Looks like Valpo will be playing for only 3rd place and a bye in the HL tourney.
Cleve St 90
Valpo 71
EDIT: Sorry, I had wrong place. Valpo can play for 3rd place not just 4th place.
Man, I wouldn't want to be hanging off a side of a cliff holding onto a rope and have you holding the other end! Valpo by a 3, at the buzzer by Dority.
UIC is winning at Milwaukee at the half, so maybe they pull off a win at home against WSU. If that happens and we beat CSU, we at least earn a bye as the 3 seed. I would have been happy with a 3 or 4 seed at the beginning of the season, but watching our schizophrenic team all year has me thinking that our seed doesn't matter, as we can lose to or beat any team in the conference. I think we get the good side of our schizo personality for our last regular season home game.
Does anyone think that we have at learned earned a postseason bid of some sort in the CBI or CIT if we get our 18th win (18-13, 10-6)?
Valpo 72
CSU 67
I would think it would depend more on how we do in the tournament. Problem is with a 4th seed, your second round matchup earns you one the next day with GB...whereas with 2 or 3 (or even 6!) you wouldn't have to burn that bridge until the championship game, in which you'd be rested.
On the other hand, we could be 20-14 and then yeah, I'd think some kind of bid would be in order.
I have no idea why YSU settled for another long shot at the buzzer in OT at CSU. They had the inbounds pass with 4 seconds left under CSU's hoop, and settled for another long Perry shot. Why not take it inside and at least try to get contact, when down by 1? So frustrating to see that, as that could have kept us in play for a 2 seed if WSU loses at UIC, and we win against CSU. Milwaukee is getting blown out of their own gym by UIC right now, 66-41 with 7:20 left...
WSU only beat UIC 58-53 at WSU earlier in the season, so it is possible.
I'd think Valpo gets a post season tourney offer as long as we win at least one more game at some point this season.
I agree. I do see this team being offered postseason invitations to either the CBI or CIT, considering our youth, and how those tourneys look for some good youthful programs to feature to help them with future tournament runs.
Quote from: HC on February 25, 2014, 10:08:23 PMI'd think Valpo gets a post season tourney offer as long as we win at least one more game at some point this season.
This makes a lot of sense. Unfortunately it seems the only way to be noticed in these tournaments is to win them. Or at least get to Madison Square Garden in the NIT.
I just think the more experience they get playing together the more it will benefit them all and the team in the long run.
I would imagine we'd get an invite to one of the two mid-major tourneys. The HL is a good league and we're a good program with a lot of young talent right now. If we make a run in the HL tourney, we're a lock for one of those twos, perhaps that run will get us all the way to the NCAAs.
If I learned anything from last night was that we can play and compete against the incredibly physical games. Hopefully should beat CSU and perhaps UIC will be carrying momentum from their destruction of UWM last night and beat WSU.
I see no reason why we can't beat CSU as they almost lost to YSU on their home court. It will be another bruiser of a game. With it being Senior Day at UIC I can aslo see an upset of WSU which would give us the 3 seed. In any event, the Horizon League tourney should be a blast.
Well, we almost lost to YSU on our home court as well... ;)
Will Bryce start the four seniors?
Quote from: valpotx on February 26, 2014, 04:45:45 PM
Well, we almost lost to YSU on our home court as well... ;)
Well,...good point! Actually the YSU games was very well played by both teams. I watched some of the CSU-YSU game and it too was well played so I expect a very tight, tough game, but, we win in the end!!
Quote from: classof2014 on February 26, 2014, 01:46:47 PMI would imagine we'd get an invite to one of the two mid-major tourneys.
If we win in the quarter-finals I bet we have a good chance. Winning on Senior Night (Afternoon?) would help.
Quote from: vu72 on February 26, 2014, 02:00:24 PMWith it being Senior Day at UIC I can aslo see an upset of WSU which would give us the 3 seed.
Good reminder! It will be Senior Afternoon at Valpo also. I see the freshmen playing all out for the seniors and LaVonte, Capo, Jordan and Moussa realizing their college basketball careers are coming to an end and it's time for all boilers to be lit and leave it all out on the floor.
Quote from: valpopal on February 26, 2014, 04:47:57 PM
Will Bryce start the four seniors?
Based on what's on the line, I doubt it. I know it sounds cliche but he's gonna start the players that give us the best chance to win and they're gonna see the most playing time. It's up to Jordan, Moussa, and Bobby to step up on Saturday and earn that playing time.
