MVC Hoops: 2018-19

[VU2014]

https://twitter.com/CBB_Central/status/1016133396974665729

[VUGrad1314]

https://twitter.com/CBB_Central/status/1016133396974665729

Some thoughts I posted on this tweet on MVC Fans:

I like his selection of Golder for Valpo, especially if you consider Evelyn as already having broken out. He looks like a player who has the complete package. He's athletic he can shoot and defend. I think Mileek McMillan and Derrik Smits could also be also poised for big years. Smits really seemed to be putting it together on the offensive end at the end of the year and McMillan--who showed many flashes of high-end potential--is working very hard this offseason.

Micah Bradford is the wildcard on the team. The offense fares a lot better when he plays on-ball as a distributor and can use his speed to create for others. I hope he is the starting PG with Evelyn playing off the ball. Unless of course Javon Freeman-Liberty busts down the door as a freshman and takes the starting job at SG, which is certainly possible. The coaching staff and fanbase are very high on him. In that case, Evelyn is the starting PG.

Another player to watch out for is the now eligible transfer form Providence Ryan Fazekas. We're not entirely sure how he'll be used but his size and shooting ability will ensure that he sees significant minutes. This far out, I'm not sure what the lineup will be, after all, we still have an open scholarship, but I expect a very competitive team this year.

[VUGrad1314]

Something perhaps for Micah, Bakari, and Daniel to strive for:

http://www.valleyhoopsinsider.com/morant-custer-invited-by-cp3/

Congratulations to Clayton Custer and Ja Morant for making it this year.

I know I keep beating this drum but can we PLEASE get Murray State to the MVC soon? I really want to see Morant play at the ARC. He's a really special talent.

[VUGrad1314]

Hoping for similar games in the near future.

https://twitter.com/JonRothstein/status/1016361514255699968

[IrishDawg]

Hoping for similar games in the near future.

https://twitter.com/JonRothstein/status/1016361514255699968

My guess is the Ill State and UCF series was a benefit to the Redbirds hiring Chris Duhon, who Dawkins coached while he was at Duke.

UCF's not a bad team under Dawkins, but why would you want a home and home with them?  It's generally not the kind of game that helps or hurts a team come selection Sunday, and probably doesn't get home fans excited for the matchup either, though it'd probably be better than Santa Clara.

Vermont's in a terrible league, but generally fields a similar level team to UCF (if not better), and they recruit Indiana, so I'm sure they'd like the prospect of a home and home with Valpo.

[VUGrad1314]

Hoping for similar games in the near future.

https://twitter.com/JonRothstein/status/1016361514255699968

My guess is the Ill State and UCF series was a benefit to the Redbirds hiring Chris Duhon, who Dawkins coached while he was at Duke.

UCF's not a bad team under Dawkins, but why would you want a home and home with them?  It's generally not the kind of game that helps or hurts a team come selection Sunday, and probably doesn't get home fans excited for the matchup either, though it'd probably be better than Santa Clara.

Vermont's in a terrible league, but generally fields a similar level team to UCF (if not better), and they recruit Indiana, so I'm sure they'd like the prospect of a home and home with Valpo.

I would LOVE a home and home with Vermont. Belmont too as another often good program that recruits Indiana. Anyway you're probably right that the Duke connections probably made this happen. My desire isn't for UCF per se--even though it would be a solid series--but for a game against the kind of program UCF is expected to be this year  (at or near the top of a strong multibid non-P5 league, strong at-large caliber team that isn't unbeatable).

[IrishDawg]

I would LOVE a home and home with Vermont. Belmont too as another often good program that recruits Indiana. Anyway you're probably right that the Duke connections probably made this happen. My desire isn't for UCF per se--even though it would be a solid series--but for a game against the kind of program UCF is expected to be this year  (at or near the top of a strong multibid non-P5 league, strong at-large caliber team that isn't unbeatable).

