Drake is Ranked in the Top 25 coming into this game. Maybe Valpo could steal a game against a Team currently on track to earn an at-large bid. Could be a 2 Bid Valley this year if Drake & Loyola keep it rolling.
Also look who is in the building! Rowdy is home!
https://twitter.com/valpo_hoops/status/1358118103662682112?s=21
https://twitter.com/vutorchsports/status/1358126810534457344?s=21
I think Drake takes game 1 and then We steal game #2 tomorrow
We are very dependent on the three today and who has shot as many threes as any Valpo player, so far? Daniel Sackey? OMG!!!
EDIT: Thank God Sackey stopped shooting the three and other Valpo players have.
Nice to see the underclassmen getting good playing time and people other than sackey getting a chance to play the point! Especially against a ranked team- great experience from them all
Wheres Maleek?
Quote from: JBC1824 on February 06, 2021, 01:45:45 PM
Wheres Maleek?
Where's Goodnews?
Can Valpo sustain their first half shooting? Will they collapse like they did against Evansville. Drake has so many weapons including a deep bench.
The freshman have been great in the 1st half.
https://twitter.com/valpobasketball/status/1358140343703793673?s=21
Very cool that Rowdy made the trip. Maybe it will spark a resurgence over the second half of the conference season
• Jacob 11 points in 7 minutes.
• Sheldon 11 points in 10 minutes.
Awesome performances, but if it takes a repeat of that in the 2nd half, we're in trouble. Hopefully, Ben and Donovan step up offensively.
Quote from: bbtds on February 06, 2021, 01:47:42 PM
Quote from: JBC1824 on February 06, 2021, 01:45:45 PM
Wheres Maleek?
Where's Goodnews?
Can Valpo sustain their first half shooting? Will they collapse like they did against Evansville. Drake has so many weapons including a deep bench.
Mileek played but we haven't seen Goodnews. Hopefully it's not a covid or an injury situation.
Jacob is deadly accurate, but he needs to work on his release timing over the summer. One of the announcers said that he has a quick release?? He has to be wide open, otherwise athletic defenders will block him each time, even if a few steps away.
The only way we're going to win is if we stop making stupid quick shots. Our first half performance led me to believe we were over that but the last couple minutes suggest otherwise :'(
3 missed layups....WTF!!!!!!!!!
We just leave too many points on the board in close games.
Quote from: valpotx on February 06, 2021, 02:26:54 PM
3 missed layups....WTF!!!!!!!!!
It really seems to me that we miss more layup opportunities than our opponents - just about every game. Frustrating. Really frustrating.
Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
wow...what a terrible shot, but it went in. GREAT SHOT!
What a blown opportunity. Why would you leave Wilkins open ever? Let him try to drive by going over the screen, don't go under, and give him a wide open 3...
You need to foul here right away. We are down by 3, and they can always just foul us with seconds remaining, and the game is over.
What a stupid f'ing shot with 15 seconds left and down 4. Seriously man, what the hell? This is a game that we should have won. Deeply disappointing
We played well - good intensity. BUT our youth showed in some poor decisions down the stretch. Still, I think our guys can hold their heads up high. I just hope we don't try to force it to much tomorrow and have our wheels come off.
On another note, if anyone has seen dexter clay's Twitter he is still not happy
Close, but just not quite enough. Glad to see the team play hard after that Evansville series. I'd love to see Donovan Clay start to heat up a bit. Feels like he hasn't quite made the sophomore leap that Krikke has. Future may be bright, if Lottich can keep the roster together.
Quote from: Valpofamfan on February 06, 2021, 02:55:01 PM
We played well - good intensity. BUT our youth showed in some poor decisions down the stretch. Still, I think our guys can hold their heads up high. I just hope we don't try to force it to much tomorrow and have our wheels come off.
On another note, if anyone has seen dexter clay's Twitter he is still not happy
Is he saying that JO should have been in? He did get put in for defense for offense subs, when able to do so. He is just way too slow for defensive possessions in tight games.
On the plus side, we had 19 assists to 5 turnovers. I can't remember such a stat line for many years.
I've been really impressed by Edwards lately. Forces some shots but so do most freshmen. I think he's gonna take a huge step next season. He can really attack the basket and he always looks active on defense and focused when he's on the floor. He had a rough start to the season but he's had a really, really promising stretch that I think would've been a lot better if he was better acquainted with what his strengths are, which will come with time.
At the end of the day we have another game against a top 25 team tomorrow at 1. What bewilders me is how we come out and play like this against Purdue, Vanderbilt, and Drake; but then get swept by Evansville. This team clearly can play really good ball, but chooses not to sometimes. It's not just shooting either. We shoot best when we are moving on offense and getting the RIGHT people the right shots. We are so stagnant most games and that is a choice. Today we were not stagnant and we played toe to toe with a top 25 team. Against Purdue we were not stagnant and we played toe to toe with a now top 25 team. But when we play lesser teams we stand around and have to force up bad shots with 5 on the shot clock. That's a choice. A defense can't force you to not move on offense. So what's the difference and how is it fixed?
