We need to pack the ARC on Saturday night.
WSU will be madder than a wet hen after losing at the Pavilion.
I hope our guys are not TOOO fired up to get the revenge.
Valpo 72
Wright State 55
We really need to send a message in this game that the loss was a fluke that has no chance of being repeated. A win by 15 to 20 should do that.
78-58 :thumbsup:
With a win we will clinch the double bye for the HL Tourney. If Green Bay also wins Saturday we'll have clinched the 1 seed, which is now meaningless, thanks to "Motor City Madness". Well I guess not completely meaningless, we'll have that autobid to the NIT locked up.
75.3 - 59.4 Valpo ;D
We really need to treat each game as though we are playing Maryland in the tournament, and play all 40 minutes. Don't look at scoreboard, play great defense, hit the boards, and take that first open shot.
Valpo 73
WSU 50
How do you Score .3 or .4 points? ??? VU 74 WSU 66 Closer then you want, but these guys can play the D. Every game counts any loss is a bad loss Seeding wise.
Quote from: Kyle321n on February 12, 2016, 09:31:38 AM
With a win we will clinch the double bye for the HL Tourney. If Green Bay also wins Saturday we'll have clinched the 1 seed, which is now meaningless, thanks to "Motor City Madness". Well I guess not completely meaningless, we'll have that autobid to the NIT locked up.
12 wins locks up one of the top 2 seeds? Seems a bit low.
Our "magic number" to clinch a bye is 4, on wsu and Oakland (we need to get it on obe of them for the bye, both for the #1 seed). If we beat wsu, and Oakland does the same, we will clinch a tie for the #2 spot, but not it outright.
Quote from: ValpoHoops on February 12, 2016, 12:56:11 PM
Our "magic number" to clinch a bye is 4, on wsu and Oakland (we need to get it on obe of them for the bye, both for the #1 seed). If we beat wsu, and Oakland does the same, we will clinch a tie for the #2 spot, but not it outright.
I think it should be 3, as Oakland and Wright State play each other one more game.
Being up three games with six to play is a great place!
I screwed up my magic number formula in that I forgot to do the +1 in the (Games Remaining minus Games up)+1
For Hall of Fame Class of 2016 info:
http://www.valpofanzone.com/forum/index.php?topic=2417.new#new (http://www.valpofanzone.com/forum/index.php?topic=2417.new#new)
No double bye this year, right? Maybe I misremember that new format is 3 wins needed to be champion.
Quote from: crusadermoe on February 12, 2016, 01:58:34 PM
No double bye this year, right? Maybe I misremember that new format is 3 wins needed to be champion.
Nope, same format as last year. Only difference is there's no more on campus sites and the whole tournament is played in 4 days (Saturday-Tuesday). The double byes remain.
Here's the UIC take on the game last night.
http://www.uicflames.com/sports/m-baskbl/recaps/021116aab.html (http://www.uicflames.com/sports/m-baskbl/recaps/021116aab.html)
and the Box Score
http://www.uicflames.com/sports/m-baskbl/stats/2015-2016/021116.html (http://www.uicflames.com/sports/m-baskbl/stats/2015-2016/021116.html)
Our offense was much better when Tevonn was getting to the basket. It does not seem like he is as aggressive as he was in the early season. Without a true offensive post presence, we need people that can drive the lane, score and dish to open up the offense. This is particularly true against a good defensive team like WSU. For that reason, I am a little worried about this game, even though it is at home.
Quote from: covufan on February 12, 2016, 01:13:09 PMI think it should be 3, as Oakland and Wright State play each other one more game.
It's 4 on each of them to clinch the #1 seed, but we are guaranteed to get one of them when they play each other. It's also 4 on "one or the other" to clinch the bye, but we won't know which one that probably will be until after Tuesday. After this coming week, we will have a very much clearer idea where everything stands...given that we host both Oakland and WSU, and they play each other.
In reality, it's a week or so too early to be thinking about it all yet. We need to take care of our business this week and then worry about where things stand.
14 point favorites
I guess everyone is at the ARC? No fun to have no one to commiserate with. :(
Pretty sad performance so far. Can't hit shots or free throws. Can't get a stop or an offensive rebound. I don't know why but Wright State just seems to have our number. Hope we can get back in the game in the second half or this could be real ugly.