That's the challenge of scheduling for Valpo's coaching staff.  You want to get teams on the schedule that are going to be good enough to maybe be a quality win come selection Sunday (UCF is a good candidate, as they have a lot coming back), but also trying to time it up with when the Crusaders are going to be poised for a potential bid.  Not an easy task, and it's made harder because all programs are getting smarter in terms of knowing which mid-majors might be strong enough to knock them off.

Valpo, assuming no one significant transfers out, is maybe a year away from being a really good team.  I can't imagine it's going to be easy to get power conference teams to want to schedule you when you could have 10 Juniors and Seniors on the team.

[VUGrad1314]

I would LOVE a home and home with Vermont. Belmont too as another often good program that recruits Indiana. Anyway you're probably right that the Duke connections probably made this happen. My desire isn't for UCF per se--even though it would be a solid series--but for a game against the kind of program UCF is expected to be this year  (at or near the top of a strong multibid non-P5 league, strong at-large caliber team that isn't unbeatable).

That's the challenge of scheduling for Valpo's coaching staff.  You want to get teams on the schedule that are going to be good enough to maybe be a quality win come selection Sunday (UCF is a good candidate, as they have a lot coming back), but also trying to time it up with when the Crusaders are going to be poised for a potential bid.  Not an easy task, and it's made harder because all programs are getting smarter in terms of knowing which mid-majors might be strong enough to knock them off.

Valpo, assuming no one significant transfers out, is maybe a year away from being a really good team.  I can't imagine it's going to be easy to get power conference teams to want to schedule you when you could have 10 Juniors and Seniors on the team.

Playing other elite mids may be our best bet for most of the schedule.

[VUGrad1314]

UNI makes college basketball madness Top 144 at #129. The first of what I hope will be many MVC teams on this list.

http://www.collegesportsmadness.com/article/16379

[EddieCabot]

UNI makes college basketball madness Top 144 at #129. The first of what I hope will be many MVC teams on this list.

http://www.collegesportsmadness.com/article/16379

I think at least 5 other MVC teams will make the list.

[VU2014]

UNI makes college basketball madness Top 144 at #129. The first of what I hope will be many MVC teams on this list.

http://www.collegesportsmadness.com/article/16379

I think at least 5 other MVC teams will make the list.

I doubt we make the list. No one will be giving us the benefit of the doubt after a rough season. Bradley, SIU, Illinois State, and Loyola will all be on there.

[VUGrad1314]

Rumor has it (can't find a link to a concrete source but there's  lots of speculation) that Illinois State has added a Home and Home series with VCU. Their schedule already includes a good MTE, Ole Miss,BYU, SDSU,UCF,FGCU. THIS is the very definition of what I mean ehen I say I want to see Valpo schedule tough and smart. ALL of these games are tough but winnable, and this from a team that hasn't made the tournament in 20 years. Don't tell me it can't be done  when there's an example right here. Get it done.

[VUGrad1314]

UNI makes college basketball madness Top 144 at #129. The first of what I hope will be many MVC teams on this list. http://www.collegesportsmadness.com/article/16379

I think at least 5 other MVC teams will make the list.

I doubt we make the list. No one will be giving us the benefit of the doubt after a rough season. Bradley, SIU, Illinois State, and Loyola will all be on there.

According to those rankings, UNI is projected to finish sixth in the MVC. That means, assuming four of those positions go to the Illinois schools (Loyola Illinois State SIU and Bradley) one is left. That means one of Valpo, Missouri State and Indiana State is likely to make it. If it's not VU I think it'll probably be Missouri State.

[VUGrad1314]

New tournament metric coming soon that will de-emphasize RPI. Will it help us mids?

https://www.pantagraph.com/sports/college/basketball/men/article_dc5f6c43-ccec-5051-b6f0-159d98df87d8.html

[a3uge]

New tournament metric coming soon that will de-emphasize RPI. Will it help us mids?

https://www.pantagraph.com/sports/college/basketball/men/article_dc5f6c43-ccec-5051-b6f0-159d98df87d8.html

They don't emphasize RPI at all as it stands, so I doubt there's much impact.

