12/20 Game Thread at Northern Illinois

[valporun]

Tuesday night will be an interesting game to see what kind of confidence we can get back from last night's tough loss. The Huskies are 0-10, but this is because they are having to play up to seven FRESHMEN in their first season under Mark Montgomery. Montgomery was an assistant under Tom Izzo at Michigan St. He'll be relatively familiar with our program in terms of some of the players on the roster, maybe not some of the uptempo changes that Bryce has made though.
Hopefully, we'll be able to put up a comfortable lead on the Huskies, and NOT coast thru the remainder of the game. I'm going to predict a rather large final score, and hope that KVW and Rowdy go on a scoring frenzy. Would be nice to get see Rowdy with a double-double at the half, maybe have a Reggie Hamilton-like performance, but also get scoring support from more than just Kevin. Maybe a Ben Boggs breakout game? Buggs will definitely need to work on his hands this game, so he can stay in it. We'll need him to really be a leader on the court, rather than leading from the bench with most of the second half remaining because he has 4 fouls, or has fouled out.

Valpo 78
Northern Illinois 47

[sectionee]

Yime to move on from Saturday and get back to winning. http://sectionee.blogspot.com/2011/12/game-preview-on-road-again.html

[historyman]

NIU is now 0-10 having lost to SIU-Carbondale 62-49. That's not a wide huge margin of victory for the Salukis so Valpo can not take the Huskies too lightly. After all this is a road game and no matter who the opponent is if you take them too lightly you could end up losing.

[valporun]

Southern Illinois isn't that good either. The Salukis have been on a long downfall for the last couple of seasons losing a lot of big games that were winnable for them before. We also happen to have a team that can put the Huskies away, they just have to do it, and not be content to the point of coasting with a lot of time left in the game.

Also, the game will be streamed through the Mid-American Conference website. Link: http://www.mac-sports.com/Schools/NorthernIllinois/LiveStreaming.aspx

[valpotx]

Valpo 75
NIU 65

[historyman]

Also, the game will be streamed through the Mid-American Conference website. Link: http://www.mac-sports.com/Schools/NorthernIllinois/LiveStreaming.aspx

$6.95 is lowest cost for a monthly pass through CBSSports.com.

http://www.niuhuskies.com/allaccess/?media=280727

[crusaderjoe]

NIU is now 0-10 having lost to SIU-Carbondale 62-49. That's not a wide huge margin of victory for the Salukis so Valpo can not take the Huskies too lightly. After all this is a road game and no matter who the opponent is if you take them too lightly you could end up losing.

+1

Let's see here.  Valpo on the road again against a winless o-fer MAC team.  I mean we took care of business last year against Toledo, so we know how to win these types of trap games.  Oh, wait a minute...

[valpopal]

Vegas has us favored by 12.5; however, with final exams over, the team angry about losing Saturday, and Jay having a couple of days to heal, I say we beat the spread:

VALPO   76
N. ILL    62

[johnestuff]

This team averages 53 points a game. If we allow them 60 ?

Valpo - 82

NIU - 56

[VUfan]

Vu 72  NIU 60
Eight to ten years ago Vu played in De Kalb and won, it was a noteable Vu players last game who was he?

[Valpo89]

Vu 72  NIU 60
Eight to ten years ago Vu played in De Kalb and won, it was a noteable Vu players last game who was he?

Probably Antonio Falu.

As a long-time observer, it somewhat warms my heart that Northern Illinois has basically SUCKED for the last 10-plus years - since TJ Lux graduated in 1998. The people at NIU always thought they were too good to be in the Mid-Continent Conference, when they were members from 1990-94. They had a holier-than-thou attitude, and I'm pretty sure they were major instigators in breaking up the old Mid-Con along with Wright State and Cleveland State. I know all of the players now could care less, as they were in diapers back then. I believe NIU has had only two teams make the NCAA Tournament since 1990 or 1991 - maybe three. And Valpo beat them in the Mid-Con tournament in 1993, shortly after NIU had made the NCAA.

Just wanted to get that one out there for discussion. Anyone else with gray hair (or no hair) feel the same way?

[StlVUFan]

Quote from: VUfan on Today at 08:24:20 AM

    Vu 72  NIU 60
    Eight to ten years ago Vu played in De Kalb and won, it was a noteable Vu players last game who was he?


Probably Antonio Falu.

I don't think so, that was November 27 when we played at NIU.  Falu's last game was after the Kansas game on New Year's Day.

But it had to be 2001, and I can't think of anyone else who left the team that year.

[dylanrocks]

Like Milwaukee's game Saturday against UNO, this game has everything to do with Valpo.

The Crusaders -- and whatever fans they bring -- will have to supply all the energy and excitement.

The only thing you have to fear is a horrendously flat performance.

Valpo 73, Northern Illinois 56 (for recreational purposes only).

[covufan]

Duquesne is the only Div I program we've beaten by a large (16).  We need to come out with a purpose, and never let NIU back into the game.

Valpo  80
NIU     58

[dylanrocks]

If you're going, try the pork chop sandwich at Fatty's, across the street from the arena.

Actually, anything there tastes great, including the baked beans and homemade fries.

Due to sketchy service, give yourself well over an hour or you'll end up late for the game.

[valporun]

Looking back at the all-time roster, it could be one of three people. Jason Jenkins, Dwayne Toatley, or Jeff Mailhot. I'm thinking it has to be Toatley...

[Valpo89]

Looking back at the all-time roster, it could be one of three people. Jason Jenkins, Dwayne Toatley, or Jeff Mailhot. I'm thinking it has to be Toatley...

Toatley and Jenkins finished out their senior seasons, I'm pretty sure.

[valpotx]

I don't remember when Kenny Harris went down, maybe him?  I think it was my Jr of ball, but he fits the timetable.  Speaking of Kenny, he was a hard worker.  He would run with Bob Brooks at the same 4-5 am time we were doing our conditioning in the gym.

[StlVUFan]

I don't remember when Kenny Harris went down, maybe him?

Harris was in the class of 2003-2004, and the last time we played in DeKalb was 2001.

[Valpo2010]

If you're going, try the pork chop sandwich at Fatty's, across the street from the arena.

Actually, anything there tastes great, including the baked beans and homemade fries.

Due to sketchy service, give yourself well over an hour or you'll end up late for the game.

Thanks for the advice, I was gonna ask for any recommendations.  I look forward to seeing a good valpo following in Dekalb tonight!

[valpofan56]

I don't remember when Kenny Harris went down, maybe him?  I think it was my Jr of ball, but he fits the timetable.  Speaking of Kenny, he was a hard worker.  He would run with Bob Brooks at the same 4-5 am time we were doing our conditioning in the gym.

I thought Harris went down during a preseason workout.

[valpotx]

It was Greg Tonagel then?  I remember him coming out of 'retirement' for a few games to help the team since he got approved for a 6th year.

[StlVUFan]

It was Greg Tonagel then?  I remember him coming out of 'retirement' for a few games to help the team since he got approved for a 6th year.

Nope.  Tonagel finished the year and started the next year.  It was the year after that where he came out of retirement.

[valpotx]

In looking at the stats from the game at NIU in 2001, we have the same players on the sheet for the next game against YSU, except Ali Berdiel.  Ali comes back the game after that though.

Edited: Meant to say Ali didn't play against NIU, but came back the next game against YSU.

[DD57]

hello everybody you can watch the game for free on firstrowsports.com. I watch a lot of basketball and othersports on that site here in the Netherlands and definitly the Valpo games