Game #1 vs Toledo Tuesday 11/05 7:00 PM ESPN3

valporun · November 05, 2019, 10:38:24 PM

It was great seeing this as a team win. It didn't have to be left to one or two people to take it into their hands to decide it. In the past, we had too many games where the results depended too much on one or two people. This game saw everyone put in some kind of effort to keep us going in the first half. Being down 21-7, we could have folded, but the right cards were played when needed, and we had the right pieces in when the game counted.

talksalot · November 05, 2019, 10:41:57 PM

The Band? Tonight was the Rehearsal for the Christ College Presentation. There were not enough members to compile a band. They should be back for the game against the Fighting Hawks on the 17th at 1:30pm.

PlumStreetBum · November 05, 2019, 11:12:09 PM

Quote from: talksalot on November 05, 2019, 10:41:57 PM
The Band? Tonight was the Rehearsal for the Christ College Presentation. There were not enough members to compile a band. They should be back for the game against the Fighting Hawks on the 17th at 1:30pm.

This might be the most Valpo thing I've ever seen in writing.

vufan75 · November 06, 2019, 12:09:24 AM

Quote from: talksalot on November 05, 2019, 10:41:57 PM
The Band? Tonight was the Rehearsal for the Christ College Presentation. There were not enough members to compile a band. They should be back for the game against the Fighting Hawks on the 17th at 1:30pm.

Thanks for info talksalot. Was wondering about the pep band. Amazing that scheduling peeps at Christ College and Athletics Dept couldn't work out having a pep band for opening night of the college basketball season!! Signature sport at Valpo gets little respect again. Disappointing to see that. Wonder how many other D1 schools won't have their pep band at their home openers?

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vusupporter · November 06, 2019, 12:25:04 AM

Down 9-0 87 seconds in.

Down 21-7 6:32 in.

Against an NIT team from last year which is picked to win its division of the MAC.

After losing transfers in the offseason to Iowa, Cincinnati and Butler.

End result: a W.

Hey, this year could be fun!

vusupporter · November 06, 2019, 12:27:15 AM

And hey, how about those stats updating in nearly real-time on the video board!

PlumStreetBum · November 06, 2019, 01:05:43 AM

QuoteWas wondering about the pep band. Amazing that scheduling peeps at Christ College and Athletics Dept couldn't work out having a pep band for opening night of the college basketball season!! Signature sport at Valpo gets little respect again. Disappointing to see that. Wonder how many other D1 schools won't have their pep band at their home openers?

As a CC alum, the only MBB game I missed in 4 years was for this production (I was an actor and a member of the pit orchestra). I don't regret it. At a university of our size, sometimes you have to make that kind of choice, but the opportunity to be a Crusader is worth it!

justducky · November 06, 2019, 01:57:20 AM

Quote from: VUBBFan on October 30, 2019, 04:32:29 PMTrying my first game thread.

You will be trying your second game thread for Saint Louis

and no, this not something we are going to debate!

bbtds · November 06, 2019, 05:07:23 AM

QuoteShould Lottich keep his job?

Quote from: VUGrad1314 on March 19, 2019, 03:51:04 PM
NO! Go away Matt! And don't touch anything else on your way out lest you ruin it too! It might take a decade to recover from just two years of his "coaching." We have disgraced ourselves. We have disgraced the MVC and unlike Loyola we have no plan to get better. They could have had Murray State and been close to their goal of being a multibid league. I feel bad for the MVC. We only got in because we're private and we have done nothing but embarrass the conference. I am sorry on behalf of Valpo MVC.

That was a short decade!

Maybe a bit of an over reaction?

Congratulations to EddieCabot for keeping a level head

Quote from: EddieCabot on March 19, 2019, 03:55:36 PM
I'd hope that the AD is getting feedback from the players leaving to better understand the underlying cause. I'm not making any judgments until I see what the roster looks like next Fall.

humbleopinion · November 06, 2019, 05:16:33 AM

Quote from: talksalot on November 05, 2019, 10:41:57 PM
The Band? Tonight was the Rehearsal for the Christ College Presentation. There were not enough members to compile a band. They should be back for the game against the Fighting Hawks on the 17th at 1:30pm.

