12/17 Game Thread: Oakland Grizzlies

[sectionee]

http://sectionee.blogspot.com/2011/12/pps-preview-oakland-vs-valpo.html

I took a look at my PPS scores for the up coming game.  Some good scores from these two teams.

[valpotx]

Time for another random prediction  :

Valpo 82
Oakland 76

[vuweathernerd]

i'll go a little lower. valpo 77-73.

[agibson]

Good thing it's at home!  Should be another good one.

[historyman]

Oakland   116
Valpo      115       3 OT

The Golden Grizzlies are looking for payback from last years loss to Valpo.

[Hoopsdude18]

Oakland fan here thinking about making the trip to see the game. I'm wondering if this is a game where one could buy two tickets at the door before the game? Or have the games been nearing sell-outs so far this year? Just wondering in case the weather forecast is sketchy.

[humbleopinion]

Oakland fan here thinking about making the trip to see the game. I'm wondering if this is a game where one could buy two tickets at the door before the game? Or have the games been nearing sell-outs so far this year? Just wondering in case the weather forecast is sketchy.

I wish we could say that the ARC has been filled.  I doubt that you'll have any problem buying tickets this Saturday.

[valporun]

Hoopsdude, with finals being this week, I can't imagine you will have any problems being able to buy tickets at the door on Saturday. The students will have headed for home, since the dorms close at noon, and the game is in the evening, so many seats will be available to you and any other Oakland fans/students who want to come to Valpo for the game.

[vu84v2]

Valpo 85 Oakland 80  KVW goes for over 20.

[chipper955]

Has anyone heard anything about Buggs and his knee?  Any word on if he is going to be able to play or if he is going to be out for a while?

[wh]

Oakland fan here thinking about making the trip to see the game. I'm wondering if this is a game where one could buy two tickets at the door before the game? Or have the games been nearing sell-outs so far this year? Just wondering in case the weather forecast is sketchy.

Hoopsdude - How is this year's Oakland team shaping up?  Strengths and weaknesses?  How do this year's and last year's teams compare?  Etc.?

[sectionee]

chipper, buggs will be playing

[cornonthe]

I'm going to guess another track meet...

Valpo 96
Oakland 89

[VUfan]

A dog fight VU 84 OU 83

[FWalum]

chipper, buggs will be playing

That is a relief. I did not like the way Rod was manipulating that knee when Buggs was lying on the floor. Very glad that he is ok.

Any official word on Boggs?  I am surprised that we have not heard one way or the other by now.

[valporun]

Any official word on Boggs?  I am surprised that we have not heard one way or the other by now.

I'm not sure that we can officially hear anything about if he's going to redshirt, or not, until his transfer year has ended? I feel this is the same as if it's a recruit where the coaches can't comment until the LOI has been received.

[sectionee]

Boggs will play this year.  The only question is will his first game be Saturday against Oakland or on the road next week.  Come on profs get those grades in!

[agibson]

The only question is will his first game be Saturday against Oakland or on the road next week.  Come on profs get those grades in!

Is that really the issue?  Hilarious!  Hopefully he doesn't have any exams tomorrow.

It would depend on the professor - some might react badly.  But, I'd imagine that others could be persuaded to turn their grades in a trifle more quickly than usual, for such a cause.

[sectionee]

I thought that might grab your attention agibson, ha!

[Hoopsdude18]

Oakland fan here thinking about making the trip to see the game. I'm wondering if this is a game where one could buy two tickets at the door before the game? Or have the games been nearing sell-outs so far this year? Just wondering in case the weather forecast is sketchy.

Hoopsdude - How is this year's Oakland team shaping up?  Strengths and weaknesses?  How do this year's and last year's teams compare?  Etc.?

Thanks for the tips on tickets, everyone. Kind of leaning toward saving the eight hours round-trip in favor of watching for free on HLN. But as for this question, Oakland is shaping up to be a contender in the Summit League once again. The team looked really good prior to the last week which has seen losses to Ohio and Michigan and a sluggish performance against a non-Division I team. High-scoring attack just like last year but as Michigan proved, teams can indeed outscore Oakland in a fast-paced game (just as Valpo did at the O'rena last year). I'm really looking forward to watching Oakland's freshmen bigs compete against Van Wijk. Should be a great high scoring match-up all around.

[StlVUFan]

Hamilton, for one, scares me.  I've watched a few OU games this year, and he seemed to dominate each time.  Petros didn't look too bad himself, he's the freshman center, right?

[valporun]

In terms of when Boggs becomes eligible, he's officially eligible at 5:01PM Friday, as that's when finals are officially done. All the NCAA requires is that classes are officially done for the semester, as they know not all professors will have grades submitted right away.

[sectionee]

Here is what I got from VU

if he will even be able to play Saturday, with exams going through Friday and all his grades having to be posted and then having to be certified eligible with the NCAA, there's a chance that the process won't be complete by Saturday night's game.

[wh]

Oakland fan here thinking about making the trip to see the game. I'm wondering if this is a game where one could buy two tickets at the door before the game? Or have the games been nearing sell-outs so far this year? Just wondering in case the weather forecast is sketchy.

Hoopsdude - How is this year's Oakland team shaping up?  Strengths and weaknesses?  How do this year's and last year's teams compare?  Etc.?

Thanks for the tips on tickets, everyone. Kind of leaning toward saving the eight hours round-trip in favor of watching for free on HLN. But as for this question, Oakland is shaping up to be a contender in the Summit League once again. The team looked really good prior to the last week which has seen losses to Ohio and Michigan and a sluggish performance against a non-Division I team. High-scoring attack just like last year but as Michigan proved, teams can indeed outscore Oakland in a fast-paced game (just as Valpo did at the O'rena last year). I'm really looking forward to watching Oakland's freshmen bigs compete against Van Wijk. Should be a great high scoring match-up all around.

Oakland is 24th in scoring offense at 80 PPG.  Conversely, they are 320th in scoring defense at 76.4.  They are almost exactly the same distance from the top in offense as they are from the bottom in defense.  I remember we got a lot of "lightly" contested 3's in last year's game.  We also picked up some easy baskets underneath.  On the other hand, they took full advantage of our guys lazily getting back on defense for easy hoops, as well.  I remember Cory and Michael Rogers getting scored on before they even turned around toward the ball.  Add to that our sloppy turnovers, missed free throws, and "tepid" guarding down the stretch, it made for one heck of a shootout. 

[covufan]

I think the game will be up-tempo.  Hopefully, we'll convert a few threes, hit our FTs, box out, and win 86-78.