Messages

Here is what I don't get, if the MVC played 90% of there non-conference games at home like the P6 conferences do, we would have a 70%+ non-conference winning percentage also. The bias is blatant, the only way the committee can't see it is for all of the $$$$ obscuring their view. Any semblance of fairness has been lost and the more the NCAA tries to "fix" things the worse it gets.

NCAA Tourney Committee members:
Kevin White - Duke AD
Bernard Muir - Stanford AD
Jim Schaus - Ohio AD
Janet Cone - UNC Asheville AD
Mitch Barnhart - Kentucky AD
Craig Thompson - MWC Commissioner
Jim Phillips - Northwestern VP of Athletics
Bernadette McGlade - A10 Commissioner
Chris Reynolds - Bradley AD

8 and 7 seeds beat 1 and 2 seeds: A Tale of 2 Conferences:

Big 10: "This just shows the depth of this conference and the unimaginable grind these teams go through night in and night out. A testament to why they're getting 126789 teams in the tournament this year."

MVC: "Ha! UNI and Loyola lost to Drake and Valpo! I told you this conference sucks! The top of this conference have been such fraudulent paper tigers all year. They're lucky they at least have the auto bid."

Tell me, what makes these situations so different? Why can't we be considered for the good strong deep league that we are and get a little love from the committee? We're just like the Big 10 in that we are deep and cannibalize each other so what gives? Asking for a friend.

Big Ten has 14 teams, so generally if you finish middle of the pack in the best conference in a given year, you're getting in.  2 years ago they only got 4 teams in.

The MVC only has 1 team this year that's got an at-large resume (UNI).  Loyola lost to Coppin State at home and had no Quad 1 wins (the entire league had 2 all year).

Some of it is opportunity that the MVC doesn't get in the non-conference, but that's also partly due to not having an alpha team in the conference (Dayton, SDSU, Gonzaga) that major conference opponents know will be good year in and year out and isn't a risk to schedule and can get into prestigious tourneys.

The MVC is a good league, but teams make the tournament, not leagues.

He's amazing All class I would not have handled this as well as he did if I were in that situation I can honestly say that

https://twitter.com/RBroekhoff45/status/1235413939946692609

Broekhoff was a stud, no doubt, and probably could/should have replaced some of the guys on the list.  Lists are good to generate discussion, but are mostly a waste of time.

Holy crap That's amazing... Just read this on MVC Fans... Why was the NET created? This might explain:

UNI RPI: 19

Big 10 Teams ahead of that: 1

UNI NET: 37

Big 10 teams ahead of that: 10

You really think the RPI is a better metric than the NET?

The NET isn't perfect, but it's far better than the RPI.

UNI has had a great season, but their SOS is just above average, so that's why they have the rating they do.

Potential big change for college basketball

http://www.ncaa.org/about/resources/media-center/news/di-transfer-waiver-working-group-seek-feedback-waiver-expansion

They would be looking to have this in place by next school year.

As an outsider, I think the reaction to this single game by some is over the top.  Valpo is performing right around their expectations for the year even before the Fazekas injury.  Their core is still young. I'm not saying that Lottich is a fantastic coach, but I also don't see this year as underachievement. 

They will likely wind up in a similar place despite being younger in a much more difficult version of the MVC. I don't think that means success, but it certainly doesn't mean failure.

Personally, I'd keep him through JFL's career at Valpo and then make an assessment as to the direction of the program. Tonagel isn't going anywhere anytime soon in my opinion.

[Feel free to complain about academic infraction penalties, but the NCAA doesn't have jurisdiction in this matter.]

So Skara and Adekoya get nine games for an academic infraction (Adekoya I think ended up sitting out way more because the NCAA sucks) Yet a Kansas player goes INTO THE CROWD WITH A CHAIR and gets 12 games... The NCAA sucks... https://twitter.com/i/web/status/1220127900466401280

Feel free to complain about academic infraction penalties, but the NCAA doesn't have jurisdiction in this matter.

