Loyola and Drake NCAA Tourney

[JD24]

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_NCAA_schools_with_the_most_Division_I_national_championships

Racking up the badminton and rowing titles.

[VUGrad1314]

Whether you went to USC or not how can you seriously be rooting against the MVC? The wins mean far more to MVC teams than they would ever mean to a Pac12 school.

[valpotx]

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_NCAA_schools_with_the_most_Division_I_national_championships

Racking up the badminton and rowing titles.

Exactly, and my last 10 years comment still applies:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stanford_Cardinal
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/UCLA_Bruins
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/USC_Trojans

Get out of here with Rowing, Tennis, Water Polo, Beach Volleyball, and Gymnastics championships. You know that when you are saying, 'Conference of Champions,' you are implying the major sports, and the Pac-12 is the Conference of Chumps in Basketball, Football, etc, over the last 10 years.

[usc4valpo]

Baseball? volleyball? Track and field?

[usc4valpo]

As a USC alum, I will root for my team over any conference, including Conference of Champion opponents.
If Drake wins, today, I will certainly wish them well. As for Loyola, they will give Illinois fits.

BTW, it is awesome to see Hinkle Fieldhouse being used in the tournament. A fantastic historic facility. Better than a dome.

[vu84v2]

Couldn't agree more about Hinkle Fieldhouse being used for the tournament. They need to play more tournament games in special places in the future.

[nkvu]

USC just too big for Drake to defend.  Drake looked completely gassed in the last ten minutes. Trying to guard the USC giants proved to be too much. Still, a good season for Drake.

[usc4valpo]

Congrats to Drake on a great season, and congrats to USC and congrats to the Conference of Champions for being undefeated so far in the tournament.

[justducky]

USC just too big for Drake to defend.  Drake looked completely gassed in the last ten minutes. Trying to guard the USC giants proved to be too much. Still, a good season for Drake.

It was jokingly reported that USC with 5 grad transfers, was almost as old as the Drake bunch!    It will be interesting to see how many senior citizens for each team might return? Any guesses?

The Drake vs USC matchups wouldn't have improved much even with a healthy Penn and Hemphill. It didn't take much time to realize that Drake was a distant long shot. Great season for them regardless!

[valpotx]

Congrats to Drake on a great season, and congrats to USC and congrats to the Conference of Champions for being undefeated so far in the tournament.

Congrats to the Conference of Chodes on a win .  Forever Vince Young, as well

[usc4valpo]

Sure, but we still have the Song Girls. fight on baby!

[vu84v2]

Didn't see that coming, but Loyola really earned that win. Congrats to Loyola!

[elephtheria47]

wham bam. let's gooooo. great job loyola. once can be labeled a "flash in the pan"....but the second time solidifies a great culture/program.

even though we are middle to lower pack of MVC right now, this is why you make the move. tons of NCAA money coming our way. easier to get recruits to commit. we just need to work to get to the upper tier MVC now. creighton, wichita state, and now Loyola. MVC has a strong history of excellence.

[valpopal]

Congrats to Loyola! I have said it a number of times in the past and I will repeat it again: In recent years Loyola is doing right what Valpo is doing wrong. The Loyola coaching staff creates a defined game plan and effective team play. They recruit players who buy into the recognizable system and execute with discipline, while exhibiting a calm, collected, and confident demeanor. (I hope Valpo's young players will finally follow in this path as well.) My wife commented when watching the game today that Loyola's players seem like the most pleasant group that in itself is an ad for the program. Loyola upgraded it facilities nicely when it was needed, and they have done a great job of promoting the university through use of the team, while Valpo is still depending on the replay of Bryce's shot each year, though that is now 23 years ago and the facilities look basically the same today as some at the university seem reluctant to put forward the basketball team as promotion. Valpo did not capitalize on that Sweet Sixteen team at the time, and they didn't make the most of the NIT finals team with Peters in Bryce's last year. Loyola markets themselves well with Sister Jean and the fans wearing scarves, while Valpo doesn't even have a mascot or nickname for identity and its loyal fans are made uncomfortable for wearing Crusader gear. Again, I offer my congrats to Loyola and I wonder if the Valpo administration is noticing or still looking the other way.   

[vu72]

I offer my congrats to Loyola and I wonder if the Valpo administration is noticing or still looking the other way.   

Here is what President Padilla told me in that regard:


"We have to be bold and lean into these challenges.  Part of that is capitalizing on our strengths, which include our strong national brand in basketball.  But as you know, we haven't lived up recently to the legacy of Homer and Bryce Drew.  We're going to have to get much better in that area".

[valpo64]

Don't forget that Loyola floundered big time after joining the MVC for a few years(4?) before they had their first banner year.  It will be interesting to see how they perform next year when 3 good seniors are gone.  The Krutwig express is over after this year. While our progress has been in small increments each year we have been in the Valley, we are adjusting better.  Let's hope it continues next season also.  By-the-way, doesn't the ARC hold more people than LU's arena?  But l must say it looks much better and is more up-to-date.  Maybe........

[NativeCheesehead]

The last president said a lot too, yet the ARC is still a dump. Words are wind.

[vu84v2]

I would not be that surprised if Krutwig came back for another year. I would also not be surprised if Moser moves on.

[wh]

If Moser moves on, I could see Krutwig going along.

[vu72]

The last president said a lot too, yet the ARC is still a dump. Words are wind.

He's been on the job for three weeks.

[wh]

58 points is IL's lowest scoring total of its 31 game season. A masterful performance against the No. 2 ranked team in the nation.

5 revenue-sharing units and counting. A bonanza for the conference, and couldn't have come at a better time. Hopefully, Valpo can return the favor, sooner rather than later. Sponging and Valpo don't belong together.

[VUGrad1314]

Don't forget that Loyola floundered big time after joining the MVC for a few years(4?) before they had their first banner year.  It will be interesting to see how they perform next year when 3 good seniors are gone.  The Krutwig express is over after this year. While our progress has been in small increments each year we have been in the Valley, we are adjusting better.  Let's hope it continues next season also.  By-the-way, doesn't the ARC hold more people than LU's arena?  But l must say it looks much better and is more up-to-date.  Maybe........

They look pretty sustainable to me and also Krutwig and Williamson CAN come back next year if they want to. And I hope they do. It's good for the MVC.

[VUGrad1314]

The last president said a lot too, yet the ARC is still a dump. Words are wind.

He's been on the job for three weeks.

He's referring to Heckler.

[usc4valpo]

I hope Loyola does not have to face Oregon State.

[bbtds]

I hope Loyola does not have to face Oregon State.

I, on the other hand, want Loyola to play Oregon State and beat them soundly like they did #1 seed Illinois. They could play Oklahoma State also but I believe either opponent would lead to a solid win by Loyola.