Today In The Valley (Nov. 29)
Indiana State (0-3) at DePaul (3-0)
1:00 p.m.
Allstate Arena; Rosemont, Illinois
Indiana State will be looking to rebound after a disappointing loss to Murray State and are in search of their first win of the season as they will return to the road to take on the undefeated DePaul Blue Demons.
DePaul holds a 10-1 series lead against the Sycamores and are about 13-point favorites to make it 11-1. Creighton fans will be keeping an eye on this matchup as the Bluejays could very well be playing the Demons in Las Vegas on December 23rd. Allstate Arena can be a tough place to play as a visitor, but the Sycamores should (not) be used to playing in front of 17,000-plus fans.
~ Dance Cam Guy
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Evansville (3-0) at Butler (4-0)
1:00 p.m.
Hinkle Fieldhouse; Indianapolis, Indiana
Today features a great early-season test for the undefeated Purple Aces, as they travel to historic Hinkle Fieldhouse to play Butler for the 114th time. The Butler Bulldogs have won 9 of the last 10 games in the series, but Evansville still leads the all-time series 60-53.
Evansville will be stepping outside of Roberts Stadium for the first of two times in their non-conference schedule (the other being an away game at the Dean Dome against North Carolina). They have four players averaging double figures, and three of them are seniors. To no surprise Shy Ely (16.3) and Jason Holsinger (11.3) are two of the four. Stepping up in his senior season is Jason Gardner (11.7 points and team-best 7.7 rebounds). Freshman James Haarsma has been a nice addition, averaging 11.7 points and 7 rebounds.
Butler returns just one starter and starts three freshmen. The returning starter is last season’s Horizon League newcomer of the year, forward Matt Howard. The Bulldogs will employ a two-point guard lineup, one of their keys to success the last two years as David Woods from the Indianapolis Star points out. Adjusting well to his first year in college is versatile freshman Gordon Hayward. At 6-8, this guard/forward creates matchup problems around the perimeter.
~ Panon
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Northern Iowa (3-2) vs. Auburn (3-2)
4:30 p.m.
Sears Centre; Hoffman Estates, Illinois
The matchups in the Chicago Invitational were predetermined. And after yesterday’s games, this contest shapes up as the unofficial “consolation” game and battle for third place.
UNI is coming off a 73-43 defeat at the hands of Marquette. The Golden Eagles used a 20-0 run to turn a 12-8 ballgame into a 32-8 blowout in the first half. A swarming Marquette defense limited the Panthers to 35% shooting and just 3-21 from beyond the arc. In yesterday's preview it was mentioned that UNI have been out-rebounding opponents by 8.5 per game. Marquette was the team doing the dirty work yesterday, beating the Panthers on the boards by 12.
Auburn is coming into this game fresh off an overtime defeat against Dayton 60-59. Dayton did their best to keep Auburn in the game by going 0-24 from 3-point land. That broke a 13-year record for most attempts without a make (Canisius went 0-22). The Tigers weren't much better, going 7-31. Both teams combined to miss the first 29 attempts from beyond the arc. Auburn shot just 34.5% for the game.
Today’s game appears to be a low scoring, cold shooting affair. I'd like to think it's just taking the teams a game to get used to the new arena.
~ Panon
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Illinois State (5-0) vs. Winston Salem (0-4)
6:00 p.m.
Redbird Arena; Normal, Illinois
Illinois State will be focused on a 6-0 start as they continue to play host to the Word Vision Classic. The Redbirds will take on a Winston Salem State team looking for their first win of the season.
Illinois State should continue their success today against a much weaker opponent, and the scoring distribution should continue to impress as well. Osiris Eldridge put up some more impressive numbers last night with 24 point, marking his 12th game in a row scoring double figures. Look for tonight to be lucky 13.
~ Dance Cam Guy
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Bradley (3-2) vs. East Tennessee State (3-2)
7:00 p.m.
Carver Arena; Peoria, Illinois
Is it too early in the season to say that Bradley is having a roller coaster of a season? The Braves have shown bright spots in their first few games, but they have also shown many signs of weakness. Tonight BU will try to show the home crowd some positives as they take on the Buccaneers of East Tennessee State.
The Buccaneers have been a bit up and down this season as well. They struggled with in-state rival Tennessee Tech but showed some guts on the road and escaped with a 78-65 win. This game, unfortunately, should be close throughout.
It would be nice to see Bradley show the home crowd tonight that they want to get this season turned around. It may be too early to call it a roller coaster, but it is not too early to get things back on track.
~ Dance Cam Guy
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Drake (2-1) at Vanderbilt (3-1)
7:30 p.m.
Moon Palace Resort; Cancun, Mexico
The Bulldogs and Commodores meet south of the border as part of the Cancun Challenge. These games will mark the first trips out of each team’s home gyms, and their contest gives Drake the chance to test their mettle against a team that last year was ranked in the top 15 much of the season.
Both teams are trying to replace integral parts of their rosters. Drake’s Craig Stanley is trying to take over for Adam Alphabet (errr, Emmenecker). Many are gone from last year’s NCAA team for Vandy, but they replaced those folks with a five-player freshman class that many consider the greatest potential group in school history. They don’t have to replace A.J. Ogilvy, though, and he could make things difficult for the Bulldogs. The sophomore center is one of the best players in the SEC, and he averages 15 points and 7 rebounds per game.
Josh Young and the rest of the Bulldogs will need to fire at all cylinders to upset Vandy, although the neutral court should help.
