Game #16 Valpo vs Bradley 1/8/19 @ ARC 7pm espn+

[VULB#62]

Yep, all of that.

He's talking about the families in the community outside the university. Personally I think it's a bit of a poor potential excuse. The games don't end THAT late.

What, only three days into the new semester?  They probably haven't even gone to all their classes yet!

I think some of you are being overly conservative with your attendance guesses. In light of the buzzer beater and the performance against Missouri State anything less than the Illinois State number which was also a midweek game would be a massive disappointment and the community would be the ones to blame.

Kids are back in school. Not as easy to keep them out past 9 on a school night.
If attendance is over 3,000 that has to be considered decent.

[crusadermoe]

I agree that 9pm kids out late is a lame excuse since that is when most games end. 

For other community folk w could start the beer debate again by wondering why you don't see groups of 3-4 guys going to a game.   Look around some time and see how many groups of men are attending who are not regular chairbacks?  I don't see many.  Beer tends to perk up the crowd up a bit too.

[bbtds]

I think some of you are being overly conservative with your attendance guesses. In light of the buzzer beater and the performance against Missouri State anything less than the Illinois State number which was also a midweek game would be a massive disappointment and the community would be the ones to blame.

I'll say 2830. With 5 minutes remaining against Illinois St I was close to marching out and writing off our MVC prospects and only 45 minutes of play have passed since. If we can somehow win 2 of the next 3 (Bradley, at SIU, at Loyola) it should sink in that we are a good team in a better league.

I was also writing off this conference season during the end of the Illinois State game. Thank God ISUr let us back into that game by making mistake after mistake in those last few minutes.

It has become pretty obvious that this Valpo MBB team is very hit and miss. When we play well, which has usually been on the road (UNLV, GW, MO St) we hit shots, rebound, play better defense and work the ball inside for a touch if not a score. The athleticism of guys like Freeman, Sackey, Lavender, Fazekas, sometimes Evelyn etc. finds it's way into the game. When this team is playing poorly, they miss shots, dribble too much around the perimeter, ball movement is minimal, there are weak passes inside, they fall back on defense instead of offensively rebound, are slow on defense, let the opposition out hustle them to defensive rebounds and commit too many fouls. Which team shows up at the home games always seems to be a mystery.

[VULB#62]

I think some of you are being overly conservative with your attendance guesses. In light of the buzzer beater and the performance against Missouri State anything less than the Illinois State number which was also a midweek game would be a massive disappointment and the community would be the ones to blame.

I'll say 2830. With 5 minutes remaining against Illinois St I was close to marching out and writing off our MVC prospects and only 45 minutes of play have passed since. If we can somehow win 2 of the next 3 (Bradley, at SIU, at Loyola) it should sink in that we are a good team in a better league.

I was also writing off this conference season during the end of the Illinois State game. Thank God ISUr let us back into that game by making mistake after mistake in those last few minutes.

It has become pretty obvious that this Valpo MBB team is very hit and miss. When we play well, which has usually been on the road (UNLV, GW, MO St) we hit shots, rebound, play better defense and work the ball inside for a touch if not a score. The athleticism of guys like Freeman, Sackey, Lavender, Fazekas, sometimes Evelyn etc. finds it's way into the game. When this team is playing poorly, they miss shots, dribble too much around the perimeter, ball movement is minimal, there are weak passes inside, they fall back on defense instead of offensively rebound, are slow on defense, let the opposition out hustle them to defensive rebounds and commit too many fouls. Which team shows up at the home games always seems to be a mystery.

Interesting observation and this is semi-toungue-in-cheek:  Maybe Matt should have the players stay in a hotel the night before, have them do their school work/studying in their hotel rooms, have a shoot around in the morning, go back to the hotel, have a team meeting and meal together off campus, and stay together up to the point where they all go to the locker room for pre-game.  Just like a road trip. Sure would put the focus on the game that day.  We have the budget for that, right? 

[talksalot]

What, only three days into the new semester?  They probably haven't even gone to all their classes yet!



Classes Start on Wednesday the 9th.   
                     
                  
                  
                     
                     
                     
                        

[Valpo89]

He's talking about the families in the community outside the university. Personally I think it's a bit of a poor potential excuse. The games don't end THAT late.

Based on your 1314 handle, I'm guessing you've never had kids in elementary or middle school.
When a kid has to get up at 6:30 or 7 a.m., a game ending at 9 p.m. is pretty late.

[VU2014]

I agree that 9pm kids out late is a lame excuse since that is when most games end. 