If they don't have jurisdiction in the matter, how is it that they handed down the suspensions for the infractions? Sounds like to me they have some say in the matter.

Because the NCAA doesn't get involved in in-game issues unless the schools and/or leagues don't adhere to the NCAA's "one game suspension rule" for a player's first fight of the season. Schools and conferences are specifically listed as the assigning authority when it comes to dealing out more severe punishments beyond that.

So Skara and Adekoya get nine games for an academic infraction (Adekoya I think ended up sitting out way more because the NCAA sucks)

Yet a Kansas player goes INTO THE CROWD WITH A CHAIR and gets 12 games...

The NCAA sucks...

https://twitter.com/i/web/status/1220127900466401280

Feel free to complain about academic infraction penalties, but the NCAA doesn't have jurisdiction in this matter.

If Lickliter is going to have success at Evansville, his assistants need to fill the exact opposite role that he and Graves were supposed to play on McCarty's staff.  He's a nice guy, and a good X's and O's guy, but has never been great on the recruiting trail.

He's about as polar opposite personality-wise from McCarty, so will be interesting to see how this goes. Do hope he finds success there.

They would have three losses in that scenario in the 11th best conference with wins over Colorado and South Carolina and (hopefully) at least one other Q1 game they win if Bradley can get themselves up there Indiana State and (maybe) Loyola have a chance too. If that's not enough to get them in I call shenanigans.

They'd get it in that scenario, and they'll likely get in even with another loss or 2 in conference play.  The bubble, and college basketball in general is going to be so soft this year, IMO.

The "11th best conference" thing really doesn't mean much when there's such a massive drop off between the top 6-7 leagues and the rest of the NCAA.  Unless there are other teams in the league that can be counted as a "quality win", UNI isn't going to get credit for it come selection Sunday.

Now comes the challenge. Can we build on this? Got a tough but winnable game coming up next. Health is certainly a factor but our confidence should be high after that second half performance. Running off a streak of 7-10 games where you play well night in and night out (even if you don't win them all) is the next step for us right now. In my opinion, we're at 3.

FWIW, of their final 12 games in MVC play, by the analytics, Valpo is the underdog in 6-8 of them.

Krutwig reminds me somewhat to Matt Howard at Butler.  Matt was 6'8" 230# and a much better athlete.  A GREAT player and didn't make it in the NBA.  Neither will Krutwig.

To be fair, Howard was actually more like 6'6, but Howard by his senior year could shoot from the outside and he didn't even get a combine invite.

I agree with wh's comments about "luck". You need to deal with the game at hand and Valpo made plays and adjustments to win against Drake (a good win!)

Per KenPom, Valpo for the season has a .000 score for luck (neither lucky or unlucky, though that is a bit hard to figure given Fazekas' injury). Drake on the other hand has been one of the "luckiest" teams (12th in the nation in the "luck" measure).

Kenpom's measure of luck is how a team performs in close games (5 points or fewer) relative to their expectations. If a team wins a lot of close games, especially ones in games they would be favored to lose, that improves their luck rating, the opposite occurrence would cause their luck rating to deteriorate.

https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&source=web&rct=j&url=https://kenpom.com/blog/ratings-explanation/&ved=2ahUKEwie8Z_9-IDnAhUhAp0JHae_AL4QFjADegQIBRAC&usg=AOvVaw2y4AmtAa_-sI4HqBQggtXj&cshid=1578931336646

Wins and losses aside, Valpo is a better team this year despite being younger overall.  Interestingly, their offense is much improved over last year, mostly because of the turnovers generated on the defensive end. Having said that, taking so many chances has hurt the defensive side of the ball overall.

I'd be much more concerned that Lottich was losing the team if they weren't competing in games, but really other than Nevada, that hasn't been the case. Ultimately results do matter, but I think with experience, games like Cincy and Arkansas could turn in Valpo's favor next year, or even in February against UNI. Last year they didn't play anyone on their schedule with those kind of ratings in the non-conference (or conference), and the big name opponents they did play (WVU and Texas A&M) were games they didn't really threaten to pull off a win. Just my opinion.

