Poll
Question:
Predict our November record:
Option 1: 8-0
votes: 1
Option 2: 7-1
votes: 2
Option 3: 6-2
votes: 15
Option 4: 5-3
votes: 10
Option 5: 4-4
votes: 3
Option 6: 3 or fewer
votes: 2
Following is the 8-game schedule for NOV:
(In parentheses - opponents predicted finish in conf.)
NOV14 East Tennessee State (3rd of 10 teams Southern)
NOV16 at Missouri (12th of 14 teams SEC)
NOV19 IU South Bend
NOV21 Central Michigan Tournament vs Arkansas-Pine Bluff (4th of 10 SWAC)
NOV23 Central Michigan Tournament vs Maine (8th of 9 America East)
NOV28 Challenge in Music City vs Drake (10th of 10 MVC)
NOV29 Challenge in Music City vs Murray State (1st of 12 OVC)
NOV30 Challenge in Music City vs Portland (6th of 10 West Coast)
What will our NOV record be?
4-4
Paul
I voted 6-2, with losses to Murray State and @ Missouri. Valpo *should* be able to beat a mediocre Missouri team, but until they prove they can be a BCS (or Big 5 or whatever) conference team, I'm not betting on it. The other games don't look that challenging.
Let's express it this way, while aware that these are last year's stats.
#206 @ #184
#184 @ #49
NAIA @ #184
#184 vs. #264
#184 vs. #330
#184 vs. #174
#184 vs. #142
#184 vs. #178
Quote from: EddieCabot on October 28, 2014, 10:19:42 AMuntil they prove they can be a BCS (or Big 5 or whatever) conference team
i think you'll be waiting a century or two
4-3
wait, doesn't saying that actually side you with Big D & wh?!?
Quote from: EddieCabot on October 28, 2014, 10:19:42 AM
I voted 6-2, with losses to Murray State and @ Missouri. Valpo *should* be able to beat a mediocre Missouri team, but until they prove they can be a BCS (or Big 5 or whatever) conference team, I'm not betting on it. The other games don't look that challenging.
I agree with your thinking on who we should beat but there is always the one game where Valpo doesn't do what they should do. I really don't think Murray St will be that good and whoever is playing better at the time wins a close game. The Portland game will come down to whichever team has the better bench because it will be both teams 3rd game in 3 days.
I went with 5-3.
Quote from: LaPorteAveApostle on October 28, 2014, 10:22:48 AM
Quote from: EddieCabot on October 28, 2014, 10:19:42 AMuntil they prove they can be a BCS (or Big 5 or whatever) conference team
i think you'll be waiting a century or two
Gotta love auto correct!!!
Also 6-2, with a close loss to Murray State and Missouri. I wanted to pick 7-1 hoping for the Murray state win. If we end up 5-3, it could be another up and down year, especially in the Horizon.
LAA - I'm waiting for this season's O/U.
Quote from: covufan on October 28, 2014, 12:20:36 PM
Also 6-2, with a close loss to Murray State and Missouri. I wanted to pick 7-1 hoping for the Murray state win. If we end up 5-3, it could be another up and down year, especially in the Horizon.
LAA - I'm waiting for this season's O/U.
What will make the difference from last season? Pluses seem even with minuses. Hope is the only thing. We get that every year and yet never really materializes in a positive way, just up and down.
Quote from: bbtds on October 28, 2014, 02:04:54 PM
Quote from: covufan on October 28, 2014, 12:20:36 PM
Also 6-2, with a close loss to Murray State and Missouri. I wanted to pick 7-1 hoping for the Murray state win. If we end up 5-3, it could be another up and down year, especially in the Horizon.
LAA - I'm waiting for this season's O/U.
What will make the difference from last season? Pluses seem even with minuses. Hope is the only thing. We get that every year and yet never really materializes in a positive way, just up and down.
Several things. Sure we lost two bigs who were slow and not scoring threats. We also lost Lexus and Clay. We gain E. Victor. When was the last very athletic big we have had? My sense is he is major conference athletic. Next, and probably most important is experience. Alec, Jubril and Vashil all gained starter minutes with Alec and jubril only being freshman. Bryce has also said that Alec is much better then last year. Lastly is Keith Carter. As with LaVonte, who also became eligible at mid-year, Keith looked uncomfortable but showed some signes of brilliance. LaVonte went from part-time contributor to first team all conference. I expect great things from Keith. As for the loss of Clay, he really didn't give us much last year and we have picked up three guards who are athletic to very athletic. Hammink could be a real plus if ruled eligible as he could be another big athletic kid. He and E. victor have major conference experience.
