Valpo vs Ashland Sat Oct 30th 6pm

[VU2014]

Embarrassing....

[vok22]

I have learned my lesson on overreacting, both positively and negatively, about my favorite sports teams. Not really worried. More concerned about Krikke's status.

[nkvu]

B(e)acon got burned.  If they don't find some defense the next game will be worse.

[VU2014]

I have learned my lesson on overreacting, both positively and negatively, about my favorite sports teams. Not really worried. More concerned about Krikke's status.

Shouldn't panic, but embarrassing regardless.

Not a good look for energizing the fanbase and students.

[vok22]

I have learned my lesson on overreacting, both positively and negatively, about my favorite sports teams. Not really worried. More concerned about Krikke's status.

Shouldn't panic, but embarrassing regardless.

Not a good look for energizing the fanbase and students.

Yea that's another thing that sucks...but most less than casual Valpo fans/ valpo residents won't ever know we played this game yet alone lost...winning in the regular season is what they will hear about and what will make them come out for games.

[IndyEIT777]

I'll be the first to acknowledge I drank the kool-aid on this team. Lottich just will not emphasize any defense and all these teams that can shoot are going to kill us.

Not only that, we took far worse shots all night. I'm glad Sheldon showed he can be an all-conference type player if he limits his bad shot selection, but there is really nothing else positive I'm taking away from this one.

I hope these big ten transfers don't turn out the same way our last power conference transfers have. Although Kithier played ok tonight.

If I'm MLB, Lottich is firmly on the hot seat after this showing. Probably a lot of overreacting here so I apologize, but you cannot come out and play like that, especially against a non-D1.

[valpotx]

You definitely need to bring your A-game, even in exhibition.  Ashland is RV in the D-2 Top 25, whereas Flagler is #2.  Both of these teams are filled with folks that feel overlooked by D-1, and will try their best to prove that they can play at that level.

[Chairback]

The is was the same crap offense and defense of years past but with much better players.  That was the quote from my wife at halftime.

Ashland had a plan, we did not.   We ran very few plays.  Shame on Matt.  It was bad. 

Remember last year when UIC (and other teams) would just dribble slowly into the lane, spread the court and score.  This happened again frequently.  Also, a lot of ashlands 3s were wide open looks.  No pressure.

We also looked winded and out of shape.

This group looked like a bunch of really good and talented players who never played together.  That was obvious and is a reality.

JFL was at the game. Him and Lottich waved at each other after the game.

Also, Big Joe is soft.   

[oklahomamick]

Anyone want to change over/under predictions? 

[Just Sayin]

Anyone want to change over/under predictions?

Over rated. Under the weather.

[wh]

After reading through the thread, there's not much to add about how the game played out. It was what it was. That said, I'm no less optimistic about this team now than I was before the game started.
•There is unquestionably more talent on this team than we've had since since we joined the Valley.
• Sheldon is a beast. It's hard to believe he's only beginning his sophomore year.
• This game was not embarrassing, unless you care what people outside of this close knit brotherhood think. It was a tough learning experience, but that's ok. Our record is still 0-0.

[valpotx]

These types of losses used to be more embarrassing 5-10+ years ago.  It is not as rare for a good D-2 to beat a D-1 at the beginning of the season, as it used to be. 

Why would JFL be at our game?  All of the former teammates are gone, except for Eron & Ben?

Are Young, Palesse, and Barrett hurt? 

[VU75]

3 1/2 minutes left in the game before Valpo committed their first 2nd half foul and only 7 fouls in the first 39 minutes of the game.

[bb33]

That team shot lights out!  Every thing went in. My frustration was we didn't make any big adjustments. Try something new. Our defense definitely needs work. Bens early injury didn't help.  And I'm not sure what we were doing on offense.

Shelton had some poor shot selections, but when they go in, what can you say?? He will figure it out.

There is a lot of upward potential for this team. They played against a team who I heard was 23-24yos.  Old seniors, Experienced AND played together.  Valpo had their first taste of playing together and uncover their flaws. Now we need to fix them.

When Kobe comes, that will be interesting.  He's a beast.

Not sure i can make it Thursday so detailed updates would be greatly appreciated by  this Valpo fan.

[wh]

These types of losses used to be more embarrassing 5-10+ years ago.  It is not as rare for a good D-2 to beat a D-1 at the beginning of the season, as it used to be. 

Why would JFL be at our game?  All of the former teammates are gone, except for Eron & Ben?

Are Young, Palesse, and Barrett hurt?

If I had to venture a guess, Keyondre and Cam are redshirting. They participated in warm-ups and looked ready to go. Not sure about Connor, although it's possible he could be redshirting, as well.

[Chairback]

Trey looked like a fish out of water when he was in the game.  Certainly around much older players he just looks really small. 

However Preston, even though he missed a key 3, hustled and played better defense than Trevor Anderson.  I was impressed on how hard he was playing. He seemed to give us a spark when he got in.  There was a play where an Ashland player was trash talking with Preston while we were on offense. It was heated and The refs didn't see it. Next play down on defense Preston gave the Ashland player a hard straight up elbow a stared at him. He was not backing down. 

[justducky]

Could anybody speak individually about Taylor and our other exterior defenders? If Ashland got good outside looks what was the breakdown and where are the proper adjustments?

