3 Enjoyable Details About Valpo (That Aren’t Bryce Drew’s Shot)

When I say the phrase “Valpo,” one play instantly involves thoughts for each school basketball fan. You’ve seen it tons of of instances, and it by no means will get outdated.

Valparaiso was a No. 13 seed, trailing No. 4 seed Ole Miss by two factors with 2.5 seconds left within the opening spherical recreation of the 1998 NCAA Tournament. Valpo wanted a full-court prayer to win it, and it was answered by Bryce Drew.

“He did it! Bryce Drew did it! Valpo has won the game! A miracle!”

The Drew identify is synonymous with the Valpo basketball program. Homer Drew led this system to seven NCAA Tournaments in 9 years from 1996-04. His son’s shot propelled Valpo to the Sweet 16, the varsity’s best-ever end within the NCAA Tournament.

Bryce returned to his alma mater to succeed his Dad and went to the Big Dance twice in 4 years earlier than climbing the teaching ladder.

It’s inconceivable to not affiliate this program with the Drew household. But then what? We’re answering these questions with a number of details about Valparaiso earlier than Kentucky hosts the group Friday evening at Rupp Arena.

Valpo is now not the “Crusaders”

The Crusaders are now not crusading. In the summer season of 2021, the varsity introduced a change in its longtime nickname after the moniker was embraced by hate teams. There was numerous murdering within the crusades a thousand years in the past, which made it a debated nickname for some time. Once the KKK started utilizing Crusade symbolism, the varsity determined it was time to drop its masquerading knight.

Now referred to as the Valparaiso Beacons, the name was chosen because it “directly connects to the University’s motto, ‘In Thy Light We See Light,’ and represents the Valparaiso University community in many ways.” We can all admit that it’s a silly nickname, however they did do one factor proper. If you’re going to have a silly nickname, not less than have a cool mascot. They obtained two new ones, a golden retriever named Beacon and a chocolate lab named Blaze.

Not to nitpick, however you couldn’t simply have two dwell canine operating round at video games? Make it occur, STAT.

Valpo is within the Missouri Valley Conference

The Valpo I do know was a pressure within the Mid-Continental Conference, and continued to be a pesky group within the Horizon League. The one within the Missouri Valley Conference simply stinks.

Valpo joined The Valley when the mid-major was hemorrhaged by departures for the Big East. It hasn’t labored out properly for his or her basketball program. Valpo has only one profitable season because it joined The Valley in 2017 and has not sniffed the NCAA Tournament.

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Of Course There’s a Drew Connection

Sorry, there needed to be not less than one Bryce Drew connection when discussing Valpo basketball, however that’s not essentially the most fascinating factor about head coach Roger Powell. Entering his third season in Northern Indiana, Powell beforehand labored as an assistant for Bryce Drew.

If that identify is just not ringing a bell, enable me to jog your reminiscence. Remember Deron Williams, Dee Brown, and Luther Head? Of course you do. That 2005 Illinois group was unimaginable. They began the season 29-0, shedding by one in a heartbreaker within the season finale at Ohio State. It was their solely loss earlier than falling to Sean May and North Carolina 75-70 within the National Championship in St. Louis.

You in all probability solely bear in mind the three stars of that group. Roger Powell was no chump, both. The 6-foot-6 ahead began in all 39 video games for that sensational Illinois group, and averaged 12 factors and 5.7 rebounds per recreation. One of the perfect video games of his profession was really of their closing win of the season. The Valpo head coach had 20 factors in a 15-point win over Louisville within the Final Four.