Bryce has said before he doesn't really care who starts the game but who finishes it. I bet he starts the seniors, it's not like any of them are Tommy Kurth skilled.
As we look to Senior Day, here is a celebration of the 2014 Class—Capobianco, Coleman, Dority, Gueye—in 180 photos:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/96208998@N05/sets/72157641586088205/ (http://www.flickr.com/photos/96208998@N05/sets/72157641586088205/)
Quote from: HC on February 26, 2014, 07:20:17 PMit's not like any of them are Tommy Kurth skilled.
(http://cdn.memegenerator.net/instances/250x250/45566024.jpg)
As long as we don't get a senior night speech like his last year...my goodness :'(
Quote from: HC on February 26, 2014, 07:20:17 PMit's not like any of them are Tommy Kurth skilled.
No but in the short time his freshman year when he was still partially healthy he managed to start more games than either Moussa or Bobby can as seniors and if I remember right had a better assist to turnover ratio than either Jordan or LaVonte does today.
Kurths potential or lack of potential is a long dead issue that should best be left buried. For myself I have chosen to remember him as a scrappy freshman recruit that Bryce wanted, whose biggest complaint from the old board was his reluctance to shoot the 3.
(http://i58.tinypic.com/s4uqop.jpg)
Quote from: valpopal on February 26, 2014, 09:05:16 PM
As we look to Senior Day, here is a celebration of the 2014 Class—Capobianco, Coleman, Dority, Gueye—in 180 photos:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/96208998@N05/sets/72157641586088205/ (http://www.flickr.com/photos/96208998@N05/sets/72157641586088205/)
What a GREAT tribute, 'pal! Thank you so much.
Before they take the floor (i.e. now) the four seniors will have logged exactly 200 games. Considering Erik Buggs logged 138 all by himself, that's not a lot. Certainly enough to have made your mark, but we just wish we'd known you longer!
All best in your future endeavors.
We have a shot of winning this conference tournament. All teams in the Horizon are beatable. Think big. No bogus CIT discussion right now.
Quote from: usc4valpo on February 27, 2014, 03:22:02 PM
We have a shot of winning this conference tournament. All teams in the Horizon are beatable. Think big. No bogus CIT discussion right now.
I fully agree. There's not doubt that our talent level is at the top in the league, so long we don't shoot ourselves in the foot like we've done many games, we should be able to beat anybody in the tournament. I really hope we get that 3 seed, we should be able to beat CSU, we played well against WSU, which is a similar style team. We shot ourselves in the foot and that's why we lost and that's why we've lost many games this season is stupid mistakes. Not for dumb mistakes this team would only have 4-5 losses on the season and 1-2 in conference play.
Perhaps not this year but in the near future this team can make a run in the NCAA. When we're playing on top of our game, we can beat anybody.
With time comes experience, with experience comes patience, and with patience comes less unforced errors, and with less unforced errors comes more wins.
Quote from: HC on February 26, 2014, 09:35:47 PM
As long as we don't get a senior night speech like his last year...my goodness :'(
I think Tommy Kurth's speech came from the heart and with all he had been through he felt the need to try and convey those "life is precious" feelings that he had experienced. I certainly get it now. At the time Tommy spoke I wasn't so sure I did.
That's all fine and good, and I'm happy to hear you are on the mend btw....but let's put a 5 minute timer up there for these guys to talk!
really? they put blood sweat & tears into a program for four or five years and you begrudge them a few minutes at the end of their careers?
then don't stay and listen. nobody made you.
I'm going to stay, and I'm going to complain :-* when it drags on and on and you're going to sit there and read it. This year, none of these guys have even been hear that long so they shouldn't have much to say anyways.
Quote from: HC on February 27, 2014, 09:10:53 PMThis year, none of these guys have even been hear that long so they shouldn't have much to say anyways.
good point.
I can see the seniors' speeches being fairly short except for maybe Capo's speech. Both of Bobby's parents have put so much into his two years at Valpo by attending every game. That is not nearly as easy as some may think. Bobby will have a lot on his mind and might not go on forever but I think his speech will be the longest. Crean/Glass would have given him maybe a minute at most.
HM is spot on. He's spent as many years here as Gueye and either Dority or Coleman combined; all three had immediate eligibility, whereas he had to sit a year.
Couple that with his parents being so supportive, plus his sister being a student here, and a girlfriend (past? present?) being from Valpo...it's got to be a very special place for him.
