MBB 2019-2020

[oklahomamick]

I agree with that statement but also would add that the team hasn't been winning like the Rowdy/Vashil teams either. 

[VU2014]

I agree with that statement but also would add that the team hasn't been winning like the Rowdy/Vashil teams either. 

AP, Jubril, Lexus, Shane's Final year was pretty dang good until multiple injuries (mid season suspensions, etc) dismantled the season.

But point taken. I was on campus for the Rowdy years that team was always on campus and I'd see those guys at a few parties here and there as well (want to emphasize rarely and only after the season ended). It does sound like the team has been a bit more to themselves in recent years, but I can't really confirm that because I'm no longer on campus. Good to hear this new team could potentially be more engaging with the student body

[bbtds]

That is encouraging...and one really really long sentence.

Yes, but except for one typo he spelled everything correctly so it's steps in the right direction.

[crusader05]

Welcome to the stream of consciousness in my head. I'm usually jumping on here in bits and pieces when I have a second and so, occasionally, post quickly and without much proofing.

Apologies to our resident grammar police as I'm sure that post gave quite the headache, but I had just heard the feedback and wanted to share it.

[EddieCabot]

The full schedule has been released.  Lots of Saturday home MVC games this year.   

http://www.valpoathletics.com/mbasketball/news/2019-20/19243/valpo-basketball-schedules-finalized-as-mvc-unveils-conference-slate/

[FWalum]

Really liking all of those Saturday home conference games! Much easier to come up, go to a game and see the niece and nephew. Also takes the pressure off if the weather is bad with being able to spend the night and drive home on Sunday. 

[crusadermoe]

They used to call it "The Valpo Paragraph."   Might 05 be a grad?

[VALPO LI]

I like this MVC schedule! Only one home game when students are on break and it's vs Loyola where we have drawn a good crowd in the past from Chicago. 
Then our next four home games are on weekends!!!
Drake (Sat)
Indiana St. (Sat)
Evansville (Sun)
Illinois St. (Sat)
This should get fans excited!!!!

[vu84v2]

I like this MVC schedule! Only one home game when students are on break and it's vs Loyola where we have drawn a good crowd in the past from Chicago. 
Then our next four home games are on weekends!!!
Drake (Sat)
Indiana St. (Sat)
Evansville (Sun)
Illinois St. (Sat)
This should get fans excited!!!!

The weekend home games are great, but Loyola at home when school is not in session is a definite negative. Few people are going to come down unless Valpo generates some significant buzz in the non-conference season.

[FieldGoodie05]

I like this MVC schedule! Only one home game when students are on break and it's vs Loyola where we have drawn a good crowd in the past from Chicago. 
Then our next four home games are on weekends!!!
Drake (Sat)
Indiana St. (Sat)
Evansville (Sun)
Illinois St. (Sat)
This should get fans excited!!!!

The weekend home games are great, but Loyola at home when school is not in session is a definite negative. Few people are going to come down unless Valpo generates some significant buzz in the non-conference season.

Is Loyola projected to be top dog this year?

[oklahomamick]

I think its Missouri St.

[valpopal]

I like this MVC schedule! Only one home game when students are on break and it's vs Loyola where we have drawn a good crowd in the past from Chicago. 
Then our next four home games are on weekends!!!
Drake (Sat)
Indiana St. (Sat)
Evansville (Sun)
Illinois St. (Sat)
This should get fans excited!!!!

The weekend home games are great, but Loyola at home when school is not in session is a definite negative. Few people are going to come down unless Valpo generates some significant buzz in the non-conference season.

Valpo hosts Loyola while students are away for Christmas break, but Loyola gets to host Valpo 2/9, while school is in session. Not only does this seem unfair, but it appears dumb. One of the best features that creates interest, energy, and attendance is the development of rivalries. The most natural rivalry for Valpo in the MVC is Loyola. It benefits the conference to encourage such a rivalry. This is so obvious that I have to wonder why it was not a consideration for the conference scheduling committee. Common sense!


For Valpo, after a poorly scheduled non-conference home lineup during fall semester that will do nothing to energize students, leading off the spring semester with a home game against rival Loyola would have been a much needed boost, which would help with attendance and also be good for the conference. Why can't the schedulers be smart?

[NativeCheesehead]

To be fair, we've done nothing in this conference for either Loyola, or the MVC, to consider us Loyola's rival.

[VULB#62]

Good arguments, Pal. Question:  how hard does Valpo lobby within MVC circles for this sort of thing?  Or do we just accept what the powers that be give us? I would think that if Loyola and Valpo, recognizing the benefits of packed houses at both venues in the Chicagoland market, got together on this and pushed for it, it would happen.

[FieldGoodie05]

To be fair, we've done nothing in this conference for either Loyola, or the MVC, to consider us Loyola's rival.

Bingo!!!  We must earn this...

[crusaderjoe]

I like this MVC schedule! Only one home game when students are on break and it's vs Loyola where we have drawn a good crowd in the past from Chicago. 
Then our next four home games are on weekends!!!
Drake (Sat)
Indiana St. (Sat)
Evansville (Sun)
Illinois St. (Sat)
This should get fans excited!!!!

