Two Best Valpo Teams Since 1990

[Just Sayin]

Looking to do some stat comparison of the two best Valpo teams, the results of which will eventually be posted here to also include this year's Loyola team. 
So which two Valpo teams were the best? I'm guessing one would be the 1997-1998 team will be picked as one.
The two that has the most votes will be the winners. Starting in 1990 because various historical stats will be more available online than in earlier years. So Loyola's national championship team will not be included nor will pre-90 Valpo teams.

[valpotx]

2001 - 2002

[VU2014]

2015-16 was a great team that got snubbed by the committee.

[crusadermoe]

Wow.  Looking at that picture reminds me.   I think they are deeper than 2001-2002. 

Peters, Carter, Vashil (as a senior), Tevonn, Shane, and Jabril were six studs.   Lubos and Raitis were great talents but never really raised their game after years one and two.       

[vu84v2]

Looking at the best team on the court, I would vote for 1997-1998 and 2015-2016. 2001-2002 probably had more talent, but there were some very talented people on that team that underperformed.

[valpopal]

Looking at the best team on the court, I would vote for 1997-1998 and 2015-2016. 2001-2002 probably had more talent, but there were some very talented people on that team that underperformed.

I would agree with this. However, I don't think the team underperformed. They were 25-8 despite the tough out of conference schedule, which included Purdue, Kentucky, Kansas, Arizona, West Virginia, Rhode Island, Belmont, etc. Also, look at the attendance figures for home games against D-1 opponents—only one of 11 games below 3,000 (Wisconsin-Milwaukee), other games were 5425, 4203, 4943, 4201, 4342, 5010, 4363, 5081, 5001, 5421. Overall season home average: 4600!

[IrishDawg]

Not that you care what a Butler fans thinks, but I would vote for 2015-16.  Going into the NIT they were rated in the 30's on Kenpom.  Though they finished at 42, that was still ahead of the 01-02 team that wound up 47th on the same rating service.  Plus the 16 team had an NBA player and one of the best defenses (8th) in the nation.

[Pgmado]

1) 97-98
2) 15-16
3) 01-02
4) 12-13

[vu84v2]

Looking at the best team on the court, I would vote for 1997-1998 and 2015-2016. 2001-2002 probably had more talent, but there were some very talented people on that team that underperformed.

I would agree with this. However, I don't think the team underperformed. They were 25-8 despite the tough out of conference schedule, which included Purdue, Kentucky, Kansas, Arizona, West Virginia, Rhode Island, Belmont, etc. Also, look at the attendance figures for home games against D-1 opponents—only one of 11 games below 3,000 (Wisconsin-Milwaukee), other games were 5425, 4203, 4943, 4201, 4342, 5010, 4363, 5081, 5001, 5421. Overall season home average: 4600!

When I said that they underperformed, I was referring to the Antonio Falu situation. I saw those games against West Virginia, Arizona and Rhode Island and watched the tape of the Kansas game and I would agree that prior to Falu imploding, that was one of the very best Valpo teams. After Falu, they were still very good - but were not as good at the end of the season as the 2015-2016 team.

[bigmosmithfan1]

Taking out the Sweet 16 team, it's 2015-2016 and it's not close. Had they gotten a bid, they would have been a dead lock for the second weekend of the tournament at a minimum. That team was so, so good.

[covufan]

1) 97-98
2) 15-16
3) 01-02
4) 12-13

Ken Pom and Massey Comparison's rankings don't have archives that go back to 1998.  From my memory, after the Sweet Sixteen run in '98, our Sagarin rankings climbed to about 30.

Ken Pom and Massey agree with Pgmado - with the 14-15 team a near tie with the 12-13 team. 

[usc4valpo]

I was an Valpo in the 80s, so I feel I can identify the worst teams in Valpo history:

1978-79  - 4-21 and lost to Carthage
1983-84 - not the worst record but definitely a sad year
1989-90 - 4-22 in Homers second year

[crusaderjoe]

I was an Valpo in the 80s, so I feel I can identify the worst teams in Valpo history:

1978-79  - 4-21 and lost to Carthage
1983-84 - not the worst record but definitely a sad year
1989-90 - 4-22 in Homers second year

Two teams that should get at least a shoutout honorable mention in this thread relative to wins, losses, and circumstances are:

1) 1993-1994.  That team won 20 games, giving Valpo its first winning season in forever, which was immensely important to the psyche of the program overall because we were just slightly removed from the consecutive 20+ loss seasons that were in the rear view mirror.  That team proved that Valpo could be winners again.