Man, we're going to have to have a Senior Speech thread at this rate.
I'll prep an Over/Under for everyone's time ;)
Quote from: HC on February 27, 2014, 07:13:05 PMThat's all fine and good, and I'm happy to hear you are on the mend btw....but let's put a 5 minute timer up there for these guys to talk!
Perhaps they can follow a procedure similar to the Oscars. If the acceptance or final game speech exceeds 1.5 minutes, then require the band to play.
I'm a CSU grad student and have been to the majority of their games this season. I hate the way they match up against us, especially on the front line. The Forbes/Dority matchup will be fun to watch and I think we have enough backcourt depth to handle Trey Lewis, Sebastian Douglas, and Charlie Lee. Without a true center in their starting lineup, Waters rotates through 3-4 long, athletic PFs that pose huge matchup issues for us. They essentially have 4 Jubril Adekoyes. Last time out our entire frontcourt got outscored 36-16 by just 3 CSU forwards.
Considering this game is at home and its senior day, I think we can keep it closer than the last time around, but CSU pulls away at the end for a 65-57 victory.
On a side note, with the talent leaving Green Bay and Wright State and the talent CSU and Valpo are bringing back this is probably a preview of the two teams that will be running away from the HL in 2014-15.
Quote from: Dave_2010 on February 28, 2014, 10:35:08 AM
On a side note, with the talent leaving Green Bay and Wright State and the talent CSU and Valpo are bringing back this is probably a preview of the two teams that will be running away from the HL in 2014-15.
Agree with that they'll be the two best teams in the HL for the next couple years. I'm assuming you meant run away with the HL not from the HL for another conference.
Hope we get "senior night" refs....
as opposed to "senior refs"
(http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/a/ae/Dick_Bavetta.jpg)
UIC holds a 1 point lead at half time against WSU. This is also with Kelsey Barlow on the bench for about 3/4 of the half with 2 fouls.
VU played better at the beginning of the season than at the end of the season. What happened? :crazy: How about Tony Bennett and the UVA Cavaliers. Hell of a coach. :thumbsup:
Well that sucked. Played well in the first half, then the team decided to become spectators in the second half. I really thought the seniors would want to make their mark and none of them played well or seemed inspired, the only one was Bobby. The other three stunk.
I can see this team going deep in the tourney. Against top 3 teams in the HL we're 1-5, against the rest we're 8-2 with the two losses be heart-breakers. And we match up with GB pretty well, and if we made it to the semis we'd be playing GB. I guess you never know but after this game it looks pretty grim.
Now is the time for the seniors to make their mark in the tourney, then the class of 2017 will be in charge for the rest of the way.
Quote from: classof2014 on March 01, 2014, 05:27:23 PM
Well that sucked. Played well in the first half, then the team decided to become spectators in the second half. I really thought the seniors would want to make their mark and none of them played well or seemed inspired, the only one was Bobby. The other three stunk.
I can see this team going deep in the tourney. Against top 3 teams in the HL we're 1-5, against the rest we're 8-2 with the two losses be heart-breakers. And we match up with GB pretty well, and if we made it to the semis we'd be playing GB. I guess you never know but after this game it looks pretty grim.
Now is the time for the seniors to make their mark in the tourney, then the class of 2017 will be in charge for the rest of the way.
As I mentioned before and we once again proved today, this group is completely incapable of beating a team with a hedging defense and fast defenders, thus our 0-4 record against WSU and CSU. We are who we are. Beating either team in the tournament would be a minor miracle.
Quote from: HC on February 25, 2014, 07:16:21 PMMan, I wouldn't want to be hanging off a side of a cliff holding onto a rope and have you holding the other end! Valpo by a 3, at the buzzer by Dority.
Who was more accurate for a prediction? My 19 point CSU win prediction or your 3 point Valpo win prediction? I see.
We played like crap in the second half, that is all. Hopefully we pull off a miracle and win 2 games in the tourney, and get a postseason offer in the CIT or CBI. I don't want to watch us another few games because I can't stand turnovers, but it would be cool for the Seniors to get an extra game out of their college careers.
I don't suppose anyone has any pictures of the halftime of today's game?... just asking...
Quote from: wh on March 01, 2014, 06:29:23 PM
Quote from: classof2014 on March 01, 2014, 05:27:23 PM
Well that sucked. Played well in the first half, then the team decided to become spectators in the second half. I really thought the seniors would want to make their mark and none of them played well or seemed inspired, the only one was Bobby. The other three stunk.
