Or is it Kent State?
It appears that Kent plays a little higher tempo then we have so far, and really hits the offensive boards. This one should be close, but I'm hoping that we come out with great intensity after last night.
Valpo 72
Kent 68
Has anyone seen how Erik is feeling? With him we win, without I think we can still win but PG play will be critical.
78-71 Valpo with Erik
70-68 Valpo without him.
KENT READ
KENT RITE
KENT STATE
This is a tough one. They beat the crap out of Chicago State like they should, beat Drexel by 4 in OT, and lost to Temple by 14...all at home.
If Buggs plays:
Valpo 72
Kent State 65
If Buggs sits out:
Kent State 67
Valpo 62
Based not upon what I am hearing but upon what I am not hearing, my guess is that the silence around campus means Erik will be sidelined against Kent State. Still, I am going to be optimistic and hope for a Valpo win due to an effort to make up for the Nebraska game:
Valpo 68
Kent St 62
Also, based upon my calculations and counting the Kent State game, VU has 6 games before Dority joins the team and Bobby returns for Missouri State. Looking ahead, if Buggs is not back for some of those games or he is not 100%, it is going to be a tough stretch. Still, I think we can hope for a 4-2 record, which would put Valpo at 6-3 going into the Missouri State game, and even then the team will still be trying to work the additional players into the lineup, so I would give the edge to Missouri St. and guess the team could go 3-1 at best after that to end December and enter conference play at 9-5. If the team is 100% healthy entering conference play in January, I'd be satisfied with that record.
Based upon what I HAVE heard in a conversation with someone very close to the program, I would be very surprised if Buggs plays on Sunday.
Quote from: Valpo89 on November 17, 2012, 01:35:15 PM
Based upon what I HAVE heard in a conversation with someone very close to the program, I would be very surprised if Buggs plays on Sunday.
At least, on a positive note, I have heard that Erik is well enough to make the trip to Kent State.
Quote from: valpopal on November 17, 2012, 01:20:46 PM
Based not upon what I am hearing but upon what I am not hearing, my guess is that the silence around campus means Erik will be sidelined against Kent State. Still, I am going to be optimistic and hope for a Valpo win due to an effort to make up for the Nebraska game:
Valpo 68
Kent St 62
Also, based upon my calculations and counting the Kent State game, VU has 6 games before Dority joins the team and Bobby returns for Missouri State. Looking ahead, if Buggs is not back for some of those games or he is not 100%, it is going to be a tough stretch. Still, I think we can hope for a 4-2 record, which would put Valpo at 6-3 going into the Missouri State game, and even then the team will still be trying to work the additional players into the lineup, so I would give the edge to Missouri St. and guess the team could go 3-1 at best after that to end December and enter conference play at 9-5. If the team is 100% healthy entering conference play in January, I'd be satisfied with that record.
Each to his own, but I'm not going to dial down my expectations for this team for ANY reason. It seems that one constant with VU men's basketball over the years are excuses for losing or underperforming - some pretty good and some bordering on the bizarre. Some of the more memorable ones:
Back in the day:
- Lubos is tired because he played too much bb in the summer
- we're without this or that player because knee injuries, broken legs, sprained ankles, sickness
- don't ever expect this or that player to be the same now that they've come back from knee surgery (Tonagel, Kikas, Nuness, etc.)
- too much time on the road, Southern Utah is so difficult to get to, blah, blah, blah
3 years ago:
- concussions
- coming back too soon from concussions
- more concussions
2 years ago - the king of all excuse years
- Wood can't play because of a hamstring - then he doesn't want to come back too soon to risk jeopardizing his future (are you kidding me)
- we lose to the worst team in D-1 bb (winless Toledo) because Cory and others are fighting colds (are you kidding me)
- we lose to another terrible team YSU on the road, because everyone was tired from a long bus ride in a snow storm (are you kidding me)
- we get blown out in a post season game that we host because our players (mainly upper class men) just "weren't into it" - just ready for the season to get over and move on to the next chapter
Last year
- more debilitating flu incidents than the 1918 flu pandemic
- Harris can't make the trip to Miami to play in the NIT because he was too sick (wow) - we play with 6 scholarship players
The world is full of people who "settle" when the going gets tough. I expect more than that from this group of young men. They are loaded with talent, depth and experience. Improvise, adapt, overcome.
