Wright State @ Valpo 2/21/15 7:05pm Senior Night @ the ARC

[talksalot]

OK, I started the last two game threads... both wins... let's keep the string going.   WSU has been struggling, we have a nice break to rest up.   Hope for a great crowd to say thanks to Vashil Fernandez and David Chadwick.   Also, Hall of Fame inductions.  We've won 10 in a row in the ARC.

Game #28 of the year.   In the past 28 years, we are 14-6.  (we did not get to play this many games for a few years!)

Success in Game #28:
13-14:  Beat YSU  68-66 at Home
12-13:  Beat EKY  82-60 at home Bracketbuster
11-12:  Lost LoyMMt 61-53 at Maryount Bracketbuster
10-11:  Lost GB 81-80 at GBay
09-10:  Beat Loyola 84-73 at Home
08-09:  Lost to Cleveland State 71-64 at home, clinched 9th place in HL
07-08:  Beat UWM 66-57 at Milwaukee
06-07:  Beat Southern Utah 75-48 at home, clinched 3rd place in Mid-Con

February 21 History
2/21/12 - Win - Loyola - HOME - 66-62 OT
2/21/11 - Loss- UWGB - AWAY - 81-80 OT
2/21/04 - Loss- SUtah - AWAY - 75-58
2/21/02 - Win - Oakland - HOME - 79-72
2/21/94 - Win - Eastern Illinois - HOME - 70-55

Wright State Struggles:

@ Oak:  Lost  84-76
H GB:   Lost 71-58
@ CSU: Lost 88-72
H UIC: Lost 79-75
H YST:  Lost 74-69

Play Oakland at Home on Wednesday night.

[HC]

Raiders stink worse then me after a dinner at that Mexican restraint behind Memorial Opera house, and valpo is on a mission. I will take Valpo by 16.

78-62

[covufan]

Senior night.  Vashil will have a great game, and some will feed him some good chances with the ball on offense.  He finishes with 5 blocks, 10 rebounds and 13 points.

Valpo   75
WSU    56

[crusaderjoe]

Someone in the UWM thread said that WSU would be the tarp game.  I don't know...its possible I guess, although as far as tarp games go I think we just had ours.  It's the last home game of the year.  I can't see Valpo losing it.  We'll continue to close as we did over this past weekend.

[a3uge]

Someone in the UWM thread said that WSU would be the tarp game.  I don't know...its possible I guess, although as far as tarp games go I think we just had ours.  It's the last home game of the year.  I can't see Valpo losing it.  We'll continue to close as we did over this past weekend.

[valpo4life]

Am I the only one having an issue with the term "trap game" being used for this past Milwaukee game or this upcoming Wright St game? For me, the term "trap game" is used where you are playing a lesser opponent a couple days before a big matchup where one could be caught looking ahead instead of focusing on the game at hand. I would consider the Milwaukee game as a "potential let down game". Just my 

[valpotx]

Valpo 67
WSU 56

[Kyle321n]

Am I the only one having an issue with the term "trap game" being used for this past Milwaukee game or this upcoming Wright St game? For me, the term "trap game" is used where you are playing a lesser opponent a couple days before a big matchup where one could be caught looking ahead instead of focusing on the game at hand. I would consider the Milwaukee game as a "potential let down game". Just my 

That is the correct nomenclature. If this was going to be a tarp/trap game, then Detroit would be the "big game". I could see Detroit being the trap that we get caught looking forward to CSU.

Anyway no way we lose this game, Wright State is struggling, they hurting and frankly not that great. I wouldn't mind seeing Chadwick get a ton of burn. Also I think KC should start this game so he can get his rhythm back with the starters since I can't see the starters playing over 10 minutes in the second half.

[historyman]

Someone in the UWM thread said that WSU would be the tarp game.  I don't know...its possible I guess, although as far as tarp games go I think we just had ours.  It's the last home game of the year.  I can't see Valpo losing it.  We'll continue to close as we did over this past weekend.

It could be a tarp game for WSU. They sure do need a Troubled Asset Relief Program for their team.

Then if not used properly you can bank on WSU getting trapped in their tarp.

[Valpower]

Am I the only one having an issue with the term "trap game" being used for this past Milwaukee game or this upcoming Wright St game? For me, the term "trap game" is used where you are playing a lesser opponent a couple days before a big matchup where one could be caught looking ahead instead of focusing on the game at hand. I would consider the Milwaukee game as a "potential let down game". Just my 

If you think of it as a literal trap, I see no reason it can't be placed in front of or behind the center of focus. To me, it's either a game where you are distracted by what's ahead of you or lulled by what's behind.

[Valpo18]

Just got my tickets to the game today! I really think this team can win out and even win a game in the big dance!

[crusadermoe]

I think all of the tarp comments have covered the bases already.    WSU ----yawn!

[vu72]

Just got my tickets to the game today! I really think this team can win out and even win a game in the big dance!

Smart move!  Based on early ticket sales it will be a very good crowd as well it should be!

[wh]

Valpo Basketball Preview 2|17|15

[truth219]

This game won't catch the publics attention most likely. However,  if tevonn or Alec can score 30+ points,  it could.

[talksalot]

From the WSU Game Notes for their game tonight with Oakland at the Nutter

Notes: The Raiders had five starters in street clothes on the bench but made a great effort to take the lead in the second half but lost to Youngstown State 74-69. Grant Benzinger led the way for his second straight 20-plus point night with 22 points on three threes. He added a career-high seven rebounds. Michael Karena had 14 points as Danile Collie got his first start. WSU outrebounded YSU 29-26.


