Valpo Opponents' Schedule & Results 2016-17

[NativeCheesehead]

Exactly the point I was making, mick.

[VU2014]

There are many logistical issues with moving to the MVC and we'd also need to get an invite... Valpo has some athletic facility infrastructure issues. We finally got a real track for the track team to run on, but the pool is completely and utterly inadequate for a D1 facility. It's pretty embarrassing actually.

The MVC scouted Valpo a few years ago and one of the reasons we didn't get a bid were facilities, TV markets, and size of the school I believe. The MVC badly wanted to get into Chicago for TV rating reasons and also recruiting, so they let in Loyola (they also considered UIC). I'm not sure if an invite will ever happen to the MVC or at least for a very long time or until they lose a team to the Big East or something (which I don't see happening after the recent poaching of Creighton).

https://twitter.com/NWIOren/status/713509283627941888

If this were to happen then maybe there is an opening but the MVC mens basketball conference would be pretty darn watered down compared to just a few years ago if they were to lose Creighton and Wichita State. Although it would most likely be good for raising the level of competition in most other sports teams.

https://twitter.com/JonRothstein/status/809454049506525185
https://twitter.com/frankthetank111/status/809550455529439232
https://twitter.com/PaulSuellentrop/status/810868957339127809
https://twitter.com/hotcakes_33/status/354794402247487489
https://twitter.com/eamonnbrennan/status/354879593947205632
https://twitter.com/Hoxy10/status/323275440766726144
https://twitter.com/Hoxy10/status/323274705312288770
https://twitter.com/frankthetank111/status/323218980322033664
https://twitter.com/sg2waugh/status/323234496126255104
https://twitter.com/frankthetank111/status/323240801079525376
https://twitter.com/frankthetank111/status/323190629339377667
https://twitter.com/matthewbcarter/status/322000822600880128
https://twitter.com/MVCfans/status/321613464344870914
https://twitter.com/ValpoFanZone/status/320802362371502083
https://twitter.com/andyevans16/status/320711145054949376

Remembering (reminiscing?) all the Valpo to the MVC chatter from a few years ago.

[a3uge]

I have said it before and i'll say it again. This move was going to happen at some point, because after the Butler run the HL started to think it's better than it is. But the quickness and urgency to do it was a direct result of our open interest in the MVC. I don't make bold declarations on this board often (mostly just uninformed opinions . But this comes from someone I went to high school with who worked in the Conference office at the time.

Not really. In Summer of 2013, Detroit's new stadium wasn't even funded yet, and the MVC visited schools around tourny time. The Horizon League didn't act urgently because they kept with the same format for another two years, well after the conference alignments happened.

My biggest gripe with the thing WAS the timing, and how they slapped their top school in the face. Valpo had an at-large caliber team coming in (literally everyone but 1 bench warmer returning), and the Horizon had a great chance at sending a really good seed to the tournament for a very winable game. The rest of the league was losing some talent (UWGB lost Sykes, Cleveland State their whole roster) and there were three teams with new coaches.

Oh, and also the league added Northern Kentucky WHEN THEY WEREN'T EVEN TOURNAMENT ELIGIBLE YET. If there was ever a year to protect the top seed, it was that 2015-16 season. But nope, Valpo got hammered in the RPI all year due to UIC and NKU (accounted for almost 10 positions alone). And then they got rewarded with a conference tournament game in an empty area with new sight lines.

Why didn't they just wait a year to sign the 5 year contract? They'd at least not have to play 2 years in a dumpy stadium. Why didn't they wait a year to add NKU? They'd at least be D1 eligible and wouldn't be an RPI drag.

That was a mind numbingly horrible decision, and it was proved to be terrible when Valpo made a "what could have been" NIT run while UWGB got murdered in the tournament by Buddy Hield and co. I still firmly believe the Horizon League lost out on millions from that decision to move the tournament a year early.

[StlVUFan]

You meant Texas Tech

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[M]

Or Texas A&M...they're all pretty much the same thing 🤔

[StlVUFan]

Oh snap

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[a3uge]

Which lost to northern Iowa (A MVC team) after beating GB by 30

I've mistaken A&M for Oklahoma. Similar jerseys/teams. They even played each other in the tournament. UWGB got crushed by A&M, but A&M actually beat UNI in the next round, for those that turned the game off after UNI was up 13 with under 50 seconds left.

