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[Mark LaBarbera]

Valparaiso University director of athletics Mark LaBarbera announced today that Crusader men's basketball head coach Bryce Drew has agreed to a multi-year contract extension to continue his tenure as head coach of the Valpo men's basketball program.

"Valparaiso University is committed to building a high-quality, competitive basketball program," said university president Mark A. Heckler. "Bryce Drew has proven himself to be a leader of character and integrity, dedicated to upholding the University's values while striving for success, both on and off the basketball court. Coach Drew represents college basketball as it should be, and we proudly claim him as a Valpo alumnus who lives out our mission of leadership and service."

http://www.valpoathletics.com/mbasketball/news/2011-12/11600/bryce-drew-agrees-to-contract-extension-with-valparaiso-university/

"Potential targets could include Ohio's John Groce, Bucknell's Dave Paulsen, Northern Iowa's Ben Jacobson and Valparaiso's Bryce Drew. Craig Robinson is a former NU assistant who has done decently at Oregon State. He's also Michele Obama's brother."


http://www.chicagotribune.com/sports/columnists/greenstein/ct-spt-0318-northwestern-basketball--20120318,0,2011513.column

This comment by Andy Katz fits with a rumor I recently had heard as well:

"Butler has expressed interest in joining the Atlantic 10 and replacing Temple, according to multiple sources. The Bulldogs are intrigued by the major media markets and, of course, the increase in competition with Xavier, Saint Louis and Dayton among others. The A-10 will lose Temple in the fall of 2013 and must add a quality basketball program."

http://espn.go.com/blog/collegebasketballnation/post/_/id/53114/3-point-shot-3

"I've listed the Top 200 players to date, with notes at the bottom on how well the Value Add system has fared based on the four questions Sports Illustrated asked about in August...."

http://www.crackedsidewalks.com/2012/02/best-200-basketball-players-18-days.html

[ESPN, Andy Katz:]

ESPN, Andy Katz:

• Valparaiso coach Bryce Drew won't win national coach of the year. But he better win the Horizon League honor. I saw this team in an exhibition game in November. There was no reason to suspect the Crusaders would be leading the Horizon and on their way to a possible NCAA tournament berth. If you had to take which Drew brother would be in first place on Feb. 13 in his respective conference, it wouldn't have been close. Scott Drew of Baylor would have been the choice.

http://espn.go.com/mens-college-basketball/blog/_/name/katz_andy/id/7571247/player-year-coach-year-bracketbusters-more-college-basketball


Run the Floor (Chris Burrows)

Horizon League Coach of the Year: Bryce Drew, Valparaiso

To this day I get Google  Alerts from sportswriters' ledes that  involve Bryce Drew,  last-second-shot-sensation, on top of the ones I  actually want to read  regarding Bryce Drew, first-year head coach. But  certainly the latter  is beginning to far outweigh the former as the heir  to the Valparaiso  crown is showing he has the feet that can fill his  father's big shoes.

The  Crusaders were chosen fifth in the Horizon League's own  preseason poll  after losing three starters, including Brandon Wood who  left for  Michigan State. Now VU sits at the top of the league standings  after  handing Cleveland State a crushing loss that saw the Vikings score  a  season-worst 0.67 ppp. I could write about Valpo forever.

http://bloguin.com/runthefloor/2012-articles/february/15-coaches-who-deserve-to-be-their-conferences-coty.html

Ryan Broekhoff has been selected as the StatSheet Horizon Player of the Week for the week ending February 13th. StatSheet's Horizon Freshman of the Week is Roosevelt Jones from Butler.  Broekhoff led the entire Horizon in three pointers (3.5 per game). He also put up 18 points per game and 10.5 rebounds per game. The Valparaiso junior put these numbers up in a win versus Cleveland State and a loss to Youngstown State.

Broekhoff led all scoring and rebounding for the Crusaders with 24 points and 10 rebounds in a 59-41 win against Cleveland State. He followed that up with 12 points and 11 rebounds in a 71-53 loss to Youngstown State.