Quote from: wh on November 17, 2012, 05:24:02 PMEach to his own, but I'm not going to dial down my expectations for this team for ANY reason.
I'm not sure I'm dialing down my expectations all that much. Before the season began, I expected Valpo would go 10-4 in the games before conference play, so 9-5 would not be too bad after the Nebraska loss. Of course, I'd be happy with a better showing; however, with injuries we could fall as low as 7-7 in this span, which still I would not consider disastrous since I realistically didn't expect an at-large bid possibility.
In addition, I figured a healthy team would go 12-4 (at best, 13-3) in the conference and win the Bracketbusters game, for a record of 23-8 going into the conference tournament, where my expectations are a win this year, giving VU a final record most likely of 25-8 and an NCAA spot: 24-9 and a conference tournament title instead would be fine with me and be right along with my preseason hopes that I considered fairly high.
http://www.nwitimes.com/sports/basketball/college/article_8ecedf71-b578-5ded-ba8c-0ca6c9d50185.html (http://www.nwitimes.com/sports/basketball/college/article_8ecedf71-b578-5ded-ba8c-0ca6c9d50185.html)
NWITimes Gameday article
Quote from: wh on November 17, 2012, 05:24:02 PMEach to his own, but I'm not going to dial down my expectations for this team for ANY reason.
Easily one of the best & funniest posts that has ever been on the board, at least in my 8-9 months here. Well done, sir.
Is this game televised tomorrow?
Okay... So, this game is on my birthday. For my birthday present I'll take a win.
(And the awesome VU sweatshirt my wife has hidden in the closet - oops, I was not supposed to see it until she wrapped it for my birthday.)
Quote from: HC on November 17, 2012, 11:19:04 PM
Is this game televised tomorrow?
| http://www.mac-sports.com/Schools/KentState/LiveStreaming.aspx |
2.
http://www.billikens.com/forum/index.php?showtopic=23083 (http://www.billikens.com/forum/index.php?showtopic=23083)Just click on #1 above. It should be free.
Who will be at the game?
Thanks bbtds! Valpo is a one point favorite at the moment. I don't care how many they win by, just win baby!
Let's hope for a one point win. This is a brutal game.
Leave Wedneday for Omaha, drive to Lincoln
Thursday - lose to Nebraska
Friday - travel day back to Valpo
Saturday - travel to Kent
Sunday - game
Ideally the Nebraska game would have been a win, so the worst on this would have been a split. The legs are going to be a little tight today and with a shortened bench, this will take a very good effort.
The above is assuming they came back to Valpo and not directly to Kent.
lowposter
They went from Nebraska to Kent on Friday.
Sounds like Buggs is going to give it a go!
anyone seeing a stream of the game yet?
Stream is up now! Go Valpo!
Vashil needs to learn to stay home sometimes, rather than always jumping out at guys. He has left the guy open under the basket at least 3 times so far. No clue why Bryce didn't take him out with 7 seconds left to get another shooter in as well.
KSU has at least 4 guys with 2 fouls, we need to take advantage of this...
KVW needs to stop trying to dribble, he has no clue how to do so. I think that is his 3rd TO when he tries to be more of a guard...then Ryan decides to throw it through his own arms on a wide open 3
OVERTIME! Tip in to tie it in the final second from KVW! Big play and big game for the big man!
Ugly 2nd half defensively, lets get it in OT!
88-83 OT victory. What a game from Kevin. I don't have the numbers in front of me and KSU's live stats are not my favorite, but he had something like 20+ points, near perfect free throw shooting, and the bucket that got us into OT in the first place!
We escaped with a very ugly win. Give credit to them for tying it at the end of regulation, and I wonder if that was in fact an attempted miss by Buggs. If it was, he played that perfectly with a high bounce off the rim lol.
We still looked really bad and almost HS-like in stretches of really dumb fouls and turnovers, but the win is all that matters in the end.
Great gutsy game, especially by Kevin and the injured Erik Buggs!
Erik Buggs - taking over at the end of regulation! And into OT. Fantastic effort from a player we didn't even expect to see on the court.
And KVW, my goodness. Thinking only of the end, how many minutes did he play with four fouls?!
