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Post by shooting the J on Mar 8, 2015 7:42:03 GMT -6
Green Bay @ Valporaiso
When: Tuesday, 6:00 PM CST
Where: The ARC, Valparaiso, Indiana
TV: ESPN
Radio: WNFL 92.1 FM 1440 AM
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Post by GBPhoenix1 on Mar 8, 2015 10:12:34 GMT -6
Well this is exciting. The two best teams in the league playing for the one spot to dance. For those who are making the trip down I am jealous but enjoy!
Valpo is looking like they are going to be without T. Walker. I think he is their second best player and given how important guards are maybe even more important than that. I know they have other guards but Carter, the other Walker and Joseph don't seem to have the moxie that T. Walker has. That has to help GB's chances.
Valpo is a tough matchup for GB. They can stroke it from deep and for as strong as GB is on defense that is one of their bigger weak spots. Valpo defends the paint well with Fernandez. Figuring out how to get penetration and inside touches will be easier said than done in the half court. The transition offense is going to be key for easier buckets.
Working for GB right now is experience and overall talent. I like that Sykes, Fouse, McKinnie and Mays are all bringing their A game right now. I like that Wardle had some twists that we haven't seen much of this year. I like that Valpo is the favorite and it puts pressure on their young group.
I think whoever wins will receive a 12 or 13 seed in the big dance. I also think of the two only GB has the athletic ability and style to win a game against the UNC, Baylor, Louisville, Utah, West Virginia and Arkansas's of the world. Valpo plays great team defense to take away star players like Sykes. When Sykes is kicking out to the Love's and Fouse's of the world that style looks good. Going against teams with more weapons I am not so sure how that will work. Even if they were to play a Northern Iowa or Wichita State I don't see Valpo's style working as well with those teams having some really good shooters. I am way ahead of myself now. I want this win for the seniors. I want this win for the school. I want this win for the league because I think GB has the better chance to represent the HL in the big dance. If I am being really honest I want this win for myself as a huge fan who has suffered long enough. Right now I am feeling very confident in the way GB is playing.
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Post by PantherU on Mar 8, 2015 20:34:28 GMT -6
A few of us are heading down for the game if I can wrap up this car deal (buying a car) in time and get enough people to make the trip.
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Post by phearthephoenix on Mar 9, 2015 9:00:59 GMT -6
First championship game in 17 years after ending an 8 game semi-final losing streak. Let's end a 19 year NCAA Tournament draught while we're at it! It's interesting to note that GB has at least somewhat worked itself back into the bubble talk. I don't think there's any chance they get an at-large bid, but it's interesting to see their name in the discussion again. wp.me/p1aWjM-2c15I imagine Murray State (as well as the loser of GB / Valpo) would only improve their at-large chances if they were in the Horizon this year. |
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Post by GBPhoenix1 on Mar 10, 2015 5:53:17 GMT -6
It's game day!!!!!!!!!! As I think about it I am feeling confident. I don't think it will be easy but the GB team that handled Oakland and UIC looked good. Valpo is way better than either of those teams yet I am feeling good. I think Sykes is locked in right now and GB has used other players to start the offense of late and worked Sykes into scoring position of the ball. This is way harder to stop Sykes than the last game in Valpo where Sykes was asked to put the team on his back and go to work 1 on 2 or 1 on 3. I think Valpo fans are underestimating that GB has made adjustments to their offense since the last game.
Let's do this!
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Post by GBPhoenix1 on Mar 10, 2015 6:13:06 GMT -6
I just thought of another reason I want this win. Fans of the HL who take their time to post on message boards need a lesson in message board activity, it does not dictate how good a program is or is not. Valpo fans in general wear some self made badge of honor for high traffic to their board. In part they think they are too good for the HL because of this. They think nobody cares about a program if you don't post online. Yet somehow they ignore the elephant in the room. In a 5000 seat gym they still have seats for sale to the game. Are you kidding me? I know this much about GB. When there is a big game at the Resch there are actual live bodies in the seats. Not 20 to 25 people chatting about the game online but there would be 9000 + real living and paying customers in the Resch tonight. GB fans tend to show their support in different ways. I know plenty of passionate GB fans who will be watching tonight that have no interest in posting or lurking on message boards online. I want this win for those fans who will celebrate loudly without posting about it.
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Post by shooting the J on Mar 10, 2015 6:44:55 GMT -6
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Post by gbbrl97 on Mar 10, 2015 6:51:21 GMT -6
I hope Valpo fans don't have designs on leaving the HL for the MVC. Ask Loyola how it's going? Although they have their best team in years, they couldn't get to .500 in conference play. The MVC likes it at 10 members, so keep dreaming Valpo fans. Besides, you have a better chance at getting to the NCAA's from the HL than sitting in the middle of the MVC standings anyway......
Ask Iona, Wichita State, and Murray State how hard it is to beat an opponent for the 3rd time in a season in a tournament setting no less (NOTE: Murray State only played Belmont once before the OVC Championship). You can also ask last year's GB team how things went when they had home court. UWM made sure to spoil our season.
I almost wonder if Murray state may be thinking about the HL again.....;-) The OVC is usually in the 20's in conference RPI. Historically, the HL usually is around 13-15 and no team was in the 300's in RPI. The OVC had 3.