Quote from: bbtds on October 28, 2014, 02:04:54 PM
What will make the difference from last season? Pluses seem even with minuses. Hope is the only thing. We get that every year and yet never really materializes in a positive way, just up and down.
A much-improved Alec Peters...
Quote from: vu72 on October 28, 2014, 04:17:10 PM
Quote from: bbtds on October 28, 2014, 02:04:54 PM
Quote from: covufan on October 28, 2014, 12:20:36 PM
Also 6-2, with a close loss to Murray State and Missouri. I wanted to pick 7-1 hoping for the Murray state win. If we end up 5-3, it could be another up and down year, especially in the Horizon.
LAA - I'm waiting for this season's O/U.
What will make the difference from last season? Pluses seem even with minuses. Hope is the only thing. We get that every year and yet never really materializes in a positive way, just up and down.
Several things. Sure we lost two bigs who were slow and not scoring threats. We also lost Lexus and Clay. We gain E. Victor. When was the last very athletic big we have had? My sense is he is major conference athletic. Next, and probably most important is experience. Alec, Jubril and Vashil all gained starter minutes with Alec and jubril only being freshman. Bryce has also said that Alec is much better then last year. Lastly is Keith Carter. As with LaVonte, who also became eligible at mid-year, Keith looked uncomfortable but showed some signes of brilliance. LaVonte went from part-time contributor to first team all conference. I expect great things from Keith. As for the loss of Clay, he really didn't give us much last year and we have picked up three guards who are athletic to very athletic. Hammink could be a real plus if ruled eligible as he could be another big athletic kid. He and E. victor have major conference experience.
We hope E Victor is this good. He's coming off surgery. We hope Bryce is correct about Alec. We hope Keith can fill in better. We hope Vashil is much better. We hope we get great contributions from newcomers.
It's funny how possibilities become guarantees as they get talked about more and more here.
We know Lexus won't play this year. We know Clay is gone. We know one clog up the middle on D is gone. We know LeVonte is gone.
Time to get the hanky out and clean the brown and gold off our glasses.
Quote from: wh on October 28, 2014, 07:50:39 AM
Following is the 8-game schedule for NOV:
(In parentheses - opponents predicted finish in conf.)
NOV14 East Tennessee State (3rd of 10 teams Southern)
NOV16 at Missouri (12th of 14 teams SEC)
NOV19 IU South Bend
NOV21 Central Michigan Tournament vs Arkansas-Pine Bluff (4th of 10 SWAC)
NOV23 Central Michigan Tournament vs Maine (8th of 9 America East)
NOV28 Challenge in Music City vs Drake (10th of 10 MVC)
NOV29 Challenge in Music City vs Murray State (1st of 12 OVC)
NOV30 Challenge in Music City vs Portland (6th of 10 West Coast)
What will our NOV record be?
Quote from: bbtds on October 28, 2014, 04:39:46 PM
Quote from: vu72 on October 28, 2014, 04:17:10 PM
Quote from: bbtds on October 28, 2014, 02:04:54 PM
Quote from: covufan on October 28, 2014, 12:20:36 PM
Also 6-2, with a close loss to Murray State and Missouri. I wanted to pick 7-1 hoping for the Murray state win. If we end up 5-3, it could be another up and down year, especially in the Horizon.
LAA - I'm waiting for this season's O/U.
What will make the difference from last season? Pluses seem even with minuses. Hope is the only thing. We get that every year and yet never really materializes in a positive way, just up and down.
Several things. Sure we lost two bigs who were slow and not scoring threats. We also lost Lexus and Clay. We gain E. Victor. When was the last very athletic big we have had? My sense is he is major conference athletic. Next, and probably most important is experience. Alec, Jubril and Vashil all gained starter minutes with Alec and jubril only being freshman. Bryce has also said that Alec is much better then last year. Lastly is Keith Carter. As with LaVonte, who also became eligible at mid-year, Keith looked uncomfortable but showed some signes of brilliance. LaVonte went from part-time contributor to first team all conference. I expect great things from Keith. As for the loss of Clay, he really didn't give us much last year and we have picked up three guards who are athletic to very athletic. Hammink could be a real plus if ruled eligible as he could be another big athletic kid. He and E. victor have major conference experience.