Excellent _quality_ streaming video. The camera work was questionable. And, the broadcasters, oh my...
Well...a tip-in away from 2-2, yet only a three away from 4-0. Let's call it karma to be sitting at 3-1.
I'll take any manner of win early on, let them get prettier as the season progresses!
Any word on why Rossi didn't play? With all the fouls both teams had, KSU had a big advantage in playing 12 people versus our 8. You would think if Rossi was healthy, he would have played...
Great road win!
It will be a good ride home.
Hopefully a day off tomorrow for the team.
Quote from: valpotx on November 18, 2012, 03:26:51 PMand I wonder if that was in fact an attempted miss by Buggs.
Luke Gore says nope, not intentional.
Quote from: valpotx on November 18, 2012, 03:26:51 PM
We escaped with a very ugly win. Give credit to them for tying it at the end of regulation, and I wonder if that was in fact an attempted miss by Buggs. If it was, he played that perfectly with a high bounce off the rim lol.
We still looked really bad and almost HS-like in stretches of really dumb fouls and turnovers, but the win is all that matters in the end.
I think you're being a little hard on the performance. This was a very solid team we were playing and the refs made it more ugly than the play with all the fouls called. If I'm not mistaken there were over 70 FT attempts. Anyway, a good resume builder. This KSU team will contend for the MAC championship and should win some additional games before their conference games begin.
Quote from: agibson on November 18, 2012, 03:35:24 PM
Quote from: valpotx on November 18, 2012, 03:26:51 PMand I wonder if that was in fact an attempted miss by Buggs.
Luke Gore says nope, not intentional.
Having seen a few intentional misses, I'm fairly certain that wasn't one. There were 7 seconds left, it's well within reason they wanted to make it and press the inbounds, trying for a steal.
Yikes - could have gone either way... Kevin looked great. we had a couple things that went our way at the end of regulation. Hope we don't rely on that going forward. We had the lead the entire time and let them chip away to get back into it. (luckily we missed that free throw - not intentional but thought it was funny that announcers gave Buggs that much credit on his free throw ability)... All in all we looked good - play like that would have killed nebraska.
Rossi can lose his guy on defense - maybe the athletic ability of kent worried bryce.
Quote from: vu72 on November 18, 2012, 03:43:52 PM
Quote from: valpotx on November 18, 2012, 03:26:51 PM
We escaped with a very ugly win. Give credit to them for tying it at the end of regulation, and I wonder if that was in fact an attempted miss by Buggs. If it was, he played that perfectly with a high bounce off the rim lol.
We still looked really bad and almost HS-like in stretches of really dumb fouls and turnovers, but the win is all that matters in the end.
I think you're being a little hard on the performance. This was a very solid team we were playing and the refs made it more ugly than the play with all the fouls called. If I'm not mistaken there were over 70 FT attempts. Anyway, a good resume builder. This KSU team will contend for the MAC championship and should win some additional games before their conference games begin.
I know that Kent State will contend for the MAC title, but that doesn't mean we didn't escape with an ugly win. Did you watch the game on the stream? If you did, you would have seen some really ugly turnovers (20 total by us), and some really dumb fouls where they would pump fake, and we would bite EVERY time. For a veteran/older team, you would expect that they wouldn't bite each time, or commit so many fouls at the 3 pt line or beyond near half-court.
Again, we did well enough to win, but it wasn't of the type we want to see later in the year. We have to cut down on the turnovers, as the quicker teams will only make it worse for us. KVW did an excellent job at the line and didn't miss any lay-ups, and Buggs really impressed while recovering from an injury that almost kept him out. Is that a career high 15 pts too?
Quote
I know that Kent State will contend for the MAC title, but that doesn't mean we didn't escape with an ugly win. Did you watch the game on the stream? If you did, you would have seen some really ugly turnovers (20 total by us), and some really dumb fouls where they would pump fake, and we would bite EVERY time. For a veteran/older team, you would expect that they wouldn't bite each time, or commit so many fouls at the 3 pt line or beyond near half-court.
Again, we did well enough to win, but it wasn't of the type we want to see later in the year. We have to cut down on the turnovers, as the quicker teams will only make it worse for us. KVW did an excellent job at the line and didn't miss any lay-ups, and Buggs really impressed while recovering from an injury that almost kept him out. Is that a career high 15 pts too?