[crusader05]

I can't speak to specific details but to my eye it looked like we were working hard at being near our men but weren't really trying for the ball. So the Ashland team would have longer possessions but no real forced turnovers which meant more opportunities to get someone open. They definitely hit their fair share of threes with hands in their faces though. Not making excuses but their shooting that night was above average.

As far as our new guys: If Taylor has the shot I feel good about him taking it. He's also got muscle and willingness to bang around which is good.Anderson is also not afraid to drive but he is smaller and got beat a couple times. Hedstrom needs work.  Kithier is good. Once him and Krike really get a feel or him and Sheldon get a feel it's gonna be a good dynamic. He's got good awareness under the basket and is solid. We definitely lost a lot when we lost Krikke so I hope he returns soon.

Trey looked little and Devario looked nervous. He rushed a bit and the other guys were often telling him where to go but that's to be expected.  Our Defense definitely needs to up the ante with more aggression. Especially because in the first half you could see that if we were a bit more physical with them at least to the extent we were on offense it might have caused more turn overs. We need more offensive rebounds as well.

Barrett hurt himself in practice last week so my guess is he was held out as a precaution.

Positives I saw: Outside of a few minutes where there were some desperation 3s our guys kept their head better. They didn't make a ton of mistakes the first half, but the second half they started playing scared and it showed. I really think that if Ashland shoot a little more down to earth or the Beacon's defense had forced a few turnovers in the first it would have been a different game. I felt the first half we were always a step away from breaking it open but you needed a miss on the other side and they didn't have many (neither did we but they shot way more 3s, I think at one point 30 of their 50 points were from 3). While there was some standing around a bit it didn't look nearly as bad as last year and they all seem to have a higher comfort level driving and passing in the lane. It led to some turn overs but at least they looked like they were trying to make things happen vs waiting for something to happen. They looked like someone said above, like a team with good talent but not yet used to playing together.

[valpopal]

I watched the postgame press conference, and I again noticed something about Matt's delivery I have spoken to in previous years. His speech pattern and body language seemed to signal he was flustered and lacking equanimity, as has also happened in past press conferences, which does not automatically instill a lot of confidence. I know it is just a matter of personal style and some may say it is superficial, the way Bryce had the nervous tic of saying "um" in every other sentence; however, a more steady delivery would demonstrate control and confidence moving forward. He reminded me of a student who received a bad grade on an exam for which he hadn't fully prepared, now nervously and hurriedly trying to offer explanations during an office meeting with the teacher. On the other hand, I liked the demeanor of the three athletes sitting beside him. They presented themselves well, as all appeared calm and composed, displaying they may have some confidence moving forward. 

[Just Sayin]

Talk about deflating all of the high expectations most of us had about this team. Ok, we bombed big time. And Matt scheduled good Div.2 teams for a reason. To get them ready. So now it's time for Matt to do what he planned to do by scheduling good Div2 competition. Work your magic. Show us you are a good coach. Learn from your mistakes and make progess every game. You seem to be a good recruiter and someone that the players want to play for. You know what to say to get them to come here. That's good. And you have convinced everyone around you that you are a great coach - the adminstration, AD, those close to the progam and media, and many fans give you their full support. But when it comes to implementing the great basketball ideas you possess, you seem, at least from the years you have been at Valpo, to fall short. Somehow you don't seem to put everything together during gametime. You often do not make needed adjustments on the fly during games and while you are dead-on in articulating the weaknesses of the team, you don't seem able to fix them come game time. I hope your actions can meet your words but I still remain very skeptical. Prove me wrong big guy. Make me eat crow. I'm ready to buy some tickets, or not.

[FWalum]

Not upset at all that this happened, as a mater of fact I am kind of glad that it did. I liked Sheldon's interview with Father Harry, but got the impression that Sheldon really was over confident. This weeks practice will be much more intense after a bunch of talented individuals got schooled by a "team". In my opinion they got what they needed before the regular season gets started.

[wh]

The truth is Ashland shot out of their minds. There's just no other way to say it. They hit 61% from 2. And, 62% from 3, which is equivalent in points to shooting 93% from 2. They hit open shots, closely guarded shots, inside shots, outside shots. I'm sure everyone in attendance thought they would come back down to earth, but they never did.

[Just Sayin]

The truth is Ashland shot out of their minds. There's just no other way to say it. They hit 61% from 2. And, 62% from 3, which is equivalent in points to shooting 93% from 2. They hit open shots, closely guarded shots, inside shots, outside shots. I'm sure everyone in attendance thought they would come back down to earth, but they never did.

True, but we sometimes in the past have had similar "wow" shooting nights especially when playing an inferior opponent (team).

[Just Sayin]

Last year Ashland was ranked 8th (last) in the Midwest Region of Div 2 teams and overall (all teams) in the NABC Coaches Poll received 7 points for but did not make the top 25.

Last year Flagler was ranked 1st in the South Region of Div 2 teams and overall 2nd in the coaches poll for the top 25 of all 64 Div 2 teams.

Not sure whether Flagler has the same team coming back this year.

[VUSWIM08-12]

Flagler is better than Ashland, at least they were last year. If we can beat them then I know Matt has learned. If not I won't panic but you've got to get these guys to mesh as a TEAM! Kithier is good , get Anderson a few more open shots , Hedstrom needs to sac up, freshman have to adjust to the game. King will help tremendously when he is available.  I wasn't at the game , did we close out on Ashland or did they just make tough shots ? Some of both ?