Game #2 Valpo @ Saint Louis 11/9 6:00 Fox Sports Midwest WVUR 95.1

[justducky]

-fazekas' health status is critic to this team's success

Many positives but until I know his condition Don't even want to discuss them.   

[ValpoDad89]

Here is our biggest problem and we've seen this under Lottich, is turnovers. Turnovers kill possessions as you take the ball away from you and give it to the other team. Looking at the Cedargurg exhibition we turned it over 16 times...improved to 15 against Toledo and managed to win but tonight we turned it over 19 times...19!!! We cannot do that and expect to win. Good teams turn it over between 10-12 times on average. You fall into that zone and you are in the upper echelon. We need to take care of the ball. We haven't seen that since the days of Keith Carter.

This team has sooooo much potential but we need to value the possession and the basketball. We do that we can weather a storm. That being said, Ryan Fazekas is a HUGE part of this team but we have some very talented depth to play through that. I hate to see him go down. Unfortunately there are guys that are just befallen with bad luck...Sam Bowie for those old enough to know, Greg Oden...injuries play a part and some are more prone and I hate to say it Ryan is one of those.

[NativeCheesehead]

With no legit big on the roster we absolutely cannot afford to lose our best three point shooter. Teams will just pack it on on us going forward.

Really proud of the fight in this team but can't see us winning more than 12-13 games without Ryan.

[ValpoDad89]

Point taken Native Cheesehead, no doubt but here is where Mileek, Eron, Nick Robinson and to a greater extent Donavon Clay need to step up. This is depth that can potentially weather that storm. But the big IF is can they? It will afford opportunity and let the staff see what they have in these individuals while Fazekas is on the mend. Sometimes an absence can create opportunity.

[valpotx]

Yes, the push offs are so blatantly obvious, but they never call them.  That was a point of emphasis a few years ago, and has since died down.  I think Lottich even got heated on one of those towards the end.  Regardless, it was a good showing, especially with Fazekas going down.  I see a lot of positives for this team, even if he is out for some time.  Poor kid...

[usc4valpo]

Well, I got Valpo point total right but was off on SLU by 4. From what I am seeing Valpo is better team and the team is synchronizing.

[M]

Fazekas is made of glass...feel bad for him. If it weren't for bad luck...

Team shot real well from the line those first couple of games. Hopefully those games will be more the norm. Fast paced offense sometimes leads to poor defense. I wasn't worried about Valpo scoring but about them keeping others from scoring.

[NativeCheesehead]

I think this year is the year we find out if Lottich is the guy. Even w/o Ryan this team has enough talent to compete night in and night out. We're now familiar with the league and our opponents.

Not going to get too caught up in the non con as this team comes together. But it's flat out time to prove we belong in the MVC.

[VUBBFan]

Team shot real well from the line those first couple of games. Hopefully those games will be more the norm. Fast paced offense sometimes leads to poor defense. I wasn't worried about Valpo scoring but about them keeping others from scoring.

Before the St Louis game, I thought we were going to be better than last year with free throws. Including the Canada games we were averaging 81.5%. We hit that average, we would have had 8-9 more points. Hopefully we get back to that average and this was an isolated bad game for free throws. We need to get back to that average to help win games

[valpo64]

With Fazekas out, our biggest problem is having Kiser play even more minutes.  While I love his attitude and effort, he is by far the weakest link on offense.  He is not any kind of offensive threat, is a
VERY POOR poor shooter,  is a turnover machine and even though he hustles a lot, he is a HUGE defensive liability.  This early in the season I would like to see more minutes for some of the new "big" guys who at least have some offensive and scoring potential.  Kiser has none...inside or outside.

[wh]

Apparently, I missed something. Is Ryan going to be out for an extended period? Do we even know exactly what his injury is?

[VUBBFan]

Apparently, I missed something. Is Ryan going to be out for an extended period? Do we even know exactly what his injury is?

No word on him yet, but I'm sure it will be "progressing nicely" when all is said and done.

[JD24]

Tough to win a game when the opponent takes 17 more shots than you unless they completely clang the rims. TO ratio only slightly negative and Valpo was outrebounded but I don't think that adds up to 17 more attempts.

[covufan]

Tough to win a game when the opponent takes 17 more shots than you unless they completely clang the rims. TO ratio only slightly negative and Valpo was outrebounded but I don't think that adds up to 17 more attempts.

Too many offensive rebounds by St Louis, along with TOs and our missed FTs lead to the shots taken difference.

Our defensive FG % needs to get where we usually are.

The grit and comeback ability of this team really make them fun to watch.