I think this half, more than any other thus far in the year, will help us determine the metal of this Valpo team. Haven't faced much adversity thus far, and except at RI, we haven't handled it well this year (perhaps not even at RI).
A clunker, which we cannot afford. It is time for Alec to do his best Ryan impression and step it up in the second half. It would help if others would also concentrate better than they have been.
Now we have a game again. Refs finally calling the game tighter on Wright State. Can't let up.
Too long of a review...bonehead move by Tevonn to give them something to look at.
Getting sloppy with our turnovers. Come on, play smart, secure ball for the final 3:30.
Sounds like this student section hasn't heard of the "hey hey goodbye" curse. NEVER sing that at Valpo! NEVER! We sang it against Butler in 07-08 and lost tragically. Never again.
A bank shot 3 with the worst shooting form I've ever seen followed by alec committing an offensive foul on a guy 6" shorter instead of shooting over him from 5'. Wasn't meant to be.
Can we close out the national ranking and Bracketology threads now - please and just hope we win the HL tournament.
I'm telling ya...it's the curse!
13 seed if they win the tournament
This was embarrassing, and another loss to a bad team. I don't care that we lost twice to them this season, that doesn't make them good. I don't care how bad of a shooter someone is, if you don't have anyone within 10 feet of them, they can make a 3 if they are at a D-1 school. Yes, it banked in, but you don't just give them a shot like that with 1 minute left. Wright State is a team that we should beat by 15+, and our guys should be absolutely embarrassed that they lost twice to a team like that...if they weren't already embarrassed by their loss to Ball State
Gagged this one up. Pitiful. Just pitiful. Goodby at large. Hope to god we don't have to play these guys in the conference tournament.
Disappointing. Sloppy and unfocused play.
Now, our only path to the Big Dance is to win the Horizon tournament, which is far from certain. I am not confident that we can defeat Wright State on a neutral court, nor am I confident that we can win a series of games over a short time period. We are just too inconsistent.
In our current incarnation, we wouldn't be able to stay in the game against a top-20 team. Slow starts and missed free throws equal blowouts against better teams. Does anyone honestly believe that we could defeat Michigan State or Purdue, or even unranked Indiana? One of our patented slow starts, and we are down by 20 against any of them. Time for a gut check.
Well...I think the team showed that they have the metal...but lack the close game experience. But seriously, was that the guy who hadn't shot a 3pter all year who banked that one in?! HOW DO YOU NOT SCORE IN THE LAST 2:30 OF A GAME LIKE THAT!?!?!? How can a team lose to UIC and then beat Valpo!?! Whatever...I like chalking it up to the curse, still in a good position for the 1 seed. Still more than capable of taking care of business.
The only consolation is that we will still win the regular season title, and position ourselves to win the conference tournament in being the 1 seed. There is absolutely no way that the tournament committee will give an at-large to a team that lost at Ball State, and twice to a really bad Wright State team. They would have excused the loss at Oregon and at Belmont, with a loss on the road at a conference foe (1 loss only in our crappy conference), but not a home loss to that same bad team, and the Ball State stinker.
What a god awful final play drawn up on the inbounds. No surprise.
Nice job squandering the lead. Two turnovers in the closing minutes and sagging off a a D-I guard by 8 feet to allow an open three. (Yeah, he's not a three point shooter, but he's still a D-I guard.)
<< insert typical rink tirade about squandering leads, playing undisciplined, bad in-game coaching, being a joke, underachieving, general embarassment, aw golly shucks small town IN attitudes, etc >>
You can't throw passes over and back the mid-court line twice in the late minutes of a game and win.
Hard to believe this team keeps getting Top 25 votes. The individual skills seem like its possible. But the offense really struggles to get good shots against a less athletic WSU team for some reason.
So Wright State loses to UIC. And we lose to WSU. Great.
For crying out loud, at-large was always a long shot anyway. It wasn't miniscule before this, but seriously. I've been in "have to win HL tourney" mode for quite some time now. Even if we blew them out and win out and lose in the title game to Oakland (or whoever it is we're supposed to lose to in order to get an at-large), we'd still be at the mercy of the committee.
The HL is one of many conferences that competes for at-large bids with one arm tied behind their backs. The NCAA tourney isn't our tourney, we just get token invites. I've resigned myself to being party crashers a long time ago. Talk of at-large is fools gold for us.
It's also a harmless conversation on here, anyway. People are allowed to day dream.