I'm with Dexter. JO had 11 points, 3 3-pointers, 2 rebounds, and a block in the first half with only 7 minutes of play, but he sits on the bench and gets no shots in the second half. I'd love to see him sometimes in the 4 slot and able to shoot from outside while Krikke is still in the game on the inside. I also don't want to hear compliments for the game being close. This game was a blown victory. Valpo did not score a point from 4:52 to 00:36, a more than 4-minute drought in the end of the game. Moral victories are for losers.
Like everyone, I'm disappointed that we couldn't close the deal. That said we came within a eyelash of beating an undefeated, 25th ranked, veteran team favored by 13.5 points. This was Drake's second closest winning margin of the season. 70% of Valpo's points came from freshmen and sophomores. 70% of Drake's points came from juniors and seniors. This isn't our year, but the future continues to look bright, especially knowing how good next year's freshman recruiting class is. Keep building!
Quote from: valpopal on February 06, 2021, 03:20:06 PM
I'm with Dexter. JO had 11 points, 3 3-pointers, 2 rebounds, and a block in the first half with only 7 minutes of play, but he sits on the bench and gets no shots in the second half. I'd love to see him sometimes in the 4 slot and able to shoot from outside while Krikke is still in the game on the inside. I also don't want to hear compliments for the game being close. This game was a blown victory. Valpo did not score a point from 4:52 to 00:36, a more than 4-minute drought in the end of the game. Moral victories are for losers.
Well said.
According to Paul, Sheldon is back out there shooting. Love the work ethic and hope we see it continue to pay off
Didn't expect to win so disappointed but not devastated that we gave it up at the end. Just lost our poise when the better team made their run. Can't miss the front end of one and ones or layups when the other team is coming on in crunch time. Kind of tired of getting killed on the boards game in game out too. But hey, we played pretty well for most of the game against a ranked team, so there is that.
I've said it before and I'll say it again: IF all the underclassmen continue to develop as they have and IF they all return next year I'll be be excited as hell for the next couple of seasons.
I just watched the postgame conference in which Paul noted JO was shouting for the ball with confidence in the first half when he made the 3 3-pointers. Matt acknowledged JO as a "consistent scorer" who makes the most of his opportunities and even played well on defense. Of course, the follow-up question could have been: "Why didn't JO get a touch in the second half?" or "During the long drought at the end of the game, why was JO sitting on the bench?" or maybe more importantly since Krikke was on the court, "Why didn't Krikke take a single shot in the last 8 minutes of the game?"
Quote from: valpopal on February 06, 2021, 04:42:26 PMI just watched the postgame conference in which Paul noted JO was shouting for the ball with confidence in the first half when he made the 3 3-pointers. Matt acknowledged JO as a "consistent scorer" who makes the most of his opportunities and even played well on defense. Of course, the follow-up question could have been: "Why didn't JO get a touch in the second half?" or "During the long drought at the end of the game, why was JO sitting on the bench?" or maybe more importantly since Krikke was on the court, "Why didn't Krikke take a single shot in the last 8 minutes of the game?"
So we CAN have a consistently good MVC level program if our coach just made better decisions? That's disappointing...
Quote from: valpopal on February 06, 2021, 04:42:26 PM
I just watched the postgame conference in which Paul noted JO was shouting for the ball with confidence in the first half when he made the 3 3-pointers. Matt acknowledged JO as a "consistent scorer" who makes the most of his opportunities and even played well on defense. Of course, the follow-up question could have been: "Why didn't JO get a touch in the second half?" or "During the long drought at the end of the game, why was JO sitting on the bench?" or maybe more importantly since Krikke was on the court, "Why didn't Krikke take a single shot in the last 8 minutes of the game?"
Very poor reporting not to have asked such pressing questions....
Quote from: JBC1824 on February 06, 2021, 04:57:37 PM
Quote from: valpopal on February 06, 2021, 04:42:26 PM
I just watched the postgame conference in which Paul noted JO was shouting for the ball with confidence in the first half when he made the 3 3-pointers. Matt acknowledged JO as a "consistent scorer" who makes the most of his opportunities and even played well on defense. Of course, the follow-up question could have been: "Why didn't JO get a touch in the second half?" or "During the long drought at the end of the game, why was JO sitting on the bench?" or maybe more importantly since Krikke was on the court, "Why didn't Krikke take a single shot in the last 8 minutes of the game?"
Very poor reporting not to have asked such pressing questions....
