Messages

2nd was, uh, not so good

You blew it!

70-42 L; Scoreless in 10:27 stretch bridging halves (8 misses, 8 turnovers), allowing 15 unanswered in the process

We're up by two points at halftime in Green Bay

That arrangement, with Adam coming in on short notice, worked out well. Most of Digger's comments, especially earlier, tagged Bob at the end. Seems like they encouraged the back-and-forth w/ Digger and Bob with Adam coming in to call the plays and help set up the discussion. Three-man crews can be tough in any sport, but there are a few in baseball because the pace matches that team well. The way it went at Notre Dame for that basketball game was about as efficient and entertaining as three-man can probably get.

[Adam is a true pro]

Adam is a true pro with nothing but national exposure ahead.  Heck, I was impressed with his coverage of Valpo Volleyball!!

And if you can do volleyball well, it can make other sports seem easier.

Watched/listened to the game myself. Loved at the end when he said how great it was to work w/ them and Digger said it was pleasure to work w/ him. That had to be a fantastic experience. Nothing but the best for Adam!

Anyone remember that 80-28 win over Youngstown State four years ago? That's what last night felt like. Amazing effort and execution. We kept Detroit without a field goal for a 17-minute stretch between halves.

Between that and the men pulling out a tough win at Youngstown State, yesterday was a great day to be a Crusader.

69-51 L at UIC. Still winless in league play and now eight consecutive defeats overall.

9+ minutes without a bucket to close the game. Until a made free throw from Charae in the closing seconds, we were in line to finish the game with nearly eight scoreless minutes while the Flames scored 19 straight. Led for most of the first half, did a good job defensively w/ UIC mostly going for 3's and deep 2's. Flames were much better getting inside and grabbing rebounds and loose balls during the second half.

Also fwiw, mlb in attendance with the short trip to the UIC Pavilion. Always liked the trip myself, especially if you could bring back a W

Earlier today, the NCAA's Leadership Council decided not to adopt a proposal that would require all transfers to sit out for one season after changing schools. Although no change was approved, that proposal, and recommendations specifically for undergraduate and graduate transfers, are still under consideration.

http://www.usatoday.com/story/sports/college/2014/01/16/ncaa-convention-college-athlete-transfer-rule/4524209/

Anyone with an opinion? My preference is simply for consistency with how transfers get or don't get waivers. Midseason transfers seem to be the most confusing for me when players come out with different eligibility in seemingly similar cases.

The body's been in the ground for two years now...when does Keith stop taking the blame for this mess? 

Assistant coach at Wright State is far from six feet under, especially with its fine start to this season.

Our current coach can essentially claim the FR this year, as well as Karungi and transfers.  How can we hold her accountable for working with our subpar upperclassmen, if she didn't recruit them?

It makes sense not to hold a coach personally accountable for certain issues with players they inherited from a previous coach or program. At the same time, whether it's a new(er) coach with a different team, a program affected by injuries or sanctions, or whatever similar scenario you want, it's up to any coach and the rest of its staff to play with the team that's available and try to put it in the best situation to succeed. As I see it, this does not seem like just a coaching thing, not just a recruiting thing, or not just a playing thing, but as a whole, we have been struggling to provide a consistent, balanced, and successful team. I don't know the right mixture or the right answer that will turn this program around, but with a second-year staff and a young team, the rebuilding and "re-branding" process (it's Valpo, couldn't help myself) is still in the early stages and will take some work to produce better results. I wish them all the best as the season continues and hope we have more fun notes to discuss in the next couple months.

That sounds fair. We still have a pretty new team based on younger players and transfers, and she deserves some time to really have her own group and build them up. If I understand our current roster and NLIs, we could have 15 players next year with all eligible players returning and our newcomers, which can hopefully help us worked towards real depth at forward.

