While driving to the office this morning around 8a, I observed a good-sized charter plane coming in for a landing at Porter County Airport. I can only assume that's the Sycamores arriving to get ready to kick some Crusader butt. Game on!
Tyreke Key owns Valpo...Valpo has to fix that and make a little higher percentage. I'd bet a lot of points to be put up tomorrow night.
Picked Valpo to win for January picks early in January.
Changed my mind. Indiana State to win.
Quote from: Just Sayin on January 17, 2020, 11:36:13 AM
Picked Valpo to win for January picks early in January.
Changed my mind. Indiana State to win.
After starting the season 0-4 (all against top 100 KenPom teams), ISU has won 10 of 12 against weaker competition. They're a very hot team, but their only true road win was at Wright State in OT. Given their road struggles, I think Valpo takes them down in front of a large and rowdy crowd!
Quote from: EddieCabot on January 17, 2020, 12:08:02 PMQuote from: Just Sayin on January 17, 2020, 11:36:13 AMPicked Valpo to win for January picks early in January. Changed my mind. Indiana State to win.
After starting the season 0-4 (all against top 100 KenPom teams), ISU has won 10 of 12 against weaker competition. They're a very hot team, but their only true road win was at Wright State in OT. Given their road struggles, I think Valpo takes them down in front of a large and rowdy crowd!
Indiana State is the 8th best 3-pointing shooting team in the country. Valpo is the 299th best/worst team in the country defending the three.
Sycs did set the school record with 17 3s the other night...I'm just tired of losing lunch bets when that team beats us...Time to "Finish" like we did with Drake.
Supposed to be a brisk 23 degrees (+8 windchill)...
Tyler the Amazing Balance Act is the halftime show.
http://www.amazingtyler.com/
**THE #1 MOST BOOKED HALFTIME ACT IN COLLEGE BASKETBALL 2017-2019!**
Quote from: talksalot on January 17, 2020, 01:22:29 PM
Sycs did set the school record with 17 3s the other night...
You may want to double check that. What I see is a total of 30 made 3's over their first 5 conference games, with a 1-game high of 8. Nothing to write home about.
mybad... twas Bradley.. hitting 17 3s against Missouri State...
I still think key will be the key. so to speak
Good or bad, we're going to learn a lot tomorrow. We're going to learn a lot about this team and its chances to avoid Thursday. We're also going to learn a lot about the Sycamores. Are they for real and a potential Q1 road game (which this conference needs, or are they a potential Thursday team buoyed by a tough non-conference schedule against which they did not perform particularly well? We'll see...
Quote from: wh on January 17, 2020, 09:46:39 PM
Trip to Valpo looms as it gets tougher for the Sycamores
By Todd Aaron Golden Tribune-Star 4 hrs ago
https://www.tribstar.com/sports/local_college_sports/isu_sports/trip-to-valpo-looms-as-it-gets-tougher-for-the/article_b9620cb6-2f60-5990-93db-f8b772219190.html
Linking here for people focused on the ISU game.
Valpo 79
ISUb 71
Quote from: EddieCabot on January 17, 2020, 12:08:02 PM
Quote from: Just Sayin on January 17, 2020, 11:36:13 AM
Picked Valpo to win for January picks early in January.
Changed my mind. Indiana State to win.
After starting the season 0-4 (all against top 100 KenPom teams), ISU has won 10 of 12 against weaker competition. They're a very hot team, but their only true road win was at Wright State in OT. Given their road struggles, I think Valpo takes them down in front of a large and rowdy crowd!
Don't discount Wright State this season for being a significant win on the road. With Love and a great shooting guard Wright State is no HL team to sneeze at.
Sackey and Robinson out tonight. This game just got a lot more challenging.
Oh goody No point guard... Come on Eron... We need you today... This could be a turning point game for him personally because he should get minutes. If he shows out, he'll likely play much more down the stretch...
I see Daniel sitting on the sidelines. I don't e en see Nick. No sign of Ryan. That's 3 of our top 6 out. How many games have we played at full strength the past 2 years? That leaves us with 7 rotation players and 2 freshmen who never play. This is ridiculous.
Is this just bad luck or is our training staff deficient and requires greater investment and attention?
And, as long as I'm venting, 1 of our 2 freshmen who never play is our backup center's backup, thus he won't be any help tonight. And Daniel would have been our quickest defender against 2 the fastest guards on a guard-oriented team.
To have any chance, we can't have any 2-12 nights, or 4 fouls in 12 minute nights from Mileek.
I'm an eternal optimist, but I see IS winning this by 8-12 points.
If our subpar, poorly ventilated facility and overly condensated floor costs us our season, that would be about right.
We're letting them get inside every single possession.
We scored out of a timeout with a set play. Easy open 2 goes a long ways in these kind of games.
Clay is good
Whichever one of you at home made a sacrifice to the b-ball injury gods to get JFV back, nice work.
Pretty ugly half... Bad shooting by both teams but especially us...
