VU NCAA Press

[agibson]

We have STLVU's blog, of course
http://horizonleague.blogspot.com/

But, in the run-up to the tourney, maybe it's worth having a thread to post and discuss VU in the press, media, national stage, etc.

[agibson]

Here's a nice one from CNN with quotes from Bryce, a particular shout-out to Vashil, and a bunch on former Horizon players.

http://www.cnn.com/2015/03/13/sport/march-madness-2015-basketball-ncaa/index.html

[drewsaders11]

Good publicity, but CNN couldn't use a photo more recent than Van Wjik and Capobianco?

[agibson]

Looks like we're going to get a nice feature on CBS Chicago's post-evening news NCAA preview show, here in a minute.

They were the most obvious TV crew at the party this afternoon.

Can we officially invite the state of Illinois to jump on the Valpo band wagon?

Nice to hear the Chicago broadcasters talking about "at least one Chicago-area school" in the tournament.

[agibson]

Looks like we're going to get a nice feature on CBS Chicago's post-evening news NCAA preview show, here in a minute.

They were the most obvious TV crew at the party this afternoon.

Can we officially invite the state of Illinois to jump on the Valpo band wagon?

Nice to hear the Chicago broadcasters talking about "at least one Chicago-area school" in the tournament.

Nice 2+ minute piece.  Footage from the ceremony: clips of interviews with several players, and Bryce.  Fan shots.  Game footage of Skara driving across half court from the final.  The Shot.

[SanityLost17]

http://sports.yahoo.com/news/forde-minutes--big-dance-edition-215739940-ncaab.html

Valpo listed as a bracket buster

Maryland listed in the "fraudulent five"

"Alex" Peters listed in the shooters section 

[valpotx]

ESPN has us rated in their 'Mid-Major Danger' category:

Valparaiso Crusaders (49): The Horizon League previews all dwelled on Green Bay star Keifer Sykes; little did we know the league's best player was just about to break out. Valpo sophomore Alec Peters is, for lack of a better term, a mini Frank Kaminsky -- a 6-foot-9 forward who rebounds, doesn't commit turnovers and shoots 50 percent from 2, 46 percent from 3 and 86 percent from the line. Throw in elite back-line defense from center Vashil Fernandez, and coach Bryce Drew, Patron Saint of March, might just have some fresh magic in store.

[agibson]

Paul Oren filling in the Baltimore Sun
http://www.baltimoresun.com/sports/terps/tracking-the-terps/bal-maryland-valparaiso-preview-with-valpo-beat-reporter-20150316-story.html

[FWalum]

Paul Oren filling in the Baltimore Sun
http://www.baltimoresun.com/sports/terps/tracking-the-terps/bal-maryland-valparaiso-preview-with-valpo-beat-reporter-20150316-story.html

WOW! The video of their reaction to getting a 4 seed was very interesting.  I know that this was a disappointment, but they were stunned, no clapping or cheering at that viewing party.

[bbtds]

Paul Oren filling in the Baltimore Sun
http://www.baltimoresun.com/sports/terps/tracking-the-terps/bal-maryland-valparaiso-preview-with-valpo-beat-reporter-20150316-story.html

WOW! The video of their reaction to getting a 4 seed was very interesting.  I know that this was a disappointment, but they were stunned, no clapping or cheering at that viewing party.

I'm very agreeable with the Terps and their fans having the same reaction early Friday evening. Stunterpitude.

[FWalum]

Surprise, another one from the Fort Wayne News-Sentinel: Valparaiso (28-5) will forever be known for Bryce Drew's last-second shot to beat Mississippi in 1998. Guess what, fans of how time flies? He's the coach now, following in dad Homer's footsteps. The No.13 seed Crusaders will need an upset of No.4 seed Maryland for people to get to know Alec Peters (16.7 ppg), Darien Walker of Chicago or Tevonn Walker of Montreal.
Personally, I don't know how anyone wouldn't want to root for a team with a player named E. Victor Nickerson.

Indiana Teams Back Dancing Again
As usual, Valparaiso is a tournament threat

[a3uge]

http://mweb.cbssports.com/ncaab/eye-on-college-basketball/25109900/ncaa-tournaments-five-most-likely-first-round-upsets

CBS Sports - 5 most likely first round upsets.

