My Top 10 Crusader Moments of 2012-2013

It was record setting year for the Valparaiso Crusaders.  There were many exciting moments as the Crusaders set a school record for victories in a year and made the NCAA tournament for the first time in a long time.  Before we get to the top ten lets get to my honorable mention.

Honorable Mention
* Wright State knocks Detroit out of the Horizon League tournament at the buzzer. I think the best part of this video was all the people in gold shirts jumping in celebration.  For about 10 minutes that night, Crusader fans were Wright State fans!

Top Ten Moments in Valpo's 2012-2013 Season
10 - Valpo plays in ESPN's 24 hours of basketball
The 7am start was early for the players, but they woke up by the second half to put away a bad NIU team. I thought this was a great way to start the season on national television.

9 - Keith Carter Transfers to Valparaiso
Carter was a good get by Coach Drew, adding the talented guard to an already strong incoming class (see #8).  Carter will most likely crack the starting lineup in mid/late December when he becomes eligible.   

8 - The Incoming Recruiting Class
The incoming freshmen will hopefully help ease the pain of losing the 6 graduating seniors.  This incoming class is loaded with offensive talent.  Nick Davidson, Lexus Williams, Clay Yeo, Alec Peters, and Jubril Adekoya can all fill up the stat sheets.  Several of these guys will see significant playing time immediately with a few probably cracking the starting lineup.

7 - Senior Night Clinching Horizon League Regular Season Crown
Senior night put our Crusaders up against a short handed Youngstown State team.  YSU kept it close for most of the game, but Valpo's experience proved too much down the stretch.  It was an exciting night and a great way for this group to end their regular season home career.  

6 - Two Future Professional Athletes in One Photo

Of course I'm talking about the photo of my son and Ryan Broekhoff.  E is an aspiring baseball player and, well, we all know what Ryan's deal is.  The photo came out a little blury (ok a lot blury) but it was a moment my son won't soon forget.

5 - Harlem Shake Valpo Style
Yes we lost the game in heart breaking fashion to Detroit.  But, not all was lost.  The Valparaiso student section pulled off one of the best Harlem Shakes.  Lets look at a few of the stars of the video.  First, garbage can guy is fantastic. His grace moving around the others while keeping the beat with the can is quite impressive.  Next is a team effort between the penguin who slides across the court and the guy who comes up next to him calling him safe.  Then there is the cheerleader in the corner, the one who does the splits.  Shortly after the splits she is doing something with her finger.  I'm not sure what you call that dance move, but I'm sure her mother is quite proud. Next, the kids who wipe the court dry did a great job staying out of the way.  Lastly, we have the fella in the American flag hoodie getting way to far out on the court allowing the ref an opportunity to get in the video.

4 - 22 Point Comeback at Detroit
First off, who doesn't like beating Detroit?  Coming back from such a huge deficit in the second half to our rivals made it even sweeter (granted we would return the favor on our home court later in the season).  My favorite part of this game was Erik Buggs completely shutting down HLPOY Ray McCallum.

3 - Valpo Wins the Horizon League Tournament

After watching a big lead disappear, Valpo fans were getting a little nervous that the team would once again come up short in their bid for an NCAA appearance. But once again, Buggs would put this team on his back and Ryan Broekhoff would bury a huge three pointer and Valpo would prevail.

2 - Traveling to Auburn Hills for NCAA
I was lucky enough to travel to Auburn Hills for the big game.  Playing with an injured KVW, Valpo really didn't have much of a chance against a much bigger/stronger/talented Michigan State team.  Still it was excited to get to cheer for this very likable team one more time.


1 - Broekhoff Beats the Buzzer
Selecting the number one spot was tough.  Thinking back to this game and the emotional roller coaster the fans/players were on I had to put this in the top spot.  With my son in my arms balling his eyes out because "the refs are cheating, Brown is holding our guys everytime" I tried time and time again to reassure him that Valpo would find a way.  Thank goodness for a sequence of three events: Matt Kenney hitting a three from the corner over the 7' Brown, Brown missing a free throw, and Broekhoff hitting that fall away three pointer (Bryce Drew falling backwards nearly warranted it owns place in the top ten). Here are three different looks at the moment that will be remembered forever from this season. Behind the student section "Holy Moly", the ESPN call, and the call from Crusader Radio guy Todd Ickow "McPherson gets giddily". 

