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I would be curious to know the timetable behind the scenes on this move, though i find it unlikely we ever will. Was there any chatter of this before the end of last season? I wasn't on the board then so if i'm rehashing i apologize. The timing on the announcement just seemed like a middle finger to us. Or was this a response to our public flirtation with MVC?

Seriously. 5 home games in an NBA arena in front of 20,000 fans dressed as empty seats. Having state school money must be nice.

Alright, since it's the next day now i'll allow myself to post on this. Thoughts:

1. We're going to be fine. WSU matches up very well with us, but i truly believe we would beat them 7/10 times. These just happen to be two of those.

2. Call me crazy, but I really want WSU as the two seed rather than Oakland. Now that you've spit out your coffee, let me explain. Let's assume Valpo gets the 1 Seed (if we don't, chances are we played poorly enough down the stretch that we don't win the tourney anyway), there are two things that the new tourney format favors, 1)Depth 2)Playing well away from your home gym. Two things that favor Valpo. Whoever is the two seed has a distinct advantage in the semis against a team playing their third game in three nights. So let's assume the two seed advances. If it's Oakland, they're playing what will essentially be a home game on even footing with us rest wise. I know we've lost twice to WSU, but Oakland in a one game playoff makes me more nervous. Let's assume our offense doesn't get out of this funk. Oakland has the ability to quickly score in bunches, and potentially put away a team struggling to score.

In addition, playing WSU on the second night of a back to back favors us. If we can get a situation where the semi allows us to win while playing a 9 man rotation, i'll take Yoho and co coming off a (hopefully) tight semi where their starters played 35 or more.

3. I reserve the right to retract all of this and hide in a hole depending on results of Friday.

I know these things aren't made public but does athletics have a ten year plan? A twenty year plan? As much as we would like an upgrade to the arena it's really not pressing right now. However, I think most of us are would be in agreement if the arena is (mostly) the same in ten years it would be a disappointment.

So does this scrap the proposed fieldhouse/practice facility that was planned for the former hospital site?

I have but one thing to say about this game: while I always appreciate a full student section, the student section I was a part of would NEVER have allowed an opposing player to wear a man bun without at least one chant about it. Kids these days.....

Couple of thoughts for this game:

1. Would like to see us start fast offensively. I know you can't really control how well you shot from night to night, but we seemed very passive, very content to shoot jumpers against WSU. First five possessions, I'd like to see us take the ball to the hoop or get it in to AP at least 3 of those times.

2. Match the intensity of NKU. I admit I have not done my homework on these guys due to the fact they're new in the conference but I would imagine this is their home game of the year. My guess is we'll see a good, hyped up crowd. Let's get after them early.

3. Since we haven't heard an update on Keith, i'll assume this is a game to game kind of thing. Regardless, need EVN and Shane to get comfortable running the offense. 

Time for a bold prediction. Assuming Carter does not miss an extended amount of time, we win out. As frustrating as this loss is, sometimes losing a game you shouldn't can be a blessing in disguise. We've played pretty well since the bad loss at Ball State, and I expect this excellent coaching staff to capitalize on this disappointment. General Game thoughts:

The Good: Welcome back DWalk. No I don't know why you didn't play more in the second half either, but if you play this well the rest of the season, having three starter quality bench players (DW, JA, SH) will be an asset going forward. Next, I may be the first one to jump on bad announcing, but I didn't mind the color guy tonight. Yes he couldn't pronounce our name, and cheered like crazy every time they hit a shot, but he called it like he saw it with the fouls and did a good job complimenting our players tonight. He knew our team, what we ran and what we liked to do. I'll take that anyday over most of the guys we've had on the road this year.

The Bad: For what seems like the umpteenth time this year, we failed to match the intensity of our opponent on the road. We may never be the next Butler, but going back to those years Butler dominated the conference under Stevens, they consistently brought a tempo, and an intensity every night. They may have not have run through the conference each and every year, but they were never out hustled, and they were never out thought. We were both tonight. With some of the national shout outs comes a big old bullseye right square between your shoulder blades. I truly didn't think we'd go 18-0 in this conference, but the way we lost this game was very disappointing. Also, this offense is lost without KC. You can squeak by NKU without him, but if he misses some serious time this team will struggle to score.

This loss gives me a little hesitation, but (assuming KC misses < 2 games) not a lot of worry. I like how this team has responded to bad games this year. See you all Sunday!

We get it Chris Sparks. You really really really really really really like Coach Slocum.   