That's was the worse call I've seen in a long time. jFL picking up third fouls was bad.
Quote from: oklahomamick on January 18, 2020, 07:45:38 PM
That's was the worse call I've seen in a long time. jFL picking up third fouls was bad.
That was some rookie crap coach you don't leave your best player in with two minutes and two fouls. That's rookie crap...
Quote from: FieldGoodie05 on January 18, 2020, 07:47:43 PM
Quote from: oklahomamick on January 18, 2020, 07:45:38 PM
That's was the worse call I've seen in a long time. jFL picking up third fouls was bad.
That was some rookie crap coach you don't leave your best player in with two minutes and two fouls. That's rookie crap...
Both Homer and Bryce would do the same thing often. They often trusted their best players to not pickup that third foul.
Last two calls on jfl looked bogus to me. Thought a couple of other offensive foul calls on us were questionable. Hard to believe we're within three with three starters (counting Ryan here) out and jfl out most of half with an ankle.
Quote from: VUGrad1314 on January 18, 2020, 06:24:59 PM
Is this just bad luck or is our training staff deficient and requires greater investment and attention?
Do we believe in luck or not? :rotfl:
I thought the ref bailed him out. Jfl went straight up.
We need to keep them out of the lane. They were able to drive at ease and get some bunnies. We don't have a rim protector so keep them out of the lane. We need to get back to .500 in conference.
Btw, really cool to have an honest to goodness halftime show.
Gordon showing out! Play him some more!
Good stuff! Playing hard and playing tough! Even shorthanded! Glad to see the transfers pitching in at key moments!
It's interesting to observe what happens when the point is played in control.
Is that an endorsement for Gordon becoming our new point guard permanently? I'm VUGrad1314 and I approve this message.
KISER IS KING RIGHT NOW!!! GREAT SEQUENCE FROM HIM!
Glue.....guy
Give credit. Mileek is having a good game! Villen has had his moments too and in my mind deserves mention...
Big shocker. Going to the basket and looking for high percentage shots with higher probabilities of getting fouled works.
Win or lose, coach did a good job 2nd half and really the whole game with exception to leaving jfl in the game with 1 minutes left and 2 fouls. And even that is subjective.
There where more set play, out of bound looks, movement, and screens
Clay 18
JFL 15
Gordon 12
Kiser 12
McMillan 11
I love this. More of this please. If we can get this kind of balance we're going to be just fine the rest of the year.
JAVON!!! LET'S GO!!!! BIG SHOT!!!
17-21 from the line! I love it! Good stuff Crusaders! YES! HOME RUN BALL FOR THE WIN!!!!
JFL! JFL! JFL! JFL! JFL! JFL! JFL! JFL!
WOO HOO!!!!
Winning is fun!!
54 second half points... 54... No Sackey No Robninson No problem... Against the #84 team in the NET. Let's hope the offensive woes are behind us! This could be a statement game guys! Go Valpo! We need more Gordon and more Morgan! Krikke was good too! Really not much to complain about! Everyone was awesome tonight!
Huge win. Balanced scoring. Hungrier than IS
UNBELIEVABLE!!! What a great performance by a whole bunch of guys. JFL, Kiser, Clay. Wow. Made free throws and a home run play at the end then a steal dunk to cap it off. Great effort rewarded with a win!
Is this the best half of basketball we've put together since we joined the MVC? Serious question... I can't think of too many that were better...
This was an all hands win. Next man up all the way to the end of the bench! Great job team! Love the swag to play to the crowd at the end. Keep em coming back!
So we are down three starters and Win! Anybody who thinks Matt needs to be replaced needed to think again. What a coaching job tonight! As for the team. Hat off to John Kiser, player of the game and next to the rest of the team--a TEAM WIN!!!!!!!!!
That was a good coaching job. I tip my hat.
Now we need that more often. But nonetheless, Matt did a great job tonight. Very impressed.
The team effort in this game truly deserves to be labeled "gritty": good hold of home court!
Finally this board has turned positive :dance: :dance: :dance: :dance: After what 3 years :cheers: :cheers: :cheers: This is one hell of a spirited team and yes the Coach does a great job as well :thewave: Bryce and Alex were excellent for Valpo's program, but let FREEMAN-LIBERTY RING :clap: :clap: :clap: :clap: :clap: I love watching this guy play :popcorn: :popcorn: :popcorn:
After getting home I decided to re watch the second half. Two thoughts so far:
1. Kudos to Matt and JFL for having and executing a plan to keep him from getting that 4th foul. He played offf the ball yet affected the play.
2. My condolences to those of you that had to watch this live and hear two hours of this awful color announcer. He just. Won't. Stop. Talking.
Quote from: NativeCheesehead on January 18, 2020, 09:36:58 PM
After getting home I decided to re watch the second half. Two thoughts so far:
1. Kudos to Matt and JFL for having and executing a plan to keep him from getting that 4th foul. He played offf the ball yet affected the play.
2. My condolences to those of you that had to watch this live and hear two hours of this awful color announcer. He just. Won't. Stop. Talking.