YSU Recap: blarg

Wednesday night one team came to play the other did not, and YSU kept themselves in the hunt for one of the leagues coveted double byes. YSU played very well on both ends of the court all night. Kendrick Perry is an offensive stud, and teams better take notice of Kameron Belin.

The only player I saw who had a decent effort was Lavontae Dority, who did most of his damage when the game was already decided.  Everyone else, including Ryan Broekhoff and the normally energetic bench seemed to be just going through the motions tonight.  Valpo's awful shooting early on and their refusal/inability to get the ball inside to KVW early and often really hurt this team.

Luckily it is a quick turnaround with Milwaukee coming in to Valpo Friday night. The Crusaders need to get their heads right, Matt Kenney healthy, and find their outside shooting.  I'm growing a little concerned about Rowdy's shooting slump over the last two games and wander whether he is battling a minor injury or illness or if he's just off.

Let's hope for a better showing Friday night as Valpo will try to get back to their winning ways against Horizon League cellar dweller Milwaukee.

Game Plan: YSU

Valpo finally gets back on the court Wednesday night in Youngstown where they will face off against the Penguins.  Valpo has won 6 in a row while YSU has been victorious in each of their last 3 games.  With a win, Valpo will start to separate themselves from the rest of the Horizon League while a loss will create a bigger mess at the top of the standings.

YSU does several things pretty well.  They are in the top 100 nationally in rebounding, points per game, and assists. They have several guys who live by the 3 point shot: Belin, Allen, and Perry.  Valpo will need to put a hand in their face and make them hit a tough shot if they are going to shot from out there.  While their 3 point shooting can be a strength, I watched them play the other day and after hitting a few 3's early on they started shooting them nearly every time down the court early in the shot clock.

The Penguins have several All Conference caliber players in Kendrick Perry and Damian Eargle.  Perry is a scorer and will be hounded all night by Erik Buggs.  The last spotlight match up featuring Erik Buggs he shut down Detroit's Ray McCallum, Jr.  I like Erik's chances to repeat that defensive success Wednesday night.  Eargle is their big guy.  He is an excellent shot blocker, decent rebounder, and can score a little bit as well.  He has had trouble in the past guarding the much more physical KVW.  I really think Valpo will attack Eargle, more so with passes to the post than with drives to the hoop.

I'd look for KVW to get involved early and often which should open the outside for the Valpo shooters.  While winning on the road during conference play is never a sure thing, I think the Crusaders will go in play their trademark solid defense and come away with a rather easy win.  I'll predict a big night for KVW (at least 20 points) and the typical 18/10 night from Ryan Broekhoff. 
Valpo victory: 76-68

Game Plan: Green Bay

For Valpo's next opponent, the Crusaders will welcome in the Phoenix of Green Bay Wednesday night to the ARC.  Valpo has been on a roll recently with victories in their last 5 games and sit at 5-1 a top the Horizon League standings. Meanwhile, Green Bay is right in the mix sitting at 4-2.  They are unbeaten at home and have not found a W while on the road in conference play.

Green Bay features some tall bodies in Alec Brown, Brennan Cougill, and Jordan Fouse.  Fouse has been outstanding recently for the Phoenix.  His length on defense at the top of their 1-2-2 zone has cause some real problems.  Brown has been solid averaging 12 a game in conference, but his fg% is down near 40%.  Cougill (whom reminds me of the marshmallow man) has comeback from his off the court issues to average nearly 10 points a game off the bench.

Green Bay also has some outside shooting in the form of Keifer Sykes, Sultan Muhammed, and Cam Cerroni.  Sykes can be an explosive player, a future all HL member in my opinion, and Valpo would be wise to keep track of where he is at on the court.  Green Bay rebounds well, plays good defense (allowing only 58 points per game in conference play), and they have several shot blockers.  Here are their PPS for conference play only.