We hope E Victor is this good. He's coming off surgery. We hope Bryce is correct about Alec. We hope Keith can fill in better. We hope Vashil is much better. We hope we get great contributions from newcomers.
It's funny how possibilities become guarantees as they get talked about more and more here.
We know Lexus won't play this year. We know Clay is gone. We know one clog up the middle on D is gone. We know LeVonte is gone.
Time to get the hanky out and clean the brown and gold off our glasses.
Quote from: bbtds on October 28, 2014, 04:39:46 PM
Quote from: vu72 on October 28, 2014, 04:17:10 PM
Quote from: bbtds on October 28, 2014, 02:04:54 PM
Quote from: covufan on October 28, 2014, 12:20:36 PM
Also 6-2, with a close loss to Murray State and Missouri. I wanted to pick 7-1 hoping for the Murray state win. If we end up 5-3, it could be another up and down year, especially in the Horizon.
LAA - I'm waiting for this season's O/U.
What will make the difference from last season? Pluses seem even with minuses. Hope is the only thing. We get that every year and yet never really materializes in a positive way, just up and down.
Several things. Sure we lost two bigs who were slow and not scoring threats. We also lost Lexus and Clay. We gain E. Victor. When was the last very athletic big we have had? My sense is he is major conference athletic. Next, and probably most important is experience. Alec, Jubril and Vashil all gained starter minutes with Alec and jubril only being freshman. Bryce has also said that Alec is much better then last year. Lastly is Keith Carter. As with LaVonte, who also became eligible at mid-year, Keith looked uncomfortable but showed some signes of brilliance. LaVonte went from part-time contributor to first team all conference. I expect great things from Keith. As for the loss of Clay, he really didn't give us much last year and we have picked up three guards who are athletic to very athletic. Hammink could be a real plus if ruled eligible as he could be another big athletic kid. He and E. victor have major conference experience.
We hope E Victor is this good. He's coming off surgery. We hope Bryce is correct about Alec. We hope Keith can fill in better. We hope Vashil is much better. We hope we get great contributions from newcomers.
It's funny how possibilities become guarantees as they get talked about more and more here.
We know Lexus won't play this year. We know Clay is gone. We know one clog up the middle on D is gone. We know LeVonte is gone.
Time to get the hanky out and clean the brown and gold off our glasses.
Hopes--yes.
Educated guesses--yes. We have an eye witness report on Alec from Bryce. Is he just trying to get our hopes up? We have lots of examples of freshman--even freshman who never saw much action during their freshman year--getting much better their sophomore year. Will our guys be different? Perhaps. Sure there is hope on several fronts. We will just have to wait about three more weeks to get our first glimpse!!
All right, then, let's put it out here (was going to be a separate post, but since the discussion has already started):
YOUR 2015 VU CRUSADERS
THINGS THAT ARE U2 THE JOSHUA TREE
Soph Alec Peters >> Fr Alec Peters
Sr Vashil > Jr Vashil
Soph Jubril > Fr Jubril
active E-Victor >> inactive E-Victor / revolving door at 3
THINGS THAT ARE U2 POP
whoever is at SG << LVD
a Canadian car < a Lexus
a big man bench of...um...Skara and Chadwick? << a bench of Moussa & Bobby (especially given Vashil magnetically attracts fouls)
THINGS THAT ARE EVERY EDGE GUITAR LICK
Keith Carter ~= Keith Carter
End of bench (Davidson, other Canadian, Chadwick, Levingston) ~= End of bench (Davidson, Coleman, Chadwick, Yeo)
THINGS THAT ARE DONALD RUMSFELD*
Shane Hammink going to play or what now?
Health of E-Victor?
How long will it take B-Drew to define roles?
*"known unknowns"
Hope is a good thing...
Shawshank Redemption - Hope is a good thing... (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9K30e9O3Nng#)
(http://mariopiperni.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/11/Obama_Hope-Sandy.jpg)
Others have had hope......................