[StlVUFan]

Which lost to northern Iowa (A MVC team) after beating GB by 30

That was Texas

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[talksalot]

Valpo opens the January 24th with an RPI if 56 and a .5656 numerical rating... (Iona is 55 at .5663; and OleMiss is 57 at .5645)

Drake at Missouri State (MoST favored by 9.5)
Kentucky at Tennessee on ESPN right after the Kansas @WVU game that starts at 6pm CT (KY favored by 9.5 and WVU favored by 4)
Ball State at Eastern Michigan (EMU favored by 8)

Bryce is hosting Arkansas on the SEC Network at 7:30pm (Vandy is giving 3.5, but 78% of the vegas money is on the Hogs)

[talksalot]

Missouri state loses to Drake at home in overtime
BBN loses to Tennessee
Ball state wins at EMU

Vandy loses heartbreàker to Arkansas, 3 free throws with 1.6 seconds for the hogs.  Bad Commodore time mgmnt.

[valpotx]

Wait, you are telling me that they messed up over the closing minutes of a game?   I love the Drews, but I very much disliked how they used timeouts, as well as how we milked the clock over the last 5 minutes of games, only to let teams get close again.

[talksalot]

Valpo ENDs January 24th with an RPI if 65 and a .5695 numerical rating...

Yesterday's Neighbors:   Iona WAS 55 at .5663; Fell to #104~!  .5404;  and OleMiss was 57 at .5645, now is up to 47 .5870

Today's Neighbors:  #64 Vermont .5703 and #66 LaSalle .5687  (both of those teams are in action tonight)

Tuesday's games:
Drake at Missouri State (MoST favored by 9.5) - DIDN'T HAPPEN
Kentucky at Tennessee (KY favored by 9.5 ) - DIDN'T HAPPEN
Ball State at Eastern Michigan (EMU favored by 8) - DIDN'T HAPPEN

Wednesday's games:
Indiana State at Illinois State (Redbirds favored by 13) - ESPN3
Rhode Island at Richmond (Rams favored by 4.5) - CBS SportsNet
Alabama at Georgia (Bulldogs favored by 5) - ESPN U

[talksalot]

Valpo begins January 25th with an RPI if 65 and a .5695 numerical rating...

yesterday's Neighbors:  #64 Vermont .5703 and #66 LaSalle .5687  (both of those teams are in action tonight)
Vermont Climbed to #57 with their win over Albany; LaSalle fell to #86 with their loss to Penn

Wednesday's games:
Indiana State at Illinois State (Redbirds favored by 13) -HAPPENED Ill State 71-66, but they came from 10-down to win.
Rhode Island at Richmond (Rams favored by 4.5) - DIDN'T HAPPEN  Spidey 73-62, in a game that wasn't that close.
Alabama at Georgia (Bulldogs favored by 5) - DIDN'T HAPPEN  Tide 80-60, (sorry Oakland, our mediocre SEC team is better than your mediocre SEC Team!)

Valpo ends the day:  #63  .5687

Today's neighbors... #62 Vanderbryce  .5697 and #64 Michigan .5685  (Michigan hosts IU on ESPN2 at 8pm)

CalState Bakersfield @ Chicago State (CSU-B favored by 10 - Nolan Predictor; Vegas has no line)
North Dakota @ Southern Utah  (North Dakota favored by 9)
Oregon @ Utah on FoxSports1 at 9:30pm (Utah favored by 2.5, with 86% of the money on the Ducks)
BYU @ Santa Clara at 10pm on ESPNU (BYU favored by 4, with 96% of the money on the Cougars)

[justducky]

Santa Clara with a 76-68 win over BYU breaking a 16 game losing steak to the Cougars.

[talksalot]

Valpo Started the day:  #63  .5687

yesterday's neighbors... #62 Vanderbryce  .5697 and #64 Michigan .5685 
Vandy jumped from #62 to #61 (.5714) ; Michigan demolished IU by 30; and climbed all the way to #57. (.5752)


CalState Bakersfield @ Chicago State (CSU-B favored by 10) - HAPPENED - CSB 75-59
North Dakota @ Southern Utah  (North Dakota favored by 9) - HAPPENED - With two free throws with 1.1 seconds -ND 91 SUU 89
Oregon @ Utah (Utah favored by 2.5), with 86% of the money on the Ducks - Smart Money win... Ducks 73-67
BYU @ Santa Clara at 10pm on ESPNU - BRONCOS with the 76-68 win, on 14 3-pointers.

so a Loss, Loss, Win, Wash... and

the Valpo RPI ends the day...right where we started at #63 with a numerical .5685  ~~ 2 ten-thousandths of a point lower.

Today's neighbors:  #62 is Utah .5692 and #64 Ole Miss .5683

FRIDAY'S GAMES

Panther Nation at Calihan 6pm Central (Titans favored by 2.5, but 100% of the money is on MIL)
Norse at the Pavilion 7pm Central (Flames favored by 2, 50-50 on the money on this one)
Phoenix at the ORena 8pm ESPNU (Grizz favored by 7.5, but 100% of the money is on GB)

Could be some interesting movement in the standings.

oh, BYU did fall to #104... so we are 2-0 against the top 50-100 group (Rhody 53 and Bama 77)

[valpo95]

I'm guessing we are all rooting for BYU over Santa Clara so they can stay in the top 100.