I didn't watch, so I'm not going to criticize PO. He's done some very good work this year, including some excellent feature stories. That said, in hindsight I agree that those would have been some good questions to ask.
https://twitter.com/valpo_hoops/status/1358199360471851013?s=21
You guys make good points on the follow up questions. They should've been asked.
That said, this game was tricky from a reporting standpoint. I was writing for the AP as well and I needed to get to the Drake presser ASAP.
Knowing that I'd be writing mostly about the Region kids for both AP and NWI, I didn't spend nearly as much time talking to Lottich as normal.
Certainly these questions will be asked at the teleconference on Tuesday.
I'll add that I was paying a lot of attention to Drake stuff during the game and I don't think I realized in the moment some of the statistical flows of the game.
As frustrating as this game was to watch down the stretch, I can't help but be excited. Assuming this team sticks together, they are going to get plenty of chances the next 2+ seasons to win games like this. They were minutes away from beating Vanderbilt, Purdue, and Drake. The Central Michigan and second Evansville game were two games we probably should've won, too. That's 5 games right there in which we probably win 4 of them with another year under some of these players belts. That's not even including the freshmen we have coming in next year. I am particularly excited for Palesse. He can score at all three levels but also makes plays and can put up double digit assists. Having a point guard that can knock down shots, even when just left open, is something that I expect will relieve some of the offensive bottlenecks. I truly believe that next year we won't have to worry about Thursday night. We might not win the league but 20 wins seems like a solid goal. I'm starting to think Edwards may develop into a go-to scorer. He can finish, and I think he's a better three point shooter than his current percentage shows. He looks so dedicated and hard working and I have already seen improvement. Jacob O has proven he can contribute, its just a matter of bulking up so he can get more minutes. The more three point shooters we have on this team, the more open shots Barrett is gonna get, a 40% shooter. We know what Krikke and Clay can do and they have only been here a year and half. We have a lot to be excited for. If games are 5 minutes shorter, we are 10-8 and very hopeful. Unfortunately, games are a full 40 minutes, and this group of guys have 2 and a half more years to improve.
It was great seeing Ryan in the stands at today's game. So many great memories of his playing days. An amazing talent with a high basketball IQ and not a selfish bone in his body. I always hold out hope that he will join the Valpo coaching staff when his playing days are over. I remember suggesting that one time, and Koala (Ryan's mum who loved their Valpo visits) saying wouldn't that be great.
Does anyone know if Rowdy was able to speak to the team, or did they not risk any exposure on both sides?
Quote from: valpopal on February 06, 2021, 04:42:26 PM"Why didn't JO get a touch in the second half?" or "During the long drought at the end of the game, why was JO sitting on the bench?"
JO, Edwards, Barrett and Clay were all perfect candidates for recruitment to a positionless style of basketball. Couple of temporary problems with this are Clay only hitting 20% from 3 (ouch- they are starting to sag which limits his ability to drive) and Jacob not yet being able to beat a tight defender off the dribble. Drake adjusts the JO defense which removes his strength and exposes his weakness so Matt elects for a different lineup. For our style of play to consistently win we need some dramatic 3 point shooting improvement. Sackey and Kpegeol are only shooting 12% from 3 with Krikke and McMillan stuck at 25. Meanwhile Conner is hitting 39% and JO 51%. Edwards, while only showing 28% for the season has really heated up recently.
I'm having trouble picturing Jacob scoring big off the dribble this year but next year who knows and when that happens it could be explosive. Same goes with Donovan. If he could hit 35% from outside then driving opportunities would appear from everywhere.
For game #2 (far be it for me to start a new thread):
Has Valpo ever faced a top 25 team for two consecutive games?
Quote from: Valpofamfan on February 06, 2021, 02:55:01 PM
On another note, if anyone has seen dexter clay's Twitter he is still not happy
Not on Twitter so didn't see the post, but is he not happy with the team or is he not happy that Donovan can't seem to hit a shot lately outside of an occasional layup? I get the sense that he is setting up for a transfer next year, but based on the quality of his play so far this season where would he go that would feature him? He's getting open looks, but not knocking them down, and you can only go to a dry well so often before you look elsewhere (except for Sackey who continues to try to take over games at times resulting in badly missed threes or drives to the hoop with no finish). I don't see any fall off in Donavan's effort and he does a lot of positive things, but I know he's frustrated that he can't get a shot to fall. I think once he comes out of this slump things will look a lot brighter for both him and the team.
I've seen just generally frustrated tweets but there have also been tweets that seemed like a dad criticizing a son. I do think Clay's erratic playing this year has contributed to our offensive flows. When he and Krikke are both on together we are unstoppable but it's not something that's happened often.
OK, I know, I know, moral victories suck. But, reality is reality. We aren't very good--but we're close.
