Editor: The following is a press release from Valpoathletics.com.
(Valparaiso, IN) – The Valparaiso University men’s basketball team unveiled its non-conference schedule for the upcoming 2018-19 season on Wednesday, highlighted by at least three games against top-40 RPI teams from a year ago.
“The objective for our program is to schedule more aggressively and put ourselves in a position where we can compete for an at-large bid to the NCAA Tournament,” said head coach Matt Lottich. “We feel like we have a schedule this year which will challenge us with a number of games against high-level opponents.”
Valpo’s first top-40 RPI opponent from last year comes as part of the previously announced Myrtle Beach Invitational November 15-18, as Valpo opens the tournament against Western Kentucky, which advanced to the semifinals of the NIT last season.
Valpo will face either West Virginia, which finished last season with an RPI of 24 and advanced to the Sweet 16 of the NCAA Tournament, or Monmouth in its second game in Myrtle Beach, and then will close the tournament against one of Wake Forest, UCF, Saint Joseph’s or Cal State Fullerton.
The Crusaders will also take on West Virginia in a non-bracketed game of the Myrtle Beach Invitational, heading to Morgantown on November 24. This leaves open the possibility that Valpo could face the Mountaineers twice in a nine-day span.
Valpo’s final top-40 opponent from last season comes in its final game before Christmas, as the Crusaders trek down to College Station, Texas to face Texas A&M on December 19. That game will be the first meeting between Valpo and the Aggies in over 30 years.
Valpo will host an exhibition game against Indianapolis to open the season on November 1 at the ARC before starting the regular season five days later against Concordia University Chicago. The trip to Myrtle Beach is followed by a November 21 home game versus SIUE.
Following the team’s trip to West Virginia, a flight to Las Vegas awaits, as Valpo plays at UNLV as part of the Mountain West/Missouri Valley Challenge. The Crusaders then host UC Riverside and High Point in early December.
The nation’s capital is Valpo’s next non-conference stop, as Valpo plays at George Washington in a rematch of the 2016 NIT championship game. Following final exams, Valpo continues its in-state series with Ball State by welcoming the Cardinals to the ARC before its trip to College Station. The non-conference schedule wraps up on December 29, as the Crusaders host Purdue Northwest.
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ICYMI: Semifinal # 2 today at #ArchMadness will feature a contrast of styles as # 5 @UIC_MBB faces # 4 @RacersHoops in the 2:30 game.
It's final: @UNImbb 68 @UEAthletics_MBB 59. The Panthers get @Redbird_MBB on Friday night. Campbell finishes with 23 points. Smith with a double-double. AJ Casey was great with 23 & 10. Panthers with 16 assists.
4:05 left: @UNImbb 57 @UEAthletics_MBB 54. Aces' ball. UNI upside? Campbell with 21 points. Down side - Bond 0/6 from deep. UE upside? Casey with 20 & 9. Down Side? 2/11 from deep in the second half. Anybody's game at #ArchMadness
7:25 left: @UNImbb 55 @UEAthletics_MBB 52. Trey Campbell with 21 points for the Panthers and AJ Casey with 18 for the Aces. Tristan Smith is such a game changer. He has 8 pts & 9 rebounds, but that doesn't tell the story. #ArchMadness