[valpo84]

Another "bracketbuster" type piece from the author who brought you: http://www.sbnation.com/longform/2013/3/19/4119040/march-madness-valparaiso-ole-miss-buzzer-beater-history

http://uproxx.com/sports/2015/03/ncaa-tournament-2015-cinderellas-upset-watch/

[LaPorteAveApostle]

I'll save you the click in the Detroit News.

http://www.detroitnews.com/story/sports/college/2015/03/15/guide-ncaa-tournament/24830773/

5 teams to avoid picking in your bracket

Valparaiso: The Crusaders won the Horizon League and are back in the NCAA Tournament for the for the second time in the last three years. Even though they're 28-5, they haven't won a Tournament game in their last five tries, dating to 1998.

I'm like, forget you, man.  (All the other picks are low single-digit seeds.  Way to go out on a limb.)

AND WHY DOES WHAT HAPPENED IN 2004 IN SEATTLE HAVE ANYTHING TO DO WITH THIS GAME FRIDAY

[FWalum]

http://mweb.cbssports.com/ncaab/eye-on-college-basketball/25109900/ncaa-tournaments-five-most-likely-first-round-upsets

CBS Sports - 5 most likely first round upsets.
5. No. 13 Valparaiso over No. 4 Maryland

Reasons to pick the upset: Maryland has been one of the most fortunate teams in America this season, winning 10 of its 11 games decided by six points or fewer. Now, part of that is due to the presence of Melo Trimble, a terrific free-throw shooter who can close out games at the line. But still, they would not be expected to win over 90 percent of their games within two possessions. So maybe Maryland's patten of good fortune combined with solid late-game execution runs out here?

There's also the matchup against Valparaiso, which is a bit interesting. Maryland is an average defensive rebounding team and a poor offensive rebounding team. Opportunity for VU: I don't think that Maryland is going to be concerned with our transition game.  They will crash the boards HARD in order to negate our rebounding advantage.  We need to be able to outlet and score in transition when the opportunity presents itself. The Crusaders do a good job of controlling the glass on both ends. The Terps' defense also doesn't force turnovers or steals, which is the place where the Crusaders tend to struggle most on offense. I almost guarantee that they will pressure us in the backcourt based on our performance in the games against CSU and Green Bay. So if the Crusaders can control the boards and limit turnovers, they would probably be halfway home to an upset. It would just come down to making shots against the more athletic Terps. Given that Valpo knocked down 38 percent of its 3-point attempts this year, I might take my chances on that.

Reasons to pick the favorite: Maryland has a really good perimeter-based player -- Jake Layman -- to match up with Valparaiso's terrific stretch-four Alec Peters. If Layman can control that matchup against Peters and slow him down with his mix of size and athleticism, Valpo would need other guys to step up who might not be able to do so. Also, simply put, Maryland is an extremely athletic, talented team. The Crusaders haven't seen a backcourt this season (sorry, Green Bay and Keifer Sykes) that can match the Terps' ability to get into the lane and make plays. We are more athletic than in the past, but are not quite at their level. The question will be whether Trimble and Dez Wells can finish over Vashil Fernandez or get him into foul trouble, as he has turned into an excellent rim protector. Given that I think there is a strong chance the Terps can neutralize the Crusaders' advantage inside, this is a tough one to call.

Maryland is much like us in many ways in the fact that they do not run their offense through the post position with the 4 or 5. 
Keys for us I think would be:

• Perimeter defense - Can EVN, TW, DW and KC stay in front of Trimble and Wells. Are TW and DW healthy?
• Can Trimble be defended without a lot of help side? (if not then Wells might have a field day) Will TW take this on as a challenge and hold Trimble to slightly below his averages? It would appear that TW is at least the same as Trimble in body type.  If Trimble has just an average game then I think we have a shot
• Wells is 6'5", will EVN's be able to keep in front and will his length bother him?
• Alec needs to score at least 15 with 7 boards.
• Vashil and Jubril need to stay out of foul trouble and combine for 12 boards and 3 blocks
• EVN and KC need to combine for 15 points
• TW needs to be the "health TW". We need to make Trimble play on both ends of the floor
• Darien needs to be a more efficient scorer

[talksalot]

LA Times...http://www.latimes.com/sports/more/la-sp-ncaa-tournament-midwest-regional-20150315-story.html

4 Maryland (27-6, at-large) vs.
13 Valparaiso (28-5, Horizon champion)

Maryland makes first appearance since 2010. Valparaiso, coached by March Madness hero Bryce Drew, is one of five Indiana teams in the Midwest.

