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Question (and not looking to start no trouble, just here to do the NCAA shuffle), why didn't WSU come back out for the awards ceremony and All-Tourney team announcements. At a minimum send those selections out to receive the awards? Donlon may have been in Presser, but this seemed a very Quitness errr Lebron type move and we, the fans, would have appreciated having the chance to congratulate a valient effort in both games. (Folks, Donlon coached a huge game with defensive adjustments that forced our offense into running into doubles and strips, etc..  As a coach, I would (a) want to instill and foster sportsmanship (Horizon League goal too), (b) honor a season that was way beyond expectations for WSU, and (c) have this young team see the trophy ceremony and cutting nets as a motivator for next season (visualize yourself doing that while running and lifting during the summer). Am I missing something? What did we do last year, as I was overseas?

I wouldn't overthink this. Some teams do, some don't. They chose not to, and that's fine in my book.

Couple things to think about in terms of Donlon being gone (and he was in the press room doing interviews):
1) Game time was 8PM Central (This is 9PM in Dayton)
2) The game ran just a little over two hours, so past 11:00 in the east
3) WSU's writers and news were pretty tight up against deadlines, so they probably wanted him as early as possible.


Back to the original question, after HOW they lost (losing a late lead, etc.) its like having your heart ripped out...staying to watch would be like laying on the ground and watching the lions eat it...

You'd better be careful, or someone's going to start calling you Pat Summitt!

If I have a coaching career that approaches 10% of whtshe accomplished...not only coaching but everything else she's done, I'll be a very happy and successful person.

If you look back, I didn't break it down for KF. I said, quite clearly, I was coaching another of IUN's opponents...so yes, I do have college basketball coaching experience.

And sure, I'll take it. Not sure how I feel about...

If I remember correctly, the place of employment may have been mentioned in a previous forum, which may have been a stepping stone for a previous VU coach as well.

Yes. And, as I said somewhere else as well (and I'm too lazy to find it), I'll ask that those who do know say no more on the subject.

As long as a small school like Valpo is successful, there will be people who want to hire the coach away. To be honest, we should be happy that we have had this discussion each of the last two seasons. Bryce is a terrific coach and a better man. Should he choose to move on, it will not be without considerable thought, prayer and discussion and it will be the decision he feels is best for himself and his family. I hope he's like Homer and is happy, comfortable and content coaching at Valpo for his entire career, but I also know that at some point, we are likely to lose him.

Part of the life of a mid-major...

And ESPN...

CBS Front Page...

Just home from some celebratory beverages with a few old friends (and Mr. Wischusen of ESPN...awesome guy, great stories...very enjoyable couple of hours).

Credit to Wright State...I knew they weren't going to go away. Their intensity level picked up in the second half and shocked our guys. The deplorable play we showed was more about what they did to us...they were excellent. If they had anyone on their team that could score (Darling?) they would be damn near impossible to handle.

Our guys made the plays in crunch time. Ryan was not great tonight by any stretch (WSU did an outstanding job of basically beating him up) but he made a GINOURMOUS shot when it mattered most and the guys hit their FT's down the stretch.

Doesn't matter how...JUST MATTERS THAT WE GOT IT DONE! PUT ON YOUR DANCING SHOES!!!!!!!

there's more students pictured in the creepy mural behind the basket than the other side of the court.

this...if ValpoHoops would permit it...i would induct into the new VUFZ Clause Hall of Fame, right after we add the Sentence addition.

Hey! Don't bring me into this or you're banned for 37 hours! 

They try to follow the rules just like the committee does. That way their bracket can be as accurate as possible.

And, yes, rematches is a rule.

ESPN used to have a quick writeup each bracket, but that seems to have gone away...

[the committee has the leeway to move a team up or down a line to fit their other bracket rules]

Also, don't put too much stock into the difference between a #13 and #14...the committee has the leeway to move a team up or down a line to fit their other bracket rules (rematches, conference, teams close to home, etc.), so its entirely possible that one of these guys may have done this to make their bracket "work" within the rules.

But, I don't see it happening either...

[13 Valparaiso]

Tuesday morning update:

Lunardi:

(San Jose)
5 Syracuse
12 Davidson

4 Oklahoma State
13 Valparaiso



Palm: (note, this one is the same!)

(Dayton)
14 Valparaiso
3 Florida

11 Oklahoma
6 VCU

As for the mid-major poll, I'm afraid Valpo may _remain_ stuck at 12. 

Up to #10 FWIW

It's the same reason that I am Tommy Lasorda.  He enjoys saying random things  .  I believe it is his way of making fun of us and the board.  Since I tend to act like I know all things baseball, I must be Tommy Lasorda in his mind.

