Conference

[agibson]

Based on UWM's and Oakland's recent successes going into January, it looks to me that there will be a battle among VU and those guys for the HL regular season title. The tourney is another story being in Detroit.

Am I being too cautious?

We'll know a little more after @Belmont, and a lot more after @Oakland (January 8, ESPN2).  I'll begin to feel more comfortable after Milwaukee and Oakland drop a couple each in league, if we manage to avoid doing the same.

But, I'm sure I'll continue to feel pretty uneasy until we mathematically clinch a #1 or #2 seed, and again until we win the tournament.

Maybe I'll have to try to catch the Oakaland @ Virginia game Wednesday (ESPNU) - this Felder guy could be fun to watch, and I'm afraid he'll steal all of the individual attention from Alec.  (But will continue to allow Alec and others to be seen by plenty of NBA scouts.)

[HC]

Maybe I've drank too much Valpo kool aid, but I think our team is just too big too athletic too deep and too damn good defensively to be beat in our league. Oakland could maybe steal a game because Felder is that good but I wouldn't be concerned yet.

[valporun]

Felder will probably get better at his game because he's not going to be the focal point of every HL team's defense now. With the transfer that recently started playing for Oakand, coaches now have to change game plans from keeping the top defender on Felder to shut down Oakland to defending every passing lane between these two.

[valpo64]

I recently heard a radio interview with King Kampe on WJR, Detroit just prior to their MSU game.  The Coach is very excited about the HL tourney being in Detroit and thinks it will be a big advantage to his team both in fan support and recruiting. He likes the idea of his team sort of being the "Home" team.  Surprise, surprise!

[oklahomamick]

I recently heard a radio interview with King Kampe on WJR, Detroit just prior to their MSU game.  The Coach is very excited about the HL tourney being in Detroit and thinks it will be a big advantage to his team both in fan support and recruiting. He likes the idea of his team sort of being the "Home" team.  Surprise, surprise!

I hate this.  Probably as much as the HL hated the tourney being played in Valpo almost every year.  big advantage to the Detroit schools on the court and in recruiting.  Valpo needs to take a stand. 

[a3uge]

This is the same league that thought it was too big of an advantage to have Valpo's student section in the same location as they play every conference game. The Horizon is a joke.

[wh]

The HL sold its top program down the river in moving the tournament to the crime ridden backyard of 2 programs that have done nothing to earn the advantage. Does anyone believe that this move would have been made if Butler was still in the league?  Not a chance - unless it was moved to a "neutral" site in Indy.

[oklahomamick]

The HL sold its top program down the river in moving the tournament to the crime ridden backyard of 2 programs that have done nothing to earn the advantage. Does anyone believe that this move would have been made if Butler was still in the league?  Not a chance - unless it was moved to a "neutral" site in Indy.

Well said.  I hope our administration is unhappy and voiced it strongly.  I hope our fans show up in Detroit with banners!  I hope we play in STL instead of Detroit one day.

[StlVUFan]

I recently heard a radio interview with King Kampe on WJR, Detroit just prior to their MSU game.  The Coach is very excited about the HL tourney being in Detroit and thinks it will be a big advantage to his team both in fan support and recruiting. He likes the idea of his team sort of being the "Home" team.  Surprise, surprise!

Having listened to the podcast of this interview, I think we can put this in the category of "Imaginary radio".

[Smj]

I hate hate hate when I see stupid stuff happen in the world.     Having the tournament in Detroit is. ....   duh - stupid.  Just saw a game at Detroit and the stands were empty.    I think having any horizon league game away is going to be empty.    (Unless they have a "home" team playing.)  Sell tickets and make money for the program by letting the leader host. .. 

(Revised to add this thought. ...   They should have the tournament in Qatar.  That would make it legit - nothing fishy about that location and it would be neutral.)

Go Valpo!

[sliman]

Were you listening to imaginary radio, valpo64?

[crusadermoe]

Quatar as Horizon host is a good idea.  As you say, a neutral court with no advantage to any teams.

Don't overlook that Quatar showed themselves great hosts when they accepted our GitMo detainees without complaint.   From what I hear Quatar also watched out closely for those guys to make sure none got into any more trouble.....or not. 

[usc4valpo]

While we are at it, we should make Sepp Blatter commissioner of the Horizon League.

[oklahomamick]

espn.go.com/mens-college-basketball/story/_/id/14448274/the-floor-winners-losers-nonconference-schedule

The Horizon League

Valparaiso beat Oregon State and Rhode Island (true road game). UW-Milwaukee has wins over Wisconsin and Minnesota. Kahlil "The Hypnotist (he puts defenses to sleep)" Felder (37 points) and Oakland gave Michigan State fits in Detroit last week. Plus, Felder scored 38 points in Oakland's 97-83 win at Washington on Dec. 19.

Besides the tournament being hosted in Detroit and the two RPI anchors (NKU & YSU), the HL isn't that bad. 

[talksalot]

the two RPI anchors (NKU & YSU),

I believe you mean 3 anchors... adding UIC

[agibson]

I believe you mean 3 anchors... adding UIC

Do we need a UIC watch, like last year's Penguin-watch?

Looks like about a dozen winless* (*D1) teams left in the country.

You'd think they have a shot at picking up one, at least, when YSU or NKY visit Chicago.

Cant they make it to the bottom in RPI first?  (Currently 346 of 351.  Looks like they've been at least as low as 348 - it'd be no surprise if they had already been at 351 at some point this season.)

[talksalot]

Looks like about a dozen winless* (*D1) teams left in the country.

What great company... School, Record and NolanRPI...

Northwestern State 0 6 262
Grambling 0 9  264   
Coppin State 0 13  283   
Northern Arizona 0 9  291   
McNeese State 0 7 314   
Prairie View A&M 0 12  320   
Delaware State 0 13 322   
Mississippi Valley State 0 14 329    (has yet to play a home game)
Alcorn State 0 9  332   
Southeastern Louisiana 0 11  345   
Illinois-Chicago 0 9 346   
Liberty 0 12 351

Even Liberty playing Notre Dame didn't get them out of the basement.

[agibson]

Mississippi Valley State 0 14 329    (has yet to play a home game)

I'd noticed that they were one of the ones with no wins of any sort, who couldn't afford to pay a non-D1 to come and lose.  But, I'd failed to notice that they hadn't even played a home game.

It's a tough life in the SWAC, MEAC, and the like.  I don't know if they'd be better off as non-D1's, or not.

Not sure UIC has nearly the excuses that they do.

[talksalot]

Not sure UIC has nearly the excuses that they do.

UIC has yet to play anyone in the top 100... 0-4 in the 101-200 range and 0-5 against teams 251+

MVSU is 0-4 against top 50-100 teams (BYU, Evansville, Northwestern and Hawaii) , and 0-4 in the 101-200 range and 0-6 against teams 251+

MVSU has certainly travelled a lot!... there's the recruitment pitch!!

@ Nebraska
@ Air Force
@ Grand Canyon
@ New Mexico State
@ BYU
@ Seattle
@ Tennessee Tech
@ Duquesne
@ NC Central
@ Evansville
@ Northwestern
@ Hawaii !
@ North Texas

[agibson]

there's the recruitment pitch!!

Spend long days, during the holidays, on bus trips!  Or, if you're lucky, flying coach!