[VU2014]

Elijah Clarance could be set for a big year for ISUr. He was probably the most hyped up freshman in the MVC coming into last season and had a disappointing year but you can see the potential.

https://twitter.com/Asier_SG/status/1018470326290862081

[FieldGoodie05]

Elijah Clarance could be set for a big year for ISUr. He was probably the most hyped up freshman in the MVC coming into last season and had a disappointing year but you can see the potential.

https://twitter.com/Asier_SG/status/1018470326290862081

When he played @ VU last year I kept flashing back to Shane Hammink.  He has better handles than Shane but is explosive.  I like his intensity.  Think he played @ VU because their starter had a knee contusion or something.  That was a critical game for our young teams confidence after getting rail roared on the road by them weeks before.  It was the first time I felt we had leadership and a really competitive spirit.

[VUGrad1314]

Another solid scheduling get for Loyola.

https://twitter.com/JonRothstein/status/1017133780547620865

[VU2014]

Sounds like a great opportunity for Markus

https://twitter.com/NWIOren/status/1019029046380978176

https://twitter.com/TheReal_MG3/status/1018996933237641217

[IrishDawg]

Wasn't sure where to put this one, as it could go either here or in the expansion thread, but the NCAA released their attendance figures for 2017-18: http://fs.ncaa.org/Docs/stats/m_basketball_RB/2019/Attendance.pdf

MVC was 10th in attendance at an average of 4,021 per game, and the conference tourney average attendance was 12th at an average of 6,962 per game (WCC and Summit jumped them in the tourney attendance averages).

Average attendance rankings by MVC school (and capacity % to their arena)

1. Bradley - 5,699 (52%)
2. Illinois St. - 5,142 (50%)
3. Missouri St. - 4,517 (41%)
4. UNI - 4,090 (56%)
5. SIU - 3,966 (48%)
6. Evansville - 3,782 (42%)
7. Indiana St. - 3,675 (36%)
8. Drake - 3,195 (45%)
9. Valpo - 2,722 (54%)
10. Loyola - 2,404 (54%)

Other notables (per potential expansion efforts)
NKU - 4,135 (44%)
Murray St. - 3,800 (44%)
Belmont - 2,408 (48%)

[valpopal]

Wasn't sure where to put this one, as it could go either here or in the expansion thread, but the NCAA released their attendance figures for 2017-18: http://fs.ncaa.org/Docs/stats/m_basketball_RB/2019/Attendance.pdf

MVC was 10th in attendance at an average of 4,021 per game, and the conference tourney average attendance was 12th at an average of 6,962 per game (WCC and Summit jumped them in the tourney attendance averages).

Average attendance rankings by MVC school (and capacity % to their arena)

1. Bradley - 5,699 (52%)
2. Illinois St. - 5,142 (50%)
3. Missouri St. - 4,517 (41%)
4. UNI - 4,090 (56%)
5. SIU - 3,966 (48%)
6. Evansville - 3,782 (42%)
7. Indiana St. - 3,675 (36%)
8. Drake - 3,195 (45%)
9. Valpo - 2,722 (54%)
10. Loyola - 2,404 (54%)

Other notables (per potential expansion efforts)
NKU - 4,135 (44%)
Murray St. - 3,800 (44%)
Belmont - 2,408 (48%)

Those attendance numbers should be disappointing, to say the least, for both Loyola (a Final Four quality team) and Valparaiso (with expected excitement about joining a new conference). Valpo had envisioned a boost in attendance by joining a top-10 conference and bringing in more attractive and stronger teams. Valpo's first year in the Horizon League, overall home attendance was 3666. In that first year in the Horizon League Valpo was only 5-4 at home, same as this year (so success and winning at home isn't the difference), yet attendance at the 9 home conference regular season games averaged 4137 as opposed to the home conference average this year of 2781—a difference of 1356 per game! I will repeat what I have said before: drastic moves (none of which I have heard yet) for improving attendance must be a focus of this off-season for the Athletics administration.

