UC-Riverside @ Valpo December 2 - 1PM CST

[VU2014]

13 students and 10 band members...

Are the students on break?

No

Valpo is competing directly with Bears and Colts. We also don't draw well on Sundays from the students for some reason. I really don't understand the lack of student interest the last few years. Maybe it's a loss of culture or maybe Valpo is attracting or recruiting a different type of student the last few years. But 13 students is embarrassingly low attendance... If you look around the arena you can generally see them scattered around the arena not sitting in the student section. It's been happening more frequently the last few years.

[VU2014]

This game was originally suppose to be a espn3 game but it got moved to a espn+ game for some reason. Does the MVC have any control over if it gets picked up or not?

https://twitter.com/ValleyHoops/status/1058448664635498496

[VU2014]

An explanation from a student. They are apparently all sitting in the upper-deck for some reason. My best guess is that there is a sense that the student section is in a pretty "sad" place and they know that, so they don't to want be apart of it. If the student section was flush with attendance and rocking they would want to sit there.

https://twitter.com/jnordbrock23/status/1069314389054869504
https://twitter.com/jnordbrock23/status/1069319814701821952

[historyman]

Seems to me I've never wanted to sit behind the basket at any bball game. It's not good seating in my opinion.

Maybe we could put the students in section E or F (if E is too close to the opposition bench).

[FieldGoodie05]

 

13 students and 10 band members...

dead horse


Are the students on break?

No

Valpo is competing directly with Bears and Colts. We also don't draw well on Sundays from the students for some reason. I really don't understand the lack of student interest the last few years. Maybe it's a loss of culture or maybe Valpo is attracting or recruiting a different type of student the last few years. But 13 students is embarrassingly low attendance... If you look around the arena you can generally see them scattered around the arena not sitting in the student section. It's been happening more frequently the last few years.

[VU2014]

13 students and 10 band members...

dead horse


Are the students on break?

No

Valpo is competing directly with Bears and Colts. We also don't draw well on Sundays from the students for some reason. I really don't understand the lack of student interest the last few years. Maybe it's a loss of culture or maybe Valpo is attracting or recruiting a different type of student the last few years. But 13 students is embarrassingly low attendance... If you look around the arena you can generally see them scattered around the arena not sitting in the student section. It's been happening more frequently the last few years.

It may be beating dead horse but it's absolutely worth talking about. It's a glaring concern for this athletics dept and for the future of this fan-base.

Considering out of all of Paul's tweets today this one got the most engagement it's a concern to the fan-base and it absolutely reflects poorly on the fan-base, school, athletics dept, and team. I'd like to hear Paul address it on the next Union Street Hoops episode. He's a professor and sees these students everyday on campus so he'd know better than any of us on this board. Has the student body really changed that much over the course of the last few years?

https://twitter.com/NWIOren/status/1069306540589547526

[M]

There's maybe 8 students up here.

[VU2014]

82-73 win for Valpo. Good offensive performance but the defense wasn't great. UCR shot well from 3 in the game which was what kept them in the game. Valpo shot 50% from 3. Valpo won the rebound battle today.

I expected Valpo to pull away earlier but they kept hanging around till the very end.

[govalpogo]

...Obviously OBVIOUSLY prefer this result to last year's debacle.  Who was it that thought these frustrating close games are better than the blowouts they should be?  Guh.  This is a dangerous tendency to allow teams life, that Valpo has gotten away with thus far.  Perhaps teams have a tendency to shoot better than normal when they play us, felt like UCR shot well (haven't looked at stats) down the stretch and would not go away...feel the same about SIUe. 

Perhaps Valpo has some extra trouble at home because their are no crowds to apply added pressure.  At 30-18, you want the noise of the students and their cheers/jeers to give that sinking feeling to the other team.  All our opponents have to do is wait 2 seconds after a basket and the place is essentially neutral.  Being so far away is very frustrating to see interest dwindle, especially among students.  Of course, winning is the best medicine, and they at least did that when all is said and done today.

