverside. Bradford will keep throwing up three point air balls whether he ever makes one or not. He might even go 0 for 15 from three.

Valpo  49
Indiana State  84

Sorry, but the truth is the truth. It's where this season has gone this holiday time. Once Tevonn gets stronger things will get better.

Is this official?

[NativeCheesehead]

Geez BB, I'm as pessimistic as anyone with Joe out and T Walk potentially less than 100%, but let's get off the ledge man.

[valpo64]

don't jump...please don't jump, at least not yet!

[bbtds]

Indiana State 75
Valpo 61

It will be worse than Riverside, Joe is gone for good, first game back for Tevonn who will be weak and this will be a tougher opponent than Riverside. Bradford will keep throwing up three point air balls whether he ever makes one or not. He might even go 0 for 15 from three.

Valpo  49
Indiana State  84

Sorry, but the truth is the truth. It's where this season has gone this holiday time. Once Tevonn gets stronger things will get better.

Is this official?

No. Just that a guy doesn't leave his team even if he is suspended. My personal opinion is that Joe Burton won't be back as a Valparaiso University student/athlete.

Things will get better but VU fans will have to endure until the remaining team proves they can act like a team which will probably coincide with  the time that Tevonn feels stronger and can play closer to his real potential.

[wh]

Indiana State 75
Valpo 61

It will be worse than Riverside, Joe is gone for good, first game back for Tevonn who will be weak and this will be a tougher opponent than Riverside. Bradford will keep throwing up three point air balls whether he ever makes one or not. He might even go 0 for 15 from three.

Valpo  49
Indiana State  84

Sorry, but the truth is the truth. It's where this season has gone this holiday time. Once Tevonn gets stronger things will get better.

Is this official?

No. Just that a guy doesn't leave his team even if he is suspended. My personal opinion is that Joe Burton won't be back as a Valparaiso University student/athlete.

Things will get better but VU fans will have to endure until the remaining team proves they can act like a team which will probably coincide with  the time that Tevonn feels stronger and can play closer to his real potential.

A couple of posts by people (AGibson maybe?) who know a lot more about Valpo's grading system than I do had me thinking there might be still be hope, but you're probably right. I'd still be interested in knowing for certain. 

[valpo64]

Could this be the trigger to cause Matt to whittling down his playing the entire team to a more manageable to 5-8 guys to get some stability in the lineup?

[M]

Valpo wins 72-67

[VU2014]

Could this be the trigger to cause Matt to whittling down his playing the entire team to a more manageable to 5-8 guys to get some stability in the lineup?

It seems like Coach Lottich has been trimming minutes down and relying on bigger minutes from guys he can trust. Bakari's minutes have went up and Max Joseph played huge minutes in the UC-Riverside game.

I think as long as the games aren't blow outs we'll see him rely heavily on whoever he thinks won't be a liability out there.

https://twitter.com/MichaelOsipoff/status/945834463736614913
https://twitter.com/MichaelOsipoff/status/945830250356920320
https://twitter.com/MichaelOsipoff/status/945831059459117057
https://twitter.com/MichaelOsipoff/status/945831278062039040
https://twitter.com/MichaelOsipoff/status/945831695101591552
https://twitter.com/MichaelOsipoff/status/945832655442141184
https://twitter.com/MichaelOsipoff/status/945832808068591617

[wh]

Over Valpo's 10 years in the HL, we had a near-perfect conference road record in games I attended. I will be in Terre Haute Thursday evening and expect to be basking in the afterglow of victory on the way home.

[bbtds]

Over Valpo's 10 years in the HL, we had a near-perfect conference road record in games I attended. I will be in Terre Haute Thursday evening and expect to be basking in the afterglow of victory on the way home.