:lol:
4 and 3 or 3-4 both seem equally likely. The starting 5 could be solid but I will need to view all the backup players before I can up my expectations. Generally the more negative I am the better the team does so with that in mind I have voted 3-4 . I also will refuse to predict the exhibition game and could care less about its results.
Quote from: vu72 on October 28, 2014, 04:17:10 PMHammink could be a real plus if ruled eligible as he could be another big athletic kid.
First game is just over a week away and still no word on Hammink's eligibility? :crazy:
While I'm not totally sold on the whole "Bryce is wanted for every job ever" bandwagon, I do think he's been outstanding at developing prospects/raw talents into much better players.
Take the 2012 team. Buggs developed an offensive game (sans being able to shoot) by the time he was a senior... When he was a sophomore he rarely shot the ball because he couldn't really finish at the rim. Kenny was terrible his freshman and sophomore year and consistently drove in the lane wildly out of control. Broekhoff was raw as a freshman, and looked like a poor volume shooter. Van Wijk was merely a backup to a Corey Johnson, and with his bad back, it was hard to take a 6ft 7 center seriously. By the time these guys were seniors, they had progressed significantly. None of these guys were high rated recruits, or had NBA bodies, but the team ended with the highest RPI in the program's history, and finished the regular season significantly ahead of a team with an NBA player and a summer league player.
And take last years team... While Capo didn't seem to progress at all, but we saw Dority turn into a 1st teamer. Vashil astonishingly turned into a serviceable player. Even Coleman had much better points and assists per-40 numbers.
I think Bryce does a good job of developing players and getting the most out of them, so I have reason to believe that Carter, Peters, and Jubril will be better than last year. Maybe this is the year Vashil learns that he has to go straight up in order to not foul out each game... But that's the problem with this team. It's not deep down low, and it again is going into the season with a bunch of question marks. Who's going to score if Alec is having an off day... or if he gets doubled? Who comes in for Vashil when he commits 2 fouls in the first 5 minutes? How good are the new guys? It feels a bit like last year where we'll have to fill the gaps with question marks, but not nearly so bad. Making a prediction, I would imagine we'll finish 3 or 4 games above .500 for the year and be sad about losing to eventual 15 seed in tournament.
Quote from: justducky on October 28, 2014, 09:26:52 PM
4 and 3 or 3-4 both seem equally likely. The starting 5 could be solid but I will need to view all the backup players before I can up my expectations. Generally the more negative I am the better the team does so with that in mind I have voted 3-4 . I also will refuse to predict the exhibition game and could care less about its results.
All 8 dates/opponents I listed at the beginning of the thread are "real" games. Our 1 and only exhibition game is on Nov 6th Grand Valley State, which I did not list since it doesn't count toward our won/loss record.
Quote from: wh on October 28, 2014, 11:32:56 PM
Quote from: justducky on October 28, 2014, 09:26:52 PM
4 and 3 or 3-4 both seem equally likely. The starting 5 could be solid but I will need to view all the backup players before I can up my expectations. Generally the more negative I am the better the team does so with that in mind I have voted 3-4 . I also will refuse to predict the exhibition game and could care less about its results.
All 8 dates/opponents I listed at the beginning of the thread are "real" games. Our 1 and only exhibition game is on Nov 6th Grand Valley State, which I did not list since it doesn't count toward our won/loss record.
Like many other teams, Valpo is scheduled to play a "secret scrimmage" game as well, which is why there is only one exhibition scheduled.
I get to be the overly-enthusiastic prognosticator here, picking 7-1. I believe that it will be 6-2 with losses to Missouri and Murray State, but we have had similar teams that beat Murray State, and I went with my heart over brain.
5-3 just to many unknowns
Starting five: Vashil, Alec, Jabril, Keith and ???? Next question: Who are the first five off the bench and in for whom?
My picks: Starter--Trevon Walker
Off the bench; Nickerson for Alec, Joseph for Keith, Skara for Jabril, Chadwick for Vashil and Darien for Trevonn.
We may aslo see Jabrill playing the five and Chadwick at the four.
Thoughts??
Quote from: justducky on October 28, 2014, 09:26:52 PM
4 and 3 or 3-4 both seem equally likely. The starting 5 could be solid but I will need to view all the backup players before I can up my expectations. Generally the more negative I am the better the team does so with that in mind I have voted 3-4 . I also will refuse to predict the exhibition game and could care less about its results.
