Under the Radar Game of the Day – Tuesday, February 15: Valparaiso at Cleveland State

Under the Radar Game of the Day: Valparaiso at Cleveland State, 7:00 PM Eastern, espn3

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The Under the Radar Game of the Day heads to Cleveland, Ohio tonight as Bryce Drew brings his Horizon Leagues leaders from Valparaiso in to take on Gary Waters’ Cleveland State Vikings.  Valpo is a team that we have been following all season and discussing how they have a serious chance of making the field as an at-large team if they slip up in their conference tournament.  Unfortunately for the Crusaders, that may no longer be the case as they suffered their fourth bad loss of the season this past week, falling at home to Wright State.  Coupled with a loss at Wright State, a loss at Belmont and a loss at Ball State, and only a win at Oregon State to really try to offset those defeats, the Crusaders have now likely placed themselves in a position where the automatic bid is their only way into the Big Dance.  They enter play tonight with a 2 game lead in the loss column over Oakland in the Horizon League, meaning they are in solid shape for the top seed in the conference tournament and the double bye into the semifinals that comes with it.  They stand at 11-2, 21-5 overall, but their RPI has fallen to 67.

Cleveland State enters play tonight with a record of 8-18 overall and 3-10 in conference play.  Their RPI sits at 256 and their only win of any note came back in December when the knocked off Belmont at home by two points.  The Vikings broke out of a five game losing streak this past weekend with a 64-59 win at Youngstown State.  They are led by Demonte Flanigan.  Flanigan has been a breakout star for this team this year after seeing minimal action during his first two seasons in Cleveland.  He dropped a career-best 30 points against Youngstown, and has now scored in double figures each of his last 6 games.  If he can put up another effort like that tonight, especially against Valpo’s defense which ranks among the best in the entire nation, the Vikings could pulls off the upset and end even the slightest hopes of an at-large bid for the Crusaders.