The CC production dress rehearsal took some freshmen. Also the jazz band has a regular gig at Duffy's on Tuesday and the Luce concert band had a rehearsal. If the band filled the north end of the student section, that end of the court would have looked pretty well filled.

Just Sayin · November 06, 2019, 05:17:48 AM

Thank you Toledo for losing and for your likely contribution to our SOS throughout the entire season.

VALPO LI · November 06, 2019, 05:28:09 AM

Yes good solid win last night Crusaders.
And yes it is still very very early in the season and yes there are still a lot of unknowns....but boy does it feel good waking up this morning knowing we just knocked off a projected high mid major team from the MAC!!!

Valpower · November 06, 2019, 06:15:16 AM

Quote from: valporun on November 05, 2019, 10:38:24 PMIt was great seeing this as a team win. It didn't have to be left to one or two people to take it into their hands to decide it. In the past, we had too many games where the results depended too much on one or two people. This game saw everyone put in some kind of effort to keep us going in the first half. Being down 21-7, we could have folded, but the right cards were played when needed, and we had the right pieces in when the game counted.

Intense defense is offense, but it's hard to pull off without depth as it can be hard on the jump shooting. Last night it was played brilliantly against a team that had fewer contributors but played an efficient shooting game (nearly 50% overall, 82% at the line, and nearly 40% from the perimeter) and an excellent game overall. A few of the Rocket faithful are writing off their season because they lost to a predicted second-to-last MVC conference finisher, but they couldn't be more wrong about their prospects or ours. They lost simply because we employed more (if less experienced) manpower towards disrupting their game. They can decry their turnovers, but that would mistakenly take away from our effort at creating them. In short, they got out-strategized and we played well.

vu72 · November 06, 2019, 08:33:08 AM

Fantastic win. Once you see the wins Toledo gets it will become clear what a big win this was. A couple of statistical observations: Mileek--28 minutes, 3 fouls, guarding a guy who will be a pro and 4 inches taller.

We had 40 rebounds to their 31. We had 18 offensive rebounds.

We had 20 assists to 14 turnovers.

VUGrad1314 · November 06, 2019, 08:35:44 AM

This is a game we would have lost last year. Heck, after the start we got off to it's a game we very possibly would have been buried in. This team showed some fight last night and scored a huge win! That does a lot for my confidence but we have another tough test in St Louis in a couple of days. If they win that one and avoid pitfall losses in the non con I will feel really good about our chances going into the MVC. If Valpo goes on a run, this could be the game that is marked as the time we turned the corner though that could possibly extend back to Arch Madness last year if we're being fair. Kudos to everyone for hanging in and playing a good team game! Go Valpo!

VULB#62 · November 06, 2019, 09:28:56 AM

In truth, we have a 6 game win streak despite this being the only regular season game in that streak. Get my drift? These kids are learning to win together regardless of the circumstances. That Canada trip is turning out to be the most pivotal point in the season so far.

M · November 06, 2019, 09:49:24 AM

Was real impressed with the defensive intensity after the first 90 seconds and after the second group piddled down their leg for their first minute of run. Loved the end of the first half where Sackey dropped #23 and we scored, then #23 got called for a charge, then he goal tended the next time down...fantastic!

Mileek really bounced back in that second half. He had several 3s that were halfway down, had a good night those would've made it a great night for him. He did a nice job staying out of foul trouble too.

Not going to lie, I went in with lower expectations and after the first 90 seconds....oye...but that first half (had to leave my son wasn't feeling well) was the most exciting basketball I've seen at the ARC in at least a few years.

I really liked our under the basket inbounds plays. Liked that they were designed to get buckets not just get the ball in.

I'm cautiously optimistic!

4throwfan · November 06, 2019, 10:00:08 AM

One thing that I think makes this team work better is the speed of Sackey. He seems to have matured since last year in how to capitalize, and make it a weapon. Sackey seems to be able to cause the opposing team defensive issues because he can get past or move away from his defender so quickly that other players need to be able to adjust in order to account. Sometimes they have to fall off of their man to help even while the ball is just then moving over the half court line. Also, he simply moves to a vacant spot so that he has a moment to collect himself and then restart the attack or simply take an open jump shot. Basically, everyone on the other team needs to worry about him while also worrying about Fazekas and Javon.