Conference Only
Green Bay	School	Minutes	+	-	PPS
Sykes	GB	211	0.87	0.36	0.51
Brown	GB	186	0.98	0.38	0.60
Cougill	GB	112	1.17	0.38	0.79
Mays	GB	92	0.96	0.37	0.59
Fouse	GB	159	1.02	0.35	0.67
Muhammad	GB	138	0.64	0.25	0.39
Cerroni	GB	129	0.46	0.16	0.30
Love	GB	81	0.52	0.33	0.19
Turner	GB	48	0.35	0.42	-0.07
Stefan	GB	42	0.33	0.36	-0.03
Team	GB	1200	0.82	0.33	0.49

Here is how I'd attack Green Bay.  First, I'd let Brown and Cougill shoot 3's all day if they want to.  Force those two outside for their shots.  I really think the key to beating GB is to attack the paint and attempt to get their big guys into foul trouble.  I think Valpo can get Brown and Fouse in foul trouble by creating contact with guys like KVW, Ryan, Matt, and even Erik.  Those guys like blocking shots, but fouling is a big risk that comes with the shot blocking.  I really expect to see a lot of Erik breaking down their zone off the dribble and creating a lot of open looks for his perimeter shooting teammates.  Buggs making good decisions when he gets into the lane will be key.  I expect Bogan to continue his hot shooting from the corners and KVW to have another outstanding game.

Conference Only
Valparaiso	School	Minutes	+	-	PPS
Ryan Broekhoff	Valpo	200	1.25	0.27	0.98
Kevin Van Wijk	Valpo	151	1.30	0.34	0.96
Lavontae Dority	Valpo	128	0.89	0.41	0.48
Matt Kenney	Valpo	163	0.85	0.28	0.57
Ben Boggs	Valpo	50	0.48	0.26	0.22
Bobby Capobianco	Valpo	73	0.74	0.52	0.22
Erik Buggs	Valpo	164	0.65	0.34	0.31
Will Bogan	Valpo	161	0.42	0.23	0.19
Jordan Coleman	Valpo	92	0.57	0.40	0.17
Vashil Fernandez	Valpo	18	0.67	0.33	0.34
Team	Valpo	1200	0.93	0.33	0.60

Valpo has the higher team PPS and higher individual scores.  I suspect Valpo will win this game rather easily.  I'll throw a final score of 68-59 out there. 

Valpo PPS Through 1/21/13

Stats are current as of 1/21/2013.  The first set of PPS is the overall season.  The second set of PPS is conference games only.  Some guys have really seen their time decrease since conference play has begun: Capobianco has lost 2 minutes/game, Boggs has gone down (due to injury) 9 minutes/game, Dority has dropped nearly 3 minutes/game, Coleman has lost 2 minutes/game.  Others have seen an increase in play time: Broekhoff up 1 minute/game, KVW up 2 minutes/game, Kenney up 3 minutes/game, and Bogan up 2 minutes/game.


Valpo's team score has improved dramatically since the start of Horizon League play.  The biggest reason for this is the assist/turnover ratio.  Overall Valpo has 269 assist vs. 303 turnovers, however, since the the start of league play Valpo has managed 90 assists to only 79 turnovers. 

Overall
Player	School	Minutes	+	-	PPS
Ryan Broekhoff	Valpo	614	1.19	0.28	0.91
Kevin Van Wijk	Valpo	466	1.28	0.40	0.88
Lavontae Dority	Valpo	265	0.98	0.45	0.53
Matt Kenney	Valpo	479	0.75	0.31	0.44
Ben Boggs	Valpo	375	0.62	0.27	0.35
Bobby Capobianco	Valpo	253	0.90	0.43	0.47
Erik Buggs	Valpo	542	0.60	0.32	0.28
Will Bogan	Valpo	485	0.41	0.23	0.18
Jordan Coleman	Valpo	351	0.71	0.36	0.35
Vashil Fernandez	Valpo	149	0.51	0.33	0.18
Valparaiso	Valpo	4025	0.83	0.32	0.51

For the season Ryan and Kevin are playing at all conference levels, their numbers are actually better then last year.  Ryan is looking more and more like an NBA prospect.  Both guys have stepped up their game another notch with the start of conference play.  This is really impressive by both players and by the coaching staff.  Opponents are keying in on these guys and it is not making any difference (yet).  Wright State put their focus on Broekhoff the other night and did a great job on him for the first 37 minutes.  The last 3 minutes saw Ryan go for 12 points, 3 rebounds, and an assist to finish with yet another double double (18/10).  While KVW was busy completing his HL Player of the Week with an 18 point performance of his own.