Todd Ickow FTW! Who needs visuals when you have him? We are VERY lucky as fans to have a commentator of his caliber.
Todd OUT of BOUNNNNNS :lol:
Great win, fantastic last 3/4 of the game. Kiser did it all, game of his career! JFL has a fantastic second half. Clay and Leek did great jobs, Gordon played real well and showed some real toughness.
A couple things to improve on
- Kiser gets beat back door more then anyone.
- Has Valpo drawn a charge this season??
- JFL gotta put a hand up when their killer has it with the clock running down (he was saying my bad at the timeout, so I don't think that one happens again).
Great win, ride this momentum!
So who's down for this lineup against Missouri State:
G Eron Gordon
G Javon Freeman-Liberty
F John Kiser
F Donovan Clay
F\C Mileek McMillan
Seemed to work out okay tonight... Why not run it back and see how it does on the road against the Bears? (This is being said with no scouting and knowledge of whether or not we'd get abused inside if we did this so take it with a bit of a grain of salt).
Great crowd for a bitter cold night. Exciting atmosphere. Students were loud. RailCats guy was great. Halftime show was fabulous. Incredible 2nd half and killer instinct. Doesn't get any better.
Love this piece by Brandon Vickery on John Kiser.
https://twitter.com/AlBillets/status/1218755063365107712
ISU stopping power melts away in second half
By Todd Aaron Golden Tribune-Star • Valparaiso
https://www.tribstar.com/sports/local_college_sports/isu_sports/isu-stopping-power-melts-away-in-second-half/article_e44324a4-8a8a-5e3a-8306-521d5120368a.html
Post game recap Valpo vs Indiana State.
https://twitter.com/ValpoBasketball/status/1218745008762867712
That Golden article informed that Fazekas is a key bench player and I've been referring to the ARC the wrong way. :crazy:
Good call... Couldn't have said it any better... This was a true team win and deserves to be recognized as such...
https://twitter.com/valpoathletics/status/1218740158645833729
Also since I like numbers so much and used them to denigrate Lottich as a coach so often, it's only fair that I point out some REALLY positive numbers that say A LOT about his leadership abilities and that he just might be the right guy to get us where we need to go... Have a look at these!
https://twitter.com/valpoathletics/status/1218762843065126917
Those numbers speak very loudly to the character of this team under Lottich and how hard they fight for him... Matt I am sorry I let emotion and frustration get in the way of seeing what you were building all along... Keep doing what you're doing! Go Valpo!
Anyone else notice that our glue guy makes sure to go straight to his teammates, whenever they feel that they got screwed on a call? I have said it for 2 seasons now...GLUE...GUY
From a visitor who didn't fully appreciate the good old ARC:
"Just got home from Valpo. Valpo downtown is really cool. Valpo staff and people were very friendly. First let me tell you about the facility. Hulman Center with one working bathroom and tarps flapping in the wind is 100 times better than that place. It's a cross between a high school and juco gym. The fact the MVC let them in with a facility like that is embarrassing. It is not even close to a division 1 caliber facility. Now to the game. Despite the outcome, being there in person was entertaining. JB was fantastic in the first half and not in the second half. Tyreke is just an incredible talent and we need to appreciate it while we have him. Jake and Tre are just freshman. They will be a force the next 3 years, but their defense needs a lot of work. We missed BK tonight. CWill was a no show. Bottom line is you can't win on the road shooting free throws that bad and letting your opponent run a layup drill in the second half. I'm not as down as some. We are a mid pack team. If we learn to play defense we could be top 4, we'll see. If we want to get over the hump next year, we must find a point guard."
BTW, to that visitor:
My taxes helped build your facility. You're welcome! ;)
Quote from: Valpo Joe on January 18, 2020, 09:24:12 PMFinally this board has turned positive :dance: :dance: :dance: :dance: After what 3 years :cheers: :cheers: :cheers: This is one hell of a spirited team and yes the Coach does a great job as well :thewave: Bryce and Alex were excellent for Valpo's program, but let FREEMAN-LIBERTY RING :clap: :clap: :clap: :clap: :clap: I love watching this guy play :popcorn: :popcorn: :popcorn:
And to think there were those who were seriously downplaying his contribution to the team when he decided to leave. No big loss. He wasn't all that good. They said Walker was better than JFL. :rotfl:
Who the heck said that? That's ridiculous. I think most Valpo fans recognized the gravity of Javon potentially leaving and were extremely concerned. Also all he did was explore his options had he decided to leave we wouldn't be enjoying watching him now.
Quote from: wh on January 18, 2020, 06:30:52 PM
And, as long as I'm venting, 1 of our 2 freshmen who never play is our backup center's backup, thus he won't be any help tonight. And Daniel would have been our quickest defender against 2 the fastest guards on a guard-oriented team.
To have any chance, we can't have any 2-12 nights, or 4 fouls in 12 minute nights from Mileek.
I'm an eternal optimist, but I see IS winning this by 8-12 points.