UWGB has and will continue to be the class of this conference on the women's side. But, to me, a 40 pt loss to a team within your conference is unacceptable.

Couple of quick thoughts:

1. A pretty convincing win against a pretty good team without much offense from our star and not a great overall performance on that end of the floor from anyone other than Vashil. But this is what happens when you bring hustle and defense every night. You're able to overcome nights when your star is off. Teams like Oakland cannot.

2. Very disappointing crowd last night.

Just switched over

Watching on CSN. Am I the only one whose broadcast is is choppy as heck?

The ARC is sub par in almost every way. If the University truly wants to make a commitment to the program, a new building is needed. A true basketball arena. Something very similar to what Oakland has would be ideal. If you do that, and do it right, you don't need a separate practice facility. Duke practices at Cameron Indoor. One facility for men's and women's basketball use only, and some special events, can allow the current arena to be volleyball/lutheran tournament/rec sports. I'll never forget walking through the arena one time during my student days, seeing the men's basketball team practicing on the main floor, with the track team running the track and pole vaulting, and the cheerleaders in the corner. I realize no situation at a school like ours is perfect. But from what I understand, the endowment is pretty healthy, now is the proper time to build a first class mid-major facility. I don't know you could do anything to keep Bryce for the next twenty years, but getting the ball rolling on something like this could be the difference between him staying ten more years or leaving after this one. I also know that despite a better understanding of the value of a program like ours exists outside the athletic department, a new arena isn't even remotely on the radar right now, so i suppose it's a moot point.

General Impressions:

1. A road win is a road win. That being said, if this team is to eventually live up to the hype they have embraced, we need more offensive consistency. T Walk will help with that, but others need to step up as well.

2. Vashil needs to become a factor again. Yes, he continues to have trouble staying on the floor, and yes, he had 6 boards and 2 blocks tonight, but he seems to disappear for long stretches of time on both ends of the floor.

3. Really happy with what I saw from Darien tonight. Still hasn't found his jumper but is now starting to go to the basket rather than rely on a shot that just isn't there right now. Great aggresiveness.

4. We saw flashes of the type of impact player Skara can be late last season, and since his return he's becoming a versatile, consistent factor in every game. He'd be starting on a lot of other teams.

5. Shane seems lost. Two very poor defensive plays in key moments and a couple of turnovers trying to drive into two or three opponents. His talent is clearly as high as anyone on this team, but his head and roll seem up in the air right now.

6. This was looking like the Ball State game for awhile. Read where Alec said after that loss they wouldn't let something like that happen again. Like to hear that. Love to see it backed up. His shot wasn't great tonight but his will and determination really stand out in games like this. 

7. Chicago State has one of the worst DI RPI rankings in the country. Blow them out.

8. Holy Heck those announcers were terrible. The fact that they were likely students is no excuse. I watch a lot of the ESPN3 games during the week and there are plenty of students calling the low-mid major games and the vast majority of them are actually pretty good. I believe it was students calling our women's game tonight and they did a very good job. Again, i realize we have a good announcer who has years of experience with our program and that spoils us a bit. But my goodness.....those two.......

Love this new kid David Sarkira

Ok I realize we're spoiled with a pretty good announce crew and generally good crews in the conference. These guys are really bad. Ferdinandez? 

Squeaked by Cardinal Stritch?  Embarrassing.

A3,  I agree we will never be Butler. But maybe in shooting for that level, we become a perennial tournament team who can win a game every year or two. Butler openly claims they want to be the next Duke. Will they ever be Duke? No. But in aiming for that look what they've become. Aim high.

Hello Fellow 'Saders
Recent grad here and my first post! Sucks it had to be after this game

Couple of thoughts:
-There really is no overstating how bad of a loss this is. We can point to one or two players or issues but that really doesn't excuse anything. The chance of an at large bid now is not slim, but completely none.
-We as a program are not ready to make the next step. Go back and look at the mid majors who have evolved. There are two big steps. The misconception is that having big wins against power five schools is the first. The first is not losing games you shouldn't. Butler, Gonzaga, Wichita State, etc, were doing that for years prior to their arrival at the so called "Next Level". Bad teams will be up for you night after night and you have to bring the intensity to the floor each and every game.
-Your season now comes down to two days in March. The need to at least be in the convo for at large berth is due to the high probability of playing a "neutral" court game against an Oakland team that can shoot very well.  And even with an auto berth a seed higher than 12 will be near impossible.

I try to not be too doomy after losses, but this one will haunt this team all year.