Thought this deserved its own thread due to the uniqueness of the game. Just released by the school:
Crusaders Hosting Game as Part of ESPN College Hoops Tip-Off Marathon
The Valparaiso men's basketball team will host Northern Illinois at the Athletics-Recreation Center on Tuesday, Nov. 13 at 7 a.m. (CT) on ESPN as part of the fifth annual College Hoops Tip-Off Marathon, a 24-hour marathon of basketball over the ESPN family of networks which celebrates the opening of the college basketball season.
The Crusaders' game against Northern Illinois will be the fifth of 11 contests on ESPN on the 13th, as the marathon kicks off at midnight ET (11 p.m. CT) with West Virginia at Gonzaga. Both Valparaiso and Northern Illinois will be making their debuts in the marathon. For the Crusaders, it continues a trend of nationally-televised games, as Valpo appeared on the ESPN family of networks a program-record six times during the 2011-2012 season, including five of its final six games.
"What a thrill to be hosting a game during ESPN's 24 hours of basketball!" said Crusader head coach Bryce Drew. "It is always a great opportunity for our university and our basketball program to be on national television during the morning prime time hours. We hope our fans set their alarms early that day, put some coffee on and come help pack the ARC!"
Valparaiso returns all five starters in 2012-2013 from a squad which won 22 games a season ago and captured the program's first-ever Horizon League regular season championship en route to an appearance in the NIT.
Good fun! Will have to check my lab schedule, but should be able to take in some of the game, at minimum.
Sounds like it's on the mothership?
For context: Last year VU beat 'em by 11 (59-48) at their place in front of 850 spectators :snore: on December 20th.
We didn't play all that well against a very young team with a new head coach. Now that NIU has a year under their belt with Mark Montgomery, an IZZO disciple, they could be better than we expect, but we'll get a good glimpse of what we have in our program with this game, just hope that 7AM will not start us out flat...
Great exposure for Valpo, but unfortunate that this game isn't against a better opponent. NIU won 4 games last year and was #334 in RPI. Could be a real snoozer. :snore:
An additional good note for the Horizon League is that Detroit will play at St. John's in the ESPN Marathon as well. They are scheduled for 1 p.m. Central Time.
This is dumb idea. Nothing accentuates the perception that VU is forever stuck in low-level mid-major land more than a gimmicky 7 am game, played before what is sure to be a sparse crowd.
Paul
Quote from: valpopal on July 11, 2012, 10:57:40 AM
An additional good note for the Horizon League is that Detroit will play at St. John's in the ESPN Marathon as well. They are scheduled for 1 p.m. Central Time.
I also have to give a nod to Butler, which sees its first benefit of moving to the A-10: a 4 pm (ET) game at Xavier in the marathon.
Quote from: 78crusader on July 11, 2012, 11:01:51 AM
This is dumb idea. Nothing accentuates the perception that VU is forever stuck in low-level mid-major land more than a gimmicky 7 am game, played before what is sure to be a sparse crowd.
Paul
Totally disagree, well, maybe agree on the sparse crowd part! There are only 22 teams participating out of 345 D1 teams. We are included with the likes of Duke, Kentucky,West Virginia, Gonzaga, New Mexico, Harvard, U Mass and Butler to name a few. Granted the live viewing numbers won't be very high but with video recorders etc it will still have an advertising impact. The other positive is that there are only 11 games which means highlites will be shown during the other games in prime time. ESPN averages about 400,000 viewers per hour. What will we draw? Would 100,000 nationally for free be a disappointment? I don't think so. What about internationally? Valpo draws students from across the globe. ESPN broadcasts to 231 countries. It's not 7 am everywhere!
I really like the fact that we open against a D1 opponent and also think it won't be a cake walk. We will be blending in new guys but with our overall experience I certainly expect a 10 point win minimum.
A 7 a.m. game on a week day does sound a little strange, but as '72 says I'd rather be a part of it than not. I will be there with coffee in hand doing my part.
First, the game will appear on espn's "family of networks." This is code for "espn u" or "espn 3" for the lesser games, and I will bet the farm a 7 am game is considered a lesser game.
Second, playing at 7 am in front of a couple hundred fans is no way to showcase our signature sport. Vu72 points out only 22 teams are participating, thereby implying this is something special. I think the fact that only 22 teams are participating is evidence that the other 300 D1 teams are using good judgment by not agreeing to play in a time slot that makes the participants appear desperate to move to the adult table.
Paul
Quote from: 78crusader on July 11, 2012, 12:57:40 PM
First, the game will appear on espn's "family of networks." This is code for "espn u" or "espn 3" for the lesser games, and I will bet the farm a 7 am game is considered a lesser game.
Second, playing at 7 am in front of a couple hundred fans is no way to showcase our signature sport. Vu72 points out only 22 teams are participating, thereby implying this is something special. I think the fact that only 22 teams are participating is evidence that the other 300 D1 teams are using good judgment by not agreeing to play in a time slot that makes the participants appear desperate to move to the adult table.
Paul
Every game announced today is on ESPN. ESPN supplements their 11-game mothership lineup with other games on their other networks later in the day as schedules are released. See here: http://www.espnmediazone3.com/us/2011/11/10/college-hoops-marathon-november-15/ (http://www.espnmediazone3.com/us/2011/11/10/college-hoops-marathon-november-15/) for last year's full lineup.
Scheduling this game is a bad idea.
This is a gimmick, and gimmicks don't work.
Paul
Quote from: vusupporter on July 11, 2012, 01:08:19 PM
Quote from: 78crusader on July 11, 2012, 12:57:40 PM
First, the game will appear on espn's "family of networks." This is code for "espn u" or "espn 3" for the lesser games, and I will bet the farm a 7 am game is considered a lesser game.
Second, playing at 7 am in front of a couple hundred fans is no way to showcase our signature sport. Vu72 points out only 22 teams are participating, thereby implying this is something special. I think the fact that only 22 teams are participating is evidence that the other 300 D1 teams are using good judgment by not agreeing to play in a time slot that makes the participants appear desperate to move to the adult table.
Paul
Every game announced today is on ESPN. ESPN supplements their 11-game mothership lineup with other games on their other networks later in the day as schedules are released. See here: http://www.espnmediazone3.com/us/2011/11/10/college-hoops-marathon-november-15/ (http://www.espnmediazone3.com/us/2011/11/10/college-hoops-marathon-november-15/) for last year's full lineup.
Interesting in that Doug Gottlieb and Andy Katz did the 7am (central) game last year and then appeared on the Mike and Mike show at half time. This could be better than I thought! Look, there was a game last yer that started at 2am eastern. Apparently schools have been going for this "gimmick" for some time now.