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[VULB#62]

Apparently, I missed something. Is Ryan going to be out for an extended period? Do we even know exactly what his injury is?

Injury to left wrist.

If not a break, I hope that after a short recovery he can get on the floor even if he needs a bit of a splint/brace. In this scenario, he still should be able to cradle the ball for his shot. A splint or brace will limit his ball handling, but that's not what we need from Ryan — it's spot up and shoot the dang ball.

[bbtds]

Point taken Native Cheesehead, no doubt but here is where Mileek, Eron, Nick Robinson and to a greater extent Donavon Clay need to step up. This is depth that can potentially weather that storm. But the big IF is can they? It will afford opportunity and let the staff see what they have in these individuals while Fazekas is on the mend. Sometimes an absence can create opportunity.

This also leads back to my question of did Valpo have less depth than SLU. The Billikens.com poster proved to be correct that on this particular Saturday night that SLU had the depth (Collins 9, Hankton 8, Jimerson 5, Weaver 4) while Valpo's was not as productive (Kiser 9, Gordon 4, Clay 3, Kikke 1, F-V 0). Also French fouled out later than McMillan, who just hasn't mastered how to play defense in the paint without fouling.

[bbtds]

He is not any kind of offensive threat, is a
VERY POOR poor shooter,  is a turnover machine and even though he hustles a lot, he is a HUGE defensive liability.  This early in the season I would like to see more minutes for some of the new "big" guys who at least have some offensive and scoring potential.  Kiser has none...inside or outside.

Valpo Bench points--Kiser 9, Gordon 4, Clay 3, Kikke 1, F-V 0. I think we need to look at Kiser's all around game. He certainly doesn't look athletic and flails his arms and gets beat on defense a lot but does anyone have any plus/minus numbers for John?

[talksalot]

In a stat that is almost as meaningless as Time of Possession in a football game... the Real Time RPI is out ...

Rank   SOS   Conf.   Conf.
W-L
1     Duke    2-0    0.9688   1    0.9583     Acc   0-0
2     Kentucky    2-0    0.9375   2    0.9167     Sec   0-0
3     Fordham    1-0    0.8750   6    0.8333     Atl10   0-0
4     UCLA    2-0    0.8750   10    0.8333     Pac12   0-0
5     Arkansas    1-0    0.8750   11    0.8333     Sec   0-0
6     South Dakota    2-0    0.8750   19    0.8333     Summit   0-0
7     Texas    2-0    0.8750   22    0.8333     Big12   0-0
8     California    1-0    0.8750   28    0.8333     Pac12   0-0
9     Boston Coll.    2-0    0.8750   30    0.8333     Acc   1-0
10     E. Kentucky    1-1    0.8125   3    0.9167     Ovc   0-0
11     Portland    1-1    0.8000   14    0.8333     Wcc   0-0
12     Northern Iowa    2-0    0.7500   41    0.6667     Mvc   0-0
13     Harvard    1-1    0.7500   4    0.8333     Ivy   0-0
14     Northeastern    2-0    0.7500   44    0.6667     Coln   0-0
15     Georgia Tech    1-0    0.7500   47    0.6667     Acc   1-0
16     Washington    1-0    0.7500   50    0.6667     Pac12   0-0
17     George Mason    2-0    0.7500   51    0.6667     Atl10   0-0
18     Oregon    2-0    0.7500   53    0.6667     Pac12   0-0
19     Wyoming    1-1    0.7500   15    0.8333     Mwest   0-0
20     Fresno St.    1-1    0.7500   16    0.8333     Mwest   0-0
21     St. Mary's    1-0    0.7500   61    0.6667     Wcc   0-0
22     Old Dominion    1-1    0.7500   17    0.8333     Cusa   0-0
23     Georgia    1-0    0.7500   62    0.6667     Sec   0-0
24     Colorado St.    1-1    0.7500   21    0.8333     Mwest   0-0
25     Vanderbilt    1-0    0.7500   66    0.6667     Sec   0-0
26     Valparaiso    1-1    0.7500   25    0.8333     Mvc   0-0
27     Illinois St.    2-0    0.7500   69    0.6667     Mvc   0-0

The Billikins are #41.

[NativeCheesehead]

RPI.......

[JD24]

Tough to win a game when the opponent takes 17 more shots than you unless they completely clang the rims. TO ratio only slightly negative and Valpo was outrebounded but I don't think that adds up to 17 more attempts.

Too many offensive rebounds by St Louis, along with TOs and our missed FTs lead to the shots taken difference.

Good point. I forgot to check FT attempts which can cut down on the attempts from the field statistically.