Here's the truth: as with Evansville, Drake is a VERY mature team. The announcers joked that they could all go out to a bar and have a beer to review the stats.
Drake got 15 points from Freshman and Sophomores. We got 56. They got 65 points from Junior and Seniors. We got 21. We had three freshman on the floor together at times. Freshman turn into sophomores, sophomores into juniors.
Quote from: humbleopinion on February 07, 2021, 08:54:10 AM
For game #2 (far be it for me to start a new thread):
Has Valpo ever faced a top 25 team for two consecutive games?
2001-2002, games 14 and 15:
Arizona (14)
Kansas (2)
2002-2003, games 11 and 12:
Missouri (17)
Norte Dame (6)
2006-2007, games 5, 6, and7:
Marquette (13)
Butler (19)
Ohio State (3)
2009-2010, games 8 and 9:
Butler (23)
Purdue (5)
2016-2017, games 8 and 9:
Rhode Island (21)
Kentucky (9)
To me, it looks like Krikke and Sheldon are going to be the top 2 guys going into next season. Krikke whether he wants to be the guy or not, has stepped in and has consistently put up solid numbers for us. Sheldon has not shied away from the moment and has already hit a number of huge shots for us. Not to knock on Gordon cause he's the one senior who has consistently tried all season, but I hope that Lottich starts Edwards at the 2 from here on out.
Unfortunately, while I think his potential is certainly there, Donovan has not taken the reigns as a top 2 guy on this team. More times than not, it seems he can't get to double figure scoring and that can't happen for a top guy. If we have more pieces around him, maybe he'd get a little more pressure taken off and he could be one of our strongest players then, but right now he's definitely not progressed as much as I would've like to see.
I looked back at the game late last night and went through the substitution patterns of the second half. Here's what it looks like.
Brodie can't guard JO on the perimeter, so if Brodie was in, JO came in.
JO can't guard smaller guys like Hemphill, so if Brodie went out, JO went out.
Quote from: Pgmado on February 07, 2021, 10:17:34 AM
I looked back at the game late last night and went through the substitution patterns of the second half. Here's what it looks like.
Brodie can't guard JO on the perimeter, so if Brodie was in, JO came in.
JO can't guard smaller guys like Hemphill, so if Brodie went out, JO went out.
I don't see where the math adds up to support this. In the second half Brodie played 16 minutes and JO only played 3 minutes. Also, I still think the more important question is why Krikke, arguably our best player who already had scored 16 points,
took no shots in the final 8 minutes of the game, especially inside since Brodie had 3 fouls and Krikke could at least have gotten to the foul line. That seems like coaching malpractice to me.
Well, Connor Barrett is out and in a walking boot with an Achilles injury, per Paul Oren. We are so snakebite with the injuries.
Quote from: valpopal on February 07, 2021, 10:33:51 AM
Quote from: Pgmado on February 07, 2021, 10:17:34 AM
I looked back at the game late last night and went through the substitution patterns of the second half. Here's what it looks like.
Brodie can't guard JO on the perimeter, so if Brodie was in, JO came in.
JO can't guard smaller guys like Hemphill, so if Brodie went out, JO went out.
I don't see where the math adds up to support this. In the second half Brodie played 16 minutes and JO only played 3 minutes. Also, I still think the more important question is why Krikke, arguably our best player who already had scored 16 points, took no shots in the final 8 minutes of the game, especially inside since Brodie had 3 fouls and Krikke could at least have gotten to the foul line. That seems like coaching malpractice to me.
To your larger point, Jacob needs more court time. I don't know how (not my problem to figure out), but a 6-9 college player that can rain 3's at a 50% clip has got to be given a bigger slice of the "minutes" pie. Heck, he's shooting 50% despite never knowing from 1 game to the next if he's even going to get in the game or when he does how long he'll be in before he gets pulled. Talk about performing under pressure. The kid scored a gazillion points in high school from all over the court. It shouldn't be that surprising that he can shoot the basketball.
We just need to make sure that JO has time to set and shoot. His shot timing is so slow. You can tell that he was just able to shoot over everyone at his HS level, and didn't really have to worry about getting off quick shots. He will learn to do so in the coming years, just as Rowdy and AP dramatically increased their release timing.
Make a freaking layup!! Holy crap...
Goodnews! Goodnews is in the house!
I like it when Goodnews is guarded by Yesyoufool. ;)
Valpo is up 10. How long will it take Drake to tie up the game. 2 minutes, 5 minutes, 10 minutes or 20 minutes?
Quote from: bbtds on February 07, 2021, 01:23:31 PM
Goodnews! Goodnews is in the house!
I like it when Goodnews is guarded by Yesyoufool. ;)
Goodnews was in the house yesterday as well. DNP-CD.