Hopefully we'll get them or another top notch crew to our game.
It there ever was an idea that could be spiced up some to draw the fans it's this game.
Just like the way TV networks advertise their tennis coverage at Wimbledon the Athletics Dept could call it "Breakfast at the A.R.C." and spice up the event. They could have some give-aways and other contests that could draw people at that early hour.
Remember this is a televised game on ESPN. Isn't that one of the elements that really draws students to the game?
I'm not too worried about student turnout. We always love the televised games and as a morning game it'll be seen as a novelty. General attendance, however, might be a different story.
Quote from: vu72 on July 11, 2012, 12:06:34 PM
I really like the fact that we open against a D1 opponent and also think it won't be a cake walk. We will be blending in new guys but with our overall experience I certainly expect a 10 point win minimum.
I'd be very surprised if this game is close. NIU opened last year with a 62 point loss to Purdue ... Purdue was ok, but definitely weren't close to being a Top-25 team.
Quote from: zvillehaze on July 11, 2012, 03:43:14 PM
Quote from: vu72 on July 11, 2012, 12:06:34 PM
I really like the fact that we open against a D1 opponent and also think it won't be a cake walk. We will be blending in new guys but with our overall experience I certainly expect a 10 point win minimum.
I'd be very surprised if this game is close. NIU opened last year with a 62 point loss to Purdue ... Purdue was ok, but definitely weren't close to being a Top-25 team.
True enough although they followed that loss with a 2 pointer to Milwaukee. On paper it shouldn't be close--without any knowledge about new additions, but, my point is only that they had 7 freshman on their team last year and only graduated 8 average points of production. Don't think either of the 2 seniors started for them. I certainly hope you are right 'haze.
love the idea! i'm quite excited to see valpo get into the season tip-off. i remember being at work last year watching some game after waking up at 0530 and thinking about how awesome it was. the only thing that'll make it better is if i can be there in person. but i don't know that that'll be in the cards. maybe next year.
No one will convince me that there isn't an increased risk of injury in playing at the ridiculous hour of 7 am.
Paul
Quote from: 78crusader on July 11, 2012, 11:01:51 AM
This is dumb idea. Nothing accentuates the perception that VU is forever stuck in low-level mid-major land more than a gimmicky 7 am game, played before what is sure to be a sparse crowd.
Paul
I seem to recall 25 years ago when some where calling moving games to 8:30 or 9 (for TV purposes) dumb. I agree the 7 am time is a little gimmicky, but hey it is only once in a blue moon! Breakfast at the ARC! I think it is a great one-time promotion with ESPN, and will provide good exposure to Valpo.
Quote from: 78crusader on July 11, 2012, 05:10:30 PM
No one will convince me that there isn't an increased risk of injury in playing at the ridiculous hour of 7 am.
Paul
Increased maybe. Measureable - very doubtful.
I remember practices being as early as 5:30, when we could get gym time. Ask some of Bob Knight's players if they ever practiced at 7 AM.
Quote from: 78crusader on July 11, 2012, 05:10:30 PM
No one will convince me that there isn't an increased risk of injury in playing at the ridiculous hour of 7 am.
Paul
I believe most teams often have early morning practice sessions, usually beginning even earlier than 7a.m. so that players can attend classes. I see no reason there would be an increased risk of injury over other times of the day.
It seems only logical that a 7am start would cause FEWER possible injuries. Not trying to be difficult or combative in any way. Just wondering why fresh legs (they just got up!) versus legs who have been possibly doing other things from running to class to being cramped up on a long bus ride for an 8pm game could cause more injuries.
QuoteNo one will convince me that there isn't an increased risk of injury in playing at the ridiculous hour of 7 am.
Paul
QuoteScheduling this game is a bad idea.
This is a gimmick, and gimmicks don't work.
Paul
Given your concerns, I'm left wondering whether you have changed your position and now support the idea of either building a new arena or immediately remodeling the ARC as a venue so that VU can better attract D-I opponents at home without the use of gimmicks that might result in an increase in athletic injury.
My opinion, this is a winner from any angle. I love it!
Prime time in Australia.
N.Illinois will become a member of the Horizon League (fan base is Chicago-Milw oriented,not Ohio) so this is great exposure for both schools. A good opening win for Valpo. With Oakland and N. Illinois set, the third addition to the HL could be: Bradley,IUPUI or W. Il. Hope its Bradley,but probably IUPUI. BOOK IT! :welcome:
Quote from: setshot on July 11, 2012, 06:35:44 PM
N.Illinois will become a member of the Horizon League (fan base is Chicago-Milw oriented,not Ohio) so this is great exposure for both schools. A good opening win for Valpo. With Oakland and N. Illinois set, the third addition to the HL could be: Bradley,IUPUI or W. Il. Hope its Bradley,but probably IUPUI. BOOK IT! :welcome:
I believe that is the last thing on earth that I will be "booking." N. Illinois, Oakland and IUPUI. That would be foolish!
Quote from: crusaderjoe on July 11, 2012, 06:09:36 PM
QuoteNo one will convince me that there isn't an increased risk of injury in playing at the ridiculous hour of 7 am.
Paul
QuoteScheduling this game is a bad idea.
This is a gimmick, and gimmicks don't work.
Paul
Given your concerns, I'm left wondering whether you have changed your position and now support the idea of either building a new arena or immediately remodeling the ARC as a venue so that VU can better attract D-I opponents at home without the use of gimmicks that might result in an increase in athletic injury.
:clap:
I also like the idea of the game being prime time in Australia, and other areas of that timezone.
Quote from: 78crusader on July 11, 2012, 12:57:40 PM
First, the game will appear on espn's "family of networks." This is code for "espn u" or "espn 3" for the lesser games, and I will bet the farm a 7 am game is considered a lesser game.
Second, playing at 7 am in front of a couple hundred fans is no way to showcase our signature sport. Vu72 points out only 22 teams are participating, thereby implying this is something special. I think the fact that only 22 teams are participating is evidence that the other 300 D1 teams are using good judgment by not agreeing to play in a time slot that makes the participants appear desperate to move to the adult table.
Paul
I think the reason most of those other 300 teams aren't participating is because ESPN isn't interested, not because they are exercising good judgment. This is a signature event every year. I think it sucks that the Valpo game is at 7 in the morning -- decidedly not prime time -- but I bet you would be shocked how many schools would jump at the chance if only they were invited.
This is akin to just missing out on having your bracket buster game televised.
