Augustana game

[vu72]

Well, we have another game against a team that doesn't even mention the event on their website.  That is if I have the right Augustana.
There at least 2 of them.  D2 Augustana is in South Dakota and D3 Augustana is in Rock Island, IL.  I think we play the D3 team.  They are ranked #2 in D3 going into the season. They show a game versus University of Minnesota on Nov 7 but nothing about playing us on the 3rd.

If it is the IL team, their roster shows one guy 6'8" and 3 6'7".

Any info on this??

[sectionee]

Its the IL team that is coming in on Thursday.  http://www.augustana.edu/x37964.xml

[IndyValpo]

Well, we have another game against a team that doesn't even mention the event on their website.  That is if I have the right Augustana.
There at least 2 of them.  D2 Augustana is in South Dakota and D3 Augustana is in Rock Island, IL.  I think we play the D3 team.  They are ranked #2 in D3 going into the season. They show a game versus University of Minnesota on Nov 7 but nothing about playing us on the 3rd.

If it is the IL team, their roster shows one guy 6'8" and 3 6'7".

Any info on this??

Not exactly sure what you saw but it is in several places on their website (though not on the schedule).  Augustana (IL)was a very good D3 team last year (made the Elite eight). They graduated 1 starter, who happens to be my nephew. They actually have 2 guys that are 6-9 and several others in the 6-7 to 6-8 range. Eight players back with a lot of experience.  

Their coach is former Valpo assistant Grey Giovanne (sp) from the Tom Smith era.  He will run players in and out all game. I have seen him play 11 players in the first five or six minutes. As exhibitions go, this one is pretty decent.

[valpotx]

Great D-3 school, but we should be able to beat this team by 20+ points if all goes as it should.  Otherwise, this will be a big let down for me.  It is the same argument we use against our football team when playing scholarship teams, in that Augustana should not be keeping up in the scoreline with the gap in talent. 

During the years I was on campus, we would have beaten a school like this by 30-35 in exhibition, but I don't expect that this year in getting a lot of pieces together. 

[vu72]

Great D-3 school, but we should be able to beat this team by 20+ points if all goes as it should.  Otherwise, this will be a big let down for me.  It is the same argument we use against our football team when playing scholarship teams, in that Augustana should not be keeping up in the scoreline with the gap in talent. 

During the years I was on campus, we would have beaten a school like this by 30-35 in exhibition, but I don't expect that this year in getting a lot of pieces together. 

Let's not get too excited.  This Augustana team returns four starters that have played together for a long time.  Undoubtedly they will be launching 3's all over the place with good size inside.  I would expect a game similar to last game with better shooting on our part and much better play from Richie and Will.  We have a long way to go to be ready for AZ.

I'll say Valpo by 10.

[valpotx]

It is not getting excited to say we should beat a D-3 team by 20 points.  Whether we do it or not is one thing, but that should be the expectation of a D-1 school even with our transition....

[sectionee]

Heres my preview for Thursday.  I have parent teacher conferences but hopefully will make it to the game.
http://sectionee.blogspot.com/2011/10/game-preview-preseason-finale-vs.html

[swiftmutiny]

According to the Valpo Crusader's Facebook page, ESPN's Andy Katz is going to be at this game "filming a story about Homer and Bryce Drew."

[sliman]

Augustana is from the same conference as Elmhurst, also coached by a former Valpo assistant, which we played in an exhibition game a few years ago.  Expect Augustana to be better than Elmhurst, which I seem to recall we beat rather comfortably after a comparatively close first half.  To think we'll crush this team is to drink too much of the Kool Aid, but to think we'll lose to them is scary (and yet possible).  Lots of work to do before facing the HL teams, let alone Arizona.

[agibson]

According to the Valpo Crusader's Facebook page, ESPN's Andy Katz is going to be at this game "filming a story about Homer and Bryce Drew."

I'll be sorry to miss it*.  Hopefully they get a half-decent crowd.

*Another soccer conflict!  Not a game this time, but a limited screening of "Rise And Shine: The Jay Demerit Story" - check it out, Nov 9/10 (or Nov 3) at a theater near you!

[valpotx]

Sorry for responding to the off-topic portion, but is that actually in theaters?  His story is pretty awesome

[mp91]

They played a lot of Division I schools... but they've only beaten western Illinois

it shouldn't be that hard of a matchup, especially without preseason nerves

[agibson]

Sorry for responding to the off-topic portion, but is that actually in theaters?  His story is pretty awesome

Replied over in "General Sports":
http://www.valpofanzone.com/forum/index.php?topic=369.msg5637#msg5637

But, yes!  A pretty awesome story, opening tomorrow in limited release - including (just?) one showing in Forth Worth.

[KL31NY]

At the game with my laptop. Will refrain from constant updates but wanted to share a few things.