Actually, the Santa Clara win over BYU isn't a bad outcome at all for Valpo. Though it does slightly impact Valpo's win over BYU, it makes theloss to Santa Clara look more palatable (the "worst loss" for Valpo doesn't look so bad, especially considering it was in overtime). Santa Clara has actually played pretty well (6-3) since defeating Valpo, and their RPI has improved by quite a bit. I don't have the numbers in front of me, but it was something like a 75 point improvement in Santa Clara's RPI. From now on, we can cheer for BYU and Santa Clara to win out, which will help Valpo's RPI.

[talksalot]

agree...if the could Bronco's could beat St Mary's when they host the Gaels on Saturday night...that would be special.

[oklahomamick]

Which loss is worse?  Santa Clara or Oakland? 

[justducky]

Which loss is worse?  Santa Clara or Oakland? 

We will tell you after the Santa Clara- St Mary's game. 

Santa Clara played the last eight minutes against BYU with both of their big guys fouled out, somebody not suited up, and only 5 regular players available. I tip my hat to them. They defend well, compete hard and when their shots are dropping, they are dangerous.

[Valpower]

Which loss is worse?  Santa Clara or Oakland? 

I would say Santa Clara. Conference foes usually have better scouting, higher motivation, less fear and greater familiarity with your home court; that's why it's hard to escape the conference season without a loss.

[talksalot]

Which loss is worse?  Santa Clara or Oakland? 

RPI
Valpo 62
Oakland 137
Santa Clara 161

Sagarin:
Valpo 77
Oakland 100
Santa Clara 152

a Very Tiny asterisk on the Double OT part

The answer TODAY is Santa Clara is a worse loss, their ranking will go up with these rankings on the schedule:

19, 196, 10, 105, 218, 241, 177, 218, 19   We are far-and-away their best win

Oakland has these powerhouses on their schedule:

153, 282, 249, 243, 266, 63, 235, 249, 153, 282  Georgia is their best win.

[talksalot]

RPIValpo 62Oakland 137Santa Clara 161

Grizzly loss tonight to GB, but Oak at 155 in the RPI...

[talksalot]

the Valpo RPI starts the day...at #63 with a numerical .5685 

Today's neighbors:  #62 is Utah .5692 and #64 Ole Miss .5683

FRIDAY'S GAMES

Panther Nation at Calihan 6pm Central (Titans favored by 2.5, but 100% of the money is on MIL) Milwaukee in 73-69 in Overtime.
Norse at the Pavilion 7pm Central (Flames favored by 2, 50-50 on the money on this one) DIDN"T HAPPEN.  Norse in a walk-over 79-62
Phoenix at the ORena 8pm ESPNU (Grizz favored by 7.5, but 100% of the money is on GB) DIDN'T HAPPEN.  Phoenix in a walk-over 80-72

and Valpo skyrockets all the way from #63 to #61.  .5715 on the number

NcState is our neighbor at #60 and Vanderbryce is at #62.  As for yesterday's neighbors, Utah #63 and OleMiss doesn't move from #64

[talksalot]

Valpo Opens Saturday @ #61.  .5715 on the number

NcState is our neighbor at #60 and Vanderbryce is at #62. 

Lots of opportunities here...

Ball State is favored by 6.5 over Western Michigan in Muncie
Loyola is favored by 1.5 over Indiana State in Terre Haute
Rhode Island is favored by 6.5 over St. Bonnie in Rhode Island
Grand Canyon is at Chicago State
Morgan State is at Coppin State
Bama is favored by 7 over Mississippi State at Tuscaloosa
Southern Utah is favored by 1.5 over Northern Colorado at home
Youngstown State is favored by 1 over Cleveland State at the Beeghly
Southern Illinois is favored by 2.5 over Missouri State in Springfield
BYU is favored by 12.5 over Loyola-Marymount in Utah
St. Mary's is favored by 10 over Santa Clara at Santa Clara
Oregon is favored by 6.5 over Colorado east of the Rockies

If you are tracking Alec's national scoring leadership, his competition from North Florida is on Espn3 at 3pm against Stetson.  Alec with a 13-point lead after last nights' 25.

[wh]

Oakland has now lost 3 consecutive home games. I can't venture a guess as to how long it's been since we did that. It would have to be a long time ago.

Edit: The last time we lost 3 consecutive home games was in '07-'08, our first season in the HL. Soon to be 10 years ago.