Crusaders at No.22 Loyola, Wed., 2/17/21, 7p CT

[wh]

The Ramblers are 20-point favorites for Valpo/Loyola 2.0. This is the biggest underdog spread I can recall against a conference opponent, going all the way back to our Mid Con days.

I hope I'm wrong, but I have almost no glass-half-full optimism about this one.

[usc4valpo]

Ramble on...

[covufan]

The Ramblers are 20-point favorites for Valpo/Loyola 2.0. This is the biggest underdog spread I can recall against a conference opponent, going all the way back to our Mid Con days.

I hope I'm wrong, but I have almost no glass-half-full optimism about this one.

I thought the Smith years were all 20 point dogs


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[wh]

The Ramblers are 20-point favorites for Valpo/Loyola 2.0. This is the biggest underdog spread I can recall against a conference opponent, going all the way back to our Mid Con days.

I hope I'm wrong, but I have almost no glass-half-full optimism about this one.

I thought the Smith years were all 20 point dogs

LOL! Probably true. I wasn't thinking quite that far back. I started taking Valpo basketball seriously when Dave Redmon and Casey Schmidt arrived on the scene in the early '90's.

[justducky]

If Matt has a masterminded adjustment for Loyola then he should probably sit on it until the MVC tournament.    So if he sits on adjustment plan A then we could see adjustments B and C and crazy experiment X and that 20 point spread could quickly grow to 35.    I'm not a sports betting guy but I think I just predicted that those 20 points look pretty comfortable.

[usc4valpo]

Tom Smith losing big at Hilltop - such great memories...

[bbtds]

If Matt has a masterminded adjustment for Loyola then he should probably sit on it until the MVC tournament.    So if he sits on adjustment plan A then we could see adjustments B and C and crazy experiment X and that 20 point spread could quickly grow to 35.    I'm not a sports betting guy but I think I just predicted that those 20 points look pretty comfortable.

I think you must remember that this team almost beat Drake twice, albeit it was probably during a Drake slump, but almost anything can happen. Don't count any team completely out in the MVC. 

[oklahomamick]

Wait, this is the same Loyola that was in the Horizon League with us?

[vu84v2]

Albeit unlikely, this is a chance for Valpo to achieve two wins against top 25 teams in the same season for the first time.

[justducky]

I think you must remember that this team almost beat Drake twice, albeit it was probably during a Drake slump, but almost anything can happen. Don't count any team completely out in the MVC. 

So you are thinking that we play hounding defense with Krikke, Clay and Edwards never missing and thus we beat the point spread!    Got it ! How much did you wager? 

[VUGrad1314]

Wait, this is the same Loyola that was in the Horizon League with us?

Not quite... One program got to the MVC and got serious about basketball. The other one got to the MVC and didn't get serious about basketball. I'll leave it to you to fill in the blanks.

Albeit unlikely, this is a chance for Valpo to achieve two wins against top 25 teams in the same season for the first time.

While that would be truly amazing I don't see it happening. This Loyola team might seriously be better than the one that was in the Final 4 four years ago, They're that good. I saw a graphic when they played Drake and this team not only compares very favorable to the metrics of that Final 4 team it even exceeds them. If Moser keeps them focused and motivated to play they should have no trouble, especially since we're not a great matchup for them as evidenced by the shellacking they gave us earlier this year. Let us also not forget that the team that beat Loyola last year had decent senior leadership and a certain someone named JFL who is now playing elsewhere. We'll be lucky to cover.

[valpotx]

Ok, if we win at Loyola, will the #FireLottich crowd put off their demands until next season?

[covufan]

Ok, if we win at Loyola, will the #FireLottich crowd put off their demands until next season?

This crowd will come back the next horrible game Lottich coaches. For the record, I'm not in this crowd, especially during this Covid19 year. Lottich does need to move the pendulum in the opposite direction.


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[usc4valpo]

Bigger problems than Lottich with the Valpo basketball program.

[a3uge]

Ok, if we win at Loyola, will the #FireLottich crowd put off their demands until next season?

I'd be wondering why a team talented enough to beat a ranked Loyola at-large team lost so many other games this season.

[VUGrad1314]

Ok, if we win at Loyola, will the #FireLottich crowd put off their demands until next season?

I'd be wondering why a team talented enough to beat a ranked Loyola at-large team lost so many other games this season.

Then perhaps you're already worried seeing as this team was talented enough to beat a ranked at-large caliber Drake team?

[vuny98]

I don't see a way we win this one. We have no answer for Krutwig down low.

On a positive note, assuming we don't win tonight, the last four games of the season are all very winnable. Hopefully we put a good effort in tonight to set us up for a good final stretch, which could get us to .500 in conference if we win out those final 4 games. Which, given how the year started, would be a huge victory and likely put us at a 4 or 5 seed.

But then again, the more likely scenario is we win 1 of the remaining 5 games. But let's be positive here. Go Crusad... damnit.. I mean, Go Valpo!

[valpo04]

The Ramblers are 20-point favorites for Valpo/Loyola 2.0. This is the biggest underdog spread I can recall against a conference opponent, going all the way back to our Mid Con days.

I hope I'm wrong, but I have almost no glass-half-full optimism about this one.

If you are going to continue to start the game threads in an effort to *start* using "Crusaders," can you at least flip the icon to game thread? Thanks.

[a3uge]

Ok, if we win at Loyola, will the #FireLottich crowd put off their demands until next season?

I'd be wondering why a team talented enough to beat a ranked Loyola at-large team lost so many other games this season.

Then perhaps you're already worried seeing as this team was talented enough to beat a ranked at-large caliber Drake team?

Fair, but Loyola seems much better overall than Drake. They're legit this year.

[wh]

The Ramblers are 20-point favorites for Valpo/Loyola 2.0. This is the biggest underdog spread I can recall against a conference opponent, going all the way back to our Mid Con days.

I hope I'm wrong, but I have almost no glass-half-full optimism about this one.

If you are going to continue to start the game threads in an effort to *start* using "Crusaders," can you at least flip the icon to game thread? Thanks.

Presumably, you find my intentional use of "Crusaders" personally off putting enough to bring it up, so out of respect for you as a fair minded board administrator I'll discontinue using it.

[justducky]

Presumably, you find my intentional use of "Crusaders" personally off putting enough to bring it up, so out of respect for you as a fair minded board administrator I'll discontinue using it.

It goes against my nature to bury anything that isn't dead but in this case I will also respect minority opinion and try to be a good boy also. 

Go Vulcans!

[AB]

Matchups and you have to play for 40 minutes to defeat Loyola.

[mj]

Well...17 minutes in and we're still in the game...

[oklahomamick]

Gave up another 3 pointer right before half.  Cuts our lead into 3. 

No Sackey?

[valpo64]

When Loyola played Drake, Drake was missing their leading scorer who is out with a broken foot.  Can't remember his name but he was very good against us.