Quote from: StlVUFan on July 11, 2012, 06:51:18 PM
I think the reason most of those other 300 teams aren't participating is because ESPN isn't interested, not because they are exercising good judgment. This is a signature event every year. I think it sucks that the Valpo game is at 7 in the morning -- decidedly not prime time -- but I bet you would be shocked how many schools would jump at the chance if only they were invited.
This is akin to just missing out on having your bracket buster game televised.
i like that espn may be paying more attention to us - means either they're rewarding last season or have expectations for this year. or maybe both. either way, a boost for the program. way to go vu!
Quote from: 78crusader on July 11, 2012, 05:10:30 PM
No one will convince me that there isn't an increased risk of injury in playing at the ridiculous hour of 7 am.
Paul
We (baseball) ran in the ARC at 5 am for many workouts when doing our conditioning drills during offseason. Once you shake off the ridiculousness of the time, you actually feel pretty refreshed the rest of the day.
I read somewhere that Butler practiced daily in the early morning. I think it was a story about Gordon Hayward and not going to Purdue due to classes/practice schedule conflicts. Not sure they had more injuries than others.
Quote from: valpotx on July 12, 2012, 04:38:24 PMOnce you shake off the ridiculousness of the time, you actually feel pretty refreshed the rest of the day.
Had to do the same at IT. Found that kids actually attended classes more faithfully when we had early practices. No excuse now for missing that 8AM class. I think most smaller schools have to do this because of facility constraints. I don't have any hard proof but would say that injuries seemed to happened less often in the morning.
The only 'injuries' that happened during these workouts were guys that stayed up late the night before drinking :). Luckily, there were trash cans brought out by Twenge for any of those injuries lol (not me). Kenny Harris actually joined us for several of these drills, since Bob Brooks ran them for the most part, and they were trying to get him to lose weight.
Went over to see what NIU fans are thinking about the game and, for the most part, are excited. Some have noted that games in this time slot generally are well attended by students and that the University may promote it with different ideas like camping out prior to the game or, as someone suggested, doing "breakfast at the ARC".
Thought I'd fall off my chair laughing when I read this post from one NIU fan:
I may call Valpo and ask what foods the concessions stands will be selling. If it looks good, maybe I'll go to the game. (I would have to leave my house around 5:30 a.m.) I'll wear my red NIU pajamas and robe. My PJs are sort of see-through and have a few holes in them. The terry robe does provide a nice cover-up, however. Think I'll get on national TV?
Here's the link to their site:
http://csnbbs.com/showthread.php?tid=577493 (http://csnbbs.com/showthread.php?tid=577493)
This is the kind of crack investigative journalism worthy of a ONE THOUSANDTH POST!
Congrats, 72!
When you pay too much cable......you get depressed When you get depressed you get up early in the morning in your red NIU pajamas and drive down the tollroad to Indiana. When you drive down the tollroad in your pajamas you draw stares from truckers. When you draw stares from truckers,.....you speed up to get further away from them. When you speed up to avoid them......you get arrested for 110 mph and end up in a cell by yourself in Lake Station, Indiana..........
.... Don't end up in a cell in Lake Station....get Direct TV.
Quote from: crusadermoe on July 13, 2012, 10:00:19 PM
When you pay too much cable......you get depressed When you get depressed you get up early in the morning in your red NIU pajamas and drive down the tollroad to Indiana. When you drive down the tollroad in your pajamas you draw stares from truckers. When you draw stares from truckers,.....you speed up to get further away from them. When you speed up to avoid them......you get arrested for 110 mph and end up in a cell by yourself in Lake Station, Indiana..........
.... Don't end up in a cell in Lake Station....get Direct TV.
You left out one thing.
When you draw stares from truckers they also get on the cb radio and soon you are the guy in the red NIU pajamas known from coast to coast and every trucker in the United States, Canada & Mexico is looking for you. Then you speed at 110 mph to avoid each and every truck driver in three countries.......
Well played, moe ;)
Quote from: historyman on July 11, 2012, 02:29:26 PM
It there ever was an idea that could be spiced up some to draw the fans it's this game.
Just like the way TV networks advertise their tennis coverage at Wimbledon the Athletics Dept could call it "Breakfast at the A.R.C." and spice up the event. They could have some give-aways and other contests that could draw people at that early hour.
Does anyone know exactly what the Valpo athletic dept is doing to promote this game at 7:00 a.m. on Nov.13 against Northern Illinois or will it just fall to the fans to show up. I really think it needs a promotion for the non-student fans to show up too.
Maybe something about "Breakfast at the A.R.C." is waiting for a November 1st posting to start promoting it? We can promote that game here on the board all the time, but due to advertising dollars, maybe Valpo is waiting until November 1st?
I imagine breakfast will be served there instead of at the union and that faculty and staff will be encouraged to spend their mornings at the ARC. Well, that's what would make sense to me.
I would think the Union would still serve breakfast for those who aren't into college basketball, or who have classes that they can't miss at 8AM, not that anyone cares that I still think about those who don't like college basketball as much as we all do. There are many students at Valpo who obviously don't care for basketball, or they have other things they have to do besides a special 7AM basketball game for an ESPN TV event.
Quote from: valporun on October 29, 2012, 10:33:29 PM
I would think the Union would still serve breakfast for those who aren't into college basketball, or who have classes that they can't miss at 8AM, not that anyone cares that I still think about those who don't like college basketball as much as we all do. There are many students at Valpo who obviously don't care for basketball, or they have other things they have to do besides a special 7AM basketball game for an ESPN TV event.
i'd skip an 8am class for that. hell, i used to skip evening classes when they conflicted with big games.
I would definitely be at this game if I were in school. Lack of enthusiasm from the more recent overall student body will probably lead to a sparse crowd. We would have packed the ARC for a team like this (Valpo's expectations) 'back in my day' lol
I would also bet that there will be a lot of open chairbacks due to people having to go to work... I would hope that some professors would be sympathetic to those who want to go to that game, knowing that it is a unique time. Like others who have posted, I would have missed the 8:00 AM class to go to the game...
If they are smart, they'll have coffee & donuts for sale - Hint hint.
Quote from: valporun on October 29, 2012, 02:37:08 PMMaybe something about "Breakfast at the A.R.C." is waiting for a November 1st posting to start promoting it? We can promote that game here on the board all the time, but due to advertising dollars, maybe Valpo is waiting until November 1st?
Today is Nov.1st. When are they going to promote the Nov.13th 7:00 a.m. game against Northern Illinois? I'll bet more fans will show up for a 7:00
p.m. game than actually show up for a 7 a.m. game.