This is the second time this season that Ryan Broekhoff has been selected StatSheet Horizon Player of the Week. He has also finished second more than once and received multiple honorable mentions. The runner-up this week is sophomore Kendrick Perry from Youngstown State. Honorable mention goes to our own Richie Edwards.

http://valpodaily.com/valparaiso-basketball/conf-potw/ryan-broekhoff-wins-statsheet-horizon-player-week-february-13th-2012

Valpo is a 13.5 point favorite in the early odds at Vegas. I don't think anybody can make a real estimate of the spread without knowing whether or not Kevin will play, as well as how many minutes he receives or how effective he can be if he does get in the game. Still, the Crusaders could not have more motivation than a home game with first place, title implications and a double bye on the line, especially after being embarrassed at Youngstown State. My guess:

UIC 60, Valpo 74

Valpo is currently a 1-point underdog. I think it is difficult to pick a score with the possibility Kevin will miss the game; though, the good news I hear is that his knee is feeling better, and there is a chance he could play. Without Kevin, this game becomes tougher since our advantage over the Penguins relied on the depth of our bench against a team that does not really go beyond the starting five.

However, I'm hoping the team carries momentum into this game and Bryce has them focused on keeping first place by reminding them of the poor showing in the final four league games last year. Two keys should be defending the 3-point line and keeping Richie out of foul trouble if Kevin is unable to play or is limited.

Valpo  71
YSU    66

Valpo is listed as a 3 point favorite, though I have a bad feeling that the Titans might finally be finding their chemistry as a team. Still, I cannot choose Detroit over Valpo in any case, so I will hope we barely hold home court:

Detroit  71
Valpo    74

Milwaukee is favored by 6 points: the Crusaders will have to convince me they did not start another second-half swoon with their disappointing performance in the Green Bay game.

Valpo 60, Milwaukee 70

The early line in Vegas has UIC favored by 6 points. If Valpo plays as well as they have the last few games, I think an upset is likely:

Valpo 68
UIC    64

[1. Ryan Broekhoff, Valparaiso]

1. Ryan Broekhoff, Valparaiso
Broekhoff is one half of Valparaiso's dangerously productive frontcourt.
With an average of eight more minutes per game than his partner in crime, Kevin Van Wijk, Broekhoff scores 15.2 ppg (third in the league) and leads the league in overall rebounding (9.1 rpg). Despite 22- and 21-point outings this season, the junior hasn't yet garnered Horizon League Player of the Week honors, but he's an attractive selection from a non-tempo-free standpoint.
Broekhoff receives 31.3 percent fewer possessions than his Kevin Van Wijk, but has been more efficient with them. His offensive rating (127.2) is the best in the league among those playing at least 40 percent minutes. Broekhoff also leads the league in defensive rebounding with one in 24.8 percent of his chances, and is fourth in eFG% (60.0 percent).
If Broekhoff were chosen as HLPOTY, this would be the first-ever honor for a Valparaiso player....


http://horizonleaguehoops.com/2012/01/19/an-early-look-at-the-frontrunners-for-horizon-league-player-of-the-year/

Valpo is favored by 3.5 points. Let's hope there is no letdown this week when the team should easily sweep the two Chicago teams.

Valpo 68
Loyola 60

For those who didn't see it during the Youngstown State game:

2012 Valpo Men's Basketball Half Time Highlights

Here is a terrific article on Casey Schmidt, a member (both in high school and in college) of one of my favorite Valpo teams. I loved watching Casey and Dave Redmond play in high school. When he and Dave returned to play for Homer, the direction of Valpo basketball moved in a positive direction that set an expectation of winning as a standard for all Valpo teams to follow.

http://www.nwitimes.com/sports/high-school/boys-basketball/where-are-they-now-casey-schmidt/article_3f6985d7-7ca7-5da3-904b-6bd4959efcb9.html

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"Thanks to the league's most inefficient defense, the Crusaders have slipped into the negative efficiency margin club. Valpo is a misfit among the teams at the top of the league: solid offense, terrible defense. That's the opposite of the six teams ahead of them..."

http://horizonleaguehoops.com/2012/01/09/power-rankings-week-9/

We are listed as 5 point underdogs. I'm afraid that sounds about right, but I'd like the team to start the new year by proving me wrong:

Valpo   72
Detroit 77

We're favored by 6 points against Green Bay. I say we make up for the missed 3-pointers against Milwaukee and win by 3 threes:

Green Bay 62
Valpo        71

Southeastern CC is a program rich in tradition. They won NJCAA D1 Men's Basketball National Championships in 2000, 2003 and 2004. They were also the first junior college to reach 1500 wins. This will be an interesting story to follow up; though, once again, due to the Family Education Right to Privacy Act (FERPA) the university is prevented from providing details:

Ten players from Southeastern Community College's men's basketball team have been kicked off the squad for violating college and athletic department rules.