We won't be that bad. That would include losing to Central Mich or AR-Pine Bluff and the Crusaders are much better than that. Vashil, Alec, Keith, E.Victor and any other teammate could beat those teams without any help.
EDIT: watch those beat/be auto corrections. I just had to fix this post.
Quote from: bbtds on October 29, 2014, 11:23:37 AMlosing to Central Mich
autocorrect can't fix everything ;)
I will go out on a limb and guarantee that we don't lose to CMU this year.
I took 5-3.
Losses forecast to Mizzou, Murray State (game is near their home), and Portland (mid-rated in a decent conference).
Quote from: justducky on October 28, 2014, 09:26:52 PMI also will refuse to predict the exhibition game and could care less about its results.
You meant the other "real" game that is an exhibition game. Didn't you?
Quote from: vu72 on October 10, 2014, 10:18:31 AMIt is really hard to say with so little knowledge of so many new players.
Quote from: vu72 on October 28, 2014, 04:17:10 PMSeveral things. Sure we lost two bigs who were slow and not scoring threats. We also lost Lexus and Clay. We gain E. Victor. When was the last very athletic big we have had? My sense is he is major conference athletic. Next, and probably most important is experience. Alec, Jubril and Vashil all gained starter minutes with Alec and jubril only being freshman. Bryce has also said that Alec is much better then last year. Lastly is Keith Carter. As with LaVonte, who also became eligible at mid-year, Keith looked uncomfortable but showed some signes of brilliance. LaVonte went from part-time contributor to first team all conference. I expect great things from Keith. As for the loss of Clay, he really didn't give us much last year and we have picked up three guards who are athletic to very athletic. Hammink could be a real plus if ruled eligible as he could be another big athletic kid. He and E. victor have major conference experience.
You sure didn't have troubling saying anything closer to the season.
Quote from: crusadermoe on October 29, 2014, 06:04:54 PM
I took 5-3.
Losses forecast to Mizzou, Murray State (game is near their home), and Portland (mid-rated in a decent conference).
If we are ever going to beat Mizzou it will this year. New coach, early in the year, relying on new guys. This is the type of game many have called for. Major conference, lower level team. They are picked seventh in the SEC.
Agree with vu72 regarding the game against Mizzou. However, we apparently have some sort of cosmic inability to defeat a state school from a major conference. It's time for us to show that we can win this sort of game. Otherwise, we will remain a middling mid-major for the foreseeable future.
When was last win vs. Big 6 conference team?.....other than U. of Washington in 2007? Ohio State in Alaska in 2000?
Quote from: crusadermoe on October 31, 2014, 05:40:01 PM
When was last win vs. Big 6 conference team?.....other than U. of Washington in 2007? Ohio State in Alaska in 2000?
Last year when we beat Central Florida. Oh wait, I'm sure you think that isn't a Big 6 conference--right? Well, I'd be hard pressed to say they aren't with teams like Cinninnati, U Conn, Memphis, Louisville and Temple. Yes, these teams were part of the American last year when we beat UCF.
Quote from: vu72 on October 31, 2014, 07:22:15 PM
Quote from: crusadermoe on October 31, 2014, 05:40:01 PM
When was last win vs. Big 6 conference team?.....other than U. of Washington in 2007? Ohio State in Alaska in 2000?
Last year when we beat Central Florida. Oh wait, I'm sure you think that isn't a Big 6 conference--right? Well, I'd be hard pressed to say they aren't with teams like Cinninnati, U Conn, Memphis, Louisville and Temple. Yes, these teams were part of the American last year when we beat UCF.
This.
Quote from: EddieCabot on October 28, 2014, 09:36:09 PMFirst game is just over a week away and still no word on Hammink's eligibility?
Just the briefest mention in the morning Post-Trib saying that "the Crusaders have continued to pursue a waiver that would allow LSU transfer Shane Hammink to play this season". Shouldn't this be a simple yes or no decision? How much research do they need to do to arrive at an answer? If this drags on for another 6 weeks then maybe he gets redshirted even if he wins!
Quote from: justducky on November 01, 2014, 09:40:18 PM
Quote from: EddieCabot on October 28, 2014, 09:36:09 PMFirst game is just over a week away and still no word on Hammink's eligibility?