Conference Only
Valparaiso	School	Minutes	+	-	PPS
Ryan Broekhoff	Valpo	200	1.25	0.27	0.98
Kevin Van Wijk	Valpo	151	1.30	0.34	0.96
Lavontae Dority	Valpo	128	0.89	0.41	0.48
Matt Kenney	Valpo	163	0.85	0.28	0.57
Ben Boggs	Valpo	50	0.48	0.26	0.22
Bobby Capobianco	Valpo	73	0.74	0.52	0.22
Erik Buggs	Valpo	164	0.65	0.34	0.31
Will Bogan	Valpo	161	0.42	0.23	0.19
Jordan Coleman	Valpo	92	0.57	0.40	0.17
Vashil Fernandez	Valpo	18	0.67	0.33	0.34
Team	Valpo	1200	0.93	0.33	0.60

There are some very encouraging trends starting for Crusader fans:
* Will Bogan is starting to find his touch.  I tweeted Will the morning before the WSU game and told him I had him hitting 4 3 pointers all from the corners (he responded saying that'd be fine with him as long as they won)...he hit three all from the corners.  His shooting is coming back around.
* Matt Kenney has really responded to the increase in playing time in a positive way.  His turnovers are low and his production as been exactly what Valpo has needed for his role.
* Erik Buggs and WIll Bogan have done a great job defending opposing back courts.  McCallum and Calliste did not look at all like all conference players the other night.  In a league with many teams being driven by strong guard play these two have done great on the defensive end.
* Valpo is averaging nearly 3 points more per game since the start of conference play (I won't mention that they are giving up nearly 4 more points per game)

Valpo/Detroit PPS

Valpo pulled off what will perhaps be the comeback of the year in college basketball yesterday.  After trailing by as much as 22 points in the second half and by 11 with under 3 minutes to play, the Crusaders found a way to win 89-88 at Detroit Mercy.  This match up featured the two leading candidates for the league POY and saw some of the highest PPS I've seen in a Valpo game to date.

		Minutes	+	-	PPS
Valparaiso	Valpo	200	1.03	0.35	0.68
Detroit	DET	200	0.95	0.34	0.61

Detroit dominated the first half, while Valpo was able to make the needed adjustments and maintain composure en route to a 57 point outburst in the second half.  Valpo used the hot shooting of KVW and Matt Kenney, won the rebounding battle, and finally had more assists then turnovers.  Detroit shot themselves in the foot with two silly technical fouls leading to 4 easy points for Ryan Broekhoff.  Outstanding performances from this game to the Crusaders VanWijk and Broekhoff, while Nick Minnerath put up a huge PPS for the Titans.

Player	School	Minutes	+	-	PPS
Ryan Broekhoff	Valpo	35	1.40	0.29	1.11
Lavontae Dority	Valpo	20	1.00	0.60	0.40
Kevin Van Wijk	Valpo	30	1.87	0.20	1.67
Erik Buggs	Valpo	28	0.93	0.57	0.36
Matt Kenney	Valpo	30	0.18	0.25	-0.07
Will Bogan	Valpo	28	0.83	0.13	0.70

Detroit	DET	Minutes	+	-	PPS
Ray McCallum	DET	35	0.80	0.60	0.20
Jason Calliste	DET	38	0.66	0.21	0.45
Nick Minnerath	DET	33	1.94	0.24	1.70
Doug Anderson	DET	31	1.06	0.26	0.80
Juwan Howard	DET	35	0.49	0.34	0.15

A few things worth noting.  Will Bogan's cold shooting continued for Valpo but he did a nice job chasing Jason Calliste around all night and limiting his effectiveness.  Also worthy of mention was the POY candidate Ray McCallum was completely taken out of this game by the defensive effort of Erik Buggs.  Buggs is notorious in these parts for low PPS, seeing him finish with a higher score then Jr will be a real treat for all Crusader fans. 

The Broekhoff/McCallum race for POY was a little one sided this night and Rowdy should be separating himself from the field of POY contenders with his season long run of solid play.

Valpo Stuns Detriot, 3-0 on the road

The last time I graced this page I was frustrated and upset by a senior laden team that was playing more like freshman.  The coach got the brunt of my criticism, but tonight Coach Drew showed me that he's got game and that he's learning.