Two other players also have been declared academically ineligible.

Consequently, the 14-player roster has been reduced to just two players, and the school is forfeiting the remaining 12 games of the 2011-12 season. The Blackhawks are 13-3 so far this season.


http://www.thehawkeye.com/story/SCC-forfeit-122911

Here is a nice article about Jay Harris that also does a good job of detailing his current injury:

http://beaconnews.suntimes.com/sports/9585512-419/versatile-harris-a-valuable-contributor-at-valparaiso.html

In the midst of a stretch of three games in seven days, the Valparaiso men's basketball team took time out at the start of its most recent road trip on Monday afternoon to visit Children's Memorial Hospital in Chicago to give gifts and share the holiday spirit with the children.

The Crusaders spent Monday afternoon making Christmas cards at the hospital to give to the children, along with the gifts.  They also took part in a television game show simulcast throughout the hospital called "Body Parts", helping to host the show, as well as assisting the children in playing along with the game.

"It's a very special moment," said junior captain Ryan Broekhoff.  "It's really heartwarming to be able to go in and bring smiles to the faces of kids who are in tough situations.  The time we spent there really meant a lot to everybody and is something we'll cherish forever."

The trip to Children's Memorial Hospital continues the Crusaders' focus on giving back to the community.  The Crusaders have taken part in numerous community service endeavors during the fall semester, among them participating in the JDRF Walk to Cure Diabetes and making a trip to Parkview Elementary School to read to the youths.


http://valpo.streamlinetechnologies.com/mbasketball/news/2011-12/11292/crusaders-take-time-out-to-visit-childrens-hospital/

[Katie Bova]

The Valparaiso University Athletics Hall of Fame will induct six new members on Feb. 4 as part of the Class of 2012.  This year's class consists of Katie Bova, Homer Drew, Dr. James Malayter, Lauren Moulton, Tom Smith, and Russ Steinbeck, and will be the 15^th since the Hall of Fame began in 1998....

http://www.valpoathletics.com/news/archives/2011-12/11282/six-to-be-inducted-into-valpos-hall-of-fame-on-february-4/

The 2011 Silent Night celebration of a great annual event at Taylor University. Looking at the student participation and enthusiasm, I wish we had something like this at Valpo:

2011 Taylor University Silent Night

Here is a nice piece from CBS Sports about Bryce's first official game as head coach. I will be curious to see the blue shirts at the first home game.

http://eye-on-college-basketball.blogs.cbssports.com/mcc/blogs/entry/26283066/33193793?source=rss_blogs_NCAAB

Also, with the two exhibition games and now the first official game, I think we are beginning to see an initial difference from Homer's style. Bryce appears to have the team playing at a more upbeat pace, looking for fast breaks whenever possible. I like this. In the past, especially against a team like Arizona, Valpo tended to hold the ball longer, sometimes finally having to hurry before the shot clock expired. I think with the quickness of Buggs and Bryce's apparent intent to be more aggressive, we will see a more energetic team this year. I also think Valpo will get to the foul line more often this year. However, we will need to cut down the turnovers. Also, it would help if we had all our players eligible, since the faster pace can be difficult when the depth isn't fully there to provide adequate rest for the starters.

Here is an advance look at the summary of Valpo written into the Horizon League Media Guide to be released on Monday in which VU does not get as much attention as a few other schools: Butler, Detroit, and Cleveland State. In fact, only two VU players are mentioned:

"Valparaiso finished one game out of making the three-way tie for the Horizon League regular season title a four-way tussle last season, and now the Crusaders will be looking to get over the hump with a new voice. After a 22-year tenure at Valparaiso, Homer Drew re- tired, handing the reigns of the program over to his son, Bryce, who frequently has appeared as a March Madness highlight during the NCAA Tournament courtesy of "The Shot," which helped lift Valpo to the 1998 Sweet Sixteen.