Wright State *is* good, when they hit their shots. Their coach is smart. And I suspect the refereeing was more to their liking than ours tonight, except for the first part of the second half.
There are tons of variables in basketball. Wright State is perhaps more properly classified as a dangerous team. They are probably in our heads or something.
Anyway, I stopped dreaming of an at-large a long time ago. That game is rigged against us anyway. If they want to bestow an invitation, great! But I never really expected it anyway.
To resurrect a meme, Heaven help the Vikings on Tuesday. May they feel our wrath the way the Norse did earlier in the season. We don't lose twice in a row. Who knows, we may not even have to play them at JLA.
Quote from: rink on February 13, 2016, 09:19:02 PMWhat a god awful final play drawn up on the inbounds. No surprise.
There was nothing there for them to do, once Donlon took his man off the end line. After the first Valpo timeout, I was hoping for the Kampe play. I can't help wondering if Donlon saw Keith Carter hovering around the FT line and decided to change his defense.
Quote from: crusadermoe on February 13, 2016, 09:19:34 PM
You can't throw passes over and back the mid-court line twice in the late minutes of a game and win.
Hard to believe this team keeps getting Top 25 votes. The individual skills seem like its possible. But the offense really struggles to get good shots against a less athletic WSU team for some reason.
So Wright State loses to UIC. And we lose to WSU. Great.
Obviously Wright State has our number. I see nothing indicative of how we'll do against any other HL team.
Wright State *IS NOT* good, but I will concede that they DO have a smart coach. It had nothing to do with their defense when we missed 7-8 wide open 3s, however. We had the shots we always get, but didn't make them. Darien was holding onto the ball too long again on his release, which is why he was 0/4 on wide open 3s. He had corrected that in all other conference games, so I have no idea why he reverted to releasing the ball as the rest of his body is going back down. He makes his 3s when he releases his shot at the apex of his jump. Skara has been miserable on his 3-pt shots in the last 20 games, after a very good start to the season shooting those shots.
:(
Too bad the CBS Sports Bracketology guy (Jerry Palm) was in the ARC.... Nice to see Adam Amin ... although I guess this means we can't have either of them back until we get back to 25-in-a-row again. The new Winning Streak starts Next Friday night... Super Hero Night in the ARC against the Kampmeister himself.
I did hear a rumor that the sun will come out tomorrow.
Too bad for WSU and the HL that Donlon isn't a better recruiter. Win or lose 2 times out of 3 he seems to get the better of Bryce on the game plan and adjustments.
Couple thoughts:
- would've liked to have seen more Hammink in the second half
- would've liked to have seen someone besides Vashil set that screen and take a dive and try to draw a foul on the last play
- would've liked Tevo to play with his head, the elbow then leaving Benzinger wide open in the corner were really bad moves
- Valpo wasn't going to get an at large anyways so whatever
- I'd rather Wright St get the double bye then Oakland
- think I might go as Captain American or Ryan Broekhoff for Friday's super hero game
- Wright St isn't good. Took a combination of awful free throw shooting and Valpo missed at least 5 wiiiiide open 3's just in the second half.
- close games are less fun when you lose
Also, why don't teams in college ever go for the 2-for-1?? We had 50 seconds left on that last possession, and could have driven to the basket within 12-15 seconds, leaving 5-6 seconds for us to get a last shot if WSU used the full shot clock for their possession. Even if we miss the shot driving the lane, we at least get the last say, rather than having to play defense for a last second shot by WSU. Who was supposed to rotate to block out Minnis? That seemed oddly reminiscent of 2 seasons ago when Lexus was caught ball watching on a last second shot/put-back against a different team at home (I forget which team).
Who would have thought that WSU with their terrible road record and loser to 1 of the 10 worst teams in D-1 would come in to our house where we haven't lost all year and beat us. I disagree that WSU has our number. They didn't look any better than they ever do. They didn't shoot out of their minds, they committed a lot of dumb fouls, they turned the ball over, and they gave up a big lead in the blink of an eye. It was simply a matter of us inexcusably playing down to the level of a far less talented team. Oh well...
Todd stated pretty emphatically on the postgame that David and Tevonn are in serious slumps and are hurting the team right now. IMO we need to go back to Darien and seriously limit David's minutes. He's an excellent defender, but we're just not strong enough offensively to limit our scoring options to 2 or 3 players.