Aaron's game notes now available on the Valpo Athletics site consists of most of the promotion at least I have seen for this game. The only other things I have heard about the game have come via Twitter (the tweety bird). I heard somewhere there's going to be a 4am tailgate, and I know Beth Mowins is on the call because I started following her during VUSB's trip to the NCAAs last May.
I figured at least there would be a splash page on the website or some more "in your face" stuff. We complain often enough about turnout on this forum (at least I do when appropriate), and this apparent lack of promotion scares me with ESPN, "The Mothership," heading into town to show us to the world...
pancakes at 6!
http://www.valpoathletics.com/mbasketball/news/2012-13/12172/valpo-men-set-for-7am-tip-on-espn/ (http://www.valpoathletics.com/mbasketball/news/2012-13/12172/valpo-men-set-for-7am-tip-on-espn/)
They may not be doing a big public "Splash" because of how early it is on a school day, where most everyone has work or school, so the general public can't really take the time off work to come, and high school kids can't really miss class, so the promo of pancakes and the 4AM tailgate are probably the best things that can be done for a game at 7AM CT. We're just going to have to deal with the fact that for once, we're going to have an ESPN game where a lot of the crowd is going to be students only.
Quote from: valporun on November 11, 2012, 10:28:22 PM
They may not be doing a big public "Splash" because of how early it is on a school day, where most everyone has work or school, so the general public can't really take the time off work to come, and high school kids can't really miss class, so the promo of pancakes and the 4AM tailgate are probably the best things that can be done for a game at 7AM CT. We're just going to have to deal with the fact that for once, we're going to have an ESPN game where a lot of the crowd is going to be students only.
I think there will be more townies than students in attendance - just a hunch.
I also think that a big public splash would have been in order. Let the people decide if they can attend or not, but at least advertise the darn thing.
Most of the townies who attend games also attend because it can be a family event. Those families also have kids who go to school about the time the game starts, and they also have jobs they work too, and they can't all just decide they are going to go to a 7AM college basketball game over the work that puts a roof over their head, food on the table, gas in the car, and clothes on their back. Seriously, if we're having this much trouble understanding that, we must be a lot of people who are in that unemployment number the Republicans kept parading around during the election season?
2011 7a - attendance 3244 - host school College of Charleston
2010 7a - attendance 1496 - host school Kent State
2009 7a - attendance 2261 - host school Niagara
2008 9a - attendance 2434 - host school Drexel (no 7a game)
All 4 games were on ESPN.
Like all the comments, but like spartan pointed out, a little advertising wouldn't hurt just to inform all parties when the game is so they can kick the idea around a little. I hope at least between fan attendance and pre-game events that the students come out strong like the good ol' days when ESPN was touting us as a top mid-major environment.
Its to bad this couldn't be a wednesday morning game when most of the schools have late start day. Regardless my family will be there bright and early for breakfast and the boys will get to enjoy at least part of the game before they head off to school.
Quote from: HC on November 12, 2012, 10:07:02 AM
Its to bad this couldn't be a wednesday morning game when most of the schools have late start day. Regardless my family will be there bright and early for breakfast and the boys will get to enjoy at least part of the game before they head off to school.
In 1998, I pulled my son out of 2nd grade to drive to Lexington for Butler's first round game (same afternoon as "The Shot", btw), and despite missing that day of class, he became a college graduate last May. ;) My vote is that your boys "miss the bus" and arrive at school around 9:30. :twocents:
Quote from: vu72 on November 11, 2012, 09:51:56 PM
pancakes at 6!
http://www.valpoathletics.com/mbasketball/news/2012-13/12172/valpo-men-set-for-7am-tip-on-espn/ (http://www.valpoathletics.com/mbasketball/news/2012-13/12172/valpo-men-set-for-7am-tip-on-espn/)
I find those game notes difficult to read with all the Twitter handles and hashtags all over the place. I realize that Twitter is huge, but is it really necessary to state that "@ValpoHoops" played "@CanesHoops" in the NIT last year? Curious if you guys like the format?
Quote from: zvillehaze on November 12, 2012, 11:54:26 AM
Quote from: HC on November 12, 2012, 10:07:02 AM
Its to bad this couldn't be a wednesday morning game when most of the schools have late start day. Regardless my family will be there bright and early for breakfast and the boys will get to enjoy at least part of the game before they head off to school.
In 1998, I pulled my son out of 2nd grade to drive to Lexington for Butler's first round game (same afternoon as "The Shot", btw), and despite missing that day of class, he became a college graduate last May. ;) My vote is that your boys "miss the bus" and arrive at school around 9:30. :twocents:
Quote from: vu72 on November 11, 2012, 09:51:56 PM
pancakes at 6!
http://www.valpoathletics.com/mbasketball/news/2012-13/12172/valpo-men-set-for-7am-tip-on-espn/ (http://www.valpoathletics.com/mbasketball/news/2012-13/12172/valpo-men-set-for-7am-tip-on-espn/)
I find those game notes difficult to read with all the Twitter handles and hashtags all over the place. I realize that Twitter is huge, but is it really necessary to state that "@ValpoHoops" played "@CanesHoops" in the NIT last year? Curious if you guys like the format?
I just took a look at those game notes, and it does make it very hard to read, and redundant, to see @ValpoBasketball and the various Twitter handles all over the notes, especially when it's specific notes for our roster against last season's or prior opponents, @CanesHoops or @LMULions. It definitely is worthy of a couple of emails to Aaron Leavitt to voice our interest in making the game notes less Twitter happy, and more reader-friendly.
Saw this article on ESPN's website about the 24 Hour College Basketball Tip-off Marathon, and they asked a question about how we would do considering Kevin's offseason knee surgery, and how he would do post-op in the non-conference season.
7. How will Valparaiso perform against Northern Illinois with a healthy Kevin Van Wijk? There were a lot of questions about Valparaiso's prospects after the standout underwent offseason knee surgery. But his performance against Georgia Southern (16 points) in his team's season opener suggested that he's healthier than most realized. That's clearly a good sign for a Crusaders squad that needs to build momentum -- and give Van Wijk more reps so he can continue to work on his postsurgery mobility -- prior to the start of Horizon League play.