The younger Drew takes over a program that brings back just two starters from last year's CollegeInsider.com Tournament participants. However, one of those returnees also happens to be the League's top three-point shooter. Ryan Broekhoff, similar to Meier, presented problems for defenses last year because of his size. 6-foot-6, Broekhoff could mix it up inside and out, hitting 44.8 percent of his attempts from three- point range in averaging 10.3 ppg. Broekhoff competed at the World University Games for Australia, along with Richie Edwards, who starred for New Zealand. The Crusaders are optimistic that Edwards can lend a similar scoring touch as he did this summer, when he led the Kiwis with 20.1 ppg at the tournament."

New Valpo 30-second promotion video. Nothing against Brandon, but perhaps they should have included a current basketball player in the clip:

http://youtu.be/AMH7HhYES7E

Here is the longer 3-minute promotion that has a nice scene from Valpo basketball near the end:

http://youtu.be/CPKuXsXtb1A

Sorry to see this happen to a player:

"Delvon Roe, a senior forward at Michigan State, is retiring from basketball because chronic knee issues have made playing the game too problematic. He's had problem with both of his knees, but primarilly his right one, which required microfracture surgery during his senior year of high school. The school announced Roe's decision late Thursday afternoon."

http://eye-on-college-basketball.blogs.cbssports.com/mcc/blogs/entry/26283066/32380415?source=rss_blogs_NCAAB

We could be weeks away from one of the biggest concessions in NCAA history. It's not paying the players, but it's as close to that notion as we've ever seen. And it's been a long time coming. The movement toward upping cost-of-attendances scholarships has gotten tremendous backing in the past couple of years, and it seems the NCAA is ready to gives its players more for their participation in intercollegiate sports....

And if you care about the grades issue, know that's going to be a focal point of the meetings. There will be a proposal that demands a collective 2.5 GPA in English, math, science and social studies classes in order for a player to earn a scholarship.


http://eye-on-college-basketball.blogs.cbssports.com/mcc/blogs/entry/26283066/32376165?source=rss_blogs_NCAAB

If this leave extends into the conference season, Detroit's chances might take a hit:

Detroit center Eli Holman has been placed on a leave of absence from the team, the school announced Tuesday evening.... His prospects for the season seem unclear at this point, though.

"We have been working with Eli Holman for some time to assist him in addressing his personal matters," Associate Vice President and Director of Athletics Keri Gaither said in a statement.

"At this time, we feel it is in Eli's best interest to step away from basketball to allow him to concentrate on these matters. He has been excused from all team-related activity for an indefinite period while actively addressing these issues."

http://eye-on-college-basketball.blogs.cbssports.com/mcc/blogs/entry/26283066/32315431?source=rss_blogs_NCAAB

Also, from the Detroit discussion board: "Probably related to an altercation where he broke the nose of a fellow student a couple weeks ago. He apparently still has anger issues."

As we know, there are a lot of changes happening at the major conferences in the next few years, influencing the Big 12, Pac 12, ACC, Big Ten, SEC, and Big East. I don't think Valpo is going anywhere; however, I do think the Horizon league could be included eventually. Rumors are that Butler will likely be approached by another conference in the near future, and there may be additions to the Horizon league in upcoming years.

Still, I was just reading online about the possibilities of conference realignment, and I came across the following model in twitter messages from one site, the first I have seen which includes both Butler and Valpo among future possible targets for change:

Texas, Texas Tech, Oklahoma, Oklahoma St. to the Pac 12

Syracuse, Pittsburgh, Connecticut, West Virginia to the ACC

Kansas, Kansas St., Iowa St., Missouri to Big Ten

Louisville, Memphis, Texas A&M, Baylor to SEC

Butler, Xavier, Valpo, Richmond to Big East

Mike Rogers has hooked on with a European team. He is playing in Gandia, which is a town along the Mediterranean coast. I have been to the region, and it is lovely. If you read Spanish, here is an article:

http://www.saforguia.com/Deportes/tabid/67/titular/GANDIA_B%C3%80SQUET_FICHA_AL_ALERO_JAMAICANO_MICHEL_ROGERS__/idnoticia/27688/Default.aspx

Here he is listed on the roster of the Wiki team page:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gand%C3%ADa_BA

Congratulations, Mike!

