NorthWest Indiana Real Estate Blog

It hasn't happened in years. Valparaiso University Crusaders won in OT yesterday playing the Butler Bulldogs on

their home court at the historic Hinkle Fieldhouse in Indianapolis, IN -> BOX SCORE

This game was a nail biter for sure!

Check out the Highlights Video !

Thanks to modern technology, we watched part of the game in Valpo with an Ap for our Ipad (techinical difficulties with Horizon League Feed for awhile - ironically when Valpo took the lead LOL).

We enjoy cheering on our hometown team and this season is sure off to an exciting start!

Follow the Fans on Twitter with these hashtags->

#GoValpo

#ValpoGameDay

Lot's of NEW this season at Valpo!

New Head Coach Bryce Drew

New Players

New Scoreboards & More

Come to some home games and see for yourself :)

The best way to keep peace in a House Divided (IU/Purdue) is to cheer the local hometown team :) #GoValpo

and it's that time of year again.....

Valparaiso University Crusaders Men's Basketball Team have their season opening home game this Saturday, October 29th 2011 tip off 7:05 pm at the ARC.

This year there's lots of new at VU this year including the scoreboard, players and new head coach Bryce Drew!

We look forward to the Horizon League games and as in the past will bring you some highlights via our Blog.

Our Twitter profile says it best : "We enjoy going to VU Basketball Games"

and what a season this has been so far for our home town team the ->

Valparaiso University Crusaders Mens Basketball Team

are currently in 1st place in the Horizon League!

and now this news:

Dick Vitale is coming to VALPO - It's Awesome Baby!

ESPN has confirmed that legendary college basketball analyst Dick Vitale will be at the ARC next Saturday, February 19 to call the Valpo game vs. Missouri State.  This BRACKET BUSTER GAME is scheduled to begin at 4pm and is being broadcast on ESPN2 nationwide!

You can buy tickets still!

Come on out for a family fun time!

***It should be an exciting March Madness in Indiana this year - see you at the Games:)

GO Valpo!

This Saturday, January 29th at

the Athletics Recreation Center on the

campus of Valparaiso, University in

Northwest Indiana the VU Crusaders

mens basketball team plays against the

Butler University Bulldogs!

Game Time  is 1pm CST and will be

televised as the

Horizon League Game of The Week

on

Comcast SportsNet Chicago

Limited tickets are still available -

Come one, Come all to watch VALPO, who are in 1st place in the Horizon League play their long time

in state rival Butler  3rd place in the Horizon League(last years runner up in the national championship game).

Should be a great game!

For an overview of the STATS click here :)

GO VU !

Saturday evening was Fun!

For those of you who've  followed our Blog for the past few years, you know we are season ticket holders for our  hometown University (VU) Men's basketball ->what better way to keep the peace in a house divided Purdue vs IU Grad marriage :)

The Valparaiso University Crusaders Men's basketball team held their season exhibition opener at the ARC against the Tigers of Olivet Nazarene University.

There is LOTS of NEW at VU this year!

Prior to the game Valpo's shinny NEW basketball court (Jeff says it remainds him of the court at Boston Gardens) named after coach HOMER DREW was dedicated in a wonderful ceremony!

His enitre family was present including his son's Bryce Drew (assistant head coach at VU) and Scott Drew (Head Coach at Baylor University in Texas. Former Valparaiso University Basketball players were in attendance (some from the famous Sweet 16 Team:)

Besides the NEW Basketball court in the ARC, the Crusader Maskot is new at VU this year also....

Along with a few new players we got to see in action for the 1st time at Saturday's game like 7 ft 1 in Center Hrvoje Vucic from Glavice, Croatia (making this free throw below :) and Guard Jay Harris from Aurora, IL who was energetic and fast. Here is the Game's Box Score STAT's

Another FIRST - > One of our favorite Ref's Tommy O'neil was paired with his 2 son's to officiate the game!

It was a great game and our home-team WON :)

Now stay tuned for more blog posts once the Horizon League Season begins->

Hopefully I can convince Jeff to resume his Sports Blog recap of the games :)

Here are a few of his past posts:

http://northwestindianarealestateblog.com/channels/regional_localism/topics/sports

http://activerain.com/blogsview/368018/valparaiso-crusaders-heartbreaking-loss-at-home-to-10-ranked-butler-university-last-night-

Interested in a package deal to see  College basketball Teams that are coming to Play VALPO this year like:

Purdue University Boilermakers

 Bultler Bulldogs,

Ball State Cardinals,

ESPNU Bracket-Buster Games 

-> check out the

CRUSADER Plan - 5 games starting at $40.00!

Local fun on a Budget:)     

It's March. and anything can happen....March Madness they call it :)

Especially if you live in Indiana and are a college basketball fan!

We've blogged about  the fun attending local area basketball events in the winter season each year - family fun for all ages!

Our hometown of VALPO is know for a famous shot during march madness that got them to the sweet 16 once!

"The Shot" is seen each year on CBS during "March Madness" and is considered one of the top moments in NCAA history.

XXXX

Come out and see the game tomorrow - buy tickets online here or at the door!

What a Game on New Years Eve - Valparaiso University Crusaders Win in Final Seconds 55-54

over University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee Panthers !

Ok, so the scoreboard photo is blurry (hey, this game was a nail-biter :) but it shows that with 3.8 seconds, Valparaiso University Crusaders trailed by 1 &  Milwaukee Panthers coach took a time out to set up a play to inbound the ball which is stolen away (intercepted) by Valpo Senior Brandon McPherson who takes it to the basket himself for the W !

