Valpo Victory at Milwaukee

Valpo won the tip and Ryan Broekhoff hit a three pointer about 5 seconds into the game.  He didn’t stop hitting three pointers until he was removed from the game with about 4 minutes left.  Broekhoff led the Crusaders with 26 points and 10 rebounds, hitting an efficient 9-13 from the field (7-9 from 3 point range).  Broekhoff has been the epitome of efficiency this season for the Crusaders.  Here are his, and his supporting cast of characters’ PPS from this afternoons victory at Milwaukee.

Player	School	Minutes	+	-	PPS
Ryan Broekhoff	Valpo	34	1.56	0.20	1.36
Lavontae Dority	Valpo	25	0.72	0.28	0.44
Kevin Van Wijk	Valpo	23	1.04	0.35	0.69
Vashil Fernandez	Valpo	5	1.60	0.60	1.00
Matt Kenney	Valpo	25	1.12	0.48	0.64
Bobby Capobianco	Valpo	16	0.19	0.25	-0.06
Jordan Coleman	Valpo	15	0.60	0.67	-0.07
Erik Buggs	Valpo	25	0.56	0.28	0.28
Will Bogan	Valpo	27	0.70	0.22	0.48
Ben Boggs	Valpo	5	0.40	0.20	0.20
		Minutes	+	-	PPS
Milwaukee	MKE	200	0.62	0.32	0.30
Valparaiso	Valpo	200	0.89	0.37	0.52

Valpo got a nice game from Dority, who picked it up after struggling at the start.  Coleman and Capo were the only two who didn’t have solid efforts for Valpo tonight, but thankfully they only found themselves out there for 15 and 16 minutes, nice job Coach!  Will Bogan also managed to find his shot late in the game after missing his first 4 from outside, he hit his last two.  He will be needed to find that touch if Valpo hopes to knock off Detroit next week. 

It was nice to see the Valpo team finally have more assists then turnovers and play some really good defense. Be sure you are watching next Thursday when the two best teams, and the two best players, go head to head when Valpo travels to Detroit.

VU vs. Milwaukee Fan Bus

Valparaiso University will be offering a fan bus to the game in Milwaukee on January 12. Come join me and a bunch of other Crusader alumni!

YOU'RE INVITED... The Valpo Club of Milwaukee invites you to... VALPO VS. UW-MILWAUKEE MEN'S BASKETBALL

Saturday, Jan. 12, 2013 8 a.m. – Ride to the game with us! Chartered bus departs from the Valpo Athletics and Recreation Center The cost is $30 per person and the bus will arrive back in Valpo by 8 p.m. 11 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. - Alumni and Fan Gathering, Hosted by Andy Nunemaker 2221 N. Terrace Ave Milwaukee, WI 53202 Join Valpo alumni and friends before the game for a buffet lunch and beverages. Also, a dessert reception will be offered following the game.

A complimentary shuttle will transport fans from the Nunemaker residence and back. The cost is $30 per person and includes lunch and a chairback game ticket. 1 p.m. Tip-off Klotsche Center 3406 N. Downer Ave. Milwaukee, WI 53211 5 p.m.

Bus departs for Valpo Register online at valpo.edu/alumni/events, or contact the Valparaiso University Office of Alumni Relations at 800.833.6792, ext. 23. The deadline to register is Friday, Dec. 21st. No refunds will be given after this date.

Game Wrap Up: What went wrong?

1-17, you can't won't win very often shooting like that from 3 point range.  A lot of those 3's where taken when Erik Buggs was not in the game, and he being out wasn't due to foul trouble!

Outside our aweful shooting from outside the paint, Tony Meier was hot from outside hitting 5-8 from downtown.  Milwaukee was their normal aweful self from the free throw line hitting only 9-18 from the charity stripe.  Unfortunately, Valpo wasn't much better connecting on only 10-17 (fortunately a couple of those misses were put right back in by Ryan Broekhoff).  Kaylon Williams was not very impressive.  The star point guard went 4-10 from outside, 1-5 from 3 point range (although that one was a killer), and all of 1-4 from the line.  He did collect 10 rebounds and dish out 7 assist.  His 7 turnovers however did help keep Valpo going.

Erik Buggs was rolling in that first half.  He scored 10 points and really shut down Williams.  One tweet I sent out, distasteful perhaps but fitting, "Kaylon Williams can run from the cops but can't get away from Buggs" on the 5 second call which probably would have gone for 10 seconds had the ref not stopped it.  I'm not sure why Coach Drew kept taking Buggs out except that maybe he was gassed from chasing Williams around the court.  The offense seemed really out of sinc when he would leave the game. 

Milwaukee is the reigning lead champion for a reason.  Their defense is pretty solid and they have some good players.  Expect them to be a player at the top of the league standings all year.

Positives
*Buggs: more on his final stat line in a bit
*Ryan Broekhoff: his left wrist is still wrapped but he played pretty well.  I do wish they'd get the ball in his hands and let him be a little selfish once in a while when the game is close .
* Defense/Rebounding: the team defense and rebounding was pretty solid tonight.  Valpo should win most games when they hold a team under 60 and win the rebounding battle.

Negatives
*Shooting: as I already mentioned above the shooting outside the paint was astrocious. 
*Richie Edwards: I don't know how many times he is going to flop on the defensive end and give up a layup before he figures out it is hurting his team.  I also don't know how many shots outside the paint he is going to take before it sinks in that maybe he should get inside where he is good.
*Assist/Turnover Ratio: was not good tonight.  10 assist and 13 turnovers is not a winning recipe.
*Valpo fans were tossing out some doozies at the refs this evening.  Keep it classy folks.