Interesting. I did not see the game but only listened to Todd's exciting call of the game. Did anyone think that all the complaints about Daniel's liabilities may have actually been a positive and lead to Valpo winning this game. Meaning was not having Sackey making his usual mistakes more of a positive than a negative?
Quote from: bbtds on January 19, 2020, 07:34:01 AMQuote from: wh on January 18, 2020, 06:30:52 PMAnd, as long as I'm venting, 1 of our 2 freshmen who never play is our backup center's backup, thus he won't be any help tonight. And Daniel would have been our quickest defender against 2 the fastest guards on a guard-oriented team. To have any chance, we can't have any 2-12 nights, or 4 fouls in 12 minute nights from Mileek. I'm an eternal optimist, but I see IS winning this by 8-12 points.
Interesting. I did not see the game but only listened to Todd's exciting call of the game. Did anyone think that all the complaints about Daniel's liabilities may have actually been a positive and lead to Valpo winning this game. Meaning was not having Sackey making his usual mistakes more of a positive than a negative?
Mileek heard this and he stepped up... The whole team did... We did not have any bad nights and we not only gave ourselves a chance we finished the job and won! Great night! I'm not going to say not having Sackey out there was a positive. I have hope for him that he'll figure it out. But I do want to point out that in spite of his injury he was very vocal and cheering his team on. Gore and Ickow pointed this out. He's a terrific teammate and person and I think he'll be just fine. But yes, the improvement in the offense and point guard play relative to how it has been previously was noticeable. However, I believe there is plenty of reason to believe that Sackey can get back to performing at least at the level the guards played last night. He works too hard and he's too good a teammate not to improve.
Quote from: Valpo Joe on January 18, 2020, 09:24:12 PMBryce and Alex were excellent for Valpo's program
One of Valpo's best ever and we still can't get his first name correct. The Peters family, which does read this board, must be devastated.
ALEC Peters
Quote from: wh on January 18, 2020, 10:43:42 PM
Great crowd for a bitter cold night. Exciting atmosphere. Students were loud. RailCats guy was great. Halftime show was fabulous. Incredible 2nd half and killer instinct. Doesn't get any better.
Parking situation?
Quote from: VUGrad1314 on January 18, 2020, 11:50:13 PMThose numbers speak very loudly to the character of this team under Lottich and how hard they fight for him... Matt I am sorry I let emotion and frustration get in the way of seeing what you were building all along... Keep doing what you're doing! Go Valpo!
Are you just buttering us up so you don't have to eventually eat your hats?
Quote from: VUGrad1314 on January 19, 2020, 07:30:03 AMWho the heck said that? That's ridiculous. I think most Valpo fans recognized the gravity of Javon potentially leaving and were extremely concerned. Also all he did was explore his options had he decided to leave we wouldn't be enjoying watching him now.
They know who they are. I'll refrain from mentioning names or posting their past comments.
Quote from: bbtds on January 19, 2020, 07:53:02 AMQuote from: VUGrad1314 on January 18, 2020, 11:50:13 PMThose numbers speak very loudly to the character of this team under Lottich and how hard they fight for him... Matt I am sorry I let emotion and frustration get in the way of seeing what you were building all along... Keep doing what you're doing! Go Valpo!
Are you just buttering us up so you don't have to eventually eat your hats?
No I'm not going to have to do that because Lottich has about a full hand's worth of national championship rings to get as a head coach before that happens. Read the quote again. "If he gets anywhere near Coach K's resume (which is FIVE national titles I think Maybe six I don't remember) I'll eat my hat. Considering I'm pretty sure only Roy Williams and Jay Wright are active coaches with more than one I feel pretty safe.
Attendance was listed at 2805...I sit pretty high up in the mezzanine and it was much more crowded then usual. I thought the number was going to be north of 3,000.
Quote from: bbtds on January 19, 2020, 07:46:50 AM
Quote from: wh on January 18, 2020, 10:43:42 PM
Great crowd for a bitter cold night. Exciting atmosphere. Students were loud. RailCats guy was great. Halftime show was fabulous. Incredible 2nd half and killer instinct. Doesn't get any better.
Parking situation?
My observations from (watching on TV)
Crowd seemed into the game.
Atmosphere looked rockin. Tee shirts were flying through the air during time outs.
Arena (gym) looked full for only 2,800 fans for a Saturday game. (200 less than last years Wednesday game against ISUb)
Hat goes off to the Pike fraternity who represented the student section well (again) :thumbsup:
Pep Band looked smaller to me.
I liked the Valpo "state farm" banners that were opening up especially during the second half.
(Not sure if they came out for this game or a previous one) but the red and white state farm logo stood out far more than the Valpo one on tv! - nice advertising strategy state farm!
Quote from: M on January 19, 2020, 08:29:04 AM
Attendance was listed at 2805...I sit pretty high up in the mezzanine and it was much more crowded then usual. I thought the number was going to be north of 3,000.
I was surprised when I saw 2,805 for a Saturday prime time evening game!