[vu84v2]

Here is a reason why students did not attend the game...Valpo was playing UC-Riverside! I know that the Highlanders put up a good game, but you are not going to attract student interest if you are playing a weak lower major D1 team. This is even more so when the game is on Sunday, as students have work to get done for Monday and there is competition from the Bears and the Colts (both of whom are losing to 3-8 teams). When I and a few others saw this awful home schedule come out, this was our fear of what would happen. The students haven't changed...it is just that the schedule told them, "don't bother coming out until the MVC schedule in January because we (for whatever reason) have not scheduled anyone worth coming out to see." Some people might try to blame marketing at Valpo, but you cannot market an awful product (i.e. a completely non-interesting opponent).

[VU2014]

The students haven't changed...it is just that the schedule told them, "don't bother coming out until the MVC schedule in January because we (for whatever reason) have not scheduled anyone worth coming out to see." Some people might try to blame marketing at Valpo, but you cannot market an awful product (i.e. a completely non-interesting opponent).

Scheduling isn't as simple as you make it out to be. The coaches make all the phone calls to get higher profile teams to come play here but the coaching staff gets shot down at a very high rate. Scheduling is different than it was even 6-8 years ago. P5s don't want to travel or play on the road so it causes a trickle down affect.

I think our issues are deeper than just scheduling. The basketball student culture feels lost.

[vu84v2]

The students haven't changed...it is just that the schedule told them, "don't bother coming out until the MVC schedule in January because we (for whatever reason) have not scheduled anyone worth coming out to see." Some people might try to blame marketing at Valpo, but you cannot market an awful product (i.e. a completely non-interesting opponent).

Scheduling isn't as simple as you make it out to be. They coaches make all the phone calls to get higher profile teams to come play here but the coaching staff gets shot down at a very high rate. Scheduling is different than it was even 6-8 years ago. P5s don't want to travel or play on the road so it causes a trickle down affect.

I think our issues are deeper than just scheduling. The basketball student culture feels lost.

Valpo inexcusably scheduled home and homes with two of the worst D1 teams in the country - SIU-E and UC-Riverside. That locked in two games this season against opponents that students are not going to come out for. The 'best' home game is against Ball State and you've got not one, but two non-D1 opponents. Students want to get excited, but what is there to get excited about? Don't think about that question from your perspective - think about it from the students' perspective.

Regardless of which position you choose to take, the basketball staff is doing a poor job of scheduling or it is just too difficult to get quality opponents, you end up in the same place - a product that is not compelling with few students willing to commit time to attend the game. It is no different than business, you can have all the reasons in the world why your product doesn't have features or you can't sufficiently lower your costs - but regardless of the reason, the customers choose to go elsewhere. Valpo has to take ownership of this scheduling issue or the problem will just continue or get worse.

[Smj]

Whatever...  I never looked at the opponent to decide if i would support my team when I was a student.   If there was a game - I went...

Sent from my SM-G955U using Tapatalk

[vu84v2]

And the devoted fan would go regardless of the opponent...but I would argue that most students at Valpo are fans, but not devoted. They've always been that way and they are that way at pretty much all other schools (the exception being places like Kansas and Duke).

Look at Marquette in the last several weeks. They played Charleston Southern on Tuesday. Had maybe 100 students in the student section (undergraduate population is 8000 and Charleston Southern is a better opponent than UC-Riverside). Maybe 200 students in the student section at the previous home game against Presbyterian. Yesterday against Kansas State - probably half of the entire undergraduate student population. Students know who the opponents are and make decisions accordingly.

[M]

If Sackey ever finds his jump shot watch out

[NativeCheesehead]

Going to be really embarrassing when Loyola shows up here with more students and those stupid scarfs than we've had all season.

