Loyola @ Valpo (2/21) Game Thread

[78crusader]

Thought I'd start this game thread, though I am certainly not as knowledgeable as many of the other posters on this board.

On paper, a tilt between a team that is 1-14 in conference action, playing on the road against the first place team in the conference, should not even be close.

Unfortunately, we are not playing the game on paper.  I think this is going to be a tough, close contest.  Not sure why I think that.  I just do.  A less-than-healthy Van Wijk is a cause for concern.

No excuse for VU to come out flat or uninspired.  I suppose if we were to lose this game, a valid argument could be made that we don't deserve the championship.  Here's the prediction:

Valpo 68
Loyola 62

Paul

[okinawatyphoon]

I suspect this game will be one of the most difficult of the season based on what's at stake.

[sectionee]

Valpo wins by 16..more this evening

[MattCarter]

Every game from here out is a must win!  I don't even wanna think about resting on Butler unless we are up 20 with 2 minutes to go.  I think the guys come out ready for Loyola and seal the deal up on Tuesday at the ARC.  Loyola won't go quietly though.

81-79 Valpo

[VUfan]

The Team needs this game,to get back on the winning track with steady hard play, to tie up 1st place. VU 68 Loyala 61
Then to move on to Butler, the game that will set the tone(Sweep,Sweep!) for the playoffs. Winning these two games will make VU the clear leader in Horizon league for the for the playoffs. Winning these games is what all of the previous 30 games were about!   

[valporun]

Don't forget, Loyola is playing without Walt Gibler. He's out indefinitely with a shoulder injury, so that's one less weapon in the Ramblers's arsenal.

I'm thinking we should play Kevin Tuesday night, play him either in spurts, or for a set amount of minutes each half, with the goal of making sure the knee will be alright, and even if he doesn't do anything spectacular, at least we know how his knee will hold up in game action before the Butler game, as it is still a must win game for this team, as momentum going into the tournament. A win, and a subsequent SWEEP of Butler, will help Valpo do many things in the HL Tournament.

[DMvalpo18]

I have no doubt in my mind we will win this. But I don't think it will be very easy at all. I can see us pulling away a little bit at the end to make it an 8-10 point win.

[vu84v2]

Consistent with others' comments, I think this game represents a hurdle for Valpo to get over and will therefore be tough (not to mention that this game could provide something positive for an awful Loyola season).  KVW should play if he is in good enough shape and Valpo needs to play this game like a tourney game.

I predict a close game until about 10 minutes left.  Valpo pulls away and wins 65-51.

[valpotx]

If KVW plays at least 15 minutes:

Valpo 76
Loyola 62

If KVW plays less than 10 minutes

Valpo 68
Loyola 60

[oklahomamick]

I don't want to be Debbie downer but let's play the devils advocate.  Worst case scenario we lose to Loyola and butler.  Is there still a pretty good chance we host?

[crusaderjoe]

Loyola just beat Bradley in the BracketBuster over the weekend.  Not sure what to make of that game  though since Bradley is last in the MVC.  Nonetheless, anyone can beat anyone on any given night in this league.  If we can neutralize Averkamp I think we'll be fine, even with minor minutes given by KVW.  It'll be a tough game though regardless.

Time to cleanse and exercise the ghosts from the Loyola game of last year...69-64. 

[sectionee]

http://sectionee.blogspot.com/2012/02/game-preview-loyola.html
WIth how Butler's been playing lately, I think it is pretty important to win this game tomorrow night.

[oklahomamick]

I agree, butler is figuring things out and playing well as of late.  If we drop our last two HL games, I guess we would need help from other teams and the perfect scenario in order to keep #1 seed. 

I think it would be nice to see Cleveland state in the semi.  (even though it's difficult to beat a team 3 consecutive times).  The other semi would be Detroit and butler.  (I don't see butler losing three times to Detroit though.  Brad Stevens would have some type of scheme or game plan to keep from losing again.  He does his homework and would give butler the edge over mcCallum.

[StlVUFan]

I don't want to be Debbie downer but let's play the devils advocate.  Worst case scenario we lose to Loyola and butler.  Is there still a pretty good chance we host?

As long as CSU loses at least once, we'd still host.

[oklahomamick]

I expect CSU to lose one more

[johnestuff]

I think it would be nice to see Cleveland state in the semi.  (even though it's difficult to beat a team 3 consecutive times).  The other semi would be Detroit and butler.  (I don't see butler losing three times to Detroit though.  Brad Stevens would have some type of scheme or game plan to keep from losing again.  He does his homework and would give butler the edge over mcCallum.

