1/6/12: Detroit Game Thread

[valpopal]

We are listed as 5 point underdogs. I'm afraid that sounds about right, but I'd like the team to start the new year by proving me wrong:

Valpo   72
Detroit 77

[valporun]

We really need the same production tonight that came on Saturday against Green Bay. If we can keep finding two or three guys who will step up, and take some of the scoring burden off of Ryan and Kevin, we will have an awesome balance the rest of the season. The more weapons we have, the better opportunities we have to throw off Detroit because they won't know who will shoot and where from.

[covufan]

We need some things to happen - good defense, control the ball, rebound on both ends, and get Detroit's big men in foul trouble early. 

Valpo  -  80
Detroit -  77

[crusaderjoe]

I hope we don't get eaten alive underneath...if so, FIN.  If we come out and play like we can:

VU 78
UDM 73

No time to mind the HL queue this month.  Gotta steal one of these this weekend.

[valpo04]

Tonight's game is an ESPN3 exclusive broadcast:

http://espn.go.com/watchespn/index/_/source/espn3/id/326680/

[bbtds]

I think Valpo gets slammed in this game. Detroit by 20. The Titans are looking for some pay back from losing three league games already and want to show the rest of the league that they are very good. As usual they will shoot lights out as many other Valpo opponents have done.

Valpo 62
Detroit 82

[IrishDawg]

Well done tonight Valpo - big road win.  Hopefully the Dawgs are able to do the same.

[vu72]

Seeing that most post seem to be about our tremendous women's team, I thought I'd add something about our great win tonight.  Clearly Detroit is big and talented but did you notice how Ray Jr. disappeared in the second half?  Ryan does his thing combined with Kevin and a career night from Will.  simply put, Valpo found a way to win.  Great coaching by Bryce although compared to Ray Sr. that isn't to tough.

Be interesting to see how the Titans respond to playing the Dawgs.  Perhaps a desparation win on their part?  Butler struggled against a WSU team not highly regarded.  Who knows in this league!!   

[swiftmutiny]

Who knows in this league!!   

On that note... Interesting tidbit on Twitter from Bill Potter, HL's Director of Communications: "14 of 22 conf. games within 1 possession in last minute."

I'm impressed that the team was able to pull it out with all of the turnovers, especially in the first half. Bogan really stepped up his game with some monster shooting. If he's able to do that consistently... 

[vu84v2]

Only saw bits and pieces of the game.  Great baskets by Broekhoff, Harris and especially Buggs down the stretch.  Great job taking the charge by Buggs - fortunately the ref got it right!

[IndyValpo]

Big road win!  This is going to be one crazy league season.

[VULB#62]

Charge foul in favor of Buggs cudda gone either way.  On replay he appeared to be leaning into position and hadn't quite established himself. But hey, it all evens out.  Impressed the kids kept digging in the first half to even up the game. Detroit had 3 preseason all-Horizon players?

[VULB#62]

Saw this quote on Dale Carlson's Twitter account: "Hard work beats talent when talent fails to work hard."  I could be answering my question on the previous post.

[VULB#62]

But the........ the converse of that quote also is true.  "Hard working talent kicks everyone's butt."

[StlVUFan]

I'm no expert but I'd say that Detroit handed us this game, and we snatched it out of their hands before they could change their minds.  They had us by the throat and inexplicably let go.

Obviously talent is not enough.  Tonight should be exhibit A debunking that theory.

Certainly Valpo outplayed Detroit and it is a data point in the case to be made that Valpo is a better program than Detroit, but the early part of the game strongly suggests that Detroit has a higher ceiling (if only they could figure it out).

[chipper955]

I was thinking the game might be over when Detroit was up by 12 or so getting near the end of the first half.  Great job by Valpo to cut the lead to only 3 at the half and then pull out the victory at the end.  Bogan had a great first half and a great game.  Good to see him scoring.  And good to see Edwards back playing and having some productive minutes.  Vucic looked overwhelmed and just bad in the 3 minutes he played.  I think Cleveland St. still has to be the favorite to win the Horizon League, but it's pretty wide open this year.

[KL31NY]

Game review up for the Times, including a Michael Jordan comparison for Bogan offered by Bryce

http://www.nwitimes.com/sports/basketball/college/buggs-goes-coast-to-coast-for-valparaiso-win/article_cf7b9ba8-9a65-5451-93bb-e95e354df857.html

[valpotx]

When Detroit had the ball with 20+ seconds left, I kept saying that we are owed an opposite conclusion to what happened to us against Oakland.  I believe we also gave the ball up with 4.6 seconds left or so in that game (they gave it up to us with 4.6 this game), so it was very cool to see it go our way this time 

[govalpogo]

So as I am watching the replay of this game online...what was up with all of the air balls in the first half (Bogan not withstanding)  I expect it from Buggs when he spots up...but from Jay, Ryan, and Boggs?  It's a little disconcerting at this point.

[vuweathernerd]

So as I am watching the replay of this game online...what was up with all of the air balls in the first half (Bogan not withstanding)  I expect it from Buggs when he spots up...but from Jay, Ryan, and Bogan?  It's a little disconcerting at this point.

don't worry bud. the shots start falling a little better in the second half.

[govalpogo]

Well...Ryan made a three...otherwise not so much.  Regardless, I agree with the earlier sentiments of simply finding a way to win...that and we were owed a little bit of basketball karma as well.  HL basketball has been nothing short of epic thus far in the season, my fiance and I were out to eat last night and the Wright St/Butler game was on at the bar and that was quite a game as well!  Let's stay perfect on the road (in HL play) tomorrow!

[justducky]

Edwards defensive play was pretty solid. His contributions as a back-up 5 in this game and at Butler kept us in position to pull out 2 very important Horizon League road wins. Now if he could only play the 4 like he was brought here to do this team would be so much more versatile.

Vucic did look lost but coach has been picking his spots pretty carefully in order to build his confidence and that process appears to be working. With as many offensive non contributers as we had last night this was a very big very welcome win.

[vuweathernerd]

i missed the first half, so this is purely a theory based on what i've seen in the past, so take that for what you will. but vucic does not match up at all with a banger like holman. sure they're about the same height, but holman is all about strong, physical play, and vucic is a stick. that ain't gonna work for him. the matchup is much better against somebody like alec brown from green bay, who's listed as also being 7'1" but is light as a feather at 215. vucic on the other hand is listed at 245, and holman trumps them both at 6'10" 260.

[valpospartan]

Tonight's game is an ESPN3 exclusive broadcast:

http://espn.go.com/watchespn/index/_/source/espn3/id/326680/

The ESPN3 picture, on my computer, was spotty - sometimes clear, sometimes blurry.  Did anyone else experience this?

[johnestuff]

Commercials were a little blurry, who cares? Only problem I noticed was I couldn't download fast enough and missed a couple of frames every once in a while.