You could go to St-Mary-of-the-Woods and ask Saint Theodora and Mother Theodore Guerin for a miracle but I truly feel that is the only way Valpo wins in Terre Haute on Thursday.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Th%C3%A9odore_Gu%C3%A9rin

She is also the namesake of Guerin Catholic High School in Noblesville which is a growing catholic high school in central Indiana.

https://www.google.com/search?q=Guerin+Catholic+HS&enablesearch=true

Guerin Catholic, Bishop Chatard, Brebeuf Jesuit and Bishop Roncalli have created the Circle City Conference where the 4 catholic high schools can compete against each other and not worry about being moved up in class by the IHSAA. Indy Cathedral though still feel they are above these other catholic schools in Indy and remains independent.

Mother Guerin's second miracle which led to her sainthood:
The second of the miracles attributed to her involves Phil McCord of Terre Haute, Indiana, and occurred in January 2001.[11] McCord, who had worked in facilities management for the Sisters of Providence, stopped by the Church of the Immaculate Conception on the grounds and was drawn in by music from the pipe organ there. While in the church he felt compelled to pray to Guérin, asking for strength to undergo a medical operation for his failing eyesight, as his eyes had deteriorated to legally blind status: 20-800 in one eye and 20-1000 in the other. After praying, he went home. When he awoke the next morning, his vision had returned to 20-20, and his eye now needed only laser treatment to remove old tissue.[11]

It was in January of 2001 that after moving to Indy in 2000 I visited Terre Haute (an hour west of Indy) and felt I was accepted finally by fellow employees during a team building trip. No, I never prayed to Mother Guerin for courage but it does seem somewhat coincidental that these events happened at the same time in the same place. 

Could also be that one of the Oklahoma City bombers was executed in Terre Haute in 1999, Timothy McVeigh.

[valpotx]

I believe that Paul Oren mentioned that Joe Burton was set to return to Texas for a few days, regardless of the suspension.  I wouldn't look as negatively at that part of the situation, as he was just heading home for the holidays, just like most students.

[FieldGoodie05]

I believe that Paul Oren mentioned that Joe Burton was set to return to Texas for a few days, regardless of the suspension.  I wouldn't look as negatively at that part of the situation, as he was just heading home for the holidays, just like most students.

Also, consider the team couldn't carry any costs for a suspended athlete on a road trip (I assume).  Coach probably had an edict in the rules/logic telling him to get the athlete to VU or home directly upon learning of his/her suspension.

Wouldn't make sense to have him travel with the team.  Though guessing (at most) it would've meant 1-more night of lodging or food at that point.

Just some thoughts...

[VU2014]

https://twitter.com/NWINews/status/946139495350534149

Canada spry: Tevonn Walker healthy again as Valparaiso opens league play
Michael Osipoff
Post-Tribune
Dec 27, 2017

Tevonn Walker went home to Montreal for Christmas.

He cherished the quality time he spent with his family. But Valparaiso's senior guard also made time for other activities.

"I got on the bike and got up a lot of shots," Walker said.

Walker returned to practice Tuesday with the Crusaders. And barring any unforeseen setbacks, their leading scorer and rebounder is expected to play Thursday night at Indiana State in their Missouri Valley debut after he missed the last four games with mononucleosis. The 6 p.m. game is scheduled to be televised on NBC Sports Chicago.

"I'm doing well, feeling great," Walker said. "I'm ready.

........ http://www.chicagotribune.com/suburbs/post-tribune/sports/ct-ptb-mens-basketball-valparaiso-tevonn-walker-st-1228-20171227-story.html

[VU2014]

https://twitter.com/ValpoBasketball/status/946174488198176768

[VU2014]

The Valpo Basketball Managers beat the Indiana State managers in a pick up game tonight.
https://twitter.com/ValpoMbb/status/946240781299470337

[VU2014]

I'm seeing a lot of betting lines with Valpo as a +1 or +1.5

Another game that I have no clue on how it will turn out. A lot of question marks in this game. I want Valpo to pull off the W but I really hope we don't get embarrassed in our first ever Valley Conference game.