Refs were calling everything so some of those would not be a call in a normal game...
Quote from: agibson on November 18, 2012, 03:28:15 PMErik Buggs - taking over at the end of regulation! And into OT. Fantastic effort from a player we didn't even expect to see on the court. And KVW, my goodness. Thinking only of the end, how many minutes did he play with four fouls?! Excellent _quality_ streaming video. The camera work was questionable. And, the broadcasters, oh my...
I've never heard broadcasters criticize the refs SO much as the Kent State broadcasters did. While there were a lot of fouls, they were evenly distributed between both teams, so the refs were calling it tight on both ends.
QuoteI've never heard broadcasters criticize the refs SO much as the Kent State broadcasters did. While there were a lot of fouls, they were evenly distributed between both teams, so the refs were calling it tight on both ends.
I just thought the refs stopped the flow of the game. Broadcasters were annnoying about Kevin still being in the game though. It was like they felt there should be a time limit on how long he could play with 4 fouls. He stepped back quite often to avoid that 5th foul.
thought that the announcers weren't as bad as some have been in the past except for the fact that they didn't seem to know they were still live on the feed during tv time outs. They did give props to our players occasionally which was nice. I understand their frustration over the refs. I haven't seen that many fouls called on us in a while but as others have said, it was pretty even. Loved that we hung in there and didn't give up.
Great comeback by the Crusaders!!! Though we didn't play great :(, we still won ;D! Can someone give me a video link of Kevin's putback or just the highlights of the game? I wasn't able to watch the game today.
Quote from: valpofan11 on November 18, 2012, 04:29:24 PMGreat comeback by the Crusaders!!! Though we didn't play great :(, we still won ;D! Can someone give me a video link of Kevin's putback or just the highlights of the game? I wasn't able to watch the game today.
You missed a fun end to a game... I would like to see the video again as well. I just setup Sports center to DVR tonight because I think this deserves a highlight. (Game play like that would have beat Nebraska)
Quote from: letsgovu on November 18, 2012, 04:26:32 PM
thought that the announcers weren't as bad as some have been in the past except for the fact that they didn't seem to know they were still live on the feed during tv time outs. They did give props to our players occasionally which was nice. I understand their frustration over the refs. I haven't seen that many fouls called on us in a while but as others have said, it was pretty even. Loved that we hung in there and didn't give up.
Haha, yes, noticed that quite a bit. Especially the studio guy saying, 'leaving it with you, because I have to go to the bathroom' :)
Personally, I think valpo is just average at best. At least so far. Bogan, boggs, kenney, and coleman are all the same style and equally talented. They are all role players but not anything to get excited about. I don't understand why rossi doesn't get more playing time. He is a legit scorer. Rowdy has not been impressive this year. Kvw and buggs have carried this team so far.
I'm thinking Kenny needs to be starting and Rossi needs some of Bogg's mins.
If the kid is healthy I'd like to see how he does. He was a high major recruit who's sole reason for not playing for the 1st 2 yrs was an injury. He was regarded as one of the top shooters in the nation in HS and played in the NBA top 100 camp. If we're gonna struggle and more so, if BB isn't going to produce on O then when not play Rossi? Again, assuming he's healthy.
Quote from: letsgovu on November 18, 2012, 04:26:32 PM
thought that the announcers weren't as bad as some have been in the past except for the fact that they didn't seem to know they were still live on the feed during tv time outs. They did give props to our players occasionally which was nice. I understand their frustration over the refs. I haven't seen that many fouls called on us in a while but as others have said, it was pretty even. Loved that we hung in there and didn't give up.
it seemed to me that it was an audio feed patched across the video stream. either way, they were not aware (or didn't care) that the web stream did not cut the audio like their broadcast did.
Quote from: wittynamehere on November 18, 2012, 04:53:32 PM
I'm thinking Kenny needs to be starting
Didn't we have this discussion last year? Kenny does not perform well in a starting role...he just works better off the bench
Quote from: truth219 on November 18, 2012, 04:36:00 PM
Rowdy has not been impressive this year.