If we beat Butler Friday night, this scenario would be very interesting. We would have to beat two different teams for a third time this season. Not an easy task ever.

[valpopal]

Valpo beat Loyola by more than 20 points in Chicago, so this should be an easy win, especially with Gibler out. I'm not sure how much Kevin will play, which influences the final score quite a bit. (Hasn't anybody seen him around campus or in the ARC the past few days to establish the status of his knee?) Still, this is arguably the most significant game for the Crusaders in years--a chance to win their first Horizon League season championship, to secure at least an NIT bid and finally raise another banner in the ARC, to have an opportunity to host the tournament and have a better chance at an NCAA spot. Oddly enough, this huge game will be against a last place team that Valpo owes payback for a humiliating loss near the close of last season.

I predict the atmosphere will be exciting and the players will respond by taking a nice lead (8-10 points) into the half, and during the second half the stands will be filled with anticipation of a post-game celebration. Final score (assuming limited minutes by Kevin):

Loyola 56
Valpo  71

[vuweathernerd]

i'll take valpo by a dozen, 74-62. i see no reason valpo won't win this game. kevin should be fine to give us 20 minutes or so, allowing him to rest adequately.

[FWalum]

The only thing that concerns me is that they have nothing to lose and we might come out tight knowing the gravity of the game.  The key maybe to really get into them defensively and let the offense flow from the defense and hopefully get off to a fast start.   

[historyman]

Loyola 54
Valpo  80


It will be fairly tight most of the game, halftime score 33-30 Valpo, but in the 2nd half Valpo plays very good lockdown defense and once the players see that they have taken over the game they not only play good defense but start to explode on offense and pull away for a historic win.

[chairback]

Biggest game of the year so far and no media coverage at all!  I was expecting something in the paper or online.  Something from the University promoting the game before the day of the game.  Nada...

The media coverage for Vu basketball has really dropped.  It is not covered nearly as much as they were in the Mid-Con days.  Valpotx brought up some good points on why lack of attendance but I think media coverage has something to do with it also.  The recent online article about chartered flights for Butler and Valpo not having it was worthless.  Makes no sense for Vu to do that and why it warranted an article makes no sense.

Hopefully there is a good crowd Tuesday.  The team deserves a good showing by the fans.

No way Bryce has these guys coming out flat tomorrow.

[valpopal]

Biggest game of the year so far and no media coverage at all!  I was expecting something in the paper or online.  Something from the University promoting the game before the day of the game.  Nada...

The media coverage for Vu basketball has really dropped.  It is not covered nearly as much as they were in the Mid-Con days.  Valpotx brought up some good points on why lack of attendance but I think media coverage has something to do with it also.  The recent online article about chartered flights for Butler and Valpo not having it was worthless.  Makes no sense for Vu to do that and why it warranted an article makes no sense.

Hopefully there is a good crowd Tuesday.  The team deserves a good showing by the fans.

No way Bryce has these guys coming out flat tomorrow.

Good point. Valpo places ads in the local newspapers declaring the Crusaders as "Northwest Indiana's Home Team"; however, you wouldn't know it by the relative silence in the media so far about this week's games with Loyola and Butler, as well as the historic significance a win will have for VU.

After the BracketBuster game Friday that was reported on Saturday, there ought to have been various news stories in the papers or on the radio Sunday, Monday, and Tuesday with different angles that put into perspective the importance a win would mean to this program. I'm not sure whether to fault the newspapers or the publicity folks at the university, but there should have been a lot greater build up in the days before these big games. This is another example where VU doesn't take full advantage of the rare moments of note it is given.

[chairback]

You are right Valpopal.  They are not taking advantage of it at all.  Just poor...

[zvillehaze]

http://blogs.post-trib.com/lazerus/

[valpopal]

http://blogs.post-trib.com/lazerus/

I see this piece by Lazerus, but it appears tonight as a "blog" and I do not think it was included in the print edition. In any case, I had seen nothing else, all of which led me to be careful and write of "relative silence" in the media. As I mentioned, I don't excuse VU for its lack in getting stories out to the media. In fact, as of tonight on the eve of the Loyola game, if you look at the VU home web page, the Loyola and Butler games are not even included among the "Upcoming Events" or "Headlines" for this week, while many other campus activities are mentioned:

http://www.valpo.edu/