Just the briefest mention in the morning Post-Trib saying that "the Crusaders have continued to pursue a waiver that would allow LSU transfer Shane Hammink to play this season". Shouldn't this be a simple yes or no decision? How much research do they need to do to arrive at an answer? If this drags on for another 6 weeks then maybe he gets redshirted even if he wins!
Here is that article:
Valpo building chemistry as season nearshttp://posttrib.suntimes.com/sports/colleges/30776947-556/valpo-building-chemistry-as-season-nears.html#.VFZnNktFNfM (http://posttrib.suntimes.com/sports/colleges/30776947-556/valpo-building-chemistry-as-season-nears.html#.VFZnNktFNfM)
By the way, now that the NWI Times has become a pay site I won't bother to post links to their articles any longer. I'm guessing that not many on the board have elected to pay for this service, although I could be wrong.
I think we'll go 6-2 during the month. I think we'll beat either Mizzou or Murray State (not both) and lose to a team we shouldn't lose to. Unlike last year we return 3 starters (including Vashil) and KC was a contributor off the bench, hopefully he can have the season like LVD did last year but only time will tell.
This team is better than last year's team. We have more experienced starters and athleticism off the bench. With the volume of new faces on the team a few players will step up off the bench. I think a top 3 finish is very possible with this team. Like last year there are a lot of questions but instead of the questions being who will start it's who will come off the bench. So we're in better shape than we were last season.
Quote from: classof2014 on November 03, 2014, 08:30:13 AM
This team is better than last year's team. We have more experienced starters and athleticism off the bench. With the volume of new faces on the team a few players will step up off the bench. I think a top 3 finish is very possible with this team. Like last year there are a lot of questions but instead of the questions being who will start it's who will come off the bench. So we're in better shape than we were last season.
I love your logic because it fits the narrative I want to see play out. I also love the optimism of the person who is predicting we will go 8-0 in November. Just imagine the excitement on this board a month from now if that were to occur!
I took 7-1. Mizzou is worse than Nebraska of 2 seasons ago and we shot like poo that game. No way we have an Evansville-esque game on this schedule in my mind.
Final call.
Poll closes early Thursday morning...
Our November poll is officially locked and loaded. Good luck to all 33 prognosticators!
Quote from: valpotx on October 29, 2014, 01:47:54 AM
I get to be the overly-enthusiastic prognosticator here, picking 7-1. I believe that it will be 6-2 with losses to Missouri and Murray State, but we have had similar teams that beat Murray State, and I went with my heart over brain.
Quote from: Kyle321n on November 05, 2014, 04:28:26 PM
I took 7-1. Mizzou is worse than Nebraska of 2 seasons ago and we shot like poo that game. No way we have an Evansville-esque game on this schedule in my mind.
If we can grind out 2 more wins this weekend, 2 smart guys will be adding a bit of swagger to their gait. ;)
What do Kyle and I win ;)?
Quote from: valpotx on November 30, 2014, 02:53:45 PM
What do Kyle and I win ;)?
Your prize is the intrinsic good feeling you are currently experiencing, stemming from a unique sense of personal accomplishment. You have earned the respect and admiration of your peers. You are energized and motivated. You suddenly feel empowered to take on the world and conquer it. Congratulations to both of you!
wh - are you a hypnotist?
Quote from: bbtds on October 28, 2014, 04:39:46 PM
Quote from: vu72 on October 28, 2014, 04:17:10 PM
Quote from: bbtds on October 28, 2014, 02:04:54 PM
Quote from: covufan on October 28, 2014, 12:20:36 PM
Also 6-2, with a close loss to Murray State and Missouri. I wanted to pick 7-1 hoping for the Murray state win. If we end up 5-3, it could be another up and down year, especially in the Horizon.
LAA - I'm waiting for this season's O/U.
What will make the difference from last season? Pluses seem even with minuses. Hope is the only thing. We get that every year and yet never really materializes in a positive way, just up and down.