Funny comment from a first-time poster! Rowdy is averaging 14.0 points and 8.7 rebounds (in 26.7 minutes per game) for the opening three games, (nearly a double-double), which includes the Nebraska game where his time was limited by foul trouble. Last year, when he was the conference player of the year, Rowdy averaged 14.9 points and 8.5 rebounds (in 32.6 minutes per game). You must be difficult to impress.
Quote from: Smj on November 18, 2012, 04:32:59 PM
Quote from: valpofan11 on November 18, 2012, 04:29:24 PMGreat comeback by the Crusaders!!! Though we didn't play great :(, we still won ;D! Can someone give me a video link of Kevin's putback or just the highlights of the game? I wasn't able to watch the game today.
You missed a fun end to a game... I would like to see the video again as well. I just setup Sports center to DVR tonight because I think this deserves a highlight. (Game play like that would have beat Nebraska)
I wouldn't hold my breath.
Quote from: Smj on November 18, 2012, 04:17:09 PM
QuoteI've never heard broadcasters criticize the refs SO much as the Kent State broadcasters did. While there were a lot of fouls, they were evenly distributed between both teams, so the refs were calling it tight on both ends.
I just thought the refs stopped the flow of the game. Broadcasters were annnoying about Kevin still being in the game though. It was like they felt there should be a time limit on how long he could play with 4 fouls. He stepped back quite often to avoid that 5th foul.
I saw a foul on KSU that they were adamant should have been a travel on Kevin. To be honest, I couldn't tell one way or the other.
By the way, if players are fouling each other, the refs are *supposed* to stop the flow of the game. The "flow of the game" is not the refs' responsibility. Calling proper fouls is.
Valpo72 and valpopal...you guys are tough on us new posters! Frankly, I like diversity of opinion.
I watched the stream, and I think any objective observer would classify this game as "ugly." Both teams were turnover-prone, and neither team was crisp or sharp. Valpo looked tired and winded from time to time. KSU looked like they were sleepwalking for much of the first half. Oh well...a win is a win.
So far this year, I have been really impressed by the improvement in Valpo's free throw shooting -- especially Kevin and Buggs -- and by the play of Kenney, who was erratic last year.
Quote from: atkins on November 18, 2012, 06:07:07 PMValpo72 and valpopal...you guys are tough on us new posters! Frankly, I like diversity of opinion.
I was just noting that anyone saying "Rowdy has not been impressive"—even though he is putting up the same numbers this year as he did last year as conference player of the year (nearly a double-double) despite playing 6 fewer minutes per game thus far—must be difficult to impress. I would have said the same to anyone, but it seemed funny coming as someone's first post to the board.
Not saying "I told you so", because it's not really what I meant in the first place--but if Rossi can't crack the rotation when we're shorthanded, how much PT is he going to get starting next month when we're at full strength?
He's an excellent shooter--that was never in doubt--and I don't know if VU even could have said to the NCAA "well, you know, you don't HAVE to grant him the waiver, wink wink", but I still can't help thinking that the Rossi of 2015-16 would be so much better and more valuable than the Rossi of 2012-13. (Either way we have the Rossi of 2013-14 and 14-15, thank God.)
I guess I agree with Apostle on the Rossi question unless he is still nursing some sort of health issue. He did hit his first seven shots and has missed a total of one so far this year. Still, the question of playing time today is a good one--why, when we were short handed and in foul trouble--and weren't exactly lighting it up from the 3, didn't Bryce give him any playing time? I suspect it is defense.
He will get plenty of PT over the next two games and hopefully will learn the defense better by the time of the next challenge.
Speaking of challenges, St. Louis looks like the next one on Dec 2. It looks like Bobby will be back by then (surgery Nov 1?) but when exactly will Dority be able to lace em up? Classes end Dec 7, but finals end the 14th. We play New Mexico on the 8th. Barring injuries, we will certainly be at full strength when we play Missouri State on the 15th and Murray State on the 29th.
vu72, Dority can't play until the 15th, after the last final has been administered. The semester isn't final until the last final has been administered.
Quote from: valpopal on November 18, 2012, 06:15:47 PMit seemed funny coming as someone's first post to the board.
yeah, Pal is right...those kind of things have "troll" written all over them.
at least no one mistook him for Saders.
Quote from: LaPorteAveApostle on November 18, 2012, 07:50:36 PM
Quote from: valpopal on November 18, 2012, 06:15:47 PMit seemed funny coming as someone's first post to the board.
yeah, Pal is right...those kind of things have "troll" written all over them.
at least no one mistook him for Saders.
carry a slight grudge, do we?