I also thought Valpo would easily represent north of 3k. for this game.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z4w4HdWtfZQ
[tweet]1218741612081184774[/tweet]
What a way to end the game! A dunk at the buzzer is a great way to punctuate a big win!
What I liked the most about it was how excited and happy he was. The way he acted with his teammates and the way he interacted with the crowd afterwards. He looks like he loves the team and the fans and that he loves it here and is thrilled to be a Crusader. And we are thrilled that he is a Crusader. Javon, we love you! Signed, Crusader nation!
Quote from: VUGrad1314 on January 19, 2020, 08:00:38 AM
Quote from: bbtds on January 19, 2020, 07:53:02 AMQuote from: VUGrad1314 on January 18, 2020, 11:50:13 PMThose numbers speak very loudly to the character of this team under Lottich and how hard they fight for him... Matt I am sorry I let emotion and frustration get in the way of seeing what you were building all along... Keep doing what you're doing! Go Valpo!
Are you just buttering us up so you don't have to eventually eat your hats?
No I'm not going to have to do that because Lottich has about a full hand's worth of national championship rings to get as a head coach before that happens. Read the quote again. "If he gets anywhere near Coach K's resume (which is FIVE national titles I think Maybe six I don't remember) I'll eat my hat. Considering I'm pretty sure only Roy Williams and Jay Wright are active coaches with more than one I feel pretty safe.
Well, in that case, you were safe before you were born.
Anywhere near Coach K's resume and Five national titles is not the same thing. Winning conference titles and conference tournaments is what I was thinking.
Now comes the challenge. Can we build on this? Got a tough but winnable game coming up next. Health is certainly a factor but our confidence should be high after that second half performance. Running off a streak of 7-10 games where you play well night in and night out (even if you don't win them all) is the next step for us right now. In my opinion, we're at 3.
Quote from: NativeCheesehead on January 19, 2020, 12:34:47 PM
Now comes the challenge. Can we build on this? Got a tough but winnable game coming up next. Health is certainly a factor but our confidence should be high after that second half performance. Running off a streak of 7-10 games where you play well night in and night out (even if you don't win them all) is the next step for us right now. In my opinion, we're at 3.
FWIW, of their final 12 games in MVC play, by the analytics, Valpo is the underdog in 6-8 of them.
Slightly off topic, but do they serve beer at the ARC yet? I live outside the state so unfortunately haven't made it back to the Arc for about 4 years. It seems most are now serving but I wasn't sure
:lol: :lol: :lol: :lol:
No
Don't they sell it in the "ARC Suite"?
Isn't Valpo still considered a dry campus?
No idea. But I went to the big kickoff concert for the Forever Valpo campaign at the ARC a few years back and there was plenty of booze.
Quote from: VALPO LI on January 19, 2020, 06:36:15 PM
Isn't Valpo still considered a dry campus?
Just making a guess here but if they went away from being a dry campus they probably would've started selling beer at the basketball games because I believe the insurance premiums are pretty and they would need to recoup those costs.
I would say "Clearly the department has done the risk assessment for selling alcohol vs insurance / security costs" but if they don't have the money to upgrade the sound system they obviously don't have the money for that.
Great team win. This is a deep team and it would be nice to see it at full strength the last 2 weeks going into tourney.
Again, Krikke is showing very good skill level for a frosh. His footwork and defensive positioning, and body/arm control on drives have been very good. It would be nice to see McMillan pick up some of that. Krikke doesn't pick up cheap fouls by swinging arms or trying to block people once they drive past. Offensively, in the 1st half he was helpful in keeping us in the game when Gordon and Jevon were out. The offense was moving and passes were being made to the cutters. All players still need to swing the ball weak side faster, and hit open players faster. Also, make the entry pass to Morgan or big guys who are posting up (Lost art -- post entry passes). Noticed the t-shirts said "Do Simple Great." Wholeheartedly agree! Make the simple pass. Execute the cut. Box out. Make the layup.
Also, kudos to Clay for 39 minutes. Would like to have him play like a 6'8" player -- don't settle for the "off the glass" shot. Go up strong and dunk the ball. Make them have to foul you to stop you. I'm guessing he still has 6'3" habits in the paint, but he is getting to the box and needs to convert at higher rates. And, Gordon stepping up. He is going to be a stellar Y league player for decades.
Quote from: VUBBFan on January 18, 2020, 10:52:19 PM
Love this piece by Brandon Vickery on John Kiser.
https://twitter.com/AlBillets/status/1218755063365107712
I think this also shows why Valpo is at a disadvantage versus an Indiana State school. One of their players was highlighted as being a student athlete and certainly is an athlete. The student part was telling to me. John is an honor roll player studying engineering while their guy has a 3.2 avg in recreational sports.
Beer sales at Drake games are well controlled and has been a successful profit maker. Valpo needs to let loose on some of their bogus policies.
Quote from: valpo84 on January 20, 2020, 08:22:10 AM
And, Gordon stepping up. He is going to be a stellar Y league player for decades.
