2012-2013 Schedule?

[vu72]

A good article about Twitter and collegiate athletes from Mark Lazerus, which also mentions that there will not be a game with Pitt: http://posttrib.suntimes.com/sports/lazerus/14166052-452/lazerus-remember-whos-reading-on-twitter.html

More good news.  Lazerus confirms that St. Louis will be coming to the ARC in addition to Murray State and New Mexico.

[valpo95]

A good article about Twitter and collegiate athletes from Mark Lazerus, which also mentions that there will not be a game with Pitt: http://posttrib.suntimes.com/sports/lazerus/14166052-452/lazerus-remember-whos-reading-on-twitter.html

More good news.  Lazerus confirms that St. Louis will be coming to the ARC in addition to Murray State and New Mexico.

True, but according to the article all those games are in a future season(s) and not this year.

[sectionee]

True, but according to the article all those games are in a future season(s) and not this year.

We are playing at those places this year.

[valporun]

VU75, I did see that NAIA Robert Morris University, in Chicago, has us as their season opener. The NAIA has that strange rule where they can cross associations, and have the game count in their record, so it will obviously be a winnable game for us to see what our roster looks like. I looked at their roster, and they only have 7 players on the roster. They are all over 6' tall, so we don't really have too much of a height advantage, but we do have a depth advantage. Also, they have former UIC forward Tori Boyd on their roster, so he'll have some background on our program, though nothing recent. I can't wait to see our schedule finally posted, so we can all get an idea of how to predict what will happen, instead of just speculating on what we're hearing for prospective dates for games, and how they fit around tournaments and travel plans.

[vuweathernerd]

just snagged this tweet from valpobasketball with part of the schedule.

@ Nebraska Nov. 15, @ Kent St. Nov. 18, & host a 4-team, 2-day pod @ the ARC with Chicago St., Nebraska-Omaha & Bethune-Cookman Nov. 23-24

[zvillehaze]

Here's the press release from Nebraska:

http://www.huskers.com/ViewArticle.dbml?SPSID=20&SPID=24&DB_LANG=C&ATCLID=205571521&DB_OEM_ID=100

[crusaderjoe]

UIC-January 9th & February 6th per a poster from their board:

http://uicflames.proboards.com/index.cgi?board=general&action=display&thread=2768

[vubballfan10]

[size=78%] VU75, I did see that NAIA Robert Morris University, in Chicago, has us as their season opener. The NAIA has that strange rule where they can cross associations, and have the game count in their record, so it will obviously be a winnable game for us to see what our roster looks like. I looked at their roster, and they only have 7 players on the roster. They are all over 6' tall, so we don't really have too much of a height advantage, but we do have a depth advantage. Also, they have former UIC forward Tori Boyd on their roster, so he'll have some background on our program, though nothing recent. I can't wait to see our schedule finally posted, so we can all get an idea of how to predict what will happen, instead of just speculating on what we're hearing for prospective dates for games, and how they fit around tournaments and travel plans. [/size]

Here is the link to Tori Boyd's LinkedIn page:  http://www.linkedin.com/pub/tori-boyd/27/b24/251


It seems as though he was not in college for two years after leaving UIC in 2009.  I am not sure if he played for Robert Morris in 2011-12, but he should be a top player for the team this season.  As it has been 3 years since he has played in the Horizon League, Erik Buggs (5th year Senior) is the only Valpo player who Boyd played against.  Other than that, the team is completely different.


Here are Boyd's stats against Valpo in 2008-09: 14.0 ppg, 29.0 mpg, 7.5 rpg,1.5 apg

[zvillehaze]

I noticed that Oren forgot to list the home game against Northern Illinois, so here's a quick summary based on the information in his article:
Horizon League games - 16
Non-con home games - 7 (IPFW, IUPUI, NIU, Chicago St, Bethune/UNO, GA Southern and BracketBuster)
Non-con road games - 7 (Murray, UNM, SLU, Oakland, Kent, Missouri St and Nebraska)

If all that is right, that's 30 games.  The limit is 27 + up to 4 more in an exempt tournament, so Valpo may still have one more game to add (assuming that they'll get 4 games from the Nebraska "exempt tournament").  Anyone have details on that?  So far, it appears the Nebraska, Chic St and Bethune/UNO games are part of that tourney, but since Kent State was mentioned earlier, is that game also part of the tournament?  I guess we'll find out as schedules get released.