Quote from: Pgmado on February 07, 2021, 01:28:42 PM
Quote from: bbtds on February 07, 2021, 01:23:31 PM
Goodnews! Goodnews is in the house!
I like it when Goodnews is guarded by Yesyoufool. ;)
Goodnews was in the house yesterday as well. DNP-CD.
It is a metaphorical "in the house."
I heard the Brewers picked up the Wong player recently. ;)
Over/Under 5 minutes for JO in the second half?
You know it's a different kind of team when you cheer more for the made FTs instead of regular made FGs.
Great first half! Very scrappy play for both teams. Love our toughness.
Quote from: bbtds on February 07, 2021, 01:28:14 PM
Valpo is up 10. How long will it take Drake to tie up the game. 2 minutes, 5 minutes, 10 minutes or 20 minutes?
7 minutes so far. Can this Valpo team pull off a top 25 win? The anticipation is a killer.
I'm of the opinion that this team is a lot better when we don't jack up 25+ threes per game. Only seven so far in 1H. Can we keep it up? Let's hope so.
Much as I want us to win, man, Drake does NOT look like a T25 team so far today.
Regardless of the ranking, the name Drake, on a basketball jersey, is not intimidating to opponents. Often times, it seems that we struggle historically against anyone that is a named program.
Clay is just not himself
Quote from: bbtds on February 07, 2021, 01:46:39 PM
Quote from: bbtds on February 07, 2021, 01:28:14 PM
Valpo is up 10. How long will it take Drake to tie up the game. 2 minutes, 5 minutes, 10 minutes or 20 minutes?
7 minutes so far. Can this Valpo team pull off a top 25 win? The anticipation is a killer.
12 minutes and growing.
Dumb decision by Sackey. Use time and get a good shot. The defender does not magically disappear, when you blow by them...
Daniel Sackey single handedly switching the momentum from Valpo to drake for the second straight day with his uncontrolled play when we have them on the ropes.
Zion hit a FT! Holy Cow!
Momentum switch!
Gordon has improved is FTs this season, as well. I've always been a big fan of Morgan's defensive ability, and his calm presence when controlling the ball on offense. If we get points from Morgan's play, it is always an unexpected bonus.
Quote from: bbtds on February 07, 2021, 02:12:55 PM
Quote from: bbtds on February 07, 2021, 01:46:39 PM
Quote from: bbtds on February 07, 2021, 01:28:14 PM
Valpo is up 10. How long will it take Drake to tie up the game. 2 minutes, 5 minutes, 10 minutes or 20 minutes?
7 minutes so far. Can this Valpo team pull off a top 25 win? The anticipation is a killer.
12 minutes and growing.
17 minutes & holding
Use clock!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! What the heck
Does anyone else really dislike the under the basket FT angle that we do on second attempts?
Edwards has a lot of maturing to do. I get that he is a FR, but skip the tomahawk jam, and don't take quick 3's late in the game up big.
On one hand Yay Valpo! On the other if this score holds this might kill the hopes for a two bid Valley which is not ideal. I guess it serves Drake right for gorging on creampuffs in the non conference but still... I really want to see the MVC be a two bid league again... I guess if somebody had to kill that dream I'm glad it was us but still... Feels a little bittersweet in a way...
Gotta love beating a ranked opponent! Great win!!
Quote from: valpopal on February 06, 2021, 04:42:26 PM
"Why didn't JO get a touch in the second half?"..."Why didn't Krikke take a single shot in the last 8 minutes of the game?"
Well, look at that: JO gets twice as much time in the second half today, including a 3-pointer, and Krikke gets shots down the stretch. What a difference a day makes. Great win, but it should have been a two-game sweep.
Quote from: bbtds on February 07, 2021, 02:35:08 PM
Quote from: bbtds on February 07, 2021, 02:12:55 PM
Quote from: bbtds on February 07, 2021, 01:46:39 PM
Quote from: bbtds on February 07, 2021, 01:28:14 PM
Valpo is up 10. How long will it take Drake to tie up the game. 2 minutes, 5 minutes, 10 minutes or 20 minutes?
7 minutes so far. Can this Valpo team pull off a top 25 win? The anticipation is a killer.
12 minutes and growing.
17 minutes & holding
NEVER!!!!!!
WOW! Just WOW! That was so good I almost don't believe it. They had a chance to melt down in the second half but today they held it together and did what they needed to. Well done!
Yes Edwards has a lot of maturing to do but towards the end of this game (after his silly quick 3 attempt) he made a fair number of good decisions. I'm excited.
I know this is one game but I hope the guys see what they can achieve when they approach the game with intensity and desire. And I hope that for the rest of the season we see this intense, disciplined Valpo team turn out and we don't regress to silly decision making and throwing up quick 3s.
