I did not like the play we ran on our last possession. I figured we would have at least ran a set and taken a shot at the buzzer. Great game though, we are getting better. Our guard rotations are strange. Thomas and Sader are now getting some minutes. Mark brown jr gets minutes every other game. Sader does play good defense and is fast, but curious why the odd rotations.
As much as I love Shon, we’re playing with four v. 5 on offense. Much promise and probably our best team in several years. Keep moving!
I thought our defense looked best with tornado out there tonight. Shon got eaten alive
The 3s werent what cost the game. The game came down to the missed open court by dease.....
I don’t know what you mean by that statement. At the end of the game when you’re down three and on three straight possessions, you shoot early in the shot clock and miss long threes, that’s poor shot selection at a crucial point in the game.
This is the most entertaining Valpo basketball team in the last decade. I don’t feel the hopelessness we’ve had in prior years.
That being said, I wish we could close out those close games. But this team is adjusting and getting better.
Belmonts bigs were more skilled/athletic than Shon. He lacks the lateral quickness. The guy for Illinois state was more stationary. Game was lost on defense and shot selection. Paint points. Dease to many heat checks down stretch, good as a turnover. Could have had a better shot than a fade away by Chaney. Bruins are a little bit more talented team. Lastly…..the color guy on the ESPN broadcast was pretty good, was neutral, complementary of Valpo and did a good job of describing Dease game and valpos actions. Much less homers than the Murray announcers
This was a tough game to drop. Valpo had a great chance to steal a road win, but the opportunity slipped away. Belmont ultimately survived this one, and the game came down to just one or two key possessions. Looking back, a few missed chances stand out: the missed Dease breakaway layup, and a crucial late-game stretch where Valpo’s shot selection faltered on three straight possessions without generating a quality look.
Interior defense was a struggle throughout. Belmont’s quick, athletic bigs were effective inside, and despite Shon’s strong rim protection this season, the Bruins consistently executed in the post. Free throws were another major factor—Valpo shot just 53% (8–15) while attempting nine more free throws than Belmont. In a four‑point loss, those misses loomed large. In a tight 1–2 possession game on the road, Valpo had several chances to take control, but it just wasn’t in the cards tonight.
There were positives, though. Valpo dominated the offensive glass, grabbing 14 to Belmont’s 5, and finished +5 in total rebounds. They also avoided unnecessary fouls down the stretch and managed to get more shot attempts than the Bruins.
A few personnel notes: Tucker stepped into the primary frontcourt backup role with 13 minutes compared to Hopoi’s 3, likely due to Belmont’s matchup. Despite dealing with a nagging injury, Tucker played solidly and added 5 points—the most from the bench unit, which otherwise provided limited impact. Barnes was again limited to just one minute, raising questions about whether he’s dealing with an injury or simply falling out of the rotation. Justice, typically the team’s X‑factor, had a tough outing as well.
Regardless, this team is clearly competing with the top of the Valley, and there’s a lot to feel encouraged about. It genuinely feels like Valpo is close to turning the corner toward a winning season.
Up next is UNI, who dropped a tough one to UIC last night. Saturday has all the makings of a war, with both teams hungry to get back in the win column. We need all hands on deck in our building to support this group and send a message to UNI.
One final note: for as good as Belmont is, their fan turnout was surprisingly low. Their arena looked sparse for a top MVC program. It’s a reminder that attendance challenges aren’t unique to Valpo—it’s something several schools across the Valley are dealing with.
There were positives, though. Valpo dominated the offensive glass, grabbing 14 to Belmont’s 5, and finished +5 in total rebounds. They also avoided unnecessary fouls down the stretch and managed to get more shot attempts than the Bruins.
For perhaps the first time all season, those 2nd chances off the offensive glass turned into a point advantage. It's been maddening all season to see either an offensive rebound or turnover turn into nothing.
Still have to figure out a way to win.
@burnee77 100% the announcers for Murray game were the exact opposite.. expect some hometown love but yeah.. props to Belmont announcers.