Jackson is the first African-American head coach in the history of the West Virginia Intercollegiate Athletic Conference, at a historically non-black institution, a fact both he and Tyler note with pride.

"He has paid his dues,'' said Tyler, alluding to a coaching career that started at Valparaiso and has included stops at Arizona Western, Temple, La Salle, and Illinois State, along with one season in France as the head coach of the Elancourt Templiers. "He's been around the block, a remarkable story.''

http://www.boston.com/sports/colleges/football/articles/2011/09/10/boston_native_jackson_returning_home_as_head_coach_at_west_virginia_wesleyan/

"Porter Healthcare System has scheduled a news conference Monday to announce it will sell its downtown Valparaiso hospital to Valparaiso University, according to an announcement from the hospital.

The conference is scheduled for 10 a.m. in the hospital parking garage, and Porter CEO Jonathan Nalli, Valparaiso University President Mark Heckler and Valparaiso Mayor Jon Costas are scheduled to speak to the media."


http://www.nwitimes.com/news/local/porter/valparaiso/article_13682b01-fe41-55aa-b928-08fc8d3f0678.html

Coach Wardle ensured paying for school would never weigh on Eric Valentin's mind the rest of his career by presenting the 5-foot-4 walk-on with a full scholarship, a joyous moment that the coach had a member of his staff capture on film...


http://rivals.yahoo.com/ncaa/basketball/blog/the_dagger/post/Five-foot-4-walk-on-s-perseverence-pays-off-with?urn=ncaab-wp4669&utm

Remember Valpo guard Heather Furr?

http://plainfield.patch.com/articles/lingeries-the-lure-but-footballs-the-game-for-chicago-bliss-heather-furr

Why were head coach Dale Carlson and his assistants able to travel the country — to Florida, to California, to Texas — and recruit a new freshman class, convincing them to pay private school tuition and play for a non-scholarship team that hasn't tasted winning in nearly two years?

The answers can be found all around the leafy campus of Valparaiso University, in a small town just outside the orbits of Chicago and Indianapolis, a place known more for being the home of Orville Redenbacher and an annual popcorn festival than for college football. The answers, you will find, lead you in a very different direction than you'd expect: Not toward the multi-billion dollar business that is big-time college football. Not toward the turmoil of scandal and conference realignment that's ruled the college football universe the past year. Not toward anything that even has to do with football, really.

Instead, at a time when the best college football programs are bringing out the worst parts of the sport, one of the worst programs in college football can show us what's still good about this game — about how it teaches perseverance and commitment and holding your head high, even in the toughest of times...

http://msn.foxsports.com/collegefootball/story/Valparaiso-Crusaders-football-presses-on-in-face-of-huge-adversity-090111

Transfer Moussa Gueye tore his anterior cruciate ligament in a Wednesday pick-up game in Tuscaloosa. Gueye had surgery and will be out indefinitely...

http://www.ledger-enquirer.com/2011/08/27/1709113/alabama-basketball-7-foot-transfer.html

As the final schedule comes together, I am hearing that we will be playing at Ohio State on November 25. They could be ranked number 1 at that time.

Horizon League Focus: Under new academic rules, league would have lost postseason team

"If new academic rules passed by the NCAA Division I Board of Directors this week were in place, UWM wouldn't have been able to play in the postseason...teams with scores of less than 930 won't be allowed to play in a postseason. Last year, Milwaukee's APR was 926, meaning it would have missed the NIT."

Horizon League men's basketball APR, 2009-10

1) Butler, 1000

2) Loyola, 990

3) Wright State, 979

4) Wisconsin-Green Bay, 962

5) Valparaiso, 951

6) Cleveland State, 944

7) Youngstown State, 936

7) Detroit, 936

9) Wisconsin-Milwaukee, 926

10) Illinois-Chicago, 918

http://www.daytondailynews.com/blogs/content/shared-gen/blogs/dayton/wrightstatesports/entries/2011/08/13/horizon_league_focus_under_new.html

It appears that the season opener is almost exactly three months away. According to the following news story, Bryce Drew will head coach his first game on Thursday, November 3 in an exhibition at the ARC against Augustana:

http://qctimes.com/sports/college/augustana/article_eba83c36-bcc3-11e0-89e8-001cc4c03286.html

[Update: Seems the article may be incorrect. I just received a tentative schedule (though characterized as "likely to change") from the Athletics Department, which lists a home exhibition game against Hillsdale on October 29.]