First MBB game of the year for me, the video boards and the intro video are amazing. The sound system has definitely been upgraded. The PA was clearly heard over a drumline playing for the Valpo intros, which is a drastic change from the BracketBuster in February when the same thing happened.

Also, Homer addressed the crowd about 15 minutes prior to tip. He wants to thank everyone for their words, calls, cards, "and most importantly, your prayers." Go Homer and go Valpo basketball!

[sectionee]

I love the drum line intro!

[vu84v2]

Just looked at the box score.  Did some happen with Van Wijk?  He only played 12 minutes and just in the first half.

[swiftmutiny]

Van Wijk got smacked in the jaw in a flagrant foul from what I saw, and he sat out the rest of the game. It didn't look like anything serious to me so they were probably just being on the safe side by keeping him out (unless someone else saw something that I didn't).

[humbleopinion]

He had ice on it for a couple minutes and then had a seat on the bus.  It looks like he'll be fine.

[valpopal]

Van Wijk got smacked in the jaw in a flagrant foul from what I saw, and he sat out the rest of the game. It didn't look like anything serious to me so they were probably just being on the safe side by keeping him out (unless someone else saw something that I didn't).

Highlight of the game: when Kevin got hurt and couldn't shoot the free throws, Augustana's coach chose Buggs to shoot for Kevin. Erik made two beautiful free throws that touched nothing but net! Everybody in my section looked at one another and smiled. As I suggested after the Hillsdale game, it is clear that Erik's free throw form has definitely improved.

[swiftmutiny]

Absolutely. I was impressed all around with our free throws this evening. Shot a solid 19 of 23 for 83%, which hopefully sets the trend for the rest of the season.

[humbleopinion]

And we were 19 for 21 going into the last couple of minutes of sloppy play.

[vu84v2]

OK good news that Van Wijk is OK.  Though I did not see the game or what happened, the Augustana player is probably darn lucky Van Wijk didn't respond.  Kevin looks like he could handle himself quite well.

Ironically, I saw two exhibitions games this year (never would have planned for that).  Valpo-Hillsdale and Kansas-Pittsburg State.  We all thought Valpo struggled against Hillsdale, but I guess exhibition stuggles are not that uncommon.  Kansas only lead a .500 DII team at half by five and only made it a blow out in the last 10 minutes.

Oh...and I am rambling...the Valpo video at introductions is much like the one at Kansas (I mean this in a good way as I think the people at Valpo did a really nice job).  Now all we need is 5 National Championships, 15 Final Fours, the inventor of basketball, etc. to go with the Valpo video (just kidding).  But seriously, the intro at Valpo really brought out the heritage and pride in the program.

[agibson]

At the game with my laptop.

On press row, I get it.  But, you were just in the bleachers, with a laptop on your lap?  Hardcore?

[valpotx]

Good game, one where the final score did not indicate the blowout that it was.  Up by 21 with about 2:30 left, we should not have let them get that close...a 12-0 run will do that though with several turnovers.  We need to get better on not making stupid mistakes.  22+ turnovers or whatever against a D-3 team, would only have been much worse versus real competition.

[historyman]

http://posttrib.suntimes.com/sports/colleges/8603683-419/mens-basketball-drew-pleased-with-valpos-progress-despite-some-sloppy-play.html

Four Crusaders had at least four fouls, including 7-foot-1 redshirt sophomore Hrvoje Vucic, who fouled out in 13 minutes of action.

Vucic certainly got his money's worth in his 13 minutes of playing time. 5 fouls in 13 minutes. Has any Valpo player ever fouled out of a game in less time?


"I thought our guys really made great strides from Saturday against Hillsdale (a 73-71 win) and I was very happy with their progress," first-year head coach Bryce Drew said. "When we scheduled these two games, we knew these were two very good teams and good competition for our guys. I'm very, very proud of the effort. There's a lot of teams already that have lost in exhibitions, so I'm proud of these guys that they did not."

"I want our guys to play hard, but being an exhibition game, when Kevin got hurt, I think our goal was to go with a full roster on Monday to Arizona," Drew said. "You saw us take out Ryan Broekhoff, Matt Kenney, Erik Buggs — we really made a conscious effort to get everybody out of the game at that point."

As a result, the box score was pretty well balanced. Richie Edwards — playing center for most of the second half after Van Wijk (nine points, seven rebounds in 12 very effective minutes) was hurt — scored a team-high 14 points, hitting a pair of 3-pointers. Kenney and Broekhoff each had 13, while Will Bogan knocked down 3-of-4 from deep to post 11 points.

For Bogan, it was a nice turnaround after an 0-of-4 effort against Hillsdale.

"Definitely feels good," the Ole Miss transfer said. "It's been a while since I've shot the ball in bulk in a game, so it felt good to do that and hit a few."

Drew was particularly pleased with the defensive effort, as the Crusaders hounded the Vikings into 22 turnovers and 38.9-percent shooting from the floor. VU also was a sparkling 19-of-23 from the free-throw line.