Yes, we are up two games in the loss column with five to play, so we should be favored to win the league regular season title. But given the way we've played the last 2 1/2 games, our lead feels awfully tenuous to me.
Paul
Disappointed:
In the first half defense, or lack of same. It was lucky we weren't down by more with all of the open shots the D allowed,
In the lack of shot making,
In the officiating, which stunk,
In the first half game plan - when pounding the ball inside doesn't work, make changes.
In the shot selection and ball control at the end of the game.
In losing a game that while not a must win game was a would be really nice to win game.
Did I mention the officiating?
Quote from: valpotx on February 13, 2016, 10:32:43 PMThat seemed oddly reminiscent of 2 seasons ago when Lexus was caught ball watching on a last second shot/put-back against a different team at home (I forget which team).
Saint Louis
I think we are under rating the ability of Wright State. They got to the rebounds better than many teams we face, they ran excellent plays out of the timeouts, they shot better than Valpo, they play good defense, their coach has clearly outcoached Bryce and Benzinger was very clutch to make a three the Raiders had to have. Who knows why they play so poorly on the road against the other HL teams.
Valpo did poorly in clutch situations and didn't deserve to win.
Quote from: historyman on February 13, 2016, 11:24:18 PM
Quote from: valpotx on February 13, 2016, 10:32:43 PMThat seemed oddly reminiscent of 2 seasons ago when Lexus was caught ball watching on a last second shot/put-back against a different team at home (I forget which team).
Saint Louis
Bryce was so mad that 2 1/4 years later Lexus is still sitting at the end of the bench. ::)
Quote from: valpospartan on February 13, 2016, 10:52:48 PM
Disappointed:
In the first half defense, or lack of same. It was lucky we weren't down by more with all of the open shots the D allowed,
In the lack of shot making,
In the officiating, which stunk,
In the first half game plan - when pounding the ball inside doesn't work, make changes.
In the shot selection and ball control at the end of the game.
In losing a game that while not a must win game was a would be really nice to win game.
Did I mention the officiating?
Interesting about the officiating. Two quick fouls on our best defender Vashil. Then two quick fouls on T. Walker our second best defender. Now Wright state can drive to the rim without worrying about getting rejected. Then Vasile gets a third offensive foul before half and Bryce picks up a T. They get off to a nine point lead in the first half. Now we have to play catch up in the second half and ultimately we choke. They throw the ball at the basket and it bounces around and goes in. We miss numerous open shots and make incredibly stupid turnovers. It's like a perfect storm of things to not go our way for us to lose to this team again. I really, really hope we don't have to play this team again because they really are into our heads.
Quote from: valpospartan on February 13, 2016, 10:52:48 PMIn the first half game plan - when pounding the ball inside doesn't work, make changes.
The double low post looked interesting but it produced very little. For something like that to work you need top notch post play, better outside outlet angles and equally important the perimeter guys need to hit some shots. I never really noticed but when we set up that way did a third guy ever crash the offensive glass?
Déjà VU. Happens every year, but I never get used to it. Last year it was a loss to Detroit. This year it was Wright State twice. Before that, it was Detroit at home and YSU on the road, YSU on the road again, missed layup vs UWGB, Loyola at home, Howard Little air-balling the front end of a one and one... They all start blending together. I could copy and paste posts from 5,6 years ago and they would all be virtually the same.
It doesn't really matter if Wright State is a good team that often plays bad, a bad team that sometimes plays good, or whatever. Teams play poorly sometimes. It's not a new concept.
At the beginning of the year I thought expectations were so high for the team, that it would be incredibly difficult for the team to live up to them. I guess that was right. Figuring it was coming at some point, but it stings. It's not the end of the world, and it does not kill the goal of making it to the tournament and finally winning a game, but it's certainly one of the most gut wrenching losses I can remember.
I.............well..............(speechless)
Call me negative, but it seems as though this team never misses an opportunity to miss an opportunity. In my opinion, this season would be a huge let down if they don't make the tournament.