Gerardot would've been great to have around for another year. Can play the 4, 5 positions, great enthusiasm and leadership qualities. Going a little further back, Ladd would've been great between her playing ability and our lack of true inside depth, too. Those are two players who can shoot the three but are more than good enough inside to back someone down, battle for the ball off the glass, and came ready to make significant contributions since their respective freshman seasons.

Anyone watch enough of last night's game to see what we were doing defensively? I had it up in the background and saw us play some 2-3, which you really have to play well when your opponent is content to shoot and knock down the three.

A friend on facebook mentioned that today was the anniversary of rlh's death and I wanted to bump this thread.

It was nice to read through some of the old posts and bring back some memories of rlh. I also found an old Torch article I wrote about him and the recent death of Gene Bartow from 2012.

"They (Gene and Dick) were very enthusiastic, very avid sports fans," said former head coach and current Associate Athletic Director Homer Drew. "Gene was a gentleman of the game. Dick had a great knack for sports. He was a walking encyclopedia."

"Dick was really an avid supporter of Valpo athletics and a great promoter of women's basketball," said Crusader women's basketball head coach Keith Freeman.

"Valparaiso University athletics and the women's basketball program has lost a family member," Freeman said in his pre-game speech.

"When you think of Dick, the three things you think are Valpo U., Valpo High, and Purdue," said Associate Director of Athletics for Media Relations Ryan Wronkowicz. "If he was not working at games, he was there as a fan."

Meanwhile at the Hall of Doom at Cincinnati, Ohio, former Crusader Tabitha Gerardot and the Indiana Hoosiers improved to a program-best start of 13-0 by defeating Xavier 62-55. Gerardot led IU in the game with 19 points and is leading for the season in rebounding (6.8 RPG, 44/44 offensive/defensive split).

Also found this feature on Gerardot recently - http://www.news-sentinel.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20131225/SPORTS/131229925/1002 Knew she was a double language major at VU, but she can speak five languages!

Then a quick turnaround to play 7-6 South Dakota on New Year's Eve. The "KI-yoats" will be tough to handle defensively

"Behind the Scenes" blog post http://www.nwitimes.com/blogs/sports/valparaiso-university/the-making-of-miracle-on-union-street/article_f535b772-67a9-11e3-a006-0019bb2963f4.html

Have at it...

Looking back at Miracle on Union Street -- http://www.nwitimes.com/sports/college/valparaiso-university/lutheran-miracle-looking-back-on-the-miracle-on-union-street/article_f2f2923a-155b-5dfa-9891-ae37b8df8984.html

Miracle on Union Street: An Oral History -- http://www.nwitimes.com/sports/college/valparaiso-university/lutheran-miracle-miracle-on-union-street-an-oral-history/article_03543443-784f-5cb2-ba7f-e1505e976927.html

Video featuring highlights and interviews with Homer Drew, Mike Jones and Scott Anselm -- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=swE_g590c2M&feature=youtu.be

Will be "live tweeting" the game on Tuesday night, the 25th anniversary of the game. @NWIOren; #VUND25

This>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>

I believe highlights of the game used to be on Youtube, including the end of the game. But I guess the video was pulled off the internet. Someone should re-post it.

Fully agree. That's why I'm looking forward to the video feature along with the other events just to see what they have.

Also, some clips from that game were a part of our halftime highlights in the 2011-12 season 2012 Valpo Men's Basketball Halftime Highlights

We also beat Notre Dame in 1993 on the road. In addition, our 1995 game at Purdue was originally a loss but later awarded to Valpo as a forfeit. Luther Clay, a freshman reserve who averaged 7.6 minutes per game and appeared in the contest, received a $4,000 bank prior to the season that was reportedly set up by a Purdue assistant and was never repaid under his impression that it never needed to be.