Quote from: covufan on November 18, 2012, 07:58:36 PMcarry a slight grudge, do we?
what? you mean me? oh...i guess that's right. it had totally slipped my mind, until EVERYTHING HE EVER SAYS.
Story from The Cleveland Plain Dealer:
http://www.cleveland.com/sports/college/index.ssf/2012/11/kent_state_loses_to_valparaiso.html (http://www.cleveland.com/sports/college/index.ssf/2012/11/kent_state_loses_to_valparaiso.html)
Kent's post game interview:
Player interview:
http://m.youtube.com/#/watch?v=ofK1S6ZtoDw (http://m.youtube.com/#/watch?v=ofK1S6ZtoDw)
Coach interview:
http://m.youtube.com/#/watch?v=lIicsfNdmIk (http://m.youtube.com/#/watch?v=lIicsfNdmIk)
I think it is funny that the Cleveland paper says he accidentally tripped Buggs with 4.7 seconds left. They obviously don't understand basketball in that it was on purpose, since they were up by 3, and would only give up 2 points at the FT line, versus a 3 pt attempt to tie...terrible reporting.
Couldn't believe it when I read it. This coming from a major newspaper. It was such a blatant intentional foul. I don't really understand how a sportswriter could report it this way.
Quote from: chef on November 18, 2012, 11:32:04 PM
Couldn't believe it when I read it. This coming from a major newspaper. It was such a blatant intentional foul. I don't really understand how a sportswriter could report it this way.
This was right about the same time the Browns were blowing their game against the Cowboys. Reporter probably had two eyes on their phone and well....Cleveland fans love their football
Quote from: valpotx on November 18, 2012, 11:06:20 PM
I think it is funny that the Cleveland paper says he accidentally tripped Buggs with 4.7 seconds left. They obviously don't understand basketball in that it was on purpose, since they were up by 3, and would only give up 2 points at the FT line, versus a 3 pt attempt to tie...terrible reporting.
That actually came from the post game interview with the player. While that was the plan, the player said that it was unintentional at the time it actually occurred.
I don't think the player is sure of what to say. First it's clear the plan "coach said to foul, and yea I tripped him"...then "it was a bad call"...Huh. You were told to foul, you did foul and it was a bad call. I don't think we can interpret anything from this, because I don't think the player really knows what he's saying. On top of that, he grabbed Buggs in an obvious attempt to do what he was instructed "foul". There was no tripping. Maybe he was saying it was a bad call by the coach to instruct the player to foul, because he couldn't be saying it was a bad call by the official.
Quote from: atkins on November 18, 2012, 06:07:07 PMValpo72 and valpopal...you guys are tough on us new posters! Frankly, I like diversity of opinion. I watched the stream, and I think any objective observer would classify this game as "ugly.".
Totally agree. We looked horrible this past week. Lucky to come away with a win.
Didnt watch the game (Kent), but the Nebraska game was UGLY. If you folks say the Kent game was ugly then I would tend to agree as this board seems pretty accurate.
Buggs and Kenney are the difference makers on this team, in my opinion. Ryan and RVW are going to give solid performances on most nights, but these other two seniors are what can tip this team over the ledge and allow games to be won. Both have the athletism to be difference makers in not only the HL, but their NC schedule. Their athletism allows them to defend and rebound, keys to winning games.
All in all, not a bad road trip, it came down to finding a way to win one on the road, when defeat was at the door.
lowposter
Good win yesterday but concerning at the same time. When a team shoots near 60% from the field and holds its opponent to the low 40's, you would expect that team to win by near double digits. You wouldn't expect that it would take a miracle to keep you from losing, especially with free throw attempts being pretty equal. 20 turnovers and 15 offensive rebounds? That is not what I was expecting coming out of Lincoln. And I'm sorry, but calling a timeout when we had none which resulted in Kent putting points on the board without the clock running was inexcusable. Total lack of game awareness on the part of the players and the bench. Buggs was huge yesterday, probably the player of the game IMO, with Kenny a close second.
