2012-2013 Schedule?

[swiftmutiny]

All very winnable games. Hopefully we'll have Rossi available to play next season too, he'll give the team just that much more depth.

[LaPorteAveApostle]

Yeah, that Nebraska-Ohama is surprisingly underrated, if memory surfs.


I can hear Adam Duritz singing it now:
"Ohama...somewhere in middle Pacifica"

[valpo84]

In addition to the games previously discussed (at Nebraska, at Murray, at Kent, at New Mexico), you can now add at St. Louis.

[crusadermoe]

Good fit and brings nostalgia from Homer's home town and Sweet 16 hisotry for Valpo.  It's also one of the largest VU alumni cities that is not in the Horizon League.   Nice work on schedule!

[SadersofthelostArc]

Ok, LaporteAve, the wordy jokes are no longer punny....er...funny  (Do you see how unfunny it is from the other side of the internet? lol)

St. Louis is another fantastic addition to the schedule.  Would love to see the Pitt game happen, but I'm pretty happy with what have scheduled.  That's a really nice mid-major schedule.

[SadersofthelostArc]

St. Louis loses only one key player from their 26-8 team that beat Memphis in the NCAA tourney before falling to top seeded Michigan State by 4 in the third round.  They posted wins over Washington, Boston College, Villanova, Oklahoma, Xavier (x2), St. Bonaventure, Dayton and St. Joe's. They finished with an RPI of 34.  They will be a formidable opponent and certainly a resume booster.

[SadersofthelostArc]

While I'm on the RPI site, how about a look at this season's opponents and last season's RPIs?

Nebraska- 165
Chicago State- 338
Kent State- 108
Missouri State- 145
Saint Louis- 34
Murray State- 10
Northern Illinois- 334
IUPUI- 212
Oakland- 135
New Mexico- 21
Bethune-Cookman- 225
Possibly Pitt?- 104
Bracketbuster- Likely a team somewhere in the 40-80 range

While I still think we have too many bottom of the barrel teams on the schedule, at least they aren't non-D1s.  Love having three top 35 RPI teams on the schedule.  Now, compare this to last year:

Arizona- 79
Georgia Southern- 205
Akron- 68
Duquesne- 111
Ohio State- 6
IPFW- 281
Bowling Green- 165
Oakland- 135
Northern Illinois- 334
IUPUI- 212
Loyola Marymount- 109

Which schedule do you think is better?  (Keep in mind that Butler is gone and takes away a team that is always going to be a 30-100 RPI team, on our schedule three times).  By the numbers, I think last year's schedule could be better.  However, I think we have a much better chance to win the high RPI games this year (as opposed to OSU last year) and wins obviously dramatically change your resume.

[vu84v2]

I don't mean to underestimate the difficulty in scheduling as a mid-major, but everything points to a terrible home schedule.  Besides losing the Butler game, a reasonable tournament from last year is replaced by tournament with some of the worst teams in Division 1.  Nice exposure with the 7:00 AM game, but it is against one of last year's worst teams in the country.  Outside of the better conference games and the bracketbuster this is a dismal home schedule that would only be acceptable by a lower Division 1 program.  Are alums going to come back and see Chicago State?  Will this attract new season ticket holders or retain the marginal ones?  This looks like a great team, but you cannot grade the program's scheduling as anything but below average or worse.

[vu72]

I don't mean to underestimate the difficulty in scheduling as a mid-major, but everything points to a terrible home schedule.  Besides losing the Butler game, a reasonable tournament from last year is replaced by tournament with some of the worst teams in Division 1.  Nice exposure with the 7:00 AM game, but it is against one of last year's worst teams in the country.  Outside of the better conference games and the bracketbuster this is a dismal home schedule that would only be acceptable by a lower Division 1 program.  Are alums going to come back and see Chicago State?  Will this attract new season ticket holders or retain the marginal ones?  This looks like a great team, but you cannot grade the program's scheduling as anything but below average or worse.