Here's the full blog entry: http://espn.go.com/blog/collegebasketballnation/post/_/id/66769/24-questions-for-espn-tip-off-marathon (http://espn.go.com/blog/collegebasketballnation/post/_/id/66769/24-questions-for-espn-tip-off-marathon)
Post Tribune pre-game story:
VU eager to rise and shine
http://posttrib.suntimes.com/sports/16323743-556/mens-basketball-vu-eager-to-rise-and-shine.html (http://posttrib.suntimes.com/sports/16323743-556/mens-basketball-vu-eager-to-rise-and-shine.html)
Here are the game notes from the NIU athletics website:
http://www.niuhuskies.com/sports/m-baskbl/spec-rel/111212aac.html (http://www.niuhuskies.com/sports/m-baskbl/spec-rel/111212aac.html)
Their notes don't have all the Twitter handles, just simple, straight-to-the-point notes about the teams, series history, and other details, including the other games in the Tip-off marathon and such.
Quote from: zvillehaze on November 12, 2012, 11:54:26 AM1998, I pulled my son out of 2nd grade to drive to Lexington for Butler's first round game (same afternoon as "The Shot", btw), and despite missing that day of class, he became a college graduate last May. ;) My vote is that your boys "miss the bus" and arrive at school around 9:30. :twocents:
This is a November game against NIU not a 1st round game in March! He is going to school :) This might not be the case in March
Quote from: zvillehaze on November 12, 2012, 11:54:26 AM
In 1998, I pulled my son out of 2nd grade to drive to Lexington for Butler's first round game (same afternoon as "The Shot", btw), and despite missing that day of class, he became a college graduate last May. ;) My vote is that your boys "miss the bus" and arrive at school around 9:30. :twocents:
I plan to be there with my family. But, indeed, my son will have to leave for school and I for a lab. My wife acted a little tempted to have our son "miss the bus" and show up late - but, indeed, school should come first. Too bad ESPN couldn't accommodate late-start Wednesday ;)
Quote
I find those game notes difficult to read with all the Twitter handles and hashtags all over the place. I realize that Twitter is huge, but is it really necessary to state that "@ValpoHoops" played "@CanesHoops" in the NIT last year? Curious if you guys like the format?
Man, they've been killing me. Emailing Aaron does seem reasonable - I should do it myself.
Quote from: HC on November 12, 2012, 01:23:21 PM
Quote from: zvillehaze on November 12, 2012, 11:54:26 AM1998, I pulled my son out of 2nd grade to drive to Lexington for Butler's first round game (same afternoon as "The Shot", btw), and despite missing that day of class, he became a college graduate last May. ;) My vote is that your boys "miss the bus" and arrive at school around 9:30. :twocents:
This is a November game against NIU not a 1st round game in March! He is going to school :) This might not be the case in March
True. Good for HC and agibson for making school a priority. If your kids are like mine were, they'll probably enjoy the pancake breakfast more than the game! ;D Have fun!!
...yet another argument for home-schooling!
I absolutely hate the twitter-format for game notes, and this is coming from someone that uses Twitter for work at times. It was perfectly fine the way it was, no need to 'new age' such a standard thing. I don't know if it was done to drum up interest among the current students, but there has to be a better way than that annoying style...
I just read the notes, what a mess. It was hard to read and way to long. :twocents:
Not sure if this has been discussed here. I notice NIU lost their first game at Nebraska-Omaha 64-77. The same Omaha team that Valpo will host over Thanksgiving.
Knowing very little about either team, I'd assumed Nebraska-Omaha wasn't much. (The curse of the "directional" school?)
So, what's the correct conclusion? Omaha's not much and NIU's _really_ not much? Or might Omaha be some tough competition? And perhaps NIU as well?
Quote from: agibson on November 12, 2012, 06:28:14 PMSo, what's the correct conclusion? Omaha's not much and NIU's _really_ not much? Or might Omaha be some tough competition? And perhaps NIU as well?
We will find out in 12 hours.
Hmm... NIU 4-25 last season, 4-14 in the MAC. Nebraska-Omaha in their first year in D1.
Well, Nebraska, 4-15 in the Big Ten (man that sounds strange) last year. Maybe this isn't the dark side of the moon, after all. Kent State may be the real test?
i'd love to have been there for this game, or to have had this opportunity while i was in school. alas, i'll be watching from my hole in the ground in northern north dakota.
looks like we're going to have a very good student turn out.
Quote from: chef on November 13, 2012, 06:15:16 AM
looks like we're going to have a very good student turn out.
good to hear. rider has a pretty good turnout overall for a 6am game. hopefully we can follow suit.
great turnout! now if we could have started a little faster... 2 points in the first 6 minutes a little painful. thank god niu is just as cold.
OK so they have already talked about The Shot...since LaPhonso Ellis is doing color, can we also talk about the Miracle On Union Street?
Apostle, I think Digger found that tape in the vault, and BURNED IT!
i'd have liked a faster start. we should realistically be up at least 10. rowdy seems to be the only one to have found his shot. gotta give credit to niu though - they've been pretty scrappy and played some decent defense in the half court. our best looks have been in transition with rowdy stopping around the 3pt line and getting the kickout pass.
I forget if it was in the PT or NWI story, but I know Bryce implied that a couple recent 7am practices did not go as well as expected. Not too surprised to see each team struggle in its own ways, but we need to come out of the locker room and finish this!
My god, ESPN loves Bryce Drew. They've already shown "The Shot", referenced it a few other times, and he's wired for sound.
yeah...this game is going to give our offensive ranks a hit for the next ten games or so until it's much less statistically significant than half of our games! :/
on the good side, this will bump our defensive rankings!
but, yeah we should be up more. not least of which because I picked us to win 20+ in the ESPN streak for the cash!
Quote from: LaPorteAveApostle on November 13, 2012, 08:05:58 AM
yeah...this game is going to give our offensive ranks a hit for the next ten games or so until it's much less statistically significant than half of our games! :/
on the good side, this will bump our defensive rankings!
but, yeah we should be up more. not least of which because I picked us to win 20+ in the ESPN streak for the cash!
this is looking more like what i was expecting. they're getting rolling now. :D hail crusaders, who rise to glory!
We started out about as slow, scrappy, and messy in the first half as we did at DeKalb last year. I'm glad to see the guys wake up sooner in this game, and start putting it in the back pocket.
Loved the 2nd half. Clean up the defensive glass and ball control, and we can be tough to beat. 69-46 final in case anyone missed it.
Thanks for everyone at Valpo that got us this game on ESPN. Enjoyed watching it, and thanks to all the fans that were able to come. Look liked a great crowd for 7am.
And now... a little bit of fun.