We're four games in and 3-1; however I'm not sure whether I've seen more positives than negatives at this point over those four games collectively. Although to be fair, VU is not full strength yet in its rotation so maybe it's best to take what you can get until all of the pieces fall into place. Good win though anyway.
I look at this win and the nebraska loss as flukes... Should have won the nebraska game and kinda got lucky at the end of regulation of the kent game. (not taking anything away from kevin - he had an awesome putback but the ball bounces a foot in any direction and we have a different end.)
I love the win over Kent but we need to study that game to determine how we could lead the entire game and then let them turn a double digit lead into a potential loss. Usually only expect to see that from a rookie team.
QuoteBut just after Valpo crossed midcourt, Kent sophomore Kris Brewer accidentally tripped guard Erik Buggs with 4.7 seconds left. Buggs made the first and missed the second, which Kent's Chris Ortiz seemed to rebound. But the 6-8 Van Wijk got his hands on the ball, and sent the game into overtime.
Um, Matt Kenney got his hands on the ball and batted it to Kevin for the put back, but ... whatever.
Folks, that's the purported Cleveland State Vikings beat writer, though a CSU friend of mine on twitter would smirk at that. Their coverage of CSU is atrocious. I'd hardly expect their coverage of a non-CSU game involving Valpo and Kent State to be any better.
Of course, it could be worse. They could be Loyola and UIC fighting for a table scrap from Chicago's 4 newspapers. At least the Plain Dealer minimally covers the Lady Vikings.
Elton Alexander was the one who voted Valparaiso 23rd in his preseason poll, giving the Crusaders three votes.
Quote from: Pgmado on November 19, 2012, 10:44:46 AM
Elton Alexander was the one who voted Valparaiso 23rd in his preseason poll, giving the Crusaders three votes.
Yep.
We can't end this thread without acknowledging and appreciating the hard work in practice that Erik has done on free throw shooting, which has shown dividends already. He is 10-14 (72%) in the regular season games. Add on the preseason and he is 12-16 (75%). That is an enormous improvement, and I hope it continues throughout the season.
Having said that, did any of us ever think we'd be overjoyed by seeing Erik miss a free throw in the closing seconds of a tight game!
Quote from: valpopal on November 19, 2012, 12:37:19 PM
We can't end this thread without acknowledging and appreciating the hard work in practice that Erik has done on free throw shooting, which has shown dividends already. He is 10-14 (72%) in the regular season games. Add on the preseason and he is 12-16 (75%). That is an enormous improvement, and I hope it continues throughout the season.
Having said that, did any of us ever think we'd be overjoyed by seeing Erik miss a free throw in the closing seconds of a tight game!
that's one facet of his game that he's worked on every year. and the improvement has shown every year. glad to see his work is really paying off.
I'm still trying to wrap my brain around Kevin's 13-14 from the line, and Buggs swishing 2 just prior that final trip to the line.
Quote from: StlVUFan on November 19, 2012, 01:24:07 PM
I'm still trying to wrap my brain around Kevin's 13-14 from the line, and Buggs swishing 2 just prior that final trip to the line.
Yes, this is as difficult as trying to surround a whole pork roast with two thin slices of Panera. Does this also mean that I can now discontinue my practice of standing up, turning around and faceing away from the basket when Erik goes to the free-throw line during critical strech runs? ;)
Here is an interesting utube posted by Kent State, which covers our game and others. I hadn't seen the now famous final play which put the game into overtime. Notice that Kevin, who made the shot that put it into OT, was originally not near the basket but rather up near the top of the key. Great effort by him to battle into position. Also nice coverage of their game with Bethune Cookman.
Kent State Basketball - Mid November Highlights (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PPnlU0tzEXU#ws)
Buggs' FT's and the put back start at 4:11 mark. Sure glad they cut off that whiny colorman's comments about the play. Over-the-back?
Quote from: bbtds on November 29, 2012, 09:51:37 PM
Buggs' FT's and the put back start at 4:11 mark. Sure glad they cut off that whiny colorman's comments about the play. Over-the-back?
I know they were a bit whiny, but I'd interpret that more as just lamenting the fact that he outrebounded the guy. He had just gotten done commenting superlatively about the good basket, then added "Over the back..." immediately after. My impression is that comment was meant to amplify the outstanding effort by Kevin on the boards, not begin a complaint about a lack of foul call.