I know...been around long enough (but you knew that too)

Funny, I always randomly pictured you as actually looking like a baseball player...not short, balding and fat 

With Todd's call.

Love BMac's guttoral laughter!

All right, be honest. Who was tickling B-Mac? He was absolutely giddy after that play.

<Sheepishly raises hand> 

I was two seats away from him...at least a couple of those noises he made (not exactly sure what to call them) were directed at me...

[Like ValpoHoops, I have spent some time on the sidelines with the Ladies]

Jack is conspicuous by his absence.

He, among all of us, is probably the most seriously invested in the WBB program, yet......................     

Like ValpoHoops, I have spent some time on the sidelines with the Ladies

I'm not sure why people continue to make this connection.  VH did not coach at VU.  He has repeatedly told us this.

And yet it took you until yesterday, when he specifically called you out on it, for you to grasp this fact.

And I can't understand why when I say that "I have college coaching experience" but "not at Valpo" he can't seem to grasp that there are other colleges out there....something like 1600 that sponsor women's basketball at all levels.

Special thanks to John Feinstein of National Public Radio (one of three "national" voters along with Dick Vitale and Seth Davis) for the vote   

The Valpo "pod" according to Lunardi (ESPN):

(San Jose)
13 Valparaiso
4 Oklahoma State

12 Temple
5 Pittsburgh



The Valpo "pod" according to Jerry Palm (CBS):

(Dayton)
14 Valparaiso
3 Florida

11 Oklahoma
6 VCU



Lunardi has some odd ones still...like that he moved Wisconsin back to the #4 line despite their loss this week to Purdue, in Madison and a drubbing at Michigan State. Palm has the Badgers at a #7, which seems closer (I am a Wisconsin fan as well, and I think they are probably a #6 right now).

Also, don't put too much stock into the difference between a #13 and #14...the committee has the leeway to move a team up or down a line to fit their other bracket rules (rematches, conference, teams close to home, etc.), so its entirely possible that one of these guys may have done this to make their bracket "work" within the rules.

I think the lesson here is to never trust the attendance figure in a box score unless you can either count them yourself or its a total sellout.

The fact that Tuesday's game is nowhere close to being a sellout is an indictment of both the Valparaiso community and Valparaiso University marketing. 

We agree here...once we lost to Detroit there are many in te community that get "offended" that we should lose and waste their time.


I think, honestly, there were probably about 3700-4000 tickets sold for Saturday (not counting anything maybe on AA or EE). So when you looked at tickets, it looks pretty full. Once people either left, don't show or spread into AA and EE it definitely thinned out. By the time our game got going I think 3200 was probably pretty close to how many people were actually in the arena. (Which, btw I agree is pitiful)

But the final for that conference is hosted by the highest seed remaining. I don't know, I just don't like having all the pre-finals rounds at one site and then move to wherever. If you are going to pick a single site then stay there throughout the whole tournament.

Agree 1000%. They move in case someone other than the host is playing so they can get the best crowd possible. Think if WSU/UWGB would be playing on Tuesday at the ARC how bad the crowd might be...so they move on.

I was at the YSU game too. I think 3400 for that game was a joke. If it was 2400 we were lucky. Looking through those pictures, there would have to be 1200 people in the mezz for 3400 to be real, and that's only if every single seat in the lower bowl was full, and they aren't...That's not 1200 up there if they'd all brought a friend.

The upper level seats almost 3000 people. My estimate for Saturday is that it was 2/3 full...I don't think that's at all off the mark. (I'm not talking tickets, I'm talking butts in seats). Sure, we might have had more tickets sold, but Detroit fans (and maybe some WSU, too) left...maybe thats 500 tickets that weren't in the arena. That would have made a HUGE difference in what the upper levels looked like.

Since you said its more important to get the HL games right...somehow, I think the HL and Valpo know that too...and they probably had it pretty close...you know, this is something they do for a living.


And, honestly (not directed at you, wh), this game is done. The crowd was good, into the game, etc. Lets make sure there's no discussion about it Tuesday.

Love it when the teams wearing the dark unis win this time of year 

And in this case, Albany was playing AT HOME against the #1 seed in the semifinals. This makes zero sense to me. 

Predetermined site. Albany plays at the Pepsi Center (I think that's what its called). A large arena...they've hosted NCAA first/second rounds in the past there. It's a home game, but a single site tournament.

At the half in Sioux Falls, SD:

UMKC (8-23, 5-11, RPI #283)		22
N. Dakota State (22-8, 12-4, RPI #77)		19

Would be another team "close" to us in RPI that we would "get rid of" having to worry about. SDSU is #76 and plays IPFW in the semis tomorrow.

Love it when the teams wearing the dark unis win this time of year 

FIU 61
MTSU 57


Thank you for playing!