[justducky]

A low foul, low turn over (11) game with 44 vs 22 points in the paint. Sakey again showing us why he will become a special player.

Think what you want but I am curious if Matt had intended to play either McMillan or Kiser. John only entered when there was a need for him at defense and he got 2 minutes only. Mileek did not play at all and neither saw the floor at UNLV. Absent some type of hand slap misbehavior in sin city I would have expected to see brief appearances by each in both games. BUT!  Even if I am right, "what happens in Vegas- stays in Vegas". 

[Smj]

If Sackey ever finds his jump shot watch out

He is so fast....

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[vusupporter]

A low foul, low turn over (11) game with 44 vs 22 points in the paint. Sakey again showing us why he will become a special player.

Think what you want but I am curious if Matt had intended to play either McMillan or Kiser. John only entered when there was a need for him at defense and he got 2 minutes only. Mileek did not play at all and neither saw the floor at UNLV. Absent some type of hand slap misbehavior in sin city I would have expected to see brief appearances by each in both games. BUT!  Even if I am right, "what happens in Vegas- stays in Vegas". 

Do you also believe we faked the moon landings?

It's simple - there's 80 minutes at the 4 and the 5. With Sorolla back, him and Smits are splitting the minutes at the 5. Golder and Fazekas are splitting the minutes at the 4.

[4throwfan]

Nice win.

Nice to see some offensive improvement from some players, who needed to improve.

Were some defensive lapses, which need to be reduced.

I was disappointed that when Valpo set up the trusty homerun play, UCR seemed ready for it, so a short inbound pass was made instead.  Would like to hope that we can still rely on that.  Nice trusty icing on the cake for the home fans.

[VUGrad1314]

Going to be really embarrassing when Loyola shows up here with more students and those stupid scarfs than we've had all season.

To be fair, classes end in five days and finals start in 8. Students probably have a ton of work to finish and as has already been mentioned this game went directly up against prominent local football teams. Add to that a game against a program only this board the coaches and players and the Happening Hoops guys have ever even heard of and you do not have a good recipe for attendance. That said this was still our highest attended game since the exhibition which drew 2256 people a number no game has yet equalled. Here are the reported numbers:

Ex vs Indianapolis 2256

Opening night vs Concordia 2098

Nov 21 vs  SIUE 1940 (day before thanksgiving)

Dec 2 UC-Riverside  2112

High Point  and Ball State should be better but High Point has struggled a bit and  even the Ball State game is up against what should be a good Monday Night Football game which might keep a few people home (No local team is playing so  maybe I'll be wrong about this).

Part of me wonders if perhaps the team is still being punished for the UINDY game but we probably won't break 3000 until conference play. Hopefully I'm wrong and attendance will start to pick up now that we seem to have righted the ship and are on a bit of a winning streak. I think if we can get to the Ball State game at 7-3 that might get attendance back on track. Hopefully we can finish OOC play 10-3 or 9-4 and build a little excitement for Conference play. Go Valpo!

[crusader05]

I think the whole it's fallen out of a student culture is a big thing. The Basketball team threw a pizza party in one of the first year dorms last night and we still didn't see a huge turn out. Better opponents might help, better outreach might help, but if the students don't want to come (and attendance is down in general I believe) it's going to take a student led push to get it back. The Athletic Department  might look to seriously woo Greek Life to get them in the stands regularly

[VUGrad1314]

I think that might be the best and most significant positive step we could make. Do whatever it takes to get the fraternities and sororities to come to games frequently.

[justducky]

Do you also believe we faked the moon landings?

What moon landing?

It's simple - there's 80 minutes at the 4 and the 5. With Sorolla back, him and Smits are splitting the minutes at the 5. Golder and Fazekas are splitting the minutes at the 4.

