Valpo vs. Loyola Game Thread, Mon., Dec. 30, 2019, 7:00 p.m. CT

[justducky]

It is interesting to review the season stats and in doing I found a couple of surprises.

First Mileek hasn't been fouling out on a regular basis so I had assumed his fouling was under better control. Ahh. yes and no  Last year he was called for a foul every 4.8 minutes on the floor and it has only been reduced to one every 5.3 minutes. Also Sackey is not our worst 3 point shooter.    Daniel sits squarely at 25% while McMillan is at 23.1% compared to 31.3% in 18-19. What gives?

[valpolaw]

It seems like an eternity since our last game.  Would be great to start the conference season with a win over Loyola.

Any word on Fazekas?  All I've seen is "progressing nicely"   

[wh]

Early spread: EVEN

https://www.oddsshark.com/ncaab/loyola-chicago-valparaiso-odds-december-30-2019-1194332

Current spread: Valpo +3

[NativeCheesehead]

Loyola has been up and down, Valpo has been up and down, it's 1 of 18 in conference play, and we're still missing our best shooter(I assume). But it's going to be hard to not have an outsized reaction to this one.

[Just Sayin]

Early spread: EVEN https://www.oddsshark.com/ncaab/loyola-chicago-valparaiso-odds-december-30-2019-1194332

Current spread: Valpo +3

If they are +3 that means an underdog in odds-maker lingo.
On that same page in your link, Loyola is shown to have a 57% chance of winning.
And the predicted score is Loyola 69.4 Valpo 64.4

[VUBBFan]

It seems like an eternity since our last game.  Would be great to start the conference season with a win over Loyola. Any word on Fazekas?  All I've seen is "progressing nicely"   

He was supposedly going to have scans/x-rays done on his wrist at the end of last week to determine how he was healing. Then the Doctors could make  a prognosis on his recovery and timetable for his return (or no return). So I imagine the coaching staff has a good idea of what is happening with him now. As to when we find out well .......   Feeling hopeful that we see him back on the court very soon.

[vu72]

Looks like a very solid crowd .  I counted 84 seats available in chairbacks and 10 in reserved.  Upstairs looks about half full but should have a decent walk-up though the weather might keep some away. 4000 sounds about right.

[justducky]

Upstairs looks about half full but should have a decent walk-up though the weather might keep some away. 4000 sounds about right.

If no snow but a windy 32 temp keeps you home then its time for you to permanently move south. I may show up in shorts and a teeshirt. If you've got 4000 I'll go with 4060.

[Just Sayin]

Latest Predictions:

BPI:
Loyola by 1.5

Warren Nolan:
R1 Win Probability: Loyola 58%
ELO Win Probability: Loyola 51%

Massey Ratings:
Win Probability: 50%/50%; Predicted Score: Valpo 69 Loyola 68

RealTimeRPI: Will RealTimeRPI actually be in the ballpark for once?
Score: Valpo 83, Loyola 71

Pomeroy:
Win Probability: 52% Loyola
Score: Loyola 70, Valpo 69

Sagarin:
Ratings differential each team plus 3.23 for HCA to Valpo, Valpo win by 0.13 ranking margin. That's pretty damned close. 

Oddsshark Odds:
Win% Probability:  57% Loyola
Predicted score:  Loyola 69.4 Valpo 64.4

[VUSWIM08-12]

Looking forward to watching this one live, on my back to Minnesota and thought I'd stop to see a game at the ARC. Let's keep Krutwig contained and I think we'll be alright . Mileek STAY OUT OF FOUL TROUBLE.

Valpo 68
Loyola 64

[VUSWIM08-12]

Looks like the Chesterton high school band is here , whoever made that call was using the matter in between their ears ! 👏

[PlumStreetBum]

Still early... But like clockwork we're giving up a very high shooting percentage in the early going. Meanwhile Loyola is showing that defense travels. Sigh...

[NativeCheesehead]

Love me some Kiser, but he is completely outmatched tonight.

[mj]

Our offense looks all of out sorts.

[valpolaw]

Still within reach. I wish we would take it to the hoop more instead of launching a bunch of 3s

Glad to see Gordon back in there

[wh]

We could not have played worse, yet we're only down by 7. Gives me hope for the 2nd half.

[VUGrad1314]

I hear Doug Elgin is at the game... Is this bad for us? Is he auditing us to reconsider our standing in the MVC?

[wh]

Still within reach. I wish we would take it to the hoop more instead of launching a bunch of 3s

Glad to see Gordon back in there

Our 3 bigs have launched 5 of our 14 3's. Those might as well be 5 TO's. If they can't score in the post, don't shoot the ball. Period.

[may know]

VUGrad, he's up in the corner above the concessions. Walk by and yell "Add Murray State!!!"

[VUGrad1314]

Gladly if I wasn't out of town for the new year. I just hope they don't add Murray State at our expense...

[mj]

Two horrendous calls on Kiser to start the second half. 

[crusadermoe]

Yes, major blown call gives them 3 free throws!  Very impressed that these guys keep their cool.

[PlumStreetBum]

We could not have played worse, yet we're only down by 7. Gives me hope for the 2nd half.

Still within reach. I wish we would take it to the hoop more instead of launching a bunch of 3s Glad to see Gordon back in there

These viewpoints seemed a lot more reasonable 5 or 6 games ago. We're a known quantity now. This shouldn't be 'within reach', it should've been tied at the half, but we took bad shots and gave up easy ones, like we do every single game in the early going. Lottich needs to find a way to get his guys ready to play a full 40, or we're a Thursday team again.

[VUGrad1314]

What do we do? We're recruiting better and there's really slow upward progress but we're just not good enough right now...

[oklahomamick]

We are young, we will get better.