Big things on the Horizon?
After nonconference success, Valparaiso opens league play at Oakland
VALPARAISO — Is Valparaiso now the Horizon League favorite?
No one connected with the Crusaders would answer in the affirmative, surprising not at all. Responses included mentions of “parity,” deferring to last season’s champions (Green Bay in the regular season, Milwaukee in the conference tournament), and leaving such designations to the “experts.”
But there’s no question Valparaiso (13-2) belongs prominently in the conversation, with its gaudy record and assortment of dominating performances. Few people, if any, could have envisioned that the talent would mesh this quickly and potently for the Crusaders, who were picked fourth in the preseason poll. Yet here they stand, as they open their league schedule on Friday night at Oakland (4-10).
“We’re working on being more focused and ready to go,” senior center Vashil Fernandez said. “I’m not saying the other games don’t count, but these are the games if we want to make it to the NCAA Tournament.
“We would’ve liked to have gone 15-0, but we feel good about where we are. But we’re not satisfied — there’s still a lot more to do.”
Valparaiso, trying to join the 1996-97 team as the only ones in the program’s Division I history to have reached 14-2, has won five straight games. Meanwhile, Oakland has lost five straight games — all on the road against a “high-major” lineup of Michigan State, Arizona, Pittsburgh, Clemson and Maryland. The Grizzlies also opened their season at Iowa State.
“I would be very confident saying they’re the best 4-10 team in the country right now,” Crusaders coach Bryce Drew said with a laugh. “Their record is not indicative of the team they have, with the schedule that they play.”
Oakland has four players scoring in double figures, led by sophomore point guard Kahlil Felder (16.4 points, 7.1 assists, 2.1 steals), a preseason All-Horizon League secondteam pick who won last season’s Freshman of the Year award, and senior forward/center Corey Petros (14.4 points, 8.2 rebounds), a preseason first-teamer.
“We’ve seen it all, great games that we’ve played, bad games that we’ve played,” sophomore forward Alec Peters said. “We’ve seen just about every style of play you could, and we feel like it’s prepared us for these games.
“A lot of our season is based on how well you do in conference in order to get a postseason bid, wherever you have your hopes set, and we want to make it to the NCAA Tournament.”
With Fernandez (3.3 blocks) as an anchor, the Crusaders have been outstanding defensively, includ- ing holding James Madison to its program-worst 23.6 percent shooting performance in a 79-52 rout on Monday.
“It’s staying focused, not having mental lapses,” said junior point guard Keith Carter, who has been key on both ends of the floor. “We’re doing more talking, and knowing where to be. We know if we do all our assignments, we’ll be all right.”
Valparaiso is 18-6 all-time against long-time Mid-Continent Conference rival Oakland, including winning the first 16 games, in a series that has produced numerous dramatic games and moments. Last season, the Grizzlies’ first in the Horizon League, each team won on its home court, with a total margin of eight points. The Crusaders have lost their last two trips to the O’rena, last winning on Dec. 21, 2010, 103-102.
“Our team definitely needs to keep improving,” Drew said. “Conference is a whole different season, everybody has a 0-0 record. Everybody knows each other really well, and is little more fired up to play each other.”
Notes: Peters is expected to play on both Friday and Sunday — Valparaiso has a quick turnaround for its league home opener against Youngstown State — attending his grandfather’s funeral on Saturday. … Drew called David Chadwick “day-to-day” after the senior hurt his left knee in the second half at James Madison. Chadwick, who has endured multiple knee injuries, was limping badly before the Crusaders left for Oakland. … Five of the last six games between the teams have come down to the final possession, 14 games in the series have been decided by five points or fewer (including nine by three or fewer), and 19 of the 24 have been decided by single digits. … Greg Kampe is in his 31st season as Oakland’s coach, behind only Syracuse’s Jim Boeheim (39) and Duke’s Mike Krzyzewski (35) for longevity in his current position.