Let's get the bad out of the way first.  15 turnovers is still too much for this team and is something they must remedy.  Capobianco was ejected in the 2nd half for a flagrant 2 foul.  I understood the call because the game was getting chippy, but it did not there was malice intended because it appeared he was going for the ball, but caught the forearm instead.

Now the good.  KVW hopefully came out of what seems like a season long funk and is my MVP on the night with 31 pts because he single-handedly kept the Crusaders in the game.  Matt Kenney also had a great night going 4-5 from behind the arc where he earned all 12 of his points.  Broekhoff filled the stat sheet as usual with 18 points, 9 rbs, 5 ast, 3 stls, and 2 blocks.  Broekhoff and KVW together combined for 49 of the 89 points for Valpo and highlights for me what is the key to this team.  Last year when both guys were in the game for at least 30 minutes the team was extremely successful.  Earlier in this year when coach was trying to play a 10 man rotation the minutes were down for both men and I believe it didn't let them get into a groove.  Conference play has seen what appears to be a shrinking bench and increasing role for the starters as it should be from here on out. 

For the Titans Minnerath had an out of his mind night.  He was beyond being on fire.  He was 12-17 with 36 points for Detroit while McCallum had 6 pts and 8 asts.  Jr seemed to shrink down the stretch the more the Crusaders got themselves back in the game.  He's a dangerous player for sure, but tonight he played second fiddle and that is never a winning combination for them. 

Crusaders are now alone in 2nd place in league play at 4-1 while the Titans slip to 3rd at 3-2.  Meanwhile, Wright State remains the early surprise atop the standings at 4-0 and they have a date at the ARC this Saturday night!

What are your thoughts on the game tonight? We'd love to hear them!

How I Would #BeatDetroit

I hope the Valpo coaching staff isn't too upset with me waiting until the day before to post how I would #BeatDetroit.  I mean, my report on how I would beat Murray State seemed to work out ok, I can only assume they took my game plan and implemented it to perfection.  Well, maybe not.  Anyway, for your reading pleasure here is how I would go about beating Detroit.

To figure out how to #BeatDetroit I first went back and looked at each of their losses.  Detroit has not won a game without scoring 74 points or more.  Next, I looked at some of their statistics as a team and the individual players (see the PPS post right before this one). I have three options to choose from, and none of them are the Cleveland State pray that they hit only 13/32 foul shots method.

Option 1: Slow it down
One way to win this game is to slow the tempo down.  It is no secret that Detroit likes to get up and down the court.  I suspect they will try to full court trap Valpo and attempt to force turnovers that way.  I really think that will play into Valpo's favor.  Valpo is very turnover prone, but I can't think of one instance where they turned the ball over due to a full court trap.  Assuming the Crusaders get the ball up the court without much a problem it is then just a matter of running their normal offensive sets.  Less then 15 turnovers and I think Valpo wins this game. 

Option 2: Push the pace
Option 1 seems like the safer play, but the more exciting play is to push the pace.  Attempt to wear out the Titans and their 6 man rotation.  If Valpo can get out and run and be under control doing it they might be able to use the deep Crusader bench to their advantage.  I don't think this is the best option mainly because both teams will be well rested having not played since last weekend, but also because a few bad bounces and you are playing Detroit's style.

Option 3: Sag the zone
For the third option I pose that Valpo play mainly a zone defense.  I would sag the zone and have every guy keep at least one foot inside the three point arc.  I'd dare the Titans to shoot the 3 pointers (except for Calliste).  The sagging zone would prevent their guys from penetrating and should keep their good free throw shooters off the line.  Also, whenever Doug Anderson is heading the to the rim; I'd give him a good clean hard foul to make sure he is shooting 2 free throws.

Which option do you like best?  Maybe you have your own ideas?  Please share in the comments section.  Also, don't forget to leave your predictions in the comments section of the predict the final score post and the predict Ryan's stat line post.