For other community folk w could start the beer debate again by wondering why you don't see groups of 3-4 guys going to a game.   Look around some time and see how many groups of men are attending who are not regular chairbacks?  I don't see many.  Beer tends to perk up the crowd up a bit too.

My college buddies try and get back to the ARC every year. We always head to bar after the game. Definitely wouldn't mind giving my $ to the University instead.

Selling alcohol at college events isn't as taboo as it use to be. A few of our fellow conference mates sell beer at games now. Hopefully the University follows suit and at least entertains the idea.

[valpopal]

Disappointed not to hear the word "Gritty" in this interview. 

[usc4valpo]

I miss the Bradley under Dick Versace. he reminded me of Bobby Heenan.

[crusader05]

The sorority recruitment schedule has been the same schedule since the late 90s so it's really not a factor and fraternity recruitment doesn't start until the second week. 

The reality is that greek life is only 30% of campus so even if every single organization was unavailable there is not reason our student section isn't packed on any given night

[VULB#62]

What, only three days into the new semester?  They probably haven't even gone to all their classes yet!

Classes Start on Wednesday the 9th.              
                     
                        

[FieldGoodie05]

The sorority recruitment schedule has been the same schedule since the late 90s so it's really not a factor and fraternity recruitment doesn't start until the second week. 

The reality is that greek life is only 30% of campus so even if every single organization was unavailable there is not reason our student section isn't packed on any given night

Respectively disagree, Greek life and athletics account for a larger than normal % of sports fans at a school like VU.

For conversation sake Greek life + athletes = 30-35% of student body as a very rough estimated.

The remainder consist of many "academics first" students who likely don't have the same social aims that a b-ball game has to offer.  My four years at VU was mostly fellow athletes and the Greek community combined with the band.

Geez, there's about a 300-500 student population that I never saw at VU outside of Sunday breakfast coming back from the chapel.  Doubtful they represent well at the ARC...

[VU2010]

1:  Valpo starting line up? Same
2:  Final Score? 57-53. Valpo with the win.
3:  Attendance? 2,786
4:  3 point percentage for Valpo? Over/Under 30%? Over
5: How many Gritty, Grit, Get Gritty signs will we see in the stands? 5
6: What will student attendance look like? (% full student section) 60%, including the band.

[wh]

Valpo starting to hit its stride in the Valley
By Dave Reynolds
of the Journal Star

https://www.pjstar.com/sports/20190107/valpo-starting-to-hit-its-stride-in-valley

[humbleopinion]

Valpo starting to hit its stride in the Valley
By Dave Reynolds
of the Journal Star

https://www.pjstar.com/sports/20190107/valpo-starting-to-hit-its-stride-in-valley

The Journal Star's coverage of Bradley's game tonight contrasts with The Times coverage which I only noticed with wh's post about Fazekas in the MBB 2018-19 thread: "Fazekas, who attended Marquette Catholic and transferred to Valparaiso from Providence, and the Crusaders play host to Bradley at 7 p.m. Tuesday."

It's hard to attract a crowd when people don't know (or aren't reminded) about the game.

[SanityLost17]

Hard game to predict tonight.  Bradley is as desperate as desperate gets for a win as their last 5 game stretch is about as dismal as it gets for what should be a very talented team.   Literally a must win situation for them.     

Last year vs. Bradley we won at home 77-64 and lost on the road 71-80.   

Both teams return most of their players from last year and I would argue Valpo got better upgrades in Fazekas/Freeman/Lavender.   

Despite the bad 5 game stretch for Bradley they still had much better quality wins in the non-con than we did.

So as usual I have no idea what to think.  I still have no clue who we really are or how good we can or can't be.  Same goes for my evaluation of them. 

I will go pessimistic view.   A desperate Bradley team pulls out the win and then we find a way to win a road game at SIU or Loyola in a big upset to offset the home loss.   

[vu72]

they still had much better quality wins in the non-con than we did.

Not to sure I agree on this.  Their quality wins are against SMU and Penn State.  SMU is 10-4 with their only quality win being against Georgetown (neutral site).  Penn State is 7-8 again on a neutral site.

Our best win was at UNLV (on the road) UNLV lost to Cincy by 5 and Illinois by 3.  We both had a few bad losses.  So, I sure wouldn't say they had "much better" non-con wins. 

[VUBBFan]

https://twitter.com/AlBillets/status/1082703587757776896

[Pgmado]

Valpo starting to hit its stride in the Valley
By Dave Reynolds
of the Journal Star

https://www.pjstar.com/sports/20190107/valpo-starting-to-hit-its-stride-in-valley

The Journal Star's coverage of Bradley's game tonight contrasts with The Times coverage which I only noticed with wh's post about Fazekas in the MBB 2018-19 thread: "Fazekas, who attended Marquette Catholic and transferred to Valparaiso from Providence, and the Crusaders play host to Bradley at 7 p.m. Tuesday."