~ Creighton Otter
1:00 p.m.
Allstate Arena; Rosemont, Illinois
Indiana State will be looking to rebound after a disappointing loss to Murray State and are in search of their first win of the season as they will return to the road to take on the undefeated DePaul Blue Demons.
DePaul holds a 10-1 series lead against the Sycamores and are about 13-point favorites to make it 11-1. Creighton fans will be keeping an eye on this matchup as the Bluejays could very well be playing the Demons in Las Vegas on December 23rd. Allstate Arena can be a tough place to play as a visitor, but the Sycamores should (not) be used to playing in front of 17,000-plus fans.
~ Dance Cam Guy
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Evansville (3-0) at Butler (4-0)
1:00 p.m.
Hinkle Fieldhouse; Indianapolis, Indiana
Today features a great early-season test for the undefeated Purple Aces, as they travel to historic Hinkle Fieldhouse to play Butler for the 114th time. The Butler Bulldogs have won 9 of the last 10 games in the series, but Evansville still leads the all-time series 60-53.
Evansville will be stepping outside of Roberts Stadium for the first of two times in their non-conference schedule (the other being an away game at the Dean Dome against North Carolina). They have four players averaging double figures, and three of them are seniors. To no surprise Shy Ely (16.3) and Jason Holsinger (11.3) are two of the four. Stepping up in his senior season is Jason Gardner (11.7 points and team-best 7.7 rebounds). Freshman James Haarsma has been a nice addition, averaging 11.7 points and 7 rebounds.
Butler returns just one starter and starts three freshmen. The returning starter is last season’s Horizon League newcomer of the year, forward Matt Howard. The Bulldogs will employ a two-point guard lineup, one of their keys to success the last two years as David Woods from the Indianapolis Star points out. Adjusting well to his first year in college is versatile freshman Gordon Hayward. At 6-8, this guard/forward creates matchup problems around the perimeter.
~ Panon
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Northern Iowa (3-2) vs. Auburn (3-2)
4:30 p.m.
Sears Centre; Hoffman Estates, Illinois
The matchups in the Chicago Invitational were predetermined. And after yesterday’s games, this contest shapes up as the unofficial “consolation” game and battle for third place.
UNI is coming off a 73-43 defeat at the hands of Marquette. The Golden Eagles used a 20-0 run to turn a 12-8 ballgame into a 32-8 blowout in the first half. A swarming Marquette defense limited the Panthers to 35% shooting and just 3-21 from beyond the arc. In yesterday's preview it was mentioned that UNI have been out-rebounding opponents by 8.5 per game. Marquette was the team doing the dirty work yesterday, beating the Panthers on the boards by 12.
Auburn is coming into this game fresh off an overtime defeat against Dayton 60-59. Dayton did their best to keep Auburn in the game by going 0-24 from 3-point land. That broke a 13-year record for most attempts without a make (Canisius went 0-22). The Tigers weren't much better, going 7-31. Both teams combined to miss the first 29 attempts from beyond the arc. Auburn shot just 34.5% for the game.
Today’s game appears to be a low scoring, cold shooting affair. I'd like to think it's just taking the teams a game to get used to the new arena.
~ Panon
---
Illinois State (5-0) vs. Winston Salem (0-4)
6:00 p.m.
Redbird Arena; Normal, Illinois
Illinois State will be focused on a 6-0 start as they continue to play host to the Word Vision Classic. The Redbirds will take on a Winston Salem State team looking for their first win of the season.
Illinois State should continue their success today against a much weaker opponent, and the scoring distribution should continue to impress as well. Osiris Eldridge put up some more impressive numbers last night with 24 point, marking his 12th game in a row scoring double figures. Look for tonight to be lucky 13.
~ Dance Cam Guy
---
Bradley (3-2) vs. East Tennessee State (3-2)
7:00 p.m.
Carver Arena; Peoria, Illinois
Is it too early in the season to say that Bradley is having a roller coaster of a season? The Braves have shown bright spots in their first few games, but they have also shown many signs of weakness. Tonight BU will try to show the home crowd some positives as they take on the Buccaneers of East Tennessee State.
The Buccaneers have been a bit up and down this season as well. They struggled with in-state rival Tennessee Tech but showed some guts on the road and escaped with a 78-65 win. This game, unfortunately, should be close throughout.
It would be nice to see Bradley show the home crowd tonight that they want to get this season turned around. It may be too early to call it a roller coaster, but it is not too early to get things back on track.
~ Dance Cam Guy
---
Drake (2-1) at Vanderbilt (3-1)
7:30 p.m.
Moon Palace Resort; Cancun, Mexico
The Bulldogs and Commodores meet south of the border as part of the Cancun Challenge. These games will mark the first trips out of each team’s home gyms, and their contest gives Drake the chance to test their mettle against a team that last year was ranked in the top 15 much of the season.
Both teams are trying to replace integral parts of their rosters. Drake’s Craig Stanley is trying to take over for Adam Alphabet (errr, Emmenecker). Many are gone from last year’s NCAA team for Vandy, but they replaced those folks with a five-player freshman class that many consider the greatest potential group in school history. They don’t have to replace A.J. Ogilvy, though, and he could make things difficult for the Bulldogs. The sophomore center is one of the best players in the SEC, and he averages 15 points and 7 rebounds per game.
Josh Young and the rest of the Bulldogs will need to fire at all cylinders to upset Vandy, although the neutral court should help.
~ Creighton Otter
posted by Creighton Otter at 1:09 PM
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