[vu72]

Wasn't sure where to put this one, as it could go either here or in the expansion thread, but the NCAA released their attendance figures for 2017-18: http://fs.ncaa.org/Docs/stats/m_basketball_RB/2019/Attendance.pdf

MVC was 10th in attendance at an average of 4,021 per game, and the conference tourney average attendance was 12th at an average of 6,962 per game (WCC and Summit jumped them in the tourney attendance averages).

Average attendance rankings by MVC school (and capacity % to their arena)

1. Bradley - 5,699 (52%)
2. Illinois St. - 5,142 (50%)
3. Missouri St. - 4,517 (41%)
4. UNI - 4,090 (56%)
5. SIU - 3,966 (48%)
6. Evansville - 3,782 (42%)
7. Indiana St. - 3,675 (36%)
8. Drake - 3,195 (45%)
9. Valpo - 2,722 (54%)
10. Loyola - 2,404 (54%)

Other notables (per potential expansion efforts)
NKU - 4,135 (44%)
Murray St. - 3,800 (44%)
Belmont - 2,408 (48%)

So that renovated arena at Loyola really did boost attendance!   

[FieldGoodie05]

Wasn't sure where to put this one, as it could go either here or in the expansion thread, but the NCAA released their attendance figures for 2017-18: http://fs.ncaa.org/Docs/stats/m_basketball_RB/2019/Attendance.pdf

MVC was 10th in attendance at an average of 4,021 per game, and the conference tourney average attendance was 12th at an average of 6,962 per game (WCC and Summit jumped them in the tourney attendance averages).

Average attendance rankings by MVC school (and capacity % to their arena)

1. Bradley - 5,699 (52%)  What else is there to do in town?
2. Illinois St. - 5,142 (50%). What else is there to do in town?
3. Missouri St. - 4,517 (41%). There is nothing else to do in town.
4. UNI - 4,090 (56%). There is nothing else to do in town.
5. SIU - 3,966 (48%). Best student section.
6. Evansville - 3,782 (42%). City owns arena and shares with semi-pro teams.
7. Indiana St. - 3,675 (36%)  Their track is a blue smurf track.
8. Drake - 3,195 (45%). What else is there to do in town?
9. Valpo - 2,722 (54%). What else is there to do in town?
10. Loyola - 2,404 (54%). Students were loud and proud, fun to watch their games.

Other notables (per potential expansion efforts)
NKU - 4,135 (44%)
Murray St. - 3,800 (44%)
Belmont - 2,408 (48%)

Thanks Irish, that is very interesting.  Both in regards to where we sit in the attendance scheme nationally/MVC/prospective members.  Wonder how difficult it would be to chart the same with "Arena Year Built and Cost in todays dollars".  To get perspective on how much money MVC teams sunk into their arenas and what it looks like years later.  (If you build it they will come?)

We should NEVER have a goal of topping this list as a private institution of our size, but the % of seats filled at game time is intriguing.  We are tied for 2nd as % of seats filled in a year which we were 10/10 in standings for pretty much the whole conference season. 

Loyola is only 54% filled in a year where they made the Final Four.  Maybe we don't have the attendance problem that some of us think we have?  Although if memory serves, we are down in attendance when compared to the last 10-years averages this past season.  So maybe we should only judge based on our history when it comes to attendance and sell outs.

[wh]

Wasn't sure where to put this one, as it could go either here or in the expansion thread, but the NCAA released their attendance figures for 2017-18: http://fs.ncaa.org/Docs/stats/m_basketball_RB/2019/Attendance.pdf

MVC was 10th in attendance at an average of 4,021 per game, and the conference tourney average attendance was 12th at an average of 6,962 per game (WCC and Summit jumped them in the tourney attendance averages).