Quote from: valpotx on February 13, 2016, 09:05:23 PM
This was embarrassing, and another loss to a bad team. I don't care that we lost twice to them this season, that doesn't make them good. I don't care how bad of a shooter someone is, if you don't have anyone within 10 feet of them, they can make a 3 if they are at a D-1 school. Yes, it banked in, but you don't just give them a shot like that with 1 minute left. Wright State is a team that we should beat by 15+, and our guys should be absolutely embarrassed that they lost twice to a team like that...if they weren't already embarrassed by their loss to Ball State
This ... to infinity. You don't leave ANYONE open from 3-point range with that much time left when ONLY 3-pointers can beat you at that point. Coaching 101.
Another brain lapse led to this situation: why was Valpo, up 6 with the ball and shot clock winding down, isolating their worst free throw shooter on the low block and trying to get HIM the ball? Skara had taken his man to the hole and drawn fouls twice already in the late shot clock situation! Oh by the way you also had AP and Tevonn on the floor, but let's throw it in to 14.
Getting outplayed is one thing. Getting outmaneuvered (twice now BD has panted BD this season) is another.
I was unable to attend last night because my son had an indoor soccer game. I was able to watch the first half on ESPN3, and obviously it was brutal. Then I followed on twitter during the soccer game. Up by 6 with a minute to go, I thought, well they're going to escape. But then I should have realized that for some reason, the VU players and coaches have a mental block against Wright State and Billy Donlon. After reading what happened, I could only shake my head and think I made the right decision to NOT go to that game. Geez. Pathetic. Stop being afraid of Billy Donlon.
After waiting awhile to collect my thoughts and calm down, I will say this.
1- Donlan and his staff out coached BD and staff again.
2- someone please explain why BD had Vashil in game for last play (not that it mattered but why have worst FT shooter on court).
3- Tevonn is not same player we saw last year. Why? Maybe defenses taking away his drive to hoop and forcing him to be a jump shooter from distance? He just seems different and not having fun on the court which he seemed to last year.
3- who can and will step up to be offensive scorer to complement AP, a role filled by Tevonn last season. Besides PG Keith Carter.
4- AP seems to be told to work the low block on offensive end. Last season he was able to float outside more and utilize his shooting skills. Refs give him no calls on block. Yoho from my angle last night was draped all over Alec at times but no fouls called.
5- Valpo struggles in making entry passes into bigs on block.
6- Valpo comes out flat a lot in 1st halves and not ready. Why? Almost seems as if they think we are here so game is over. Rankings and accolades mean nothing to opponents other than you will get their best game. Night in and night out.
Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-G920A using Tapatalk
Quote from: valpotx on February 13, 2016, 10:32:43 PM
Also, why don't teams in college ever go for the 2-for-1?? We had 50 seconds left on that last possession, and could have driven to the basket within 12-15 seconds, leaving 5-6 seconds for us to get a last shot if WSU used the full shot clock for their possession. Even if we miss the shot driving the lane, we at least get the last say, rather than having to play defense for a last second shot by WSU. Who was supposed to rotate to block out Minnis? That seemed oddly reminiscent of 2 seasons ago when Lexus was caught ball watching on a last second shot/put-back against a different team at home (I forget which team).
Todd asked Luke Gore exactly that in the postgame. He said they set up a play to get KC open for a 3-point shot within the first 5 to 6 seconds of that possession, but when that didn't work out they worked the clock to get the best shot they could get. He also mentioned (my paraphrase) that he thought there might have been a brief opportunity to pull the trigger on the 3 but it didn't happen. He didn't sound critical. I think he was just kind of wondering out loud. He sounded pretty somber throughout. Obviously, he knows as well as we do what we threw away last night - soon-to-be Top 25 ranking by continuing to stack up wins, possible at-large bid if needed, possible tournament seed somewhere in the middle of the pack, a chance to play an evenly matched opponent and advance, etc.
Tip to your cap to Billy Donlon, who was unquestionably the better coach last night, and move on. The season is not lost. Valpo wasn't getting an at-large bye anyway.
Alright, since it's the next day now i'll allow myself to post on this. Thoughts:
1. We're going to be fine. WSU matches up very well with us, but i truly believe we would beat them 7/10 times. These just happen to be two of those.
2. Call me crazy, but I really want WSU as the two seed rather than Oakland. Now that you've spit out your coffee, let me explain. Let's assume Valpo gets the 1 Seed (if we don't, chances are we played poorly enough down the stretch that we don't win the tourney anyway), there are two things that the new tourney format favors, 1)Depth 2)Playing well away from your home gym. Two things that favor Valpo. Whoever is the two seed has a distinct advantage in the semis against a team playing their third game in three nights. So let's assume the two seed advances. If it's Oakland, they're playing what will essentially be a home game on even footing with us rest wise. I know we've lost twice to WSU, but Oakland in a one game playoff makes me more nervous. Let's assume our offense doesn't get out of this funk. Oakland has the ability to quickly score in bunches, and potentially put away a team struggling to score.