Eron has two brothers in the NBA making major money. I bet Eron gets his own built in NBA size court and invites people over and they come in large numbers.
Quote from: valpo84 on January 20, 2020, 08:22:10 AM
Great team win. This is a deep team and it would be nice to see it at full strength the last 2 weeks going into tourney.
Again, Krikke is showing very good skill level for a frosh. His footwork and defensive positioning, and body/arm control on drives have been very good. It would be nice to see McMillan pick up some of that. Krikke doesn't pick up cheap fouls by swinging arms or trying to block people once they drive past. Offensively, in the 1st half he was helpful in keeping us in the game when Gordon and Jevon were out. The offense was moving and passes were being made to the cutters. All players still need to swing the ball weak side faster, and hit open players faster. Also, make the entry pass to Morgan or big guys who are posting up (Lost art -- post entry passes). Noticed the t-shirts said "Do Simple Great." Wholeheartedly agree! Make the simple pass. Execute the cut. Box out. Make the layup.
Also, kudos to Clay for 39 minutes. Would like to have him play like a 6'8" player -- don't settle for the "off the glass" shot. Go up strong and dunk the ball. Make them have to foul you to stop you. I'm guessing he still has 6'3" habits in the paint, but he is getting to the box and needs to convert at higher rates. And, Gordon stepping up. He is going to be a stellar Y league player for decades.
Good thoughts, 84. The offensive movement seemed improved and the reward was a balanced scoring attack that we haven't seen in some time. While we're talking about about players and their stubborn habits, we'd be remiss in not talking about Sackey, whose absence may partially explain the improved offensive flow. His speed, which may have served him well in high school, has become his Maslow's hammer (when all you have is a hammer, you tend to see everything as a nail). He needs to realize that it is not sufficient at the D1 level. Not only are there fast players, but the chances of outrunning even the slower defenders is slim when you are predictable and too out of control to pass or shoot your way out of a premature drive to the basket.
I don't have an astute coaches mind, so I'm not sure what adjustment he needs to (and can) make, but if I continue to see him drive straight into a small gap, at full acceleration and without an apparent outlet, I'll lose faith in him as a point guard. What would you have him do to be less dependent on his speed and reduce his turnovers?
Maslow's hammer, Occam's razor, and cognitive dissonance are all references I've seen on this board in the past year. You can't say you see that level of discourse on most basketball message boards.
Quote from: NativeCheesehead on January 20, 2020, 10:59:42 AMMaslow's hammer, Occam's razor, and cognitive dissonance are all references I've seen on this board in the past year. You can't say you see that level of discourse on most basketball message boards.
Posters here are near the top of the triangle of Maslow's Hierarchy of Needs.
Near the peak experience.
Quote from: usc4valpo on January 20, 2020, 09:47:32 AM
Beer sales at Drake games are well controlled and has been a successful profit maker. Valpo needs to let loose on some of their bogus policies.
I am not at all against this, but actually wonder if it would be profitable at Valpo. Facilities costs, insurance, liquor license, etc. to do so would not be negligible. I am guessing that out of a crowd of 3500 at Valpo, perhaps 500 beers would be sold at the game. If they sold them at $8 per beer, that is $4000 of revenue per game. That is not insignificant revenue, but costs might make it not worth the bother. (note here...I learned my rudimentary modeling knowledge of selling alcohol from my days at Valpo violating countless laws regarding the sale of alcohol).
By the way, there is a hospitality area at games where University Advancement welcomes donors. They serve beer, wine, etc. before and during games.
I want to add that several of the set plays Lottich drew up worked in the second half. For example, the home run play. That's 2 easy points in a game decided by 5? Coaching matters. X and O's matter. And Lottich stepped up in the second half for one of the first times I can remember. If you can do this regularly, he will win me over.
Bryce and Alex were excellent for Valpo's program
One of Valpo's best ever and we still can't get his first name correct. The Peters family, which does read this board, must be devastated. ALEC Peters
Sorry I meant BRUCE not Bryce :rotfl:
Quote from: oklahomamick on January 20, 2020, 12:31:46 PM
I want to add that several of the set plays Lottich drew up worked in the second half. For example, the home run play. That's 2 easy points in a game decided by 5? Coaching matters. X and O's matter. And Lottich stepped up in the second half for one of the first times I can remember. If you can do this regularly, he will win me over.
(https://previews.123rf.com/images/doglikehorse/doglikehorse1004/doglikehorse100400429/6906901-look-of-surprise-on-this-mans-face.jpg)
Oh, no, you didn't?!
Quote from: Valpower on January 20, 2020, 10:12:27 AM
Quote from: valpo84 on January 20, 2020, 08:22:10 AM
Great team win. This is a deep team and it would be nice to see it at full strength the last 2 weeks going into tourney.
