FightOnState.com: Hoop Preview ? Valpo:
“* DeChellis tried like crazy to get out of this tournament (the scheduling commitment was made by previous PSU coach Jerry Dunn) but the ASU folks would not let him off the hook. DeChellis sees holiday tourneys as relics because they force a team to play two games on the road without getting any home games in return.
“* Another reason DeChellis hates this tournament: Forcing the players to travel so close to Christmas. Each Nittany Lion flew from his respective hometown to Phoenix on Christmas day. Despite the travel nightmares facing parts of the nation, all players and coaches arrived when they were supposed to. “