As far as tonight, there should be no pressure on GB. They have done their best when no one has any expectations of them. The 24-point loss on 12/4 to Georgia State (who BTW won the Sun Belt regular season title) followed by their 13-point win at Miami (who is on the NCAA bubble right now) 2 nights later when many thought they would get crushed, should serve as proof. They will need to be true to themselves, play solid perimeter defense like they did earlier this season, and not pretend they are one of Dick Bennett's classic GB teams that can bomb away from 3-point range, then they should have a chance tonight. Also Keif will need to carry this team, but if his game offensively isn't there, get his teammates involved instead. We don't want to see the Keif who was in Valpo on 2/13.
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Post by shooting the J on Mar 10, 2015 6:53:22 GMT -6
I too am confident tonight. Sykes played with an injured thumb @ Valpo, and had possibly his worst game of his career. The team was -18 with him on the floor, but +14 in the 10 minutes he sat. Also, Valpo simply hasn't played well in big games under Bryce Drew, they once again lack resume wins.
2 outstanding teams tonight, RPI #59 and #60, and #26 and #28 in the nation in defensive efficiency. The key to Valpo's D is rim protector Vashil Fernandez. May and Mckinnie will need to make him guard out away from the basket and make him move his feet.
It's time to dance. Do it!
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Post by shooting the J on Mar 10, 2015 9:04:42 GMT -6
I just thought of another reason I want this win. Fans of the HL who take their time to post on message boards need a lesson in message board activity, it does not dictate how good a program is or is not. Valpo fans in general wear some self made badge of honor for high traffic to their board. In part they think they are too good for the HL because of this. They think nobody cares about a program if you don't post online. Yet somehow they ignore the elephant in the room. In a 5000 seat gym they still have seats for sale to the game. Are you kidding me? I know this much about GB. When there is a big game at the Resch there are actual live bodies in the seats. Not 20 to 25 people chatting about the game online but there would be 9000 + real living and paying customers in the Resch tonight. GB fans tend to show their support in different ways. I know plenty of passionate GB fans who will be watching tonight that have no interest in posting or lurking on message boards online. I want this win for those fans who will celebrate loudly without posting about it. Valpo averaged under 2,800 fans per game this year. That's kind of embarrassing. Green Bay had no marquee home games, just 1 Saturday home conference game, yet averaged over 3,500. In that 1 Saturday home conference game, GB drew over 6,000 fans. Well done Phoenix fans. |
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Post by phoenixphan87 on Mar 10, 2015 10:20:08 GMT -6
I am excited to see Keifer play Valpo when he is healthy and confident. He has found his shooting touch since the loss there and no effects of the thumb injury. Going to be another 50-60s game that will be a bloodbath. Hopefully the phoenix can stay out of foul trouble with our lack of production from anyone outside of the top 7. Just have a feeling the seniors will get it done tonight, long overdue.
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Post by fansincebuss on Mar 10, 2015 10:38:11 GMT -6
I just thought of another reason I want this win. Fans of the HL who take their time to post on message boards need a lesson in message board activity, it does not dictate how good a program is or is not. Valpo fans in general wear some self made badge of honor for high traffic to their board. In part they think they are too good for the HL because of this. They think nobody cares about a program if you don't post online. Yet somehow they ignore the elephant in the room. In a 5000 seat gym they still have seats for sale to the game. Are you kidding me? I know this much about GB. When there is a big game at the Resch there are actual live bodies in the seats. Not 20 to 25 people chatting about the game online but there would be 9000 + real living and paying customers in the Resch tonight. GB fans tend to show their support in different ways. I know plenty of passionate GB fans who will be watching tonight that have no interest in posting or lurking on message boards online. I want this win for those fans who will celebrate loudly without posting about it. I have also checked the Valpo board, they seem to think because they have a good young team they have and will be dominating the Horizon League for years to come. It may not be Green Bay next year but there is always talent in the conference that will provide plenty of challenge. This year it will be Green Bay, next year who knows? Maybe Green Bay will be picked low and still win the conference, it as happened before. |
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Post by Fanforever on Mar 10, 2015 10:54:12 GMT -6
Correct me if I am wrong but they lose Fernandez next year which will be a huge loss. They do have some very good players but having the rim protector is invaluable. Peters and Skara are very good players but need someone behind them to deter penetration.
My money is on Cleveland St. next year with Grady and Lewis returning. They are two players that play hard and are good.
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Post by gbalum2007 on Mar 10, 2015 11:31:20 GMT -6
I think the elephant in the room for Valpo is missing Tevonn Walker. Peters was more or less contained in both games against GB, but Walker was impressive in both with 13 rebounds in the 51-50 loss, and leading the way with 20 points in the victory. GB will put Fouse on Peters in man-to-man sets, and make everyone else beat them. Without Walker, I'm not sure the supporting cast is good enough to do so. Fernandez is great defensively, but has very little offensive game. Nickerson might be a dark horse, but he wasn't overly impressive in either meeting against GB, or any other Valpo game I watched.
I wouldn't be shocked if we saw a lot of zone from Valpo tonight. We all know GB struggles to score from the perimeter, and a zone would allow Fernandez to camp in the paint rather than tracking Mays or McKinnie outside. If they do go zone, GB has to push the pace and not allow them to set it up. Push on makes, push on misses. Also, I'd press Valpo early on defense to see how they respond. Walker has been their primary ball handler and without him, they might struggle to break the press.
Prediction: Phoenix 63 - Crusaders 56
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Post by shooting the J on Mar 10, 2015 17:57:33 GMT -6
So far, so good. Up 6 at the half, despite no help from the stripes.
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