I really hope that CBS scrolls sports scores at the bottom of the screen during the Super Bowl. Would like to see this score shown 800 times during the four hour broadcast!
Donovan is struggling but he generally adds stuff in other valuable ways. Today, 14 boards, something we needed very much.
Drake's board is as you would expect. Some rightfully blaming their poor play, and others taking shots at a team that is better than their 7-12 (4-6) record indicates. As others have said, we are young, and most of these other teams are older, with more games under their belts. If we play at our average level, we can beat any team in the MVC this season, except for Loyola. The problem is that we can also see that really crappy and immature team, while also seeing that above average team that can beat a Purdue or ranked Drake team. I see a 5 or 6 seed this season, and if our core sticks together, these MVC opponents better get used to looking up at Valpo in the next 2 seasons...
Good win, guys! All of you in the #FireLottich crowd, what say you, after these 2 games? You can act like petulant little children when things don't go our way, but now, I look forward to your posts :). ML had a hell of a game plan for this series.
Agree on that. If Valpo had lost, I would have placed the blame on this play. What looked like a sure layup or controlled dunk turned into a missed shot because of some showboating by Edwards. Drake promptly drove the court and made a basket, a four point swing and this could have been a momentum changer. Fortunately Valpo was able to get some stops but more importantly they hit their free throws. All in all a great game after letting yesterday's slip away. I am very impressed with the efficiency of Jacob O. He will continue to develop and improve each year. I like that he attacked the basket this game.
Does anybody else feel like this is a loss in the grand scheme of things if it knocks the Valley down to just one bid? Like I said Valpo took a big step today in proving they belong in the MVC and that's very good but with the wider implications of what this outcome could mean I can't help but wonder at what cost that gain has come? I hope we're the ones actually helping the league get that second bid instead of playing spoiler someday soon.
Quote from: VUGrad1314 on February 07, 2021, 03:13:18 PM
Does anybody else feel like this is a loss in the grand scheme of things if it knocks the Valley down to just one bid? Like I said Valpo took a big step today in proving they belong in the MVC and that's very good but with the wider implications of what this outcome could mean I can't help but wonder at what cost that gain has come? I hope we're the ones actually helping the league get that second bid instead of playing spoiler someday soon.
Quote from: VUGrad1314 on February 07, 2021, 03:13:18 PM
Does anybody else feel like this is a loss in the grand scheme of things if it knocks the Valley down to just one bid? Like I said Valpo took a big step today in proving they belong in the MVC and that's very good but with the wider implications of what this outcome could mean I can't help but wonder at what cost that gain has come? I hope we're the ones actually helping the league get that second bid instead of playing spoiler someday soon.
Absolutely not. Come back over to the side of positivity, my friend! Did anyone ever give a crap when we lost in the Mid-Con or HL, as a top team? I feel no sympathy for our opponent, and want to win every game, so that our team has more cohesiveness, which leads to the potential of them sticking around next season.
Quote from: hailcrusaders on February 07, 2021, 01:49:19 PMMuch as I want us to win, man, Drake does NOT look like a T25 team so far today.
I wonder if some of their local players may have been allowed to spend last night with family. That doesn't sound important but any distractions from typical team discipline could ??? be a negative.
Quote from: VUGrad1314 on February 07, 2021, 02:55:00 PMI guess it serves Drake right for gorging on creampuffs in the non conference but still... I really want to see the MVC be a two bid league again..
I think they gorged on 6 helpings of creampuff this morning. Good win anyway!
Quote from: valpotx on February 07, 2021, 03:08:45 PMwe are young, and most of these other teams are older, with more games under their belts.
Yep. Drake got 48 of 57 points from Juniors and Seniors. One underclassman even scored. We got 28 points from Juniors and Seniors (an improvement) while our freshman and Sophomores scored 46.
Quote from: vu72 on February 07, 2021, 03:08:41 PM
Donovan is struggling but he generally adds stuff in other valuable ways. Today, 14 boards, something we needed very much.
Also cudos to Eron Gordon for staying consistent the whole game, and I think playing near the whole game. He didn't score a lot but played steady and contributed much to the win.
After game locker room
https://fb.watch/3w5LvPcjTD/
Quote from: valpotx on February 07, 2021, 03:08:45 PMDrake's board is as you would expect. Some rightfully blaming their poor play, and others taking shots at a team that is better than their 7-12 (4-6) record indicates. As others have said, we are young, and most of these other teams are older, with more games under their belts. If we play at our average level, we can beat any team in the MVC this season, except for Loyola. The problem is that we can also see that really crappy and immature team, while also seeing that above average team that can beat a Purdue or ranked Drake team. I see a 5 or 6 seed this season, and if our core sticks together, these MVC opponents better get used to looking up at Valpo in the next 2 seasons... Good win, guys! All of you in the #FireLottich crowd, what say you, after these 2 games? You can act like petulant little children when things don't go our way, but now, I look forward to your posts :). ML had a hell of a game plan for this series.