The weekend home games are great, but Loyola at home when school is not in session is a definite negative. Few people are going to come down unless Valpo generates some significant buzz in the non-conference season.

Valpo hosts Loyola while students are away for Christmas break, but Loyola gets to host Valpo 2/9, while school is in session. Not only does this seem unfair, but it appears dumb. One of the best features that creates interest, energy, and attendance is the development of rivalries. The most natural rivalry for Valpo in the MVC is Loyola. It benefits the conference to encourage such a rivalry. This is so obvious that I have to wonder why it was not a consideration for the conference scheduling committee. Common sense!


For Valpo, after a poorly scheduled non-conference home lineup during fall semester that will do nothing to energize students, leading off the spring semester with a home game against rival Loyola would have been a much needed boost, which would help with attendance and also be good for the conference. Why can't the schedulers be smart?

Historically, Valpo has played Evansville and Indiana State more often than it has played Loyola.  Given this, as well as taking together the instate tie-in, I'm not sure that I completely agree with you.

[EddieCabot]

I like this MVC schedule! Only one home game when students are on break and it's vs Loyola where we have drawn a good crowd in the past from Chicago. 
Then our next four home games are on weekends!!!
Drake (Sat)
Indiana St. (Sat)
Evansville (Sun)
Illinois St. (Sat)
This should get fans excited!!!!

The weekend home games are great, but Loyola at home when school is not in session is a definite negative. Few people are going to come down unless Valpo generates some significant buzz in the non-conference season.

Valpo hosts Loyola while students are away for Christmas break, but Loyola gets to host Valpo 2/9, while school is in session. Not only does this seem unfair, but it appears dumb. One of the best features that creates interest, energy, and attendance is the development of rivalries. The most natural rivalry for Valpo in the MVC is Loyola. It benefits the conference to encourage such a rivalry. This is so obvious that I have to wonder why it was not a consideration for the conference scheduling committee. Common sense!


For Valpo, after a poorly scheduled non-conference home lineup during fall semester that will do nothing to energize students, leading off the spring semester with a home game against rival Loyola would have been a much needed boost, which would help with attendance and also be good for the conference. Why can't the schedulers be smart?

I understand that to get all the games in, some MVC games have to take place while students are off campus, with most teams playing 2 or 3 conference games before the start of 2nd semester.  The MVC would be smart to avoid rivalry games during this time.  For example, Valpo could play games against Missouri State and Drake, which are likely going to be sparsely attended no matter when they're played.  These are also more challenging games for travel, so the teams could get these out of the way before the players have started classes.

[VALPO LI]

So what defines a rivalry?
Who exactly is our rival school?
I struggle with this question.
Close proximity to another school?
Instate team?
Amount of times played?
Largest crowd drawn to that game played?
All of the above or some of the above.
Or are we to new to the conference to have a rivalry?

[vuny98]

So what defines a rivalry? Who exactly is our rival school? I struggle with this question. Close proximity to another school? Instate team? Amount of times played? Largest crowd drawn to that game played? All of the above or some of the above. Or are we to new to the conference to have a rivalry?

Question may also be, who would the other school view as their rival. We may have more of historical claim to have Indiana State or Evansville as a rival but would they view us that way. And who would Loyola view as a rival in conference? Illinois State, us, Bradley, Southern Ill?

I tend to say we make the most sense to Loyola and they make the most sense to us (both from Horizon, both last two added, closest to each other, same general market, etc.) but it may be too new to really call them our Rival.

[elephtheria47]

And, do the previous attendance numbers support the "packed house" notion? If the MVC can have the top competitive and/or the highly attended teams in prime time, then we need to  prove that we deserve the same consideration. I think we will take a step this season. I did find it odd they are having us play Loyola over break, when we're so close together. Hopefully the fans show up.

[NativeCheesehead]

I highly doubt we see any packed houses this year unless we get started well in conference and rolling into February. Not enough home games until January to get the casual fan invested, and our last two years didn't exactly bring many new faces to the ARC.

[vuny98]

I highly doubt we see any packed houses this year unless we get started well in conference and rolling into February. Not enough home games until January to get the casual fan invested, and our last two years didn't exactly bring many new faces to the ARC.

But..

S - A - T - U - R - D - A - Y   NIGHT!

The power of a Saturday night game is big to get students and casual fans in the door. Hopefully we are playing decent when those games roll around.

[VALPO LI]

I highly doubt we see any packed houses this year unless we get started well in conference and rolling into February. Not enough home games until January to get the casual fan invested, and our last two years didn't exactly bring many new faces to the ARC.

But..

S - A - T - U - R - D - A - Y   NIGHT!

The power of a Saturday night game is big to get students and casual fans in the door. Hopefully we are playing decent when those games roll around.

And hopefully those games are played at night.
Now all I see is TBD

[NativeCheesehead]

Live from the ARC..... It's Saturday Night Basketball!!!!!

[bbtds]

To be fair, we've done nothing in this conference for either Loyola, or the MVC, to consider us Loyola's rival.

Bingo!!!  We must earn this...

Just like the soldier, played by Matt Damon, who lost 3 brothers in WWII, in Saving Private Ryan.