It's hard to attract a crowd when people don't know (or aren't reminded) about the game.

It is very frustrating. I've gone from an era where every men's and women's game received a preview/feature leading up to it and every road game within driving distance was covered in person. The women's coverage started falling off several years ago when the team started to struggle in Freeman's final years. Now barely all of the home games are covered. I'd write preview/features for every men's game if I was asked. The numbers (page clicks) apparently aren't there or perhaps there is another reason. My guess is that a Lowell/Griffith high school game would get more clicks than a Valpo preview story. Perhaps that's why we don't write as much. I don't know.

[justducky]

A desperate Bradley team pulls out the win and then we find a way to win a road game at SIU or Loyola in a big upset to offset the home loss.   
                     
                  
                  
                     
                     
                     
                        

This could certainly happen. With Jay and the team now rounding into form we should be able to compete at SIU and Loyola. On the other hand a letdown tonight wouldn't shock me. I see almost no chance that we sweep or get swept in these 3 games. I also view tonight as only slightly better than 50-50. Chaos theory tells me that your coin tosses should be as good as mine and I will leave it at that. 

[VALPO LI]

Ok my 
1.  Line up - it ain't broke why try to fix it!
2.  Score - grrrr I hope I'm right! 69-64 Valpo
3.  Attendance - 3,398
4.  3pt% over! 33% I hope that ball goes through the iron tonight.
5.  Gritty, Grit, Get Gritty signs - 5 signs, 1, banner over the railings and 1 painted body, - "yeah, that's right".
6.  Student section 66% full but students will still be sitting.
7.  Running out of programs? I sure hope not.  If you see "wh" empty handed please be so kind to give him yours.
8.  Ticket table will be moved after the game.
9.  Gritty, grit, get gritty chant will be started by Al
10.  No mic will be provided to the press for questions at the post game interview. - PLEASE PROVE ME WRONG!!! such an easy fix.

-Go Valpo!!!!

[IrishDawg]

they still had much better quality wins in the non-con than we did.

Not to sure I agree on this.  Their quality wins are against SMU and Penn State.  SMU is 10-4 with their only quality win being against Georgetown (neutral site).  Penn State is 7-8 again on a neutral site.

Our best win was at UNLV (on the road) UNLV lost to Cincy by 5 and Illinois by 3.  We both had a few bad losses.  So, I sure wouldn't say they had "much better" non-con wins. 

Bradley's wins against SMU (84) and Penn State (61) are better than Valpo's win against UNLV (157), even though it was on the road.  Having said that, Valpo has one bad loss (High Point), whereas Bradley has more bad losses.  The numbers next to each team are their kenpom rankings, which are typically a better judge of teams (Vegas lines are typically very close to his) than a pure record will tell you.

Either way, should be a pretty evenly matched game.

[wh]

Ok my 
1.  Line up - it ain't broke why try to fix it!
2.  Score - grrrr I hope I'm right! 69-64 Valpo
3.  Attendance - 3,398
4.  3pt% over! 33% I hope that ball goes through the iron tonight.
5.  Gritty, Grit, Get Gritty signs - 5 signs, 1, banner over the railings and 1 painted body, - "yeah, that's right".
6.  Student section 66% full but students will still be sitting.
7.  Running out of programs? I sure hope not.  If you see "wh" empty handed please be so kind to give him yours.
8.  Ticket table will be moved after the game.
9.  Gritty, grit, get gritty chant will be started by Al
10.  No mic will be provided to the press for questions at the post game interview. - PLEASE PROVE ME WRONG!!! such an easy fix.

-Go Valpo!!!!

LOL! Between the Jumbotron and live stats, programs aren't as important as they once were. That said, programs provide roster info that the others don't, such as players' heights, home towns, year in school, etc. It even gives you a feel about the opposing program's recruiting - balance among classes, recruiting radius, etc.

[justducky]

5.  Gritty, Grit, Get Gritty signs - 5 signs, 1, banner over the railings and 1 painted body, - "yeah, that's right".6.  Student section 66% full but students will still be sitting.7.  Running out of programs? I sure hope not.  If you see "wh" empty handed please be so kind to give him yours.

I don't think I would still recognize "wh" so if he could stand shirtless in the student section with "Gritty" painted on his chest and "wh" painted on his belly while enthusiastically waving a program I might go over and join him. 

[NativeCheesehead]

Would it be bad form to sit across from Wardle with a "Ryan Bross says hello" sign?

I'm kidding, of course. Probably.