We've certainly ranted through our share of head scratching losses during our years atop the Horizon, so I definitely feel for Drake fans at the moment. Hope this doesn't put an end to their at large hopes if they lose again in St. Louis.
As for Lottich, jury's still out until at least the end of the season, imo. I don't think a win or two absolves a terrible season, just like a loss or two doesn't doom a coach after a good season. Long term, I think the expectation should be to finish upper third in the MVC consistently. But it's hard for anyone to succeed during a pandemic, and I'm hoping our incoming recruits have bright futures.
But I digress. This is the proudest I've been of this team in a while. Go Crusaders!
Proud of this team today and this whole weekend frankly. Played good basketball on both sides of the court all around. Now don't repeat what happened last weekend against Evansville this week and actually build on this win!
Quote from: VUGrad1314 on February 07, 2021, 03:13:18 PMDoes anybody else feel like this is a loss in the grand scheme of things if it knocks the Valley down to just one bid? Like I said Valpo took a big step today in proving they belong in the MVC and that's very good but with the wider implications of what this outcome could mean I can't help but wonder at what cost that gain has come? I hope we're the ones actually helping the league get that second bid instead of playing spoiler someday soon.
The board continues its amazing ability to feature posts which look for the black cloud behind the silver lining.
Why would any Valpo fan be thinking this after a big win unless your personality is such that you walk around with a "kick me" sign on your back.
Incredible.
Quote from: vu72 on February 07, 2021, 03:08:41 PM
Donovan is struggling but he generally adds stuff in other valuable ways. Today, 14 boards, something we needed very much.
Yes, Donovan is struggling OFFENSIVELY. He was player of the game DEFENSIVELY.
Quote from: VUGrad1314 on February 07, 2021, 03:13:18 PM
Does anybody else feel like this is a loss in the grand scheme of things if it knocks the Valley down to just one bid?
If we win the conference tournament, promise me you won't express disappointment that the conference received a lower seed than it otherwise would have.
I gotta say, I didn't have a "Valpo winning is bad post" on my message board bingo card today.
Good win today, team showing improvement. Drake is good matchup for Valpo, allowing a little more freedom and up tempo style offense. Evansville and Loyola are bad matchups. Both teams are very disciplined, dictating half court tempo and make you guard for the whole shot clock. Moving forward with the rotation, we have a solid starting 5. Zion is a nice piece off the bench Defends, handles ball, energy. Jacob, McMillan, Goodnews I guess will split minutes based on matchups and production. Which one of these three will be the most productive/valuable going forward?.All three have a glaring weakness. All have a strong suit. Lets see if we can build on this win and show we can steal a few games this month when we have to play the other teams tempo/style.
A great win! We really played well both games. I think Coach Lottich did a tremendous job preparing the team for these 2 big games. We must remember that this team is very young and will have let downs along the way. But this 2 game series shows they have great potential in spite of their youth. Keeping the team focused and together is a great compliment to Coach. These young kids for the most part played 2 games against the oldest average aged team in D-1 and stayed right with them over the course of both games. Even after several runs by Drake the kids stayed together and did not fold. Very happy for all involved. They have great potential, this year and in the future. Can't wait to be able to see them play in person.
Quote from: Pgmado on February 07, 2021, 06:02:03 PM
I gotta say, I didn't have a "Valpo winning is bad post" on my message board bingo card today.
I did have a "Drake comes back from 20 points down to beat Valpo" on my bingo card today. I was extremely happy I didn't cover that square. :thewave:
Quote from: CPkValpoFan on February 07, 2021, 03:11:36 PM
Agree on that. If Valpo had lost, I would have placed the blame on this play. What looked like a sure layup or controlled dunk turned into a missed shot because of some showboating by Edwards. Drake promptly drove the court and made a basket, a four point swing and this could have been a momentum changer. Fortunately Valpo was able to get some stops but more importantly they hit many of their free throws. All in all a great game after letting yesterday's slip away. I am very impressed with the efficiency of Jacob O. He will continue to develop and improve each year. I like that he attacked the basket this game.
Correction in bold above.
Best game of the year! Best defensive game of the year. Coincidence? We need to keep up this defensive intensity the rest of the season.
