Valpo vs MoSt Quarterfinals of MVC Tourney 3/4 @ 6pm

[VUSWIM08-12]

We've got absolutely nothing to lose , maybe we come out hot again and keep it close for awhile. They've thumped us both times, but who knows. We keep it close until the midway point of the second half. Line has moved in Valpo's favor from +12 to +10.5!

[tjjvalpo]

Unusual things happening at the MVC tournament. Other than the Illinois State vs. Indiana State game last night.  Valpo won pretty easily last night. Both games today have been lopsided. UNI was really never threatened by Illinois State earlier today and so far, Loyola is dominating Bradley. In past years when I have been at Arch Madness, most of the quarter-final games have been tight down to the end. Not sure if you can apply the law of averages here, but maybe that bodes well for our game tonight to be close, since most have not so far. Will Missouri State be able to blow us out by almost 20 points for a third time this year? Let's hope not.

[Chairback]

Maybe us having a game under our belts and used to the rims will help us. 

Our defense on Mosley will determine the game. 

[tjjvalpo]

Wow! Clay said something to Lottich after he made that 3 by the Valpo bench.

[mj]

Man, Missouri State is quick. Apparently we also used up all of our 3 pointers yesterday.

[valpotx]

Clay is a little p-a$$ b!tch.  Someone needs to put him on the floor, with all of his glares after each basket. 

[mj]

I'll take down 7 at the half. We need to Sheldon to step up and have a monster 2nd half. Also, we should probably guard Clay better...

[valpotx]

Clay can talk all the trash he wants, and he is shooting outside of his capability today, but he has no room to talk trash to Lottich.  If you compare Lottich as a player versus Clay, he is just the little p-a$$ b!tch he is overall.

[nkvu]

Mo. State just looks like a better team all around. Better players, better coached. We will have to play over our heads not to be blown out in the second half.

[tjjvalpo]

I think we may have given them our best effort to get down to 4. They quickly got it back to 11. They have to go very cold for us to have a chance.

[NativeCheesehead]

Clay is being a classless punk but he's a kid, I'm not mad at him. I'm mad at the coach who has allowed this program to become this bad, and a school who is too cheap to buy him out. 

[Chairback]

Kobe with this hands up wide open on the right side constantly. 

[Valpofamfan]

we are taking some good shots they're just not falling at all and Mosley is so good

[valpotx]

Exactly.  We've had a bunch of wide open misses.  MoSt is making most of their wide open shots, even a BS bank 3.

[mj]

This was a season of missed opportunities.

[valpotx]

Good lord.  We are the least clutch team in the league.  Kevion misses a layup, Sheldon coughs it up in the lane, and Krikke misses a gimme put back.  Story of the season.

[Chairback]

Let the transfers begin. 

See you next year. 

[nkvu]

Beacons extinguished but not blown out. At least we didn't finish last.

Sad that not finishing last seems to be the best we can aspire to anymore.

[valpotx]

Good luck to Kevion in Europe.  Thanks for coming to Valpo.  You showed that you are a solid D-1 player. 

Eron, thanks for sticking with the program through the last couple of seasons, even though this season was not what you planned. 

Trevor, what could have been, but you were solid in the games that you played at Valpo.

Hopefully Kithier and King play another season, as we can build off each of them. 

To the 1/2 to 2/3 of the rest of the team that transfers, I wish you luck wherever you land. 

[valpopal]

Five years of mediocrity (74-87 overall record and an average of 7th place in the MVC), and next year the conference will be tougher with Murray State and Belmont on the schedule. Unacceptable.

[AB]

6 quick takes from the game/season
1. What else can you say about Thomas kithier, who's still not at 100% percent. He flashed his crafty scoring ability and gave a nice post option that had been sorely missing the back half of the season. Also his rebounding and post defense showed up in a big way tonight.
2. Once again Valpo had the chance to make it more interesting, as they hung in there and battled back to 6 points, but in the end they showed their inability to be clutch in the closing minutes where every possession matters. Krikke's missed put back was the game and a 5 point swing.
3. Preston Rudinger reminds me of a Kyle Guy type player. Plays under control plays good defense and doesn't try to force things. Wait until he develops as a consistent scoring threat from the outside and tear drop in the lane. Curious why he didn't play the last 10 minutes of the game.
4. Kavion Taylor was a pleasure to watch. The guy loves to play and improved on taking it to the basket the back half of the season. He didn't mail it in. He will make some money in Europe.
5. Krikke needs to hit the weight room, conditioning and work on lateral quickness on defense.
6. The development of Kobe King, Keondre Young and Sheldon will be interesting next year.

[mj]

What is there to say other than this was a disappointing season filled with what-could-have been.

Hopefully Lottich can convince everyone to stick around. We might have a fighting chance next year if that happens.

A big shout out to Todd for another great season broadcasting Valpo basketball. He's one of the main reasons I keep tuning in on game day. Hopefully PO can become the permanent color commentator, they make a terrific team.

[valpolaw]

Hopefully Lottich isn't around to convince anyone to stick around. We need a change ASAP, and needed it like 1-2 years ago

[truth219]

If the whole team came back next season, we would still finish in the bottom third. We just don't have the talent. We started bad and ended bad this season. We have no studs or future studs. I wouldn't be surprised to see Preston transfer. He's going to be good, this team isn't. I think players leave because this coach can't win. I'm not hating, I'm just observing. Trevor Anderson sucked. We have season tickets and when I would bring friends I would describe Trevor like "he's like Grayson Allen but can't shoot drive or pass". Our best player was Sheldon Edwards, and he will be gone. Truth be told, if the people on this board were on the team, we would want to transfer too. It feels like we're in a house that's burning. Until we get a new couch, it's a total loss.

[valpotx]

I don't know what you were watching, but Trevor was a top notch PG.  He brought a scoring aspect that Preston and Darius do not, had a solid Assist/Turnover rate, didn't foul, and could body up on the defenders without losing his composure.