NCAA Tournament March Madness

#158 Valparaiso

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Projection: need to automatically qualify

Valparaiso’s résumé is defined by a handful of encouraging wins and a string of damaging defeats, so the cleanest path to the big dance runs through the conference title. They can point to a true road victory at Cleveland State and a strong home showing against Western Michigan plus a competitive trip to Marquette as evidence they can win away from home, but that is undermined by a brutal road blowout at Kentucky and a home loss to Southern Indiana that will read as harmful to their profile. League play has produced some quality results against northwest conference rivals and a couple of close losses at Belmont and on the road, yet inconsistent road form and multiple defeats at league road venues keep their résumé thin. The remaining games at home against Bradley and on the road at Illinois Chicago along with matchups against Drake and Evansville are the last clear chances to add a résumé-changing victory, so absent a signature win the surest way for Valparaiso to punch a ticket is to take the automatic bid.

Date Opponent Ranking Outcome
11/4E Illinois321W66-63
11/7@Kentucky27L107-59
11/12Nicholls St256W68-63
11/16Bryant355W68-50
11/19@Cleveland St306W90-75
11/26Southern Indiana342L64-56
11/29W Michigan279W84-55
12/2@Marquette103L75-72
12/13UNC Wilmington106L73-70
12/16@Northwestern69L86-70
12/21Murray St111L85-79
12/29@Northern Iowa87L58-48
1/1@S Illinois121L75-70
1/4IL Chicago113W66-59
1/7Illinois St100W77-71
1/10@Murray St111L92-79
1/13@Belmont57L78-74
1/17Northern Iowa87W54-44
1/21S Illinois121W69-63
1/28Belmont57L78-77
1/31@Indiana St210W76-72
2/3@Bradley131L72-65
2/6Evansville297W70-63
2/9@Drake209W81-76
2/12@Illinois St100L86-64
2/15Indiana St210W76-75
2/18Bradley13154%
2/21@IL Chicago11328%
2/25Drake20969%
2/28@Evansville29768%