(http://cdn.memegenerator.net/instances/400x/30126152.jpg)
G'day from Melbourne Australia. It's now after 2am here and time for all of Ryan's family and friends that sat up to watch the game go to bed. Great win by the team and a great game by Rowdy. We can all sleep peacefully now as you all start your day. Hooroo from all of us down here, Go Valpo!! :thumbsup:
Quote from: koala on November 13, 2012, 09:22:03 AM
G'day from Melbourne Australia. It's now after 2am here and time for all of Ryan's family and friends that sat up to watch the game go to bed. Great win by the team and a great game by Rowdy. We can all sleep peacefully now as you all start your day. Hooroo from all of us down here, Go Valpo!! :thumbsup:
another game to be proud of, koala. rowdy kept everybody up in the second half, and served to inspire the second half surge.
Overall a pretty solid effort. Did anybody notice how NIU shutdown Kevin? There was a lot of pushing and shoving inside. Great, All American performance by Rowdy and on national tv to boot!!
And one more thing--Alex Rossi has yet to miss a shot!
That was a good student crowd, color me impressed with them for the first time in a few years. Definitely understandable about both team's slow start. I don't care how you try to prepare the few days beforehand, it is still a really early time to be getting your body ready for athletics. We used to run at 5 am in baseball at times, and it took until 6 am and many butt-chewings before we looked like we were awake.
Good second half by the team. It's amazing how Rowdy can make a double-double look so easy! I had no clue he was anywhere near 10 rebounds when they flashed it on screen. I guess you just come to expect it from him now, so unless it is the rebound where he skies above everyone else, it doesn't catch your attention, but you definitely notice his hard work all the time. He kept the team together in the first half, and Boggs/Kenney brought us home in the second when we would hit a lull.
Is Rossi our mop-up guy this year, or just a spark at the end of a game? Maybe he is not healthy enough to go longer than that at the moment?
Koala, he also handles himself well in the postgame interview :)
Unfortunately, I wasn't able to make it to the game, but I caught most of it on ESPN. As others mentioned and I have said about the previous games, I am pleased by the student turnout thus far this year, and I expect today's game will encourage future turnout as well.
After a slow start, I was happy to see the good shooting return. In fact, the team wound up with 54% from the 3-point line and 52% overall. If you told me before tip-off that Kevin and Vashil would have a combined 4 points and 5 rebounds, I would have expected a difficult game. The only negative of the game was that we were out-rebounded (36-35), but that was mostly because of NIU's advantage on the offensive boards (16-4). However, that can also be seen as a positive since they had so many more chances at offensive rebounds due to so many missed shots on their part, twice as many as Valpo (46-23). Still, Fernandez delivered as promised with 4 blocked shots and a number of other altered shots due to his size. I can't wait to get a healthy Bobby back in that front line, though.
All the new guys seem to be fitting in nicely—Coleman is a real worker on the court and I am impressed by Rossi's shooting. It will be nice when we add Dority to the mix as well.
Final notes: (1) I am convinced now that Ryan is the best Valpo player we have seen since Bryce. (2) Unless I missed it, Bryce managed to keep his jacket on throughout the game. (3) VU did itself proud on national television, both on and off the court. (4) A question mark about this team in preseason for some concerned their defense, but they seem to be doing just fine defensively so far, though admittedly against weaker teams.
It looked to me like NIU played a tougher perimeter defense, but in many ways, it also helped open up the backdoor passing game, especially on Kenney's backdoor layup in the second half, taking to Aksel's right side, giving him the lane right to the rim. Was very impressed with Boggs's shooting in the second half, and hope to see Bogan's pick up in the upcoming games. I'm liking the balance of scoring, and that players who didn't really shoot before, aren't being so timid about shooting or their shot selections. Can't wait to put it all together with Capo, and see what we really have to shutdown opponents with.
Quote from: valporun on November 13, 2012, 07:26:58 AM
Apostle, I think Digger found that tape in the vault, and BURNED IT!
I still have a copy... I'd be happy to share with ESPN.
My sense is that defense will be fine this year. The offense needs to show quicker passes. A smart and athletic team can pick off a lot of our penetrate and dish out passes. Maybe Capo's extra inside presence can keep other team's defense more honest inside.
I too enjoyed seeing a Valpo Victory this morning, skipping my own 8:30 class! Here is a nice write up from Usa Today: http://www.usatoday.com/story/sports/columnist/lopresti/2012/11/13/valparaiso-northern-illinois-game-at-dawn/1702349/ (http://www.usatoday.com/story/sports/columnist/lopresti/2012/11/13/valparaiso-northern-illinois-game-at-dawn/1702349/)
Nice article!
Nice article indeed! I now can't wait till Thursday to see our guys play a big school, even if they aren't picked to win their conference (or even do well). Still, when you think back to last year when we almost lost to a D2 or 3 in exhibition play, this season's start is pretty impressive against 2 D1 schools regardless of their profiles.
After two games we are shooting 54.2% from the 3 and 80% from the FT line. Our avg margin of victory is 27 points and we have four guys avg in double figures with another at 9 ppg.
Our "mop up" guy is an ESPN 92 rated player who, together with Jordan Coleman, are a perfect 9 for 9 from the 3. All this without Bobby or Dority. Maybe it's just me, but somehow I think this team has potential. ;)
Love the article. This was such a good idea on Valpo's side. It gives us some publicity against an otherwise crappy match-up. I had people at work this morning say that they watched my school as they were getting ready to come into work. Just about everyone knows I went to Valpo because of the brown flag (big one) with the Crusader and Valpo in gold on my office side wall. You can't miss it as they walk the hall outside my door lol.
Ah, Jimmy's Cafe...doesnt get better than that. I hope Rhea was ready to handle the crowd.
lowposter
Broekhoff vs. McCallum - today's games:
Ryan points 20 min. 30 FG 6-12 3pt.FG 4-8 FT 4-4 Reb 13
Assessment: typical Ryan performance - highly efficient and unselfish
McCallum points 21 min. 38 FG 8-23 3pt.FG 4-12 FT 1-2 Reb 1
Assessment: Proof positive that if you play enough minutes and take enough shots, you can score 20 points in a basketball game
I thought this game was a bad idea. I was wrong.
We need to beat Nebraska. This is the kind of game that NCAA tournament teams do not lose.
Paul
Correct, we absolutely must beat a team like Nebraska. When we were making our NCAA runs, it was a confidence builder beating South Carolina, Penn State, Ohio State, etc, teams that were beatable at the major level.
As of today, through their careers:
(I just crunched the numbers, and despite playing one year longer, McCallum only has 5 fewer shot attempts...)
Broekhoff: 1.44 points per shot attempt. This season (2 games): 2 points per shot... (!)
McCallum: 1.36 pps. This season: 1.19 pps
7 a.m is a good time of the day this week: Today the game on ESPN was at 7 a.m. local time and tomorrow each of our verbal commits is allowed to sign his Letter of Intent beginning at 7 a.m. local time!