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This game against Bradley on Wednesday is huge. A win would put us 2 full games ahead of Bradley and give us the tiebreaker. It looks like it will come down to us/Bradley/UNI for the last 2 Thursday spots. Will be a big week
Edwards Dunk on ESPN:
http://www.espn.com/video/clip?id=30855235 (http://www.espn.com/video/clip?id=30855235)
In the all-important NET rankings, Drake moves from 13 to 32, and Valpo moves from 260 to 235. If Drake wins out against everyone else, outside of Loyola (need a split), I still think that both Drake and Loyola have a shot at getting us bids.
0 Q1 wins and a Q4 loss is no bueno against a very uninspiring Non-conference Strength of Schedule. Drake I think has used up much of its margin for error and could really use a split at least with Loyola. Maybe it's not dead but this certainly didn't help their resume at all.
I believe that the most important key to Valpo beating Drake yesterday besides playing great defense, making many free throws at the end of the game, not rushing in situations where it ran down the clock SOMETIMES and rebounding well was that nobody started a new game thread.
Just watched the postgame interviews. Im putting Eron right at the top of my dream future coaching staff wish list. He understands the game at a high level, leads by example, is team focused, has excellent communication skills, central Indiana connections, etc. Of course, I have no idea where his future interests lie.
Quote from: wh on February 08, 2021, 09:23:49 AM
Just watched the postgame interviews. Im putting Eron right at the top of my dream future coaching staff wish list. He understands the game at a high level, leads by example, is team focused, has excellent communication skills, central Indiana connections, etc. Of course, I have no idea where his future interests lie.
Here's a great Eron Gordon anecdote from my other life. Valparaiso's career center brought a Chicago television reporter to campus to speak to a few classes. The reporter was then made available in the Career Center and students from all over were invited to come and listen. Eron was one of two students to show up. He filled several pages with notes during the meeting.
Quote from: Pgmado on February 08, 2021, 11:33:49 AM
Quote from: wh on February 08, 2021, 09:23:49 AM
Just watched the postgame interviews. Im putting Eron right at the top of my dream future coaching staff wish list. He understands the game at a high level, leads by example, is team focused, has excellent communication skills, central Indiana connections, etc. Of course, I have no idea where his future interests lie.
Here's a great Eron Gordon anecdote from my other life. Valparaiso's career center brought a Chicago television reporter to campus to speak to a few classes. The reporter was then made available in the Career Center and students from all over were invited to come and listen. Eron was one of two students to show up. He filled several pages with notes during the meeting.
I LOVE this story. How many of his fellow students knew this could be personally beneficial, yet passed with a good excuse, bad excuse, no excuse. Then there's Eron, who not only took it in but soaked it up.
Quote from: VUGrad1314 on February 08, 2021, 03:43:43 AM
0 Q1 wins and a Q4 loss is no bueno against a very uninspiring Non-conference Strength of Schedule. Drake I think has used up much of its margin for error and could really use a split at least with Loyola. Maybe it's not dead but this certainly didn't help their resume at all.
First, let me offer my congratulations to Drake on an incredible run of W's. Unfortunately, and to your point, I agree that yesterday's loss was pretty damaging. Obviously, our young team is finally coming into its own. I don't think we're going to be anyone's easy touch from here on out. That said, all the college basketball world, at large knows is that Drake not only lost but got blown out by a team in the bottom quartile. And, they were lucky they didn't get swept. Butler back in the day was one of the few mids that could get away with a loss like that, and that was only because they played a blistering OOC schedule and won their fair share of those games, as well. The other factor, and this is just a personal opinion, the NCAA and the power 5+1 are conspiring (and have been) to limit mid major at-larges. They have a tendency to look at mid majors as a single block of teams that already receive a gift by including low major conference winners that aren't worthy of even an NIT invite. The recent across the board financial woes among college athletic departments makes tournament bids an even more important commodity. All of this to say that I agree that yesterday's blowout loss is a major hit on their at-large chances. It's a shame, but that's life in the big city right now until something changes.
Quote from: Pgmado on February 08, 2021, 11:33:49 AM
Quote from: wh on February 08, 2021, 09:23:49 AM
Just watched the postgame interviews. Im putting Eron right at the top of my dream future coaching staff wish list. He understands the game at a high level, leads by example, is team focused, has excellent communication skills, central Indiana connections, etc. Of course, I have no idea where his future interests lie.
Here's a great Eron Gordon anecdote from my other life. Valparaiso's career center brought a Chicago television reporter to campus to speak to a few classes. The reporter was then made available in the Career Center and students from all over were invited to come and listen. Eron was one of two students to show up. He filled several pages with notes during the meeting.
Great story, and more career-focused than I was in college. As you are aware, me/my friends were more focused on trying to sneak into (and succeeding) the VUCA to meet with the Miss USA candidates, versus attending afterhours events with professionals in our expected field lol. I really need to find that picture of the 5-6 of us with all Miss USA candidates.
Quote from: VUGrad1314 on February 08, 2021, 03:43:43 AM
