Under the Radar Game of the Day – Friday, February 13, 2015: Green Bay at Valparaiso

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Green Bay at Valparaiso, 7:00 PM Eastern, ESPN2

While the UTR Game of the Day desperately wanted to head back to Newark, NJ tonight as NJIT (the Team of the People!) hosts UAlbany in a huge non-conference game, in the end, the importance of tonight’s first place battle in the Horizon League trumped the Highlanders and we instead are off to Indiana.  Valparaiso enters tonight’s showdown with a 9-2 conference mark, part of a three-way tie with Green Bay and surprising Cleveland State at the top of the league standings.  The Crusaders are an impressive 22-4 overall, though none of those 22 wins have come against anyone that is in any serious at-large bid contention.  The best victory was a neutral court win over OVC leader Murray State.  When you add in somewhat disappointing losses to Oakland and Missouri, Valpo probably cannot even get onto the at-large radar even if they were to win every game from now up to the conference tournament championship game.  That being said, the Crusaders do have a chance to win the Horizon League regular season title, which would get them a bye into the conference tournament semifinals and home court advantage throughout the conference tournament — making their road to an automatic bid that much easier.

In order to win the league title, Valpo is in an almost must-win situation tonight, having already lost at Green Bay back on January 23.  Green Bay enters tonight’s game with a 20-5 overall record and a solid enough resume that they might get a long look from the Selection Committee if they falter during the conference tournament.  The Phoenix have wins at Miami and at home over Georgia State, together with what could be a sweep of a solid Valpo team if they win tonight.  However, with losses to UC-Irvine, Cleveland State and Oakland, the Phoenix have no margin for error, and even winning out may not be enough.  That being said, a win tonight will give them the one game lead and the tiebreaker advantage in the conference over Valpo, and with a home game left against Cleveland State, would put the Phoenix in the driver’s seat for the Horizon League title.