#BeatDetroit

PPS Preview for #BeatDetroit

Looking ahead to Thursday we would be hard pressed to find two teams who's style of play was less alike.  Valpo can play the half court game, work the ball inside, draw fouls, hit the perimeter jumper when its there.  Detroit on the other hand is a fast paced, get the ball and run team.  They like to run and gun and play the high scoring game.  Let's first take a look at each teams' PPS along with their opponents:

		Minutes	+	-	PPS
Valparaiso	Valpo	3625	0.82	0.33	0.49
Opponents	Valpo	3625	0.70	0.35	0.35
		Minutes	+	-	PPS
Detroit	DET	3400	0.91	0.35	0.56
Opponents	DET	3400	0.82	0.35	0.47

Valpo has a very low team PPS while Detroit is sporting a good mid major level team score.  Valpo's biggest detractor is obviously their very high turnover number.  Valpo has turned it over 281 times (with only 231 assits) while Detroit has only given it up 196 times (against 249 assists).  But, where Valpo trails Detroit in team PPS they have a sizable lead when it comes to limiting their opponents.  Valpo has allowed opponents to shoot less then 40% from the field, they out rebound the competition, and are very good at drawing fouls.  Detroit has allowed teams to shoot it at a 46% clip (including nearly 40% from 3pt range...Ryan, Lavontae, Ben, and Will are licking their chops) and they get outrebounded.

I don't have the energy to write up a couple game plans tonight to #BeatDetroit, we'll save that for tomorrow, but what I did have energy for was figuring out their key players (guys who average over 10 minutes per game) PPS.  I had the energy because there was only 6 of them (Valpo has 9, this will come into play in tomorrow's game plan).

Detroit	DET	Minutes	+	-	PPS
Ray McCallum	DET	597	1.19	0.37	0.82
Jason Calliste	DET	567	0.88	0.36	0.52
Nick Minnerath	DET	447	1.00	0.39	0.61
Doug Anderson	DET	445	0.96	0.37	0.59
Juwan Howard	DET	483	0.76	0.28	0.48
Evan Bruinsma	DET	338	0.75	0.29	0.46
PJ Boutte	DET	183	0.64	0.39	0.25

 
 These guys are all pretty solid.  They don't give up the ball much and they wreak havoc on the other teams guards forcing a multitude of turnovers.  The one guy who does give it up from time to time is Calliste and the one guy who doesn't make free throws is Anderson.  I'll go more into these details in tomorrow's post.  The numbers up top don't lie.  I don't see a blow out in either team's favor regardless of which team is able to dictate the tempo.

Don't forget to predict the final score and Ryan Broekhoff's combined first half points + rebounds in the comments section of the previous two posts.  Also follow @sectionee.  Lots of free haircuts from Cuts and Shaves being thrown out during this game Thursday! #BeatDetroit

#BeatDetroit Contest 2

We are excited to open up the second contest for the #BeatDetroit game Thursday night.  For this contest, predict the total points + rebounds that Ryan Broekhoff will have in the first half of the game (example: if he gets 8 points and grabs 5 rebounds then his total you would have wanted to predict is 13).

Post your predictions in the comments section of this thread and leave a way for me to contact you if you are the winner. Get it exactly right and I wil throw in a poster of The Shot to accompany the free haircut!

#BeatDetroit Contest 1 - Predict the final

Here is your first chance to win one of the Cuts and Shaves haircuts.  In the comments section of this post predict the final score between Valpo and Detroit.  Closest person to the correct score will be the winner.  Should someone guess the final score exactly right, I will throw in a bonus prize of either a Bryce Drew rookie card or a South Shore poster of "The Shot".

Remember, to win you must post the prediction here in the comments section.  It would also be a good idea to leave someway of contacting you just in case.  We will take predictions between now and 5:59pm Central time on Thursday.

Other ways to win:

* Follow @SectionEE on twitter

* on Wednesday there will be a new post to predict Ryan Broekhoff's total points + rebounds in the first half

Good luck and Go Valpo

Cuts and Shaves Free Haircuts Giveaway Extravaganza

In case you have been living under a rock, in a cave, or spending time in some faraway jungle community Valpo will be traveling to Detroit for the long awaited chance to get a little revenge on their hated conference rival.  To make things even more interesting our guy Matt at Cuts and Shaves in Chesterton has charged me with giving away some haircuts during the game.

I have several of these gift certificates burning holes in my pockets.  Here is how you can win them.

* Follow SectionEE on twitter.  All new followers from now until the end of the game Thursday will be entered for a chance to win one of the gift certificates

* Post your prediction for Ryan Broekhoff's total points + rebounds for the first half of the game

* Post your prediction for the final score of the big game

We may have a 4th to give away as well...make sure you are following us on twitter and check back here frequently for your chance to win.  Don't start posting your predictions yet.  We will post on here and let you know via twitter and Facebook when the fun all starts for the second and third (and fourth) competitions.