2)  1994-1995.  What Valpo team in D-I history won 20+ games, won their conference regular season, won their conference tournament, and still had absolutely ZERO chance at making the NCAA tournament? They won 20+ games with really nothing to play for.

[ml2]

No mentions yet for the two teams that came closest to earning NCAA Tournament wins.

1996-97
2014-15

According to the NCAA RPI Archive, the 96-97 team finished the year with an RPI of 70, significantly better than the 89 ranking that the 97-98 team had on Selection Sunday.

[IndyValpo]

I was an Valpo in the 80s, so I feel I can identify the worst teams in Valpo history:

1978-79  - 4-21 and lost to Carthage
1983-84 - not the worst record but definitely a sad year
1989-90 - 4-22 in Homers second year

78-79, that team was pretty bad, the loss to Carthage was for the Championship of the Crusader Classic though we maybe stopped calling it that. It was a tourney with 4 Lutheran schools in it.

One of our victories was against the University of Baltimore Superbees. U of B enrolled only juniors and seniors so all the players were JUCO's. Seems like they were D1 at the time.  Ultimately they dropped sports all together. I am not sure if it was the loss to us that did it. They are now a 4 year school but never brought athletics back.

A few years later, we beat Utica College and I think they dropped out of D1 not long after...

[bigmosmithfan1]

78-79, that team was pretty bad, the loss to Carthage was for the Championship of the Crusader Classic though we maybe stopped calling it that. It was a tourney with 4 Lutheran schools in it.

One of our victories was against the University of Baltimore Superbees. U of B enrolled only juniors and seniors so all the players were JUCO's. Seems like they were D1 at the time.  Ultimately they dropped sports all together. I am not sure if it was the loss to us that did it. They are now a 4 year school but never brought athletics back.

A few years later, we beat Utica College and I think they dropped out of D1 not long after...

Baltimore was indeed D-1 at the time, they were members of the old ECAC. And yes, they dropped basketball after the 1983 season. They played their home games in the old Fifth Regiment Armory -- they didn't have their own gym. One of the most memorable nicknames in college sports history!

That 1979 team was baaaadddd. Not only did we lose to Carthage, but we lost to two other D-2 teams: St. Joe's and DePauw. We also lost to DePaul, so we played DePauw and DePaul in the same season. Two of our four wins were against D-2 competition: Gustavus Aldolphus and St. Joe's (yes, we still played a home-and-home with the D-2 Pumas back then). Our only D-1 wins were the aforementioned Baltimore squad and a two-point win over Arkansas-Little Rock.

Hard to compare that era with the early Homer-era teams that struggled. All of those early 90's teams played tough non-conference schedules and wins were largely against D-1 teams.

[Just Sayin]

Could we please keep on topic and pick the two BEST teams. You can start another thread of the worst teams if you want.

[bigmosmithfan1]

Sorry, but when someone mentions the Baltimore Super Bees, expect the thread to get derailed. Come on, like you'd be able to help yourself.

Go ahead, say it... you know you want to. "Super Bees. Super Bees. SUPER BEES."

[usc4valpo]

Super Bees - that sounds like a Nickelodeon cartoon that is on between Spongebob and the Loud House.

My bad for going off topic, but it really makes you appreciate the present when you reminisce the days of Ken Rochlitz, Tom Smith and the joys of Hilltop Gym.

[EddieCabot]

No mentions yet for the two teams that came closest to earning NCAA Tournament wins.

1996-97
2014-15

According to the NCAA RPI Archive, the 96-97 team finished the year with an RPI of 70, significantly better than the 89 ranking that the 97-98 team had on Selection Sunday.

Agree.  I think those two teams that almost won NCAA tourney games have to be among the best the Valpo has ever assembled.

[talksalot]

1) 2019-2020
2. 97-98
2) 15-16
3) 01-02