In addition, playing WSU on the second night of a back to back favors us. If we can get a situation where the semi allows us to win while playing a 9 man rotation, i'll take Yoho and co coming off a (hopefully) tight semi where their starters played 35 or more.
3. I reserve the right to retract all of this and hide in a hole depending on results of Friday.
Quote from: Vinny on February 14, 2016, 11:09:27 AM
Tip to your cap to Billy Donlon, who was unquestionably the better coach last night, and move on. The season is not lost. Valpo wasn't getting an at-large bye anyway.
[/b]
Hopefully we won't need to find out. Nonetheless, this is a very weird year. Teams are losing at home (Wichita State, Oklahoma, among others) There is a ways to go before Selection Sunday. I wouldn't rule Valpo out of those discussions.
I think there is definitely something to be said about having experience playing in high pressure situations. I think you saw that with Wichita State a couple times this year - they looked bad in the closing couple minutes of both their losses. Valpo has played two close conference games and even the first one didn't come down to the last few possessions. Not that I want Valpo playing Cleveland State close, or that it's a valid excuse, but I think Valpo has to learn to play clutch basketball like they did last year.
How long did the refs take to make the judgment on Tevonn's "unintentional flagrant" foul? It seems to have been five minutes or more. As the game was coming down to the wire, and our depth was a distinct advantage, Wright State had the benefit of a long rest.
I wondered how often there had been turnovers from trying to face a pass into AP. I don't think there were any. If he is going to post up, he has to get him the ball much more often. When he touches the ball inside, he tends to score (except when he gets called for a charge when there are a few seconds left in the game).
Our offense seems to be less effective when AP doesn't touch the ball. Granted our opposition often double and triple team him, but early in our offensive sets AP is often open. When we do not get him the ball early in our offensive sequences, the defenses settle in on him and make it more difficult for him to get the ball. In any event, Alec has to get more touches for us to be successful. Our best offensive threat has to get more than just 10-12 shots per game. Him having the ball seems to always open up other opportunities and options when we are on offense.
I liked seeing how pissed Alec was in the postgame interview. He still answered the questions, which was professional, even though his answers were a bit shorter than usual. I bet that he comes out tomorrow with his pants on fire, and lights up CSU!
Quote from: valpotx on February 15, 2016, 11:13:44 PM
I liked seeing how pissed Alec was in the postgame interview. He still answered the questions, which was professional, even though his answers were a bit shorter than usual. I bet that he comes out tomorrow with his pants on fire, and lights up CSU!
If only he had been that pissed before the game since we blew the game at WSU earlier in the conference season.
I have not had the heart to get back on the board until tonight, after a few drinks.
My analysis from the WSU game. WSU ran a very simple weave at the top of the key. Why is it that we ended up switching to have our 4/5 man guarding their point guard over and over again? Don't get me wrong, I realize we missed DOZENS of wide open 3's during the game that would have made this point unconsequential. However, even if we kept bricking wide open 3's, if we would not have switched, their point guard would have not been able to make it to the basket/free throw line over and over again.
Bryce was out-coached. The fact that the WSU fans want Donlon fired is CRAZY. He is one hell of a coach. He gets the best out of the talent he is given. Perhaps he is not the best recruiter in the world, but i feel like he could remedy that if he is ever hired to a major program.
Quote from: SanityLost17 on February 17, 2016, 12:21:30 AMBryce was out-coached. The fact that the WSU fans want Donlon fired is CRAZY. He is one hell of a coach. He gets the best out of the talent he is given. Perhaps he is not the best recruiter in the world, but i feel like he could remedy that if he is ever hired to a major program.
The WSU fans that traveled to the ARC and saw the game live gave Coach Donlon a huge cheer when he came back out for his radio interview. I think the WSU message board fans who can be extremely critical are the only WSU fans that have, at times, called for his firing. If I was a WSU fan I too would have been very upset after the loss to UIC but in the end out-coaching Valpo's coach would have made up for stumbling in the UIC game.