People who keep buying into the same rhetoric and excuses play into the problem and why we won't be better in the years to come. I have no respect for coaches who continually give excuses instead of owning up to the problem. The man still gets paid likely what $200k+??? Accountability is key.

It was reported as at or near $400k for Lottich.  He's the 2nd highest paid staffer at a university in the business of educating.  I get why his head would be on the chopping block.

What I don't get is how do we benefit from his departure unless resources are given to athletics?  Bring in the best coach available and you think he stays around when he's continually given inferior resources compared to our present conference?

IF (big if) we agree changes need made, how is it anything short of Board / President on down?  I don't think we chase a coach out of town when the resource allocation is the bigger issue.  The best we hope for in this environment is catching lightening in a bottle again (Casey Schmidt, Bryce Drew and forward).  But why coach hop?

Lottich was paid $395k for the year ending 6/30/18 per the school's latest tax filing available.  Here's how his salary compares to the rest of the MVC

1. Ben Jacobson (~$900K)
2. Brian Wardle (~$708K)
3. Dan Muller(~$600K)
4. *Porter Moser (~$492K)
5. Bryan Mullins (~$475K)
6. *Raymond Giacoletti (~$419K)
7. Matt Lottich (~$395K)
8. Dana Ford (~$375K)
9. Marty Simmons (~$305K)
10. Greg Lansing (~$248K)

*Loyola and Drake's most recent filing was for the year ending 6/30/17

So having two credits guaranteed (same as winning a first round game) before either of them plays a game so there's a chance for an even greater multiplier effect is somehow bad for us when it's not us competing for the bid? Being part of a multibid league helps recruiting and raises institutional profiles across the conference. "A rising tide lifts all boats." So yes for the perception of the MVC as a whole we need UNI to be good enough to get an at large bid. Now if they win out and end up a 6 or 7 or 10 or 11 or whatever and get a great draw then that's fantastic as well but it is best for a conference--for ALL TEAMS IN THAT CONFERENCE--to send its best teams or to have its best teams be good enough not to have to depend on the conference tournament. Having a team get a 14 or a 15 seed and getting blown out in the first round does nothing for recruiting and that would likely be our fate this year if we got in as the sole representative. Or have we already forgotten how painful it was back in 15-16 that the league we were in was so bad that it offered us no help when we tripped in the conference tournament and we missed out on what honestly would likely have been AT LEAST another Sweet 16 run? That's the point of being in the MVC. Making sure that doesn't happen again. That happening to UNI this year would be an absolute travesty and would hurt Valpo and the entire conference because we lose out on money we sorely need and could have gotten. In a way the MVC sending its best team is the best way to solve our budget issues until donors finally step up.

How much has Valpo benefitted in facilities and recruiting from Loyola's F4 run?  How much did they benefit from Butler's 2?  The only schools that really benefit from those runs are the schools that make them. Gonzaga clearly hasn't raised all boats in the WCC.

From a league perspective, there's no doubt UNI getting an at large bid is better for business, but short of the league rep(s) making extended runs every single year, there won't be enough to fund capital spending on the ARC in any significant way. If the league divides Loyola's credits equally between schools and league office, that's $128k extra in Valpo's budget per year.  That's a couple of buy games.

Valpo would benefit from winning the conference tourney and dashing whoever the dominant team's hopes much more than telling kids "we play in a league with other teams that make runs". Play them the tournament highlights and show the Crusaders raising the trophy. That's what will get kids and donors excited.

Come on... Whether it's injuries youth or whatever he doesn't have enough help. Why has UNI been able to surround Green with a capable cast but we can't?

Of UNI's rotation players, other than Green, they're all Juniors and Seniors. I think the better question is whether guys like Brown, Phyfe, Berhow, Dahl, etc can maintain an offensive efficiency that's 30 points higher than where they've been at 2-3 years prior for an entire season.  At this point the sample size is large enough that the answer may be yes, but Green is essentially the same player he was last year and everyone else is playing at a level they never have during their careers.