Congrats to the Bulldogs! Butler has strengthened itself in the future with the addition of Arkansas transfer Rotnei Clarke, possibly the best perimeter shooter in the country. He chose Butler over Oklahoma, will sit out one year and then replace Nored. However, this guarantees Butler will continue to be tough, and this has to be seen as a positive sign for the overall high level of play in the Horizon League:

http://eye-on-college-basketball.blogs.cbssports.com/mcc/blogs/entry/26283066/31035125?source=rss_blogs_NCAAB

Congratulations to Adam Amin, VU's former student play-by-play and studio host for sports on radio, who has just signed a contract with ESPN to broadcast football, basketball, and Olympic sports.

No surprise but sad, former VU assistant coach Mark Morefield is apparently out the door now as Scott Drew's assistant at Baylor after recent controversial text messages:

http://eye-on-college-basketball.blogs.cbssports.com/mcc/blogs/entry/26283066/30691885?source=rss_blogs_NCAAB

"Playing at Valpo, I was under the radar a little bit," he said, "but my experience there was great. They put me in a position to take advantage of this opportunity that has been placed before me. I take my hat off to them. They get all the credit I can give up. They helped me get better and grow, both as a man and spiritually."

http://rivals.yahoo.com/ncaa/basketball/news?slug=jn-king_wood_another_shot_michigan_state_071311

As I have said before, I like what seems to be an aggressiveness in Bryce's recruiting style. After obtaining a verbal commitment from Nick Davidson, could Bryce be looking ahead in his recruiting? I heard Steven Haney Jr. was offered a scholarship by Valpo today.

Though hard to believe we have a chance (he has expressed a preference for Michigan or Michigan State in the past), this kid would be a huge get. He is a Rivals 4-star player. Steven Haney Jr. 6'6" (SF) Lansing Eastern HS (MI). Class of 2013. Schools in the Recruiting Mix: Offered by Detroit, Toledo, and Western Michigan. Interest from Illinois, Providence, Boston College, DePaul, Georgetown, Indiana, Miami (FL), Notre Dame, Oregon State, Purdue, Cornell, Iowa St., Tennessee, Texas Tech, Michigan State, Nebraska, Harvard, and Michigan. ESPN Grade: 90.

Bryce seems to be thinking pretty far ahead in his recruiting. He has received a verbal commitment for 2013 from Nick Davidson. I like Bryce's aggressiveness. Let's hope Davidson doesn't change his mind in the future.

http://www.nwitimes.com/sports/college/valparaiso-university/article_3402cd84-c8cb-5537-afaf-db5f9c20bff0.html

Announced today that Butler and Gonzaga have agreed to a home and home schedule the next two years. Butler will visit Gonzaga on Dec. 20, 2011 before a game at Stanford (Dec. 22 or 23). Gonzaga will be at Butler in Dec. 2012. Good for Butler and the Horizon League.

"When Drew takes the floor for the first time as a coach, does he risk ruining his legacy as a Valpo icon? What if he fails? What if fans start to remember him differently? What if losses in the present obscure the glories of the past? This is a lot of pressure for your first coaching gig. Does he feel it? How could he not?"

http://sports.espn.go.com/ncb/news/story?id=6721212

Here is a very nice video of Jake Diebler, showing him working out his brother at VU before the NBA draft:

http://www.bigtennetwork.com/subindex/video?bcpid=587214471001&bckey=AQ~~,AAAAAEBQhU8~,kLn_EtefUBnQkXWunm_Rqz1h1L7dUzDn&bclid=1119242954&bctid=1027240405001

"Valparaiso head coach Bryce Drew announced today that Will Bogan, a 6'1" guard from Boise, Idaho, has enrolled in Valpo's MBA program and has joined the Crusader basketball program."

http://www.valpoathletics.com/news/default/173/10875/