Click link below to watch video recap of this exciting games top moments including the loud ending->

Highlights & final awesome play from the Horizon Network TV

or read a written recap of the game from VU's website->

12/31/2009 - Men's Basketball
McPherson Steal and Layup Gives Valpo One-Point Win in Final Second Over Milwaukee

My voice is still horse from last night :) but it was a great way to bring in the new year for our home-town team!

Next Home game at the ARC Saturday, January 2nd, tip-off 7:05 pm

Valparaiso University Crusaders Vs. GreenBay Phoenix

Once a relocating client asked us what there was to do once the weather got cold in Indiana?  We both answered simultaneously with a grim - BASKETBALL - college basketball that is :)

Here is a pictorial recap of just the past few weeks FUN.

#1 Notre Dame Vs. Central Florida(ok, so we also wanted to see Marcus Jordan play and to witness 1st hand the shoe choice he made :) but, his famous fatherMJ sat incognito somewhere in the Joyce Center/Purcell pavillion, so we didn't get a glimpse of him :( 

Although the  game was tied 41-41 at half-time,The Local Favorite Notre Dame played a strong half to win 90-72! 

 It is no secret we are a HOUSE Divided (Jeff went to IU and the girls Purdue)...so we took our youngest out to dinner in West Lafayette, IN(she's a senior:) and experienced Mackey Arena LOUDNESS for the 1st time as # 4 ranked Purdue coach Matt Painter was classy enough to pull out all the starters with over 5 minutes left to play in the game.

The Northwest Indiana Locals-> Robbie Hummel (Valparaiso, IN) and E'twaun Morre (East Chicago, IN) were something to watch and Jeff's prediction is that this team will play in the final 4 ( which is in Indy :)

# 3 Valparaiso University Crusadersvs. Toledo  @ the ARC

We enjoy our Home Town Team Games and seeing past, present and future clients we serve in the community in which we live! VU games are fun for everyone and there is always an interesting half time show!  

After the first 20 minutes of the V.U. Crusaders vs IU South Bend Titans game, I sat wondering how was it even remotely possible that the Crusaders came within 11 points of 6th Ranked North Carolina only a few days earlier? They were missing shots, they were sluggish, they were out rebounded, outplayed, & out scored in every area of the game. (Let's give some credit to the Titans).

In my previous years of watching Valpo play, they had times as a slow starting 2nd half team. After a 10-4 spurt,  the Crusaders were down 43-34 and I was thinking  "uh-oh". During a time out, I turned to the friends behind me and my wife and said "McPherson is a 5th Year Senior, he needs to step up & take control of this game and team with leadership" .....and he did!!!

Valpo went on a 21-0 run!  It all started with Howard Little and Eric Buggs defense to start the 2nd half ! This combined with one of the most impressive 3 point shooting bonanza I have ever seen by Brandon McPherson. Having season tickets in the front row, it was an absolute treat to see him right in front of me knocking down 3pointers... 4 in a row! It was as though the basket was 10ft wide:) Whatever he threw-up, WENT IN! Brandon ended the game with a career high of 25pts.

Valpo won the game final score = 78-56.

This is a young team and there are 2 players that, in my opinion, will need to step it up and be the Leaders - McPherson and Little. Both these guys are very solid players and with their leadership and hard play as examples, Valpo may just have a pretty good year !

Editorial By Jeff Safrin

 If you follow our Blog, you know we are Local Fans of Valpo Crusader's Basketball.

This week the 1st regular season home game is on Thursday, November 19th at the ARC - tip off  7:05 pm.

With alot of new team members on the Roster, this should be an interesting year! 

It's already off to an exciting start as the Valparaiso University Crusaders men's Basketball Team came within 11 points of the ranked  #6 University of North Carolina@ Chapel Hill Tar -Heels  team yesterday in a pre-season game!!!

so....

Come out and Be BOLD - wear GOLD - support your local college basketball team and bring your family and friends!

Tickets  start @ just $7.00 and children under 2 are free.

     The Valparaiso Crusaders may have played their best game of the year tonight as they beat a very good and high RPI Rated Team the University of Akron Zips 74-66.

What an awesome ESPN Bracket Buster Game to Be at...The Crusaders had 6 (yes 6!) players in double figures that shot over 50% from the field,  33% from beyond the Arc, and 65% from the charity strip!

Although, it looked pretty bleak, when with less then 3 minutes to go in the game Coach Homer  Drew received his 1st Technical of the Season from arguing a call, and getting a lil far outside the coaching box and on the floor:) Albeit, the call leading to his technical was absolutely Pathetic (which actually describes the Officiating Crew for this game)!             

     Tonight, Coach Drew started his 2 big men, Freshman Cameron Witt and Senior Urule Igbavoda, and this combination just may be what should have been used the entire year!! Witt showed potential as he is a physical player (out of control at times), but he played well.  Contributing to the W,  Michael Rogers had his fifth double figure night! Jake Diebler played well, and of course Howard Little continued to be the glue for this team, he started out slow but finished the game extremely strong.

The Crusaders have consistently improved over the year and it has been a trying one!  With next years class coming in and a 7 foot center transfer from UNLV, I am already looking forward to next year.

First things first, as the Valpo Crusaders prepare for the final 2 home games - This Thursday night 7:30 pm on  2/26/09 against a very strong big and athletic Cleveland State and then Saturday Night 2/28/09 7:05 pm (Senior Nite) against Youngstown State. Then it is on to the Horizon League Tourney.

editorial by Jeff Safrin

Ticket Price Special - $5  (only FIVE Dollars;)- come out and support your local community TEAM the VU Crusaders this upcoming Thursday 2/26/09 or Saturday 2/28/09  nite - tickets only $5 for more INFO :

Phone (for information or to order):
(219) 464-5233 or (877) MY-VU-TIX

____________________________________________________________________

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" Spouses Selling Houses" TM

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