No. Name (Ht., Wt., Yr., Pos) PPG RPG Notes
0 Steven Davis (6-7, 200, So., F) 7.4 3.5 day to day
2 Daniel Collie (5-11, 175, Jr., G) * 0.4 0.4 started vs YSU; hit three
3 Reggie Arceneaux (5-9, 160, Sr., G) 7.6 1.7 1,000th point at CSU
5 Justin Mitchell (6-4, 180, Fr., G) * 3.9 2.1 15/9 vs UIC
10 Mark Howell (5-10, 170, So., G) 1.5 0.5 6 pts vs Miami
11 JT Yoho (6-6, 225, Jr., F) 16.1 6.7 day to day
12 Grant Evans (6-3, 185, Fr., G) 2.1 0.7 3 threes vs YSU
13 Grant Benzinger (6-3, 190, Fr., G) * 8.1 3.0 22 pts vs YSU
14 Michael Karena (6-10, 225, Jr., C) * 8.8 3.4 21 pts/7 rebs vs UIC
15 Kendall Griffin (6-4, 215, Sr., G) 8.6 2.3 out for season
20 Chrishawn Hopkins (6-2, 175, Sr., G) 9.0 3.1 day to day
21 Trey Stacey (6-4, 185, Fr., G) 0.8 0.0 hit a three vs UIC
32 Joe Thomasson (6-4,170, Jr., G) 10.3 5.5 day to day
35 Roderick Davis (6-8, 225, Fr., F) * 1.7 1.2 17 pts/7 rebs at Oakland
* starters of most recent game

Recent history of their starting line-up...

vs. Valparaiso: Griffin, Karena, Hopkins, Thomasson, Arceneaux
at Milwaukee: Griffin, Karena, Hopkins, Thomasson, Arceneaux
at Detroit: Griffin, Karena, Hopkins, Thomasson, Mitchell
at Oakland: Griffin, Karena, Hopkins, Thomasson, Mitchell
vs. Green Bay: R. Davis, Karena, Hopkins, Thomasson, Arceneaux
at Cleveland State: R. Davis, Karena, Hopkins, Benzinger, Arceneaux
vs. UIC: R. Davis, Karena, Mitchell, Benzinger, Arceneaux
vs. Youngstown State: R. Davis, Karena, Mitchell, Benzinger, Collie  (Arceneaux didn't start, played 23 minutes, 6 pts 6 asts), Benzinger scored 23 against UIC and 22 against Youngstown 6-3 FR Guard,

[LaPorteAveApostle]

yikes.  i would say WSU is a bad neighborhood getting worse, but then again, I said that about UWM when they were bottoming out AND graduating everyone, and they had a nice bounce-back year.

[wh]

There are WSU posters blaming Donlon for not recruiting enough big men to be able to overcome their injury situation. I could understand the logic if they were out of guards, but people 6-7 and taller represent such an extremely small percentage of the population that recruiting quality players that size has to be an incredible challenge, especially at the mid major level. I'm not sympathizing because I don't recall any sympathy coming our way when we lost our top 2 point guards, but I always find it interesting that when things aren't going well some fans want to blame the coach for everything. IMO WSU would be crazy to get rid of Donlon, as some of their fans want. I could be wrong, but I doubt it's even remotely being considered. This team played in the HL tournament championship game in each of the last 2 years for heavens sakes. Fans can be so fickle.

[talksalot]

Here's a link to the OAK-WSU box from last night...

http://www.wsuraiders.com/fls/27000/boxscores/m-baskbl/2014-15/27.pdf

31 for Benzinger (another good freshman PG)  last night... 76 points in his last 3 games.    He went 1-3 with 2 rebounds in 24 minutes against us when we played them at WSU.

[valpopal]

[classof2014]

We win this one easily. 73-52

Vashil has a great game, 7-9, 3-5 from FT, 11 boards, 4 blocks.

[justducky]

but I always find it interesting that when things aren't going well some fans want to blame the coach for everything. IMO WSU would be crazy to get rid of Donlon, as some of their fans want.

Agree. There is a reason that WSU has always been one of our best fan draws and that has been the consistency of their competition.

Should have clean roads and 30 degree temps for game time. Early ticket sales look very encouraging even after taking in to account the benefits of Sr. night and Hall of Fame. I think word that something good is developing may have finally leaked out to the larger northwest Indiana community. I would love to see 4,000+ show up for a WSU team that is really struggling.

[vu72]

Just looked. Fewer than 100 seats left in the lower bowl.  Decent upper deck sales for two days before.  If the students show it should be rocking.   

[historyman]

Vashil has a great game, 7-9, 3-5 from FT, 11 boards, 4 blocks.

As of lately that would be a huge improvement in the FT dept. The other stats seem very doable versus WSU and Karena and Davis. It's only when Karena and Davis aren't guarding him that Vashil will really struggle.

[classof2014]

Vashil has a great game, 7-9, 3-5 from FT, 11 boards, 4 blocks.

As of lately that would be a huge improvement in the FT dept. The other stats seem very doable versus WSU and Karena and Davis. It's only when Karena and Davis aren't guarding him that Vashil will really struggle.

I guess I'm hoping that he has a decent FT shooting game before the tournament. Get some confidence back. He started the season off well but now he's been incredibly shaky. Not to the point last season when he missed like 17 in a row or something.