[a3uge]

http://www.cbssports.com/collegebasketball/eye-on-college-basketball/25110191/ncaa-tournament-super-seeds-best-team-on-every-seed-line


Best team out of each seed. No surprise Valpo shows up at 13.

13. Valparaiso is one of the few teams to hold Green Bay's Keifer Sykes in check this season, so I'll give the Crusaders a shot to lock down Melo Trimble. There is no individual star that will capture your attention, but the balanced and consistent winning under Bryce Drew (oh yeah, I guess he's the name you'll recognize here) with two tournament trips in four years is impressive.

[agibson]

Nice AP feature on Bryce and Valpo
http://collegebasketball.ap.org/article/valparaisos-drew-adds-another-chapter-family-legacy
and the family all-time win list (Drews third)
http://collegebasketball.ap.org/article/ncaa-coaching-victories-family

[wh]

State again dancing as 5 teams make tourney -
After being shut out last year, Indiana back in NCAA tournament

http://www.journalgazette.net/sports/colleges/State-again-dancing-as-5-teams-make-tourney-5532342

Includes quotes from Bryce...

[VULB#62]

USAToday (today 3/17)  has Valpo at 1000-1 to win it all and their latest line is Maryland over VU by 5.

[agibson]

USAToday (today 3/17)  has Valpo at 1000-1 to win it all and their lates line is Maryland over VU by 5.

Baltimore Sun's reporting Maryland at somewhere between 40-1 and 75-1.

Nice pieces continue in that paper including
http://www.baltimoresun.com/sports/terps/bs-sp-terps-valparaiso-ncaa-tournament-0317-20150316-story.html
with oddly unedited (or misedited?) quotes from Adam Amin, and discussion of Darrian Walker.

When it's an unusual name, you'd think you'd make a point to fact check the spelling!

[agibson]

with oddly unedited (or misedited?) quotes from Adam Amin, and discussion of Darrian Walker.

Reading more carefully, the piece has good color, good flavor.  But the editing's really sloppy.

I think we win the battle of the beat writers.  Maybe 2-0.

[Kyle321n]

Fact checking is a lost art at the Baltimore Sun.

The backcourt of junior Darrian Walker and freshman Tevonn Walker

Darian

who are related only by their intensity on defense, don't get the same attention as senior Dez Wells and freshman Melo Trimble, but have done a good job slowing down the best guards in the Horizon League. Green Bay guard Keifer Sykes, projected as a potential NBA player, shot a combined 11-for-30 against the Crusaders in three straight losses this season.

We beat Green Bay twice. Keifer went 9 for 38 from two and 2 for 7 from three (that's 11 for 45, not 30) in the three games. Maybe they have trouble believing that Keifer took 17, 13 and 15 shots in the games against Valpo.

[vusupporter]

Poor Darien - from Jeff Goodman's rankings of every NCAA Tournament starter (http://insider.espn.go.com/mens-college-basketball/tournament/2015/story/_/id/12495300/ranking-ncaa-tournament-starters-1-340-college-basketball?ex_cid=InsiderTwitter_GoodmanRankingNCAAStarters)

274. Darien Walker, Valparaiso -- The Croatian guard averaged 10.8 points and 4.5 boards while shooting 36 percent from 3.

[a3uge]

Poor Darien - from Jeff Goodman's rankings of every NCAA Tournament starter (http://insider.espn.go.com/mens-college-basketball/tournament/2015/story/_/id/12495300/ranking-ncaa-tournament-starters-1-340-college-basketball?ex_cid=InsiderTwitter_GoodmanRankingNCAAStarters)

274. Darien Walker, Valparaiso -- The Croatian guard averaged 10.8 points and 4.5 boards while shooting 36 percent from 3.

Djžarien Walčkerv