Valpo doesn't have guys that can stretch the defense, so the offense suffers.  Their bigs are either young or Mileek, so the interior of the defense isn't stout.  Not fun, but I still do think there are bright spots.

Going to be plenty of ups and downs this season with 4 of the 7 main rotation guys are freshman and sophomores. When guys like Robinson and Fazekas, who can give consistent offensive production are out, puts a lot more pressure on guys who haven't been relied upon in that role.

Defense wasn't great by any means, but the offense was a far bigger issue last night, in my opinion.

Still wouldn't worry about JFL as a transfer risk, and the team still has plenty of potential for growth between now and the end of the season.

Way too early to push the doom and gloom button on the season. Still a lot of young guys that the team needs consistency from, and that is a tough ask early on in the season.  As long as the effort is there, I think this is a group that can finish in the upper half of the MVC.

I also wouldn't worry about JFL transferring after this year either. He didn't want to sit out a year last year when he considered it, and he's the guy on a team that should be pretty darn good next year.

There's a lot to like about this group. Next year Valpo should be really, really good, especially if they're able to develop their bigs.

I think that quote did a great job of pretty much summing up Derek's complete Valparaiso career. Not sure why Butler would think they were getting anything different.

I don't think they do, but given that their Center position consists of sophomore Bryce Golden and freshman John-Michael Mulloy and an undersized Bryce Nze, they need Smits' experience and size.  His exhibition performances were far below what he accomplished at Valpo, but it is an extremely small sample size.  As long as he's a serviceable big on the offensive end, as a Butler fan, I'd consider that a successful season for him.  Defensively he'll see far more 7 footers in the Big East, so that shouldn't be the issue that it could be in the MVC.

I could be mistaken but I'm surprised I haven't seen this on the form anywhere. Loyola started its season with a disappointing 65-60 exhibition loss to DII U of Indy at Gentile Arena last Tuesday. The article even mentioned that Valpo lost to them last year in an attempt to shrug off the disappointment. I know Loyola is predicted to be down a little bit this year, but most still have them in the top tier of MVC teams. I personally think losing all the experience at guard is going to affect them more than many of the pundits seem to believe.

Indianapolis is a solid D2 team, and this year's version should be better than the one that beat Valpo (lot of the same pieces, but a year older) given that they were able to challenge Xavier in a 64-52 loss before I think tired legs played a role in their 79-47 loss to Butler.  Having said that, I do agree that Loyola's lack of experience at the guard spot running the offense is going to impact them negatively, especially early on in the year.

Glad they have a lot of players who can go off every night.  I'm also glad we finally have the same situation.

Eh, not really based on the exhibition results (for Butler).

[Freeman-Liberty ready to lead Valpo]

Freeman-Liberty ready to lead Valpo

https://www.nwitimes.com/sports/college/valparaiso-university/freeman-liberty-ready-to-lead-valpo/article_59b00c92-3f07-5a31-b5df-fccc1362c5d2.amp.html?__twitter_impression=true

"I definitely don't want to sit out. I think that was the main reason, just the sitting out part. But then again, there's nothing wrong with Valparaiso. My mom is five minutes away, so it's just like I'm still home."

Not exactly a ringing endorsement, but the important thing is he came back.

In terms of the transfers, Smits has said that he's glad he won't need to be the main focus of the offense anymore, so it might be one of those things where it's best for everyone to move on from what was obviously a challenging season.  It's also a lot easier to be nice to each other when nothing's going wrong.  If this Valpo team struggles at a certain point in the year, I think that's when we'll really see if the team bands together or falls apart.

Coach Holloway visited a 4-star 2021 recruit today

https://twitter.com/ChuckyHepburn/status/1171780019741515776?s=20

Has offers from Wisconsin, Nebraska, Creighton and Minnesota.