Again, Krikke is showing very good skill level for a frosh. His footwork and defensive positioning, and body/arm control on drives have been very good. It would be nice to see McMillan pick up some of that. Krikke doesn't pick up cheap fouls by swinging arms or trying to block people once they drive past. Offensively, in the 1st half he was helpful in keeping us in the game when Gordon and Jevon were out. The offense was moving and passes were being made to the cutters. All players still need to swing the ball weak side faster, and hit open players faster. Also, make the entry pass to Morgan or big guys who are posting up (Lost art -- post entry passes). Noticed the t-shirts said "Do Simple Great." Wholeheartedly agree! Make the simple pass. Execute the cut. Box out. Make the layup.
Also, kudos to Clay for 39 minutes. Would like to have him play like a 6'8" player -- don't settle for the "off the glass" shot. Go up strong and dunk the ball. Make them have to foul you to stop you. I'm guessing he still has 6'3" habits in the paint, but he is getting to the box and needs to convert at higher rates. And, Gordon stepping up. He is going to be a stellar Y league player for decades.
Good thoughts, 84. The offensive movement seemed improved and the reward was a balanced scoring attack that we haven't seen in some time. While we're talking about about players and their stubborn habits, we'd be remiss in not talking about Sackey, whose absence may partially explain the improved offensive flow. His speed, which may have served him well in high school, has become his Maslow's hammer (when all you have is a hammer, you tend to see everything as a nail). He needs to realize that it is not sufficient at the D1 level. Not only are there fast players, but the chances of outrunning even the slower defenders is slim when you are predictable and too out of control to pass or shoot your way out of a premature drive to the basket.
I don't have an astute coaches mind, so I'm not sure what adjustment he needs to (and can) make, but if I continue to see him drive straight into a small gap, at full acceleration and without an apparent outlet, I'll lose faith in him as a point guard. What would you have him do to be less dependent on his speed and reduce his turnovers?
I believe that Buggs paid a visit to Valpo this past summer, and spoke with a few of the players, with Sackey seeming to take the most away from that meeting (Valpo loyalty). That is a perfect sounding board for Daniel, to get good advice on when to use that speed, and when to slow it up.
For those commenting on Eron Gordon, I know that you are joking in some of those comments, but he will have the opportunity to play overseas. He has a smooth stroke, and someone will give him a shot with that aspect + his family pedigree.
Quote from: bbtds on January 19, 2020, 07:34:01 AM
Interesting. I did not see the game but only listened to Todd's exciting call of the game.
I've listened to Todd's radio call more this season out of necessity (no TV coverage, traveling) than I have in a long time. He is absolutely fabulous. Exciting, like you say, raw emotion, almost "willing" 3-pointers to go down at key points. He's so descriptive that I can feel the drama - almost like I'm there. And, Brandon (so sorry if I have his name wrong) is amazingly knowledgeable for someone so young. Very analytical and insightful about the dynamics of the teams and the action on the court. You can tell he preps and is just plain smart. Great team. Actually, outstanding team.
Just one more video clip from this game if you haven't already seen it. Way to go John!
https://twitter.com/valpoathletics/status/1219695548174884867
Yeah the down side of attending most home games and streaming the road games is not hearing Todd much anymore save for some of the replays I watch. He's better on the radio where he can be a pure Valpo announcer as opposed to a little more down the middle for TV. The TV color guy is knowledgable but does suffer a bit from Charles Davis Syndrome, where he feels the need to fill every single empty space with something. I get that on the radio but not so much on TV where we have a picture.
Speaking of announcers, while I hope Johnny B is our PA guy for many years still to come, I really hope we get the Railcats guy who's hosting the games now to take over when he's done. Pure energy and a voice that sounds great even on our awful sound system.
Quote from: NativeCheesehead on January 22, 2020, 03:29:16 PMYeah the down side of attending most home games and streaming the road games is not hearing Todd much anymore
I always listen to Todd while watching the stream live. It sometimes takes a little time to sync the video with the tune-in stream, but the effort is well worth it.
Quote from: humbleopinion on January 22, 2020, 05:37:11 PM
Quote from: NativeCheesehead on January 22, 2020, 03:29:16 PMYeah the down side of attending most home games and streaming the road games is not hearing Todd much anymore
I always listen to Todd while watching the stream live. It sometimes takes a little time to sync the video with the tune-in stream, but the effort is well worth it.
I do the same! He's worth the listen. Sometimes I prefer the home games when he gets relegated to the radio. Maybe it's just me, but his tv partner is not my favorite.
Quote from: FieldGoodie05 on January 22, 2020, 05:54:39 PM
Quote from: humbleopinion on January 22, 2020, 05:37:11 PM
Quote from: NativeCheesehead on January 22, 2020, 03:29:16 PMYeah the down side of attending most home games and streaming the road games is not hearing Todd much anymore
I always listen to Todd while watching the stream live. It sometimes takes a little time to sync the video with the tune-in stream, but the effort is well worth it.
I do the same! He's worth the listen. Sometimes I prefer the home games when he gets relegated to the radio. Maybe it's just me, but his tv partner is not my favorite.