With the confirmation that Kent State is part of the Nebraska tourney, looks like Valpo has one game left to schedule.  Any rumors?

[justducky]

With the confirmation that Kent State is part of the Nebraska tourney, looks like Valpo has one game left to schedule.  Any rumors?

No but if we don't hear something shortly I will be very tempted to start one.

Common sense would dictate that what we should be looking for would be a good or better mid-major willing to come to the ARC this season to start a home and away series. But in the real world of VU and mid-major basketball, just what does common sense have to do with it?

[milanmiracle]

Based on that schedule, there's really no reason for Valpo to lose at home.  They'll lose some games on the road, but if they can limit bad road losses, they could easily be 26-5 heading into the HL tourney.  With the non-con schedule, that should be enough for an at-large bid, IMO.

I think you lose 4 of the road games.  This means you would be going 15-1 in the Horizon?  Maybe, but doubtful.  If you do, the RPI in the league will be so low...... along with the non-existent RPI boost of your home schedule......... you will still have to win the league tourney.  

Sadly I think he's right...

[milanmiracle]

When IUPUI plays Valpo at the ARC, that squad will include former Milwaukee Panther Ja'Rob McCallum, who scored 20 points at the ARC as a Freshman against Valpo (That was the Brandon McPherson steal and layup miracle game).  According to this article, he may or may not be immediately eligible.

http://blogs.indystar.com/recruitingcentral/2012/08/01/former-marion-guard-transfers-to-iupui/

If you read the story Ja'Rob is quoted as saying "I just knew it was a really good program and as far as getting players to the next level, (IUPUI) has had some success with that," he said. "I'll have a chance to join a good team and be a little closer to home to be around some friends and family."

Does Ja'Rob think IUPUI will get him to the NBA? Is that the next level? Yes, there is George Hill, but who else from IUPUI has gone to the next level?

I think he was refering to George Hill, and there was talk that Alex Young would get drafted this year. He was on mock draft boards going into the draft. It didn't happen but he did spend the summer with the Sacramento King and now he's off to Italy.

[justducky]

Given last year's accomplishments and all of the expectations surrounding this year's team, I doubt there will be a single sub 2k game unless we've scheduled Helen Keller's School for the Deaf and Blind on Christmas morning.

OK,  how did you find out about the Helen Keller game? We all worked very hard to try to keep that one item under our hats to be released as a special Santa Secret Surprise. Expect to hear from campus security tomorrow concerning the source of the leak.

So our Santa Secret Surprise game turns out to be Purdue Calumet on Dec 22 instead of Helen Keller on X-mas morning, but which would have drawn more fans?

This is like finding those fluffy, pink, bunny-suit PJs under the tree instead of the BB-gun.

[vu72]

Given last year's accomplishments and all of the expectations surrounding this year's team, I doubt there will be a single sub 2k game unless we've scheduled Helen Keller's School for the Deaf and Blind on Christmas morning.

OK,  how did you find out about the Helen Keller game? We all worked very hard to try to keep that one item under our hats to be released as a special Santa Secret Surprise. Expect to hear from campus security tomorrow concerning the source of the leak.

So our Santa Secret Surprise game turns out to be Purdue Calumet on Dec 22 instead of Helen Keller on X-mas morning, but which would have drawn more fans?

This is like finding those fluffy, pink, bunny-suit PJs under the tree instead of the BB-gun.

[sectionee]

At least Valpo should go undefeated at home this year.