The Beacons go on the road for the first time in Valley play to take on the Panthers of Northern Iowa. UNI has been a pretty good team this year so far, sitting at 9-3 overall. Their 3 losses have all been by a margin of 5 or less and against teams inside the top 100 of KenPom. UNI has 9 players averaging double-figure minutes in their normal rotation. Two guards anchoring the backcourt are Leon Bond III (6-5 Jr.), averaging 13.4 PPG and 5.8 RPG; he also shoots 45% from 3 in over 32 minutes a game. Trey Campbell (6-4 Sr.) is averaging 13 PPG and 3.6 assists in over 31 minutes of action a game. In the frontcourt, Will Hornseth (6-8 So.) has been solid at 8.8 PPG and 4.1 RPG, along with Tristan Smith (6-6 Sr.) averaging 10.8 PPG and 5.6 RPG. Rounding out the lineup is Ben Schwieger (6-8 Sr.) averaging 7.7 PPG and 3.8 RPG.
A few items that stick out to me about UNI are turnovers—they don’t turn it over on offense but generate a good amount on defense. Their defense is strong; they are top 10 nationally in defensive effective FG% and defensive 3PT%. They rank 32nd nationally in defensive 2PT% as well. UNI has some weaknesses, for example, they are one of the worst teams in the country when it comes to offensive rebounding. UNI also struggles at the free-throw line, shooting just 66.5%, and they don’t get to the line very often. Both UNI and Valpo tend to play at a slower tempo and take similar shot distributions.
Northern Iowa is a good team, and Valpo will look to challenge them on the road and bring back the win.
Watching them the other night against St. Mary's their defense was really good. Gales made like one field goal in the last 5 minutes and still won. Panthers are well coached and play pretty good team defense. Valpo will have to grind this out in the half court as UNI will dictate/control tempo. Foul trouble will be a concern. 65-54 UNI. Valpo will start to hit their stride in mid to late January.
Last night the spread was VU +12.5, this morning its +10.5. Just spread creep or is there something else like somebody out for UNI?
I didnt believe the 12.5, VU is better than people think. I am bias.... BUT I stand by my observations.
UNI had a very similar problem in recent games of not closing out in the final 5 minutes. Should be interesting
BREAKING!!! Valpo can't shoot.
I don't mean from 3. I mean anything. Layup, 15 footer. 3 pointer. Everything.
Yet we are tied in a race horse paced scoring bonanza 22-22 at the half. Sheesh!
Sounds like a Tom Smith special vs. UWGB. When Valpo won 35-33. Damn that was about as exciting as reading Beowulf.
Couldnt get going from beyond the arch.
Sigh…another tough loss. The silver lining is that we’re competitive. Just wish we could finish the end of the games…
3 for 23 from the arc? Something’s wrong here. When something is not working, don’t you move to another scheme? On the other hand, it is clear that to beat Valpo, opponents just have to force/allow/encourage VU into 3pt shots. Easy peasy defensive game plan. And apparently we will accommodate.
The great coaches have six pillars for success: character, recruiting, PR instincts, a personal relationship with players, solid Xs and Os schemes, and in-game management skills.
My season three, MVC game two score card right now is:
Character ✅++
Recruiting ✅+
PR instincts ✅+
Personal relationship with players ✅++
Solid Xs and Os schemes ↘️
In-game management skills ↘️
Gotta get those arrows pointing upward.
VU was supposed to be sharpening its play during the non-conference season so it would be ready for conference play. However, Valpo players not named Dease shot 12-48 (25%) from the floor and 1-18 (5.5%) from the three-point line. Perhaps Coach Powell should quote Foghorn Leghorn and report the rest of the team "is about as sharp as a bowling ball." Hell, I bet they would have scored better rolling balls at a bowling alley.
3 for 23 from the arc? Something’s wrong here. When something is not working, don’t you move to another scheme? On the other hand, it is clear that to beat Valpo, opponents just have to force/allow/encourage VU into 3pt shots. Easy peasy defensive game plan. And apparently we will accommodate.
Exactly this. Valpo has slowed down tempo wise since the start of the year but it hasn’t led to a marked increase in the number (or variety) of sets we are running. Early in the second half, the UNI TV announcers remarked on how often Valpo was trying to pick and roll with Pettigrew and Chaney, and then they did that about a dozen times more after that comment (with Chaney finishing with 2 points). Then when Dease got on fire, most of his shots toward the end of the game were in iso plays or something similar. There is not much offensive flexibility at this point - it is, as you said, a very easy defensive scout when the overall game plan is pick and roll, top of the key handoff, and hot hand iso.
48 pts with a 30 sec shot clock against a mediocre team and without Tom Smith coaching. Powell needs to reassess what went wrong.
@valpopal Still just as much of a scrooge as ever I see....
Perhaps you've forgotten that Scrooge was given greater wisdom when visited by three ghosts displaying to him the past, the present, and the potential future, which allowed him to see even more clearly. They showed him the importance of honest, realistic reflection over blindly following entrenched perspectives cemented in place by embedded emotions, as well as the need to confront one's fanciful fixed stances, a fine lesson for everyone. 😉