I REALLY enjoy Todd. I think he does a great job.
However, I do want to give kudos to the students. While they're understandably not at Todd's level, I think they do a good job. Note that I attend the home games, so I only hear them in the post-games. I think that what drives my admiration of the students is that I compare to myself when I was in undergrad - I never would have contemplated doing anything like that.
I'm glad that they get the opportunity. Hopefully, it will help them after they graduate.
Quote from: FieldGoodie05 on January 22, 2020, 05:54:39 PM
I do the same! He's worth the listen. Sometimes I prefer the home games when he gets relegated to the radio. Maybe it's just me, but his tv partner is not my favorite.
Maybe it's me, but Dave Huseman (if that's the partner you're talking about) reminds me a little of Jesse Pinkman from Breaking Bad.
Quote from: Valpower on January 22, 2020, 07:15:23 PM
Quote from: FieldGoodie05 on January 22, 2020, 05:54:39 PM
I do the same! He's worth the listen. Sometimes I prefer the home games when he gets relegated to the radio. Maybe it's just me, but his tv partner is not my favorite.
Maybe it's me, but Dave Huseman (if that's the partner you're talking about) reminds me a little of Jesse Pinkman from Breaking Bad.
Dead ringer!!!
Quote from: Valpower on January 22, 2020, 07:15:23 PMQuote from: FieldGoodie05 on January 22, 2020, 05:54:39 PMI do the same! He's worth the listen. Sometimes I prefer the home games when he gets relegated to the radio. Maybe it's just me, but his tv partner is not my favorite.
Maybe it's me, but Dave Huseman (if that's the partner you're talking about) reminds me a little of Jesse Pinkman from Breaking Bad.
With the exception of him not saying "Ya B*tch" every other sentence.
Quote from: VUBBFan on January 22, 2020, 03:17:05 PMJust one more video clip from this game if you haven't already seen it. Way to go John! https://twitter.com/valpoathletics/status/1219695548174884867
THAT is the embodiment of the kind of team we want and need to be! I hope we all appreciate John while we have him and the effort energy and leadership he brings. May he have a lasting effect on this team even after he's gone! We're going to miss him (and this is coming from someone who struggled to see his value for a long time). Go John! Go Valpo!
Quote from: NativeCheesehead on January 22, 2020, 03:29:16 PM
Speaking of announcers, while I hope Johnny B is our PA guy for many years still to come, I really hope we get the Railcats guy who's hosting the games now to take over when he's done. Pure energy and a voice that sounds great even on our awful sound system.
I have one minor complaint about the Railcats guy. He needs to stop opening every segment with "Crusader Nation." He could use "Valpo Fans" or "Crusader Fans."
Quote from: bbtds on January 23, 2020, 09:18:19 AM
Quote from: NativeCheesehead on January 22, 2020, 03:29:16 PM
Speaking of announcers, while I hope Johnny B is our PA guy for many years still to come, I really hope we get the Railcats guy who's hosting the games now to take over when he's done. Pure energy and a voice that sounds great even on our awful sound system.
I have one minor complaint about the Railcats guy. He needs to stop opening every segment with "Crusader Nation." He could use "Valpo Fans" or "Crusader Fans."
I guess I'm fine with any of the 3 you mentioned. Not saying you're right or wrong, but what is it about Crusader Nation you don't like?
While I love his enthusiasm, with our bad system he makes it even worse with his shouting. He needs to adjust his strong voice with our lousy system...maybe back off a little? In any event, he is a big improvement and it looks like the students enjoy him. It is always good to see the students respond better this season, both in numbers and enthusiasm.
Quote from: wh on January 23, 2020, 09:55:04 AMI guess I'm fine with any of the 3 you mentioned. Not saying you're right or wrong, but what is it about Crusader Nation you don't like?
I will say that it has a kind of silly tribal connotation that's a bit overblown.
Quote from: Valpower on January 23, 2020, 03:02:22 PM
Quote from: wh on January 23, 2020, 09:55:04 AMI guess I'm fine with any of the 3 you mentioned. Not saying you're right or wrong, but what is it about Crusader Nation you don't like?
I will say that it has a kind of silly tribal connotation that's a bit overblown.
#rollsaders
Quote from: wh on January 23, 2020, 09:55:04 AM
Quote from: bbtds on January 23, 2020, 09:18:19 AM
Quote from: NativeCheesehead on January 22, 2020, 03:29:16 PM
Speaking of announcers, while I hope Johnny B is our PA guy for many years still to come, I really hope we get the Railcats guy who's hosting the games now to take over when he's done. Pure energy and a voice that sounds great even on our awful sound system.
I have one minor complaint about the Railcats guy. He needs to stop opening every segment with "Crusader Nation." He could use "Valpo Fans" or "Crusader Fans."
I guess I'm fine with any of the 3 you mentioned. Not saying you're right or wrong, but what is it about Crusader Nation you don't like?
Just the repetitiveness of it. Needs 3 or 4 openings so it doesn't sound so plastic after a while.