I can see this team going deep in the tourney. Against top 3 teams in the HL we're 1-5, against the rest we're 8-2 with the two losses be heart-breakers. And we match up with GB pretty well, and if we made it to the semis we'd be playing GB. I guess you never know but after this game it looks pretty grim.
Now is the time for the seniors to make their mark in the tourney, then the class of 2017 will be in charge for the rest of the way.
As I mentioned before and we once again proved today, this group is completely incapable of beating a team with a hedging defense and fast defenders, thus our 0-4 record against WSU and CSU. We are who we are. Beating either team in the tournament would be a minor miracle.
(http://cache.vevo.com/Content/VevoImages/video/D8665C4F31BDA8F8084ADDA15E54D78B.jpg)
Your point, Historyman?
Anywho, way to many boneheaded turnovers again. The guys didn't look too interested in playing that second half with the exception of Keith Carter who was at least playing hard.
The result of the game was a disappointment, so for now I will focus here on the aftermath, which was another opportunity to see the character of our players. Despite the difficult and painful loss just moments earlier, Bryce and the four seniors were composed and impressive in their Senior Night comments.
Once again, the emphasis in Valpo athletics on developing student-athletes with strong character seemed to be on display. I was pleased to see such admirable behavior, especially since I noticed three or four possible recruits (a couple of them back for second and third visits) at the game who stuck around with their families to witness the ceremony and who also bowed their heads in prayer with Bryce at the close during the recognition for the seniors.
For those who did not get to see the Senior Night ceremony, here are some photos:
(http://i59.tinypic.com/dfkdw5.jpg)
(http://i62.tinypic.com/2irvpn6.jpg)
(http://i62.tinypic.com/24l67nr.jpg)
(http://i59.tinypic.com/fw13c1.jpg)
(http://i58.tinypic.com/9b92te.jpg)
After watching the game again on Comcast at 7:00 I tried to find something that could be viewed in a positive way. Still looking.
Either Bryce decided to hide his new and completely revised CSU game plan or we just do not belong on the same floor with them. I am uncomfortable with either of those possibilities. My opinion that we would pick up steam and confidence as we rolled down the stretch run couldn't have been more wrong.
The only thing that keeps this collapse from being as painful as 2010-2011 is that we didn't start this fall from nearly as much height.
Quote from: HC on March 01, 2014, 10:21:30 PMYour point, Historyman? Anywho, way to many boneheaded turnovers again. The guys didn't look too interested in playing that second half with the exception of Keith Carter who was at least playing hard.
You criticized me for my prediction. That was all it was, a prediction. Yet that prediction was more accurate then most of the predictions on this board. I didn't understand why it was wrong to predict that score.
Well, I suppose 2014 has a point:
--we are now on the opposite side of the bracket from the teams we never beat this year, and wouldn't meet either CSU or WSU before the title game.
--if the seeds hold, we will face two teams we swept (UIC and UWM) before facing GB, a team with whom we split.
Soooo...there's that.
No. I was joking with the way you started your post. Something about the game going on being over already (I think there was 10 minutes or so left). I don't care what anyone predicts nor who is closest to getting it right.
I mentioned earlier that we can make the NCAA tournament and focus on that, but after losing at home on senior day I think I stand corrected. These guys are underacieving - yes they are young, but they now have a full year of experience.
BTW - is Keith Carter a bust or is he playing hurt, or what?
Quote from: talksalot on March 01, 2014, 09:35:27 PM
I don't suppose anyone has any pictures of the halftime of today's game?... just asking...
The middle schoolers?
I have uploaded a number of photos from the game at the following link: http://www.flickr.com/photos/96208998@N05/sets/72157641802634775/ (http://www.flickr.com/photos/96208998@N05/sets/72157641802634775/)
Unfortunately, there weren't many highlights like the one below, but at least there were Senior Night photos as well.
(http://i61.tinypic.com/2s0ztk8.jpg)
As a slight positive note, I did enjoy watching Vashil rack up the steals.
Looks like he was credited with three. Good for a career high.
In the turnover thread he has pretty good stats. One of my season-long cringe moments is a too hot or too low pass going to the low post. Are those TO's mostly credited to the person inserting the pass?
This is a bit of a judgement call. If the pass goes to the post and the center lets it go right through his hand, then he'll usually get the turnover. If the pass is off the mark and the center can only get a finger tip on it, then the turnover will usually go to the passer.