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.

Valpo vs. Loyola and CSU

If you'd like an updated look at how the entire roster is performing based on our PPS formula head here, http://cbbpps.wordpress.com/valpo-pps-12-13/

Heading back to work after a long break isn’t easy for anyone, especially for middle school math teachers and mid major college basketball players. After a long layoff Valpo came out and was out played and out coached from opening tip to the ending buzzer in their horizon League opener at home against Loyola. It was hard to watch and even harder to motivate myself to calculate the PPS scores. Here they are with a brief breakdown to follow:

		Minutes	+	-	PPS
Loyola	LOY	200	0.81	0.29	0.52
Valparaiso	Valpo	200	0.69	0.34	0.35

Valpo’s – score really wasn’t that bad.  However, they didn’t take advantage of their possessions and Loyola did not make many mistakes when it was their turn with the ball.  Luckily it was a short one day off and Valpo got back to their winning ways with a blowout of Horizon League foe Cleveland State.  Valpo was able to turn the tables from their previous game.

		Minutes	+	-	PPS
CSU	CSU	200	0.64	0.37	0.27
Valparaiso	Valpo	200	0.90	0.38	0.52

As you can see Valpo’s – score was actually worse this game when compared to the debacle that was the Loyola game.  The Crusaders had more turnovers and more missed free throws vs. CSU.  Unlike the Loyola game Valpo was able to force the Vikings into a lower + score by out rebounding them by 16, forcing them to shoot only 30%, and allowing only 6 assists.  Meanwhile, the Crusaders put up a nice + score due again to their rebounding numbers.

Valpo will now head on a 3 game road trip squaring off against surprising UIC, a down Milwaukee team, and arch rival Detroit.

What is wrong with Valpo?

author's note: I haven't blogged yet this year, but my frustration with the current team and tonight's loss to what appears to be a very good Loyola team has brought me to my breaking point.

Never mind the debacle that was tonight's Loyola game because it is indicative of how the entire season has gone which in a word would be frustrating.  This is a team that has looked rudderless since last season's blowout title game loss.  They have at times played like the team we were expecting (see Murray State) while other times they have played absolutely lost (see Nebraska and St. Louis).   I have not had a chance to see Valpo play as much as some of you, but there are 3 things that stick out to me as being a problem this year.

1. Stagnant offense
It has become apparent that what we are doing on offense is predictable and thus easy to defend.  There has been way too much individual and not enough team.  Too many times the person with the ball drives to the basket while everyone else stands around and watches the person with the ball dribble it around for too long and then make a terrible shot.  This one falls on Coach Drew.  He is clearly is not adjusting to opponents well enough during game action and is something he needs to work on during his second year.

2. Will the Real Ben Boggs and Will Bogan please stand up?
These two were instrumental in our success last year, but this year, both have been plagued by poor decision after poor decision.  All the little things they did last year are not happening this year and quite frankly their lack of attention to detail and smart decision making is costing the team big in the amount of turnovers they are causing. Really, I could put every returning player in this category as the team as a whole looks ill prepared.

3. Starting: Dority vs. Buggs
In what is another mistake by Coach Drew Dority has been inserted into the starting lineup and Buggs is coming off the bench.  Buggs is the heart of the team and his smart decision making and tough defense are now missing at the beginning of each game.  Not to mention the fact that the team seems to actually have direction when he is in the game vs. when Dority is in the game.  Don't get me wrong I'm a fan of Dority, but his shoot first mentality and what could be a lack of understanding of what his role is could also be a factor.  I know Buggs is an offensive liability, but we have other shooters that can minimize that issue.  Plus if Butler has taught Mid Majors anything, it's that defense wins games.

Bottom Line
This team has to find itself and do it quickly before this season slips away.  Despite their record they have looked shaky the entire season.  This Crusader team is the best we've had since Bryce himself suited up for the Crusaders and quite frankly the problems begin and end with him.  I might be asking a lot from a second year coach, but now is the time to show why he's the head coach for reasons other than his last name being Drew.

I'm not throwing this season away by any stretch of the imagination, but they need to start doing some soul searching and damage control as conference schedule commences and beginning with a home loss should have everyone searching for answers.