Butler @ Valpo (3/3) Game Thread

oklahomamick · March 03, 2012, 08:33:21 AM

Round 3.

valpo04 · March 03, 2012, 08:53:40 AM

7:30 CT, on ESPNU

vuweathernerd · March 03, 2012, 09:53:03 AM

brad stevens hasn't lost a game in march since 2009 when butler lost the hl championship game to csu and then in their first round game in the tourney to lsu.

valpotx · March 03, 2012, 10:02:40 AM

Valpo 67
Butler 61

Though Butler will not have as tired of legs as I would like, I think playing back-to-back days will help us get an early lead that we will cling to throughout the game. Hoping for a raucous environment!

vuweathernerd · March 03, 2012, 10:38:54 AM

i want a repeat of last friday. in the first half last night, butler didn't shoot the ball much better than they did last week against us. at one point, they were only 6/23 from the field. if we can force them into bad shots, and run our offense, like we did last week, there's no reason we can't win.

but kevin and richie will HAVE to do a better job stopping the passes to the rim where marshall can just flush them than milwaukee did last night. that baseline backside cut was open all the way to the basket all night long. that's why butler had 52 points in the paint.

i hope to see a completely insane environment at the arc tonight, and the whole while i'll be wishing i was there.

drewsaders11 · March 03, 2012, 10:53:44 AM

Any idea if this game is available on HLN or ESPN3? I don't get ESPNU, unfortunately. I see on the ESPN scoreboard it lists only ESPNU for our game while it lists both ESPNU and ESPN3 for the first game.

mj · March 03, 2012, 11:10:16 AM

This should be a heck of a game. We've lost 2 home games this year (Oakland and Milwaukee) each by 2 points, so we really "Defend our Court" like the sign in the locker room says.

This game has huge implications not only for this season but for the future of the program. If we win 2 games and make the tournament, we can possibly start a cycle of success that will last for years to come.

cruiser01 · March 03, 2012, 11:11:58 AM

Thinking about making the long drive over. Obvious sell out...any chance to find a ticket once I get there?

valpo04 · March 03, 2012, 11:22:16 AM

Quote from: drewsaders11 on March 03, 2012, 10:53:44 AM
Any idea if this game is available on HLN or ESPN3? I don't get ESPNU, unfortunately. I see on the ESPN scoreboard it lists only ESPNU for our game while it lists both ESPNU and ESPN3 for the first game.

It is also on ESPN3.com

justducky · March 03, 2012, 11:56:30 AM

Quote from: cruiser01 on March 03, 2012, 11:11:58 AM
Thinking about making the long drive over. Obvious sell out...any chance to find a ticket once I get there?

Looks like still a few available. Boys high school sectional championship rounds are also tonight and I am sure that some Valpo and Butler fans will be watching high school games instead. Try the ticket office if you can still make it over 219-464-5233 or you can print your own from the E-Tix portion of the VU basketball web.

valpo92 · March 03, 2012, 12:01:25 PM

Good to know its on espn3...that will be the only way I can see it live.

valpopal · March 03, 2012, 12:33:00 PM

The Vegas line favors Butler by 1-1.5, which seems natural since Butler is the defending champion and the home court advantage for Valpo will be diluted by so many Butler fans in town. Also, Butler has tournament experience lacking in the Valpo players. In addition, there is the theory that it would be very difficult to beat Butler three times in a season. This is going to be very tough.

However, if the Crusaders win, this game would boost the program and give VU added publicity because Valpo would be the team to knock Butler out of the NCAA after its two consecutive runs to the finals. I hope the team isn't rusty after the gap since its last game and that they start off the way they did last week.

wh · March 03, 2012, 01:43:22 PM

Quote from: valpopal on March 03, 2012, 12:33:00 PM
The Vegas line favors Butler by 1-1.5, which seems natural since Butler is the defending champion and the home court advantage for Valpo will be diluted by so many Butler fans in town. Also, Butler has tournament experience lacking in the Valpo players. In addition, there is the theory that it would be very difficult to beat Butler three times in a season. This is going to be very tough.

However, if the Crusaders win, this game would boost the program and give VU added publicity because Valpo would be the team to knock Butler out of the NCAA after its two consecutive runs to the finals. I hope the team isn't rusty after the gap since its last game and that they start off the way they did last week.

Thanks to the favorable position they've been in in recent HL tournaments, their players have no experience playing a do-or-die game on 21 hours rest against a fully rested opponent. I doubt it will have much negative impact their shooting percentage (it can't get much worse), but tired legs could at least keep them from having an unusually good shooting night. Hopefully they will also tire out from constantly chasing our perimeter players in our motion offense. If they can beat us in spite of these designed disadvantages, my hat is off to them.

staxawax · March 03, 2012, 01:56:13 PM

Quote from: valpotx on March 03, 2012, 10:02:40 AM
Valpo 67
Butler 61

Though Butler will not have as tired of legs as I would like, I think playing back-to-back days will help us get an early lead that we will cling to throughout the game. Hoping for a raucous environment!

I don't think tired legs would impact the start of the game. If anything adrenaline would enable Butler to look fresh for awhile. I agree that the motion offense will take its toll on the Dogs, so Butler will HAVE to shoot better than they have most of the season to take this to the wire.

agibson · March 03, 2012, 03:06:51 PM

Sportsnetwork.com has Valpo 67 - Butler 63.

The Vegas line has been mentioned. (I guess it's about 63-62? I've never quite figured out O/U.)