Tuesday marks the 25th anniversary of the "Lutheran Miracle" (for anyone that might not know, it's Valpo's 71-68 OT win vs. Notre Dame at the ARC on December 17th, 1988 - http://articles.chicagotribune.com/1988-12-18/sports/8802250783_1_irish-coach-digger-phelps-valpo-valparaiso-coach-homer-drew)

Paul Oren tweets these awesome details about he and the Times are covering the anniversary:

Excited to say I'll have a story on 25th anniversary of Valpo's "Miracle on Union Street" win over Notre Dame in Sunday's NWI Times #VUND25

The story will be accompanied by an online-only oral history of the game featuring the thoughts of many of the key participants. #VUND25

Interviews were conducted with Mike Jones, Scott Anselm, Homer Drew, LaPhonso Ellis and Tommy Lasorda among others. #VUND25

The highly-skilled @fredv21 also worked on a video project that will compliment the stories featuring highlights and interviews. #VUND25

Finally, on Tuesday night, the 25th anniversary of the game, I'll be "live-tweeting" the contest beginning at 7 p.m. #VUND25

A look back at Homer Drew from the Miracle on Union Street. #VUND25

Announcement of new head coach at 8am Wednesday morning!!!

[2011-12 forwards/centers:]

Experience is great, and hopefully a couple wins will help things along. Especially after the Montana State loss, some positive results in the near future could build some great positive momentum.

Food for fought, two former Valpo forwards are doing very well at other schools. Tabithia Gerardot is a big part of the 8-0 Indiana Hoosiers (best start in about two decades). Mallory Ladd is the MVC's rebounding leader at Evansville and is in the top ten for scoring, free throw shooting. That led me to think of how our list of true post players has significantly dwindled...

2011-12 forwards/centers: So. Stefanie Lang, So. Tabitha Gerardot, So. Liz Horton, Jr. Gina Lange, So. Maegen Callaway, R-Sr. Ashley Varner, Fr. Mallory Ladd
2012-13 forwards/centers: Jr. Tabitha Gerardot, Jr. Liz Horton, Sr. Gina Lange, R-So. Maegen Callaway
2013-14 forwards/centers: Sr. Liz Horton, Jr. Sharon Karungi, So. Haylee Thompson (redshirt)

Can anyone who has had more time to watch this team explain our defensive strategy or at least why give up so many points? I looked up this fact (disclaimers: near midnight after a long week and I'm tired but hopefully it's accurate, plus I decided to do this Dan Patrick style because I love the DP Show and its near midnight after a long work week and I'm tired)

STAT OF THE DAY! STAT OF THE DAY! ... STAT OF THE DAY! STAT OF THE DAY! HERE COMES THE STAT OF THE DAY!

This year, the Valpo women's basketball team has allowed at least 78 points in its first five games, all losses. The last five-game stretch that Valpo allowed 78 or more came in late January through mid February of 1994 under head coach Dave Wolter in the final season before the Keith Freeman era.

STAT OF THE DAY! STAT OF THE DAY! ... STAT OF THE DAY! STAT OF THE DAY! HERE COMES THE STAT OF THE DAY!

#1 UWM and #2 Valpo in the Horizon League Championship Match, live on HLN http://www.horizonleague.org/live/9194

Oren's recap and follow-up are good reads from the contest and where this team is at.

Final: 84-51 IUPUI

Btw, vu72's analysis reminded me of one of my favorite John McKay quotes (former national champion as USC's head coach wound up coaching the winless 1976 Buccaneers)

"We can't stop a pass or a run... otherwise, we're in great shape."

Franklin is in her senior year at George Washington HS in Cedar Rapids, Iowa.

Huh!  I had family that went there--cousin started on the O-line on their state runnerup FB team awhile back.  6 kids played D1, highlighted by Adrian Arrington at UM (got a Super Bowl ring with the Saints!).

Tried to get my cousin to come play at VU.  oh well.

This is the first time I've ever heard that school referred to as "George Washington High School," and I've lived in Iowa fairly consistently for 20 years.

Live video stream on Notre Dame's site http://watchnd.tv/#!/games/1739205?liveVideo=NwNTI5ZDoAUQrURaq_KYgJqz2_o_RPMj