Several things. Sure we lost two bigs who were slow and not scoring threats. We also lost Lexus and Clay. We gain E. Victor. When was the last very athletic big we have had? My sense is he is major conference athletic. Next, and probably most important is experience. Alec, Jubril and Vashil all gained starter minutes with Alec and jubril only being freshman. Bryce has also said that Alec is much better then last year. Lastly is Keith Carter. As with LaVonte, who also became eligible at mid-year, Keith looked uncomfortable but showed some signes of brilliance. LaVonte went from part-time contributor to first team all conference. I expect great things from Keith. As for the loss of Clay, he really didn't give us much last year and we have picked up three guards who are athletic to very athletic. Hammink could be a real plus if ruled eligible as he could be another big athletic kid. He and E. victor have major conference experience.
We hope E Victor is this good. He's coming off surgery. We hope Bryce is correct about Alec. We hope Keith can fill in better. We hope Vashil is much better. We hope we get great contributions from newcomers.
It's funny how possibilities become guarantees as they get talked about more and more here.
We know Lexus won't play this year. We know Clay is gone. We know one clog up the middle on D is gone. We know LeVonte is gone.
Time to get the hanky out and clean the brown and gold off our glasses.
So far: check (in limited action - wait til he's 100%!), check, check, check and check!
Remember, Red, hope is a good thing, maybe the best of things, and no good thing ever dies.
Quote from: vusupporter on December 01, 2014, 02:26:54 AM
Quote from: bbtds on October 28, 2014, 04:39:46 PM
Quote from: vu72 on October 28, 2014, 04:17:10 PM
Quote from: bbtds on October 28, 2014, 02:04:54 PM
Quote from: covufan on October 28, 2014, 12:20:36 PM
Also 6-2, with a close loss to Murray State and Missouri. I wanted to pick 7-1 hoping for the Murray state win. If we end up 5-3, it could be another up and down year, especially in the Horizon.
LAA - I'm waiting for this season's O/U.
What will make the difference from last season? Pluses seem even with minuses. Hope is the only thing. We get that every year and yet never really materializes in a positive way, just up and down.
Several things. Sure we lost two bigs who were slow and not scoring threats. We also lost Lexus and Clay. We gain E. Victor. When was the last very athletic big we have had? My sense is he is major conference athletic. Next, and probably most important is experience. Alec, Jubril and Vashil all gained starter minutes with Alec and jubril only being freshman. Bryce has also said that Alec is much better then last year. Lastly is Keith Carter. As with LaVonte, who also became eligible at mid-year, Keith looked uncomfortable but showed some signes of brilliance. LaVonte went from part-time contributor to first team all conference. I expect great things from Keith. As for the loss of Clay, he really didn't give us much last year and we have picked up three guards who are athletic to very athletic. Hammink could be a real plus if ruled eligible as he could be another big athletic kid. He and E. victor have major conference experience.
We hope E Victor is this good. He's coming off surgery. We hope Bryce is correct about Alec. We hope Keith can fill in better. We hope Vashil is much better. We hope we get great contributions from newcomers.
It's funny how possibilities become guarantees as they get talked about more and more here.
We know Lexus won't play this year. We know Clay is gone. We know one clog up the middle on D is gone. We know LeVonte is gone.
Time to get the hanky out and clean the brown and gold off our glasses.
So far: check (in limited action - wait til he's 100%!), check, check, check and check!
Remember, Red, hope is a good thing, maybe the best of things, and no good thing ever dies.
Yes, a lot of the things that were only hopes at the beginning of the season have become reality. Especially the hope that Valpo gets help from the newcomers. Tavonn, Darien and David Skara have really played way beyond any expectations many of us had for the team. In this particular event in Nashville Keith Carter was absolutely great along with Alec Peters going beyond what Bryce was predicting for him. EVic really injects a much needed boost many times when the offense is starting to go flat he really revives it. Although Nickerson still has a ways to go before he is fully fit. He was begging to come out of the game after a few minutes and really gasping for air when he got to the bench. Another huge impact was that Vashil is playing with great confidence and playing tremendous defense (which includes blocking shots from the opponents big men).
But I do emphasis that there is no guarantee that the team will continue to play at this high a level, as was evident in the Missouri game, but my hopes for it happening are much greater than at the beginning of the season. Yeo who?
With a November like this, I'm looking forward to this team getting us back to the top of the HL this season!
Quote from: covufan on December 01, 2014, 10:59:24 AM
With a November like this, I'm looking forward to this team getting us back to the top of the HL this season!
Agree. It's only been a 1-year drought, but that's long enough.