RealTimeRPI's computer prediction is similar to Vegas, Butler 66- Valpo 65.
Wait... confusing. They have a second prediction engine? Which as it Valpo 73-66. With Valpo given a 62% chance to win.

Butler's.... 7-8 on the road this year?

Nildogg · March 03, 2012, 03:12:16 PM

Having a week to get ready for this game is the biggest advantage in my opinion.

I like Butler's chances if we can play the inside game that we did yesterday, but its going to be a grind down to the very end.

This is the most interested I have been in a HL game in a long time... looking forward to my trip up North to join the fun.

agibson · March 03, 2012, 03:41:56 PM

The injury situation for Valpo is reportedly under control.

Quote
VU, meanwhile, should be at full strength. Matt Kenney (shoulder) was fine in practice, shooting again after taking several days off. Kevin Van Wijk (knee) and Erik Buggs (hamstring) also are both good to go.

From Lazerus in the Post Tribune,
http://posttrib.suntimes.com/sports/11017976-419/butler-dominates-milwaukee-sets-up-rematch-with-valparaiso.html

agibson · March 03, 2012, 03:53:52 PM

Remarkable that our 103rd meeting against Butler is the first in the postseason: _counting_ conference tournaments as post-season, of course.

Are conference tournaments a recent innovation?

wh · March 03, 2012, 04:02:07 PM

Quote from: Nildogg on March 03, 2012, 03:12:16 PM
Having a week to get ready for this game is the biggest advantage in my opinion.

I like Butler's chances if we can play the inside game that we did yesterday, but its going to be a grind down to the very end.

This is the most interested I have been in a HL game in a long time... looking forward to my trip up North to join the fun.

No question this is a huge statement game for the future. If Butler wins, they are still the kings of the Horizon League. The fact that we have beaten them 3 times in a row will be rendered basically meaningless. If we win, we go into next season as the favorites to win the league for the 2nd consecutive year. It doesn't get much bigger than this. By the way, Detroit will still have more talent than anyone else next year. If their play on the court ever rises to the level of their recruiting, we're all in trouble.

valpo4life · March 03, 2012, 04:16:59 PM

I don't know if I agree with Detroit having the most talent in the league next season. They will lose Holman, Simon Lowe, and Foster. The first three of which have been big contributors all season and Foster, in my opinion, played very well last night against YSU. Not saying they won't be a threat, just saying I believe Valpo will have the most talent next season.

drewsaders11 · March 03, 2012, 04:49:22 PM

Quote from: agibson on March 03, 2012, 03:53:52 PM
Are conference tournaments a recent innovation?

Here is a summary of conference tourney's, per Kyle Whelliston's "One Beautiful Season" (he of the mid-majority). The Southern Intercollegiate Ath. Assoc. (incl Kentucky, Georgia, the Carolinas, and others) had the first conf. tourney in 1921, to declare a champion, since travel amongst all members wasn't possible. They would gather in one place so there could truly be a champion. The SEC and ACC, as well as the SoCon, were early adapters of the conference tourney, back when autobids were the only way to get to the tourney. Some conferences sent their regular season champion for a long time (the pac-10/12 had a tourney for four years in the late 80's, then didn't again until 2002). The Big 10 didn't start tourneys until 1998. One of the main reasons tourneys are so prevalent is all tv money thats in it. All the power conference games are on tv in some capacity, while the final and sometimes semis of lesser conferences are televised as well. The only conference that doesn't have a tourney is the Ivy League. The HL has had a tourney for nearly all of its existence.

IrishDawg · March 03, 2012, 04:58:40 PM

"Talent" is a highly subjective word in college basketball.

Detroit will have the biggest, strongest, and probably most athletic team in the league next season. Even with the losses of Simon, Lowe and Holman, they'll still have Minnerath, McCallum and Anderson, not to mention Juwan Howard Jr. They won't be quite as imposing down low as this year, but they'll still be more athletic than the rest of the league. I believe that individually, they do have the most "talent" in the league this year, and likely still will next season.

Valpo will have the most highly skilled team. I'm not trying to say that they have zero athleticism, but certainly they don't necessarily do things that make your eyes fly out of your skull like Detroit's players can. They are able to make up for that though with how well they move the ball and the fact that at least the 2-4 guys can shoot from 3 or take it to the rim, and Buggs and KVW complement it all very well and they play together as a single unit. It's truly a case where the whole is greater than the sum of its parts.

After that, the real interesting teams IMO are going to be Butler, Green Bay and Cleveland State. All will have good pieces in place, but all will likely be stuck somewhere between the athleticism of Detroit and the skill of Valpo.

agibson · March 03, 2012, 08:39:27 PM

Erik Buggs for 3!

Broekhoff going for a double double in the 1st half.
(tonight he'll tie the single season record?)

Boggs looking uncomfortable defending the post.
And the likes of Jay Harris looking _very_ uncomfortable defending the post when they get stuck under.

The only empty seats in the house seem to be in the Butler student section.

Go Valpo!

vuweathernerd · March 03, 2012, 09:00:41 PM

Quote from: agibson on March 03, 2012, 08:39:27 PM
Erik Buggs for 3!

Broekhoff going for a double double in the 1st half.
(tonight he'll tie the single season record?)

Boggs looking uncomfortable defending the post.
And the likes of Jay Harris looking _very_ uncomfortable defending the post when they get stuck under.

The only empty seats in the house seem to be in the Butler student section.

Go Valpo!

is the crowd mostly pro valpo?

okinawatyphoon · March 03, 2012, 09:26:33 PM

The 3 large African American women behind Stevens makes me think it's most a pro-Butler crows.