Average attendance rankings by MVC school (and capacity % to their arena)

1. Bradley - 5,699 (52%)
2. Illinois St. - 5,142 (50%)
3. Missouri St. - 4,517 (41%)
4. UNI - 4,090 (56%)
5. SIU - 3,966 (48%)
6. Evansville - 3,782 (42%)
7. Indiana St. - 3,675 (36%)
8. Drake - 3,195 (45%)
9. Valpo - 2,722 (54%)
10. Loyola - 2,404 (54%)

Other notables (per potential expansion efforts)
NKU - 4,135 (44%)
Murray St. - 3,800 (44%)
Belmont - 2,408 (48%)

Last years attendance average of 2722 was the lowest in the past 25 seasons (2640 in '92-93).


Free Fallin' by the late great Tom Petty

[Verse 3]
I wanna glide down over Mulholland
I wanna write her name in the sky
I'm gonna free fall out into nothin'
Gonna leave this world for awhile

[Chorus]
And I'm free, free fallin'
(Free fallin', I'm-a free fallin')
Yeah I'm free, free fallin'
(Free fallin', I'm-a free fallin')
And I'm free, free fallin'
(Free fallin', I'm-a free fallin')
Oh!
Free fallin'
(Free fallin', I'm-a free fallin')
And I'm free, oh! free fallin'

[vu72]

Wasn't sure where to put this one, as it could go either here or in the expansion thread, but the NCAA released their attendance figures for 2017-18: http://fs.ncaa.org/Docs/stats/m_basketball_RB/2019/Attendance.pdf

MVC was 10th in attendance at an average of 4,021 per game, and the conference tourney average attendance was 12th at an average of 6,962 per game (WCC and Summit jumped them in the tourney attendance averages).

Average attendance rankings by MVC school (and capacity % to their arena)

1. Bradley - 5,699 (52%)  What else is there to do in town?
2. Illinois St. - 5,142 (50%). What else is there to do in town?
3. Missouri St. - 4,517 (41%). There is nothing else to do in town.
4. UNI - 4,090 (56%). There is nothing else to do in town.
5. SIU - 3,966 (48%). Best student section.
6. Evansville - 3,782 (42%). City owns arena and shares with semi-pro teams.
7. Indiana St. - 3,675 (36%)  Their track is a blue smurf track.
8. Drake - 3,195 (45%). What else is there to do in town?
9. Valpo - 2,722 (54%). What else is there to do in town?
10. Loyola - 2,404 (54%). Students were loud and proud, fun to watch their games.

Other notables (per potential expansion efforts)
NKU - 4,135 (44%)
Murray St. - 3,800 (44%)
Belmont - 2,408 (48%)

Thanks Irish, that is very interesting.  Both in regards to where we sit in the attendance scheme nationally/MVC/prospective members.  Wonder how difficult it would be to chart the same with "Arena Year Built and Cost in todays dollars".  To get perspective on how much money MVC teams sunk into their arenas and what it looks like years later.  (If you build it they will come?)

We should NEVER have a goal of topping this list as a private institution of our size, but the % of seats filled at game time is intriguing.  We are tied for 2nd as % of seats filled in a year which we were 10/10 in standings for pretty much the whole conference season. 

Loyola is only 54% filled in a year where they made the Final Four.  Maybe we don't have the attendance problem that some of us think we have?  Although if memory serves, we are down in attendance when compared to the last 10-years averages this past season.  So maybe we should only judge based on our history when it comes to attendance and sell outs.

Not taking into account the size of the surrounding communities, here is a comparison of support from the undergraduate student bodies:

Average attendance as a percent of undergrad enrollment:

Evansville  161%
Bradley      127%
Drake          97.8%
Valpo           82.6%
UNI             40.9%
In St.          33.4%
SIU             33.1%
IL St.          27.6%
MSU           26.6%
Loyola        21.9%

Interesting how the private schools top the list except our final four team.    If you think Valpo has an attendance issue think of Loyola with 11000 undergrads.