8:00 am game out here in G'sC. Good win over an inferior opponent. Takes the sting awayfrom our horrific football performance. Nep runs a good program,he's a keeper. Carlson - FTSOB! :-[
It's been awhile... Glad to catch my first game of the season. Here we go:
- Valpo needs to do something about the pregame notes. Why are they formatted like they're Tweets, especially since they don't link to anything? What's with the fake hash tags? The email on the pdf game notes is Aaron.Leavitt@valpo.edu, so we should all harass him to change it to a more reasonable format.
- It was incredibly weird waking up early to watch a sporting event before work. It was almost like the Olympics... Good thing ESPN was in charge and not NBC, who would have tape delayed the game 6 hours while someone on Twitter spoils the ending for me.
- Highlighter Yellow? Why? Our fans looked like we received defunct Baylor 2012 tournament uniforms. Now every home game for the next 3 years will be littered with a couple dozen students wearing neon shirts next to the other various shades of gold.
- Very impressed with the student turnout. Good excuse to miss class.
- Both teams looked understandably flat early on. Valpo played tenacious defense the entire game.
- The obligatory 'the shot' highlight came about 20 minutes into the ESPN broadcast, which is much later than usual.
- Coleman threw the ball out of bounds to an invisible man in the first half... honestly thought Jay Harris was back on the team. Coleman does have a good 55 pounds on Jay Harris, and I think will exceed Jay's role on the team. I think Valpo will miss his ability to drain free throws.
- I really hope this team can stay healthy. KVW and Buggs both looked a bit dinged up and are already both injury prone. I would hate to see either of them go down in a game like this (aka vs Chicago State, UNO, etc).
- Valpo could use some work on fast break odd man rushes... They missed two easy ones in the first half, but had a couple nice layups in the second half. Other than that, not much else to complain about.
Kenney needs to get more minutes, especially if he continues to play like this. Since he comes of the bench and doesn't come in until about the 16:00 mark of each half, its as though he can play a maximum of 32 minutes. He should be consistently getting 25-26 minutes per game, and in my opinion, should play more minutes than Boggs and Bogan.
Quote from: vubballfan10 on November 13, 2012, 08:35:43 PM
Kenney needs to get more minutes, especially if he continues to play like this. Since he comes of the bench and doesn't come in until about the 16:00 mark of each half, its as though he can play a maximum of 32 minutes. He should be consistently getting 25-26 minutes per game, and in my opinion, should play more minutes than Boggs and Bogan.
He's a better player than either Boggs or Bogan, but seems to provide a spark off the bench. Maybe he can be Valpo's version of Vinny "the microwave" Johnson.
I think the only reason Kenney doesn't start is because he's the spark off the bench that gets us going again, if we come out sluggish/slow, or when we need a little bit more speed or aggressive play from the backcourt. I think his minutes are apportioned based on what is going on with the game, and he adapts however the team needs him to. Boggs and Bogan only get more minutes because they can spread the floor out a little, due to what little shooting they both tend to do.
Quote from: wh on November 13, 2012, 04:13:31 PM
Broekhoff vs. McCallum - today's games:
Ryan points 20 min. 30 FG 6-12 3pt.FG 4-8 FT 4-4 Reb 13
Assessment: typical Ryan performance - highly efficient and unselfish
McCallum points 21 min. 38 FG 8-23 3pt.FG 4-12 FT 1-2 Reb 1
Assessment: Proof positive that if you play enough minutes and take enough shots, you can score 20 points in a basketball game
Hard to say if McCallum was just jacking up shots, or was that the only offense Detroit could muster against a BCS team. I watched Chris Thomas at Notre Dame get stuck in that situation more than once. The...here you take it offense. Ryan is certainly a more unselfish player...sometimes to Valpo's detriment. From what I've seen this year, he might be getting over some of that. To get where they want to go, he's going to have to go on his own sometime. This first half was a perfect example as his teammates couldn't hit the broad side of a barn in the first 10 minutes or so.
I saw the Detroit game, and as they were walking off the floor, Ray Jr. was talking Ray Sr.'s ear off about this, that, or the other, like he was a player-coach. Oh wait, he is the head coach, since he doesn't seem to run anything his father wants him to. He just "audibles" everything to help his draft status.
Quote from: valporun on November 13, 2012, 09:04:09 PM
I saw the Detroit game, and as they were walking off the floor, Ray Jr. was talking Ray Sr.'s ear off about this, that, or the other, like he was a player-coach. Oh wait, he is the head coach, since he doesn't seem to run anything his father wants him to. He just "audibles" everything to help his draft status.
While I'll buy that, how much of the "offense" was in the last 7 seconds of the shot clock?
Trying to keep St. John's guessing? Obviously, it didn't work. Steve Lavin is no dummy. There is a reason he was hired to coach St. John's after so much time as an analyst at ESPN.
1. Kudos to the students for a great turnout today. Their enthusiastic vocal support had to have been helpful in lifting a team that played very ugly much of the game. Hopefully they'll remember how much fun attending a game can be when they get the next chance to see the team at home in three weeks against IPFW. That's the only time students will be on campus for a game until Jan. 19 (they'll be gone for six of seven home games in the interim, not good).
2. Kevin got very frustrated by NIU's physical play today which was surprising since he usually thrives in that environment. We'll need him at his best against Nebraska's size, something I fear will be tough for us to handle given Capo's absence.
3. Ryan saved us once again.
4. Rossi still seems a little weak (from illness?) and isn't very aggressive on defense, but we'll need his shooting from time to time.
5. Watched much of the Detroit game and thought they looked like the force we expect them to be. As much as we may be critical of Ray Jr. he's a talent. Detroit may be quicker than last year and it will take a good defense to control them.
6. Also saw Cleveland State and felt they are probably better than they looked against Michigan. Reminded me of the way we've looked at times against "power conference" teams when we should have played them tougher.
7. Kent State will be another handful, but that's no surprise.
8. If you like college basketball, today was a blast.
9. But it doesn't seem we got much love from ESPN. Our score was not in the scroll as often as games that had no more marque value than ours and I never saw any highlights, although we were included in a graphic once that noted Ryan's double double.
10. Any word on Chicago State? They apparently stayed with Green Bay in a free throw shooting contest.
11. And is there any doubt now that Youngstown needs to be taken seriously?
12. Horizon League could be stronger top to bottom than in several years, but will have work to do to be a two-bid conference this year, especially if teams have trouble winning on the road.
Just a dozen of the many rambling thoughts after too much time in front of the tube...