Well I know how coaches think and I can also remember how young men can think. So lets look back to last season. Mileek started 18 games and appeared in all 32. John started 3, appeared in 26 and did not play only during the 6 game Jan stretch when he was injured. I also seem to remember chef raving about McMillan playing in October practice like he was a different kid. So he started game #1 and by games #6 and 7 he doesn't even see the floor    I don't think so.   and I am sure that everybody on the board who regularly works with kids is also scratching their heads.

Coaches regularly put players in the doghouse and it is not our business to ask for explanations for everything. I trust Matt because we hired him to do the thinking. 

[VU2014]

I think the whole it's fallen out of a student culture is a big thing. The Basketball team threw a pizza party in one of the first year dorms last night and we still didn't see a huge turn out. Better opponents might help, better outreach might help, but if the students don't want to come (and attendance is down in general I believe) it's going to take a student led push to get it back. The Athletic Department  might look to seriously woo Greek Life to get them in the stands regularly

Greek Life probably has a lot to do with it. I don't see many Greek letters in the stands anymore. Not sure what can be done. It may need to be a grassroots effort to restore the student section but the Athletics Dept could aid any group if necessary. That's essentially how Loyola's student section got rebuilt (and it happened before Final 4 run).

Here is a good article explaining it: http://loyolaphoenix.com/2018/02/students-take-notice-ramblers-success/

Students Take Notice of Ramblers Success
By Kyle Brown
Published February 28, 2018 12:30 p.m. CT

As the final buzzer sounded in Loyola's 68-61 victory over Illinois State, Gentile Arena fans gave the Ramblers a standing ovation. The game further separated Loyola from the rest of the Missouri Valley Conference (MVC) and marked the first time Gentile Arena has sold out since 2003.

The 4,963 people who showed up for the last home game of the year was a dramatic increase from the previous high of 3,592 earlier in the season against Missouri State University.

Loyola having its best season in 33 years played a large part in increased attendance, but another key factor is the growth of The Pack, Loyola's official student section. The Pack is led by Marty Breslin, a junior double-majoring in finance and sport management, who also interns in the athletics department.

"We thought this year The Pack's main objective would be to get people to the game," Breslin said. "But, we realized like half way through the year that people were going to come [and] we were going to get all of these students there and now it was about keeping them engaged and making them as loud as possible."

With steady growing attendance, Breslin said The Pack was able to shift its focus from drawing fans into the stadium to making more noise and energy during the game. One of the ways it went about this was the creation of the "Rambler Rules," which are five "rules" for students to follow to keep them engaged all game while also creating a rowdy environment for the visiting team. The rules include being as loud as possible, not sitting down during the game and yelling "You let the whole team down," whenever an opponent misses a free throw.

The combination of the Ramblers' success and the increased energy at the games has created a buzz around campus; this year has been special and students are taking notice.

Marisa Dickens, a sophomore dance and film major, said she's attended a few games this season.

"There has been a lot more participation in the game," Dickens said. "I performed a dance piece at halftime of one of the games and there were a lot of fans which was cool."

One way Loyola and The Pack have been able to build up student attendance and involvement is by creating unique opportunities for student participation within the game such as launching fake burritos for a Chipotle gift card, displaying unique talents such as the dance Dickens performed and shooting baskets in hopes of winning free books for a semester.

Students are aware of the impact this season is having on Loyola as a whole.

"It says that we have a lot of diverse different groups that can perform well and are a good representation of Loyola, not just in academics but athletics as well," sophomore accounting major Paul Zougras said.

Breslin said he's excited about the future of The Pack. He's set for early graduation next fall, so he won't be as involved next season. However, he remains optimistic The Pack is in good hands and will continue to grow.

"Considering where we are setting the bar, I am so excited for where we can go from here," Breslin said. "We didn't know what we were going to end up with. We knew we were going to have a good team, people were going to show up, but we didn't know that they're going to show up in this many numbers and with this passion."

The student section got relocated behind the scorers table: http://loyolaphoenix.com/2017/11/nick-knacks-students-need-start-showing-loyola-games/