Player of the Game
Ryan Broekhoff: another double double for the best player in the HL. 18 points, 12 rebounds, 2 assists (0 turnovers). I think his wrist might be affecting his shot a bit as he hit only 1-6 from outside.

POFG Runner Up
Erik Buggs: he was the Crusader offense and defense in the first half.   Final stat line: 12 points, 3 rebounds, 4 assists, 2 steals, 2 turnovers and great defense on K. Williams.

Up Next
Valpo will attempt to get back to winning at home and get above .500 in league play as they take on Green Bay on Saturday at 4:05pm.

SectionEE's Horizon League Picks

SectionEE writers Hank and Brent along with the voice of the Crusaders Dick Harlan make their predictions for how the Horizon League's ten teams will finish up the season. As with any predictions, we will probably be able to look back at these and laugh at the end of the year. We will give it our best shot and try to give a short explanation for why we picked them the way we did.  Big thanks to Dick for taking some time and helping us out!  Leave your picks or make fun of ours in the comment section.

my bookie after another poor pick by me

Hank's Picks
10) UIC - They lose their top two players in Robo Kreps and Paul Carter. It is going to be hard to improve having to replace your top guys.


9) Youngstown St. - They will manage to finish just ahead of UIC. They were just to far below the next tier of teams and I don't think we will see that much improvement. This team did not win a road game last season (but they did beat Butler at YSU, go figure).

8) Loyola - Too many good teams in this league to put Loyola higher up. They haven't been good the past few seasons and this year is not going to be much different.

7) Green Bay - I think Alec Brown is going to be tough to stop. He had a very good freshman campaign and I think he will improve this season. He needs more help.

6) Wright State -Losing Tabler, Evans, and Duggins will force someone to step up the scoring for WSU. I don't think they will be able to stay in the top half of the league.

5) Milwaukee - Last year's champs have some holes to fill with the losses of Anthony Hill and Tone Boyle. They will still finish in the top half the league.

4) Valparaiso - A lot of new faces on this year's roster. I think Valpo is one year away from doing something real special.

3) Cleveland State - Still a very good team despite the loss of Player of the Year Norris Cole. Teams in slots 3, 4, and 5 could have gone anyway in my opinion.

2) Butler - Losing Howard and Mack will be too much for Butler to overcome in the regular season. Marshall will emerge as the next great Butler player.

1) Detroit - I think they will win the league this year in spite of their coach. Too much talent with McCallum, Holman, Minnerath, and Simon. This talent along with not losing anybody puts Detroit on top of my list.

Brent is the guy on the left

Brent's Picks
As with any new year after so many seniors and team leaders are gone the league is really going to come down to who steps up.

10) UIC: After only winning 2 league games and finishing last, things can only get better right? Sadly they'll be battling YSU and WSU for the bottom of the barrel this year.

9) Wright State: Losing your top four scorers is really going to hurt. I think Wright State is going into a rebuilding mode this year, but Darling, Pest, Pacher, and company should pose problems for the rest of the league starting in 2012-13.

8) Youngstown State: They have never finished above .500 since joining the league in 2001-02, I don't see them making any leaps or bounds on that trend.

7) Loyola: Averkamp, Hicks, and Gibler are going to need to step it up, but Hicks has injury concerns and they're going to need him.

6) Milwaukee: Two big subtractions who were the heart of the team is going leave this team in the bottom half of the league and certainly a repeat of their regular season title last year will not be repeated.

5) Valparaiso: This could be a surprise year for the Crusaders, but I suspect they are going to need a year to reorganize after the departures of Wood and Johnson and the implementation of a new system under new coach Bryce Drew.

4) Green Bay: I think they are really building something here, and will play this year without fear and be a tough play night in and night out for the entire league.

3) Cleveland State: Who's going to step up and take Norris Cole's spot? If that question can be answered then there is no reason this team can't win the league.

2) Detroit: The talent is certainly there for them to run away with this league, but could somebody please play defense?!

1) Butler: Another solid freshman class coming into the mix with the experience of two consecutive National Title games means that until someone (Ahem Detroit) knocks them off their perch they are the kings of the Horizon League.

Dick racking his brain.

Dick Harlan's Picks

10) UIC: Just don't have enough and what they did have left. Will be a long year.

9) Loyola: New coach, not enough talent. Bad idea.

8) Wright State: Lost too much. I look for them to slide down the standings, even though I think their coach is a very good one.
 
7) Youngstown State: Last year's most improved team from start to finish. They seem on the way up and could be a factor.

6) Milwaukee: Last year was an apperation. They weren't that good and won't be this time either. They always give upper echelon teams trouble in conference, but just don't have enough guns in my opinion.

5) Cleveland State: They will still play that in your face physical defense, but without Norris Cole, not sure how much their offense will help.

4) Green Bay: Very physical again. They have a 7-footer who can dominate for short periods. If they get any offense at all they will be force to reckon with.

3) Valparaiso: The Crusaders has the most depth in the conference and if Van Wijk can play, and they get any help up front they should be a force.

2) Detroit: Their talent has to overcome their coaching, but they are loaded. By far the most talented team in the conference. Maybe this year it will show.

1) Butler: They're still Butler and until someone shows me differently they are the team to beat. Marshall will be a stud and they still have Nored and the big kid.