Quote from: valpospartan on November 11, 2012, 10:57:47 PM
I think there will be more townies than students in attendance - just a hunch.
I also think that a big public splash would have been in order. Let the people decide if they can attend or not, but at least advertise the darn thing.
I was really wrong about the student attendance. I was impressed.
Quote from: humbleopinion on November 13, 2012, 11:37:43 AM
Quote from: valporun on November 13, 2012, 07:26:58 AM
Apostle, I think Digger found that tape in the vault, and BURNED IT!
I still have a copy... I'd be happy to share with ESPN.
I also have one.
Quote from: milanmiracle on November 13, 2012, 09:08:55 PM
While I'll buy that, how much of the "offense" was in the last 7 seconds of the shot clock?
EXACTLY, you have hit the nail on the head. I understand the need to run clock when you have the lead in the closing minutes of the game, but repeatedly compressing a one dimensional offense ( Ray Jr ) into a 7 or 8 second window and watching it fail possession after possession is crazy.
The difference from the first half to the second was ... Buggs.... I think we play much better when Buggs continually does the dribble penetration and then finds the open player. Defense collapses and with so many scoring opportunities Buggs just needs to find an open player. Not as much of that in the first half.
Not sure why Kevin had difficultly with this team? He usually can move well even when the defender is playing a little rough. There were definitely a few times you could see his frustration.
I definitely Like Bogan much better in shooting guard position.
Vashil is great on defense -makes so many shooter adjust their shot. I think they need to work on his footwork and his hands. At times he misses passes and loose balls that he should be able get.
I have also been impressed with Vashil's defensive positioning so far. I do worry about running into some smarter guards who love tackling the 'big guy,' and will go right into him to get the body fouls. I really like that he goes for his swats at where the ball will be, not where the ball is coming from. I hate it when someone tries to block a shot and always goes for the straight stuff which is more likely to be called a foul.
Quote from: Smj on November 14, 2012, 07:48:22 AM
The difference from the first half to the second was ... Buggs.... I think we play much better when Buggs continually does the dribble penetration and then finds the open player. Defense collapses and with so many scoring opportunities Buggs just needs to find an open player. Not as much of that in the first half.
Not sure why Kevin had difficultly with this team? He usually can move well even when the defender is playing a little rough. There were definitely a few times you could see his frustration.
I definitely Like Bogan much better in shooting guard position.
Vashil is great on defense -makes so many shooter adjust their shot. I think they need to work on his footwork and his hands. At times he misses passes and loose balls that he should be able get.
My big fear with Buggs is...he can't shoot. As the season goes along (and certainly in the HL), they'll learn you can leave him open from 17ft out. At the end of last year, teams started sagging off and daring him to shoot outside. The other side of that coin is the driving lanes...when you play off, they close up much quicker. Hard to play the drive and kick game if there's nowhere to drive. There are ways to combat that with the talent on this team, I just hope they are working on it now, rather than adapting on the fly.
Sorry but i need to take a step backwards.... Were we picked to lose this game? Just read an article that said we "upset" NIU? I went into this one thinking the betting "odds" had us winning...
I didn't see the line, but I can't imagine that we were picked to lose to NIU.
The article you read is a joke, meaning that their methods are terrible, which I imagine is this one:
http://valpodaily.com/valparaiso-basketball/game-recap/valparaiso-upsets-northern-illinois-69-46 (http://valpodaily.com/valparaiso-basketball/game-recap/valparaiso-upsets-northern-illinois-69-46)
Here is their preview. We were supposed to lose by 19 in their statistical methods.
http://valpodaily.com/valparaiso-basketball/game-preview/valparaiso-1-0-goes-up-against-northern-illinois-0-1 (http://valpodaily.com/valparaiso-basketball/game-preview/valparaiso-1-0-goes-up-against-northern-illinois-0-1)
Quote from: valpotx on November 14, 2012, 12:44:59 PM
The article you read is a joke, meaning that their methods are terrible, which I imagine is this one:
http://valpodaily.com/valparaiso-basketball/game-recap/valparaiso-upsets-northern-illinois-69-46 (http://valpodaily.com/valparaiso-basketball/game-recap/valparaiso-upsets-northern-illinois-69-46)
Here is their preview. We were supposed to lose by 19 in their statistical methods.
http://valpodaily.com/valparaiso-basketball/game-preview/valparaiso-1-0-goes-up-against-northern-illinois-0-1 (http://valpodaily.com/valparaiso-basketball/game-preview/valparaiso-1-0-goes-up-against-northern-illinois-0-1)
We were 19 point favorites.
http://www.oddsshark.com/ncaab/northern-illinois-huskies-visit-valparaiso-crusaders-in-college-basketball-clash-november-13-2012 (http://www.oddsshark.com/ncaab/northern-illinois-huskies-visit-valparaiso-crusaders-in-college-basketball-clash-november-13-2012)
Someone mistakenly keyed in +19 instead of -19, and then wrote a game storyline consistent with the wrong number. Obviously, the author knows nothing about either team.
Quote from: valpotx on November 14, 2012, 12:44:59 PM
The article you read is a joke, meaning that their methods are terrible, which I imagine is this one:
http://valpodaily.com/valparaiso-basketball/game-recap/valparaiso-upsets-northern-illinois-69-46 (http://valpodaily.com/valparaiso-basketball/game-recap/valparaiso-upsets-northern-illinois-69-46)
Here is their preview. We were supposed to lose by 19 in their statistical methods.
http://valpodaily.com/valparaiso-basketball/game-preview/valparaiso-1-0-goes-up-against-northern-illinois-0-1 (http://valpodaily.com/valparaiso-basketball/game-preview/valparaiso-1-0-goes-up-against-northern-illinois-0-1)
That is what i saw and got a little confused. Thought i was in bizarro world: http://m.youtube.com/watch?v=IcjSDZNbOs0&desktop_uri=%2Fwatch%3Fv%3DIcjSDZNbOs0 (http://m.youtube.com/watch?v=IcjSDZNbOs0&desktop_uri=%2Fwatch%3Fv%3DIcjSDZNbOs0)
Thanks...
I guarantee that robots write the prose over there. I have been assuming that the only value to that website was the statistical stuff. The prose is typically like a bad mad-libs game. There's a template paired with some kind of elementary AI that has a list of keywords to choose from in various places, algorithmically determined by some aspect of the result.
Either that, or it's written by the fine writers from Bleacher Report, who knows.
If the stats are not even of any decent quality, let me know. There's a page like that for every single team, and I've been including links in my daily blog. If even the math is crap, I'll stop. I certainly don't recommend reading the prose, it looks like it was composed by a 3rd grader.