NativeCheesehead · November 06, 2019, 10:22:27 AM

It's flat out time for someone in Athletics to take responsibility for the pep band situation. There is NO excuse for such a vital part of the game day experience to be MIA when the students are in town. Now I do not blame the students for this, serious musicians in a quality program like ours can and should place certain functions above athletics, and I imagine the Duffy's gig brings funds into the program.

But for several years now the numbers have been dwindling and I can't remember the last time I heard a new song. The pep band used to be 30-40 strong and loud as heck. If it gets any smaller they will have to be mic-ed up.

I thought some really nice improvements in the game day experience were present last night (no in game commercials, on floor host running promotions) but man this is a big one for me. A loud, raucous pep band IS the college game day experience as much as anything that doesn't actually happen on the court.

VUOR63 · November 06, 2019, 10:33:04 AM

I did not get a chance to watch the game but did check the score periodically while at a banquet. My question is do you guys think they win this game if the had not played the summer schedule?

a3uge · November 06, 2019, 10:39:42 AM

Quote from: NativeCheesehead on November 06, 2019, 10:22:27 AM
It's flat out time for someone in Athletics to take responsibility for the pep band situation. There is NO excuse for such a vital part of the game day experience to be MIA when the students are in town. Now I do not blame the students for this, serious musicians in a quality program like ours can and should place certain functions above athletics, and I imagine the Duffy's gig brings funds into the program.

But for several years now the numbers have been dwindling and I can't remember the last time I heard a new song. The pep band used to be 30-40 strong and loud as heck. If it gets any smaller they will have to be mic-ed up.

I thought some really nice improvements in the game day experience were present last night (no in game commercials, on floor host running promotions) but man this is a big one for me. A loud, raucous pep band IS the college game day experience as much as anything that doesn't actually happen on the court.

This may have changed in the past 5-10 years, but the crossover between Jazz Band and the pep band is almost 0.

VUGrad1314 · November 06, 2019, 10:45:20 AM

Quote from: VUOR63 on November 06, 2019, 10:33:04 AMI did not get a chance to watch the game but did check the score periodically while at a banquet. My question is do you guys think they win this game if the had not played the summer schedule?

No I think getting those games was invaluable for them.

CPkValpoFan · November 06, 2019, 11:21:58 AM

I was able to watch the entire game on ESPN. There is absolutely no comparison between this year's team and last year's. After following all the Canada games and watching this one, two thoughts come to mind. Grit and hustle. Although we have less size than last year, our offensive rebounding (though a limited sample) is superior. Offensive rebounding is about hustle and hard work and we showed that last night. It was the reason we won the game.

This team does not give up, whether in Canada or now as the season opens. Kiser was outstanding. He makes those small plays that at the end make the diff. between winning and losing a close game. Two key put backs by our freshman tallest player were huge. Donovan Clay will only get better.

This was a tremendous win against a very good team. At the start it looked like we were going to get blown out.
St. Louis will be another very tough game. Whatever happens this season, this team will be exciting to watch and I think will surprise many.

By the way, the team picked to roll through the Valley, Missouri State, got beaten last night my Arkansas Little Rock. No team in the Valley is unbeatable and this makes for an interesting year.

I would love for the doubters about Valpo and their coach be proven wrong.

crusader05 · November 06, 2019, 12:44:12 PM

Can't speak for yesterday but the Pep Band had a really good showing during the exhibition game and I heard that they are heavily recruiting and focusing on younger students (which could be why CC took a hit since the production is a freshman thing).

I heard that between the freshman production there were 2 other band things (jazz and some other concert band practice) so it could have just been that they decided rather than have a smalls showing it was better not to come.

How were the cheer leaders and dance team. At the Exhibition they seemed more active than usual and more eagerly engaging the audience during time outs.

VUBBFan · November 06, 2019, 01:09:42 PM

Quote from: crusader05 on November 06, 2019, 12:44:12 PMHow were the cheer leaders and dance team. At the Exhibition they seemed more active than usual and more eagerly engaging the audience during time outs.

It seems they may have been pushed back a little by new time out live entertainment games. Making for fewer opportunities to perform. I might have been caught up in the game, but I didn't notice them out on the floor that much.