Not sure where the St. Louis game information came from but if true will replace the Butler game, quality wise, and perhaps better.  St. Louis is thought by some to be a top 25 team.  Now, as to the home schedule, we may get Loyola Marymount this year at the ARC and will have a goodteam come for the Bracketbuster.  It is the NEXT year that will be really fun as all of these games will be returned to the ARC, at least I'm guessing they will.  I doubt Bryce would sign a one away game with St. Louis, New Mexico or Murray State.  We will have a great team the year after this one as well.

[vuweathernerd]

if this is true, i really hope that the game at slu is between christmas and new years so i can go make a ruckus at chaiffetz while i'm home on leave. do we have any sort of date yet as to when the schedule will be officially released?

[vu84v2]

I generally agree that the road schedule will be good, though I would have liked to see one "upper half" team from a major conference.  St. Louis, Murray State, and New Mexico are all good games.  However (and unfortunately), I think it is doubtful that any more than one of those three agreed to a return game (if anyone did, my guess is it would be Murray State who would seem to have some greater scheduling challenges than the other two).

I am not aware that Loyola Marymount is confirmed on the schedule and I think that there were some previous posts that this game may get delayed 1-2 years.  Furthermore, it would not be surprising if LMU tries to winge on the return commitment and find some way out of it.  I hope that is not true, but that is a long trip for them.

[vuweathernerd]

I am not aware that Loyola Marymount is confirmed on the schedule and I think that there were some previous posts that this game may get delayed 1-2 years.  Furthermore, it would not be surprising if LMU tries to winge on the return commitment and find some way out of it.  I hope that is not true, but that is a long trip for them.

my understanding (if somebody knows concretely, feel free to correct me) is that marymount would have to persuade vu into agreeing to cancel the return game requirement, which i hope doesn't happen. but bracketbuster games do not have to be returned the very next year - the following year is also an option, if needbe.

[valpofan11]

Where did the VU vs. SLU game info come from? This game, whether at Chaifetz Arena or at the ARC would be awesome because SLU returns most of their players and it would be a game between the A-10 conference favorite vs. the HL conference favorite. (SLU has a great campus by the way.)

[justducky]

Where did the VU vs. SLU game info come from?

If this is true then might our schedule be complete to where Pitt is now off the table? Personally if I were in charge of VU basketball scheduling I could take great pleasure in calling Pitt and telling them that while they were dithering over trying to get a better deal we went elsewhere and got one.

Yes I know that I've got a chip on my shoulder towards the power conferences but I just have to wonder how many lifetime enemies I could make in one season of negotiating with the big boys?

[historyman]

weathernerd, swiftmutiny & justducky, it seems you are in want of an avatar.

Let me give you some rather sage advice. Beware of wrascally avatar salesmen!

I hear they prey on unsuspecting posters on this board like medicare supplement insurance salesman in Florida who prey on senior citizens who have just won $1,000 in the lottery.

[historyman]

In addition to the games previously discussed (at Nebraska, at Murray, at Kent, at New Mexico), you can now add at St. Louis.

Where did you see this? Can you reference a website?

[vusupporter]

Almost all Bracketbuster games, event-wide, are now returned two years out.  This move was made a couple years back to balance schedules, so that when a team has a home Bracketbuster game, the return game it plays that year would be on the road, and vice versa.

[SadersofthelostArc]

HISTORYman!!!!  Don't scare off my customers...(I need guys like the three stooges you mentioned to get off the ground)...lol 


JK ducky and swift!  Just bustin' your chops and havin' fun...no offense intended.  Now, about that avatar.....

[vu72]

I generally agree that the road schedule will be good, though I would have liked to see one "upper half" team from a major conference.  St. Louis, Murray State, and New Mexico are all good games.  However (and unfortunately), I think it is doubtful that any more than one of those three agreed to a return game (if anyone did, my guess is it would be Murray State who would seem to have some greater scheduling challenges than the other two).I am not aware that Loyola Marymount is confirmed on the schedule and I think that there were some previous posts that this game may get delayed 1-2 years.  Furthermore, it would not be surprising if LMU tries to winge on the return commitment and find some way out of it.  I hope that is not true, but that is a long trip for them.

I think you are underestimating Valpo's ability relative to attracting return games.  We aren't talking about the ACC but rather the A-10.  We aren't talking about North Carolina or Ohio State, but rather New Mexico and St. Louis and Murray State.  If we have an away game scheduled with St. Louis (we don't have any official or Coach Drew comment on this) I would be surprised if we don't get a return game from any of these three.

As for Loyola Marymount having a "long trip", how far did we travel to play them? As others have posted, they have two years to play the return game so if it isn't this coming year it will be the following one.

[valporun]

Does LMU have to incur travel costs for the return game to Valpo, or is that paid by ESPN and the Bracketbuster sponsors?

[sliman]

Re vu72's comments: "I think you are underestimating Valpo's ability relative to attracting return games.  We aren't talking about the ACC but rather the A-10.  We aren't talking about North Carolina or Ohio State, but rather New Mexico and St. Louis and Murray State.  If we have an away game scheduled with St. Louis (we don't have any official or Coach Drew comment on this) I would be surprised if we don't get a return game from any of these three."

We also need to be careful to not underestimate how difficult it is to get teams to come to Valpo.  Other than in-state rival Evansville, it's my understanding that MVC teams have not been interested in a home-and-home series nor has St. Louis been willing to do so in the past.  Hopefully that is changing.  For all of its faults, the Bracketbuster forces the issue with some of these teams (i.e. Missouri State) and hopefully encourages some of them to continue meeting in the future.  Without taking time to look it up, I don't think many conferences other than the MAC (and in-state rival IPFW) have been represented in the ARC with any regularity.  The ARC is known as a tough place to win and Valparaiso doesn't have the recruiting draw of a major metropolitan venue.  At least that's how I see it.

[vu72]

sliman makes good and fair points.  It is a problem for all mid-majors.  I just think (I may be wrong  ), but I think Valpo's image is changing.  It now is the biggest name in the Horizon and that will almost certainly continue to grow as we continue to succeed.  So, if you are talking about a St. Louis doing a home and home with, say, YSU, I'm sure there would be no interest.  The image and attraction of a YSU, when it comes to basketball, just isn't there.  No expectation of improving your rpi etc.  Mid-majors need to take chances if they want to have an at-large opportunity and you aren't going to get there via YSU or IPFW.  Now, if you are playing the Horizon Champion and possibly a ranked team, that is a different story.  Our win of the title last year changes a lot.

[justducky]

sliman makes good and fair points.  It is a problem for all mid-majors.  I just think (I may be wrong  ), but I think Valpo's image is changing.  It now is the biggest name in the Horizon and that will almost certainly continue to grow as we continue to succeed.  So, if you are talking about a St. Louis doing a home and home with, say, YSU, I'm sure there would be no interest.  The image and attraction of a YSU, when it comes to basketball, just isn't there.  No expectation of improving your rpi etc.  Mid-majors need to take chances if they want to have an at-large opportunity and you aren't going to get there via YSU or IPFW.  Now, if you are playing the Horizon Champion and possibly a ranked team, that is a different story.  Our win of the title last year changes a lot.

Total agreement. Two years of success, a new energetic coach, a list of 2013 recruits that many teams would like to duplicate, and possibly our best team ever taking to the hardwood this fall. If we can not parlay that into some current and future scheduling achievements then we deserve to wait at Pitts and others beck and call where we gratefully accept the chump change they probably offered us for a one year one and done. I'd rather do a one season home and away with Murray State than take some kind of deal from which you walk away feeling used. Now is the perfect time to drive a hard bargain.

[SadersofthelostArc]

C'mon guys...we will be getting some return games.  Geez. 

(P.S.  You're taking vu84v2's word as the Gospel which, as he will tell you, is not proper for good Lutherans to discuss!!!)

[zvillehaze]

Schedule update from Andy Katz:

http://espn.go.com/blog/collegebasketballnation/post/_/id/61455/3-point-shot-uclas-hopes-ride-on-drew