Game #31 - Saturday Feb 24 2pm Knapp Center @ Drake on ESPN3 - Reg Season Finale

[nkvu]

Two ways to go this year regarding the refs. One way is to low key it and let refs know you're not going to show them up thereby hopefully creating good will down the road. Second way is to let refs know right away that you are going to call them out if they aren't calling the game equitably even if it costs you a couple of Ts in a season where your team is going nowhere anyway. Seems coach is going the first way. We'll see how that works out next year.

[VU2014]

Has anyone heard anything about Marty Linssen? He's missed the last few games with a mysterious "upper body injury" but the ESPN broadcast at the Loyola game said it was a back injury. He didn't join the team for the Drake trip. We're seeing a lot of kids announcing their intention to transfer today now that seasons are coming to an end. Makes you wonder. I always liked how hard he hustled when he got playing time this season. Hopefully the game slows down for him by next season and he can take the next developmental step.

[FieldGoodie05]

Or, it was the typical 'guy runs to other end of court to avoid confrontation with officials after what he perceives to be a bad call'.

Yet he was definitely making his point at the bench with his hands and mouth. I know he was frustrated but at some point a coach or asst coach must get in the officials face to back his players when calls like that are made. MVC officials or rather the officials from the Big 12 consortium have learned over this season that Valpo's coach (and asst coaches) just don't follow through and it's easier to make calls against Valpo. Proof is in the pudding. Bryce had some of the same problems until he got called for a tech about once a season. It's just the way the "game" is played in today's NCAA.

It's human nature to avoid conflict where necessary.  By giving the ref an earful they presumably shy away from calls later in games.  Or at the very least even things out.  Coach doesn't have a whole lot of call to get thrown out of games with his 6-12 team, though.  I'm not convinced we win 3+ more games because coach gets a tech.  Not with this youth laddened team.

Unlike soccer where there is a captains arm band to denote a player able to converse with the ref, the b-ball HC is solely reasponsible for registering concern.  If not Lottich then we aren't leveraging our position and I can understand the fan being discontent.

I still contend the MVC games are being called better by the refs.  Ghost calls are going to happen, I'm most pleased with the physical play that they let happen.  It always seemed like the HL was a touch foul league, and that irked me greatly since we always had strong defense where some contact is necessary.

Note: UNI game aside, those guys know how to fake draw fouls!!!

[bbtds]

Or, it was the typical 'guy runs to other end of court to avoid confrontation with officials after what he perceives to be a bad call'.

Yet he was definitely making his point at the bench with his hands and mouth. I know he was frustrated but at some point a coach or asst coach must get in the officials face to back his players when calls like that are made. MVC officials or rather the officials from the Big 12 consortium have learned over this season that Valpo's coach (and asst coaches) just don't follow through and it's easier to make calls against Valpo. Proof is in the pudding. Bryce had some of the same problems until he got called for a tech about once a season. It's just the way the "game" is played in today's NCAA.

It's human nature to avoid conflict where necessary.  By giving the ref an earful they presumably shy away from calls later in games.  Or at the very least even things out.  Coach doesn't have a whole lot of call to get thrown out of games with his 6-12 team, though.  I'm not convinced we win 3+ more games because coach gets a tech.  Not with this youth laddened team.

Unlike soccer where there is a captains arm band to denote a player able to converse with the ref, the b-ball HC is solely reasponsible for registering concern.  If not Lottich then we aren't leveraging our position and I can understand the fan being discontent.

I still contend the MVC games are being called better by the refs.  Ghost calls are going to happen, I'm most pleased with the physical play that they let happen.  It always seemed like the HL was a touch foul league, and that irked me greatly since we always had strong defense where some contact is necessary.

Note: UNI game aside, those guys know how to fake draw fouls!!!

The FTs awarded to Valpo's opposition compared to the FTs awarded to Valpo was really unconscionable. Some have lulled themselves into believing that this Valpo team was so much slower and poor in defensive quality that they should have received 1/2 of the FTs that their opposition did. Yesterday Drake wasn't called for their third foul until the second half. FT disparity was 22 to 11 in favor of Drake. The non call when Sorolla was fouled and the ball given to Drake on the video review and the Drake announcers called it almost cost Valpo the game. Thank God Tevonn, Bakari and Max decided it was time to take back the game and hit their FTs. The referee management is a real thing and Valpo coaches need to figure out how this works. Golder and Evelyn's frustration at the end of meaningful games was extremely evident and I think it was mostly with the refs but also with their own coaches.

It's time for Valpo to wake up and really see what is happening on the court. Our team was not 2 to 1 poorer in fouls committed. How bad do you have to be to be considered 2 to 1 poorer in fouling?

I believe because winning is contagious I think there were at least 5 close games Valpo could have won that they lost that might have moved us up to 5th or 6th place. Yes, we played some horrible games this year but I think everyone could see that the 8-0 start didn't translate into a 6 - 12 conference season. Other than P5 lower level teams that only schedule mostly mid-majors & low-majors at home in the OOC this doesn't happen.

Valpo was most certainly hosed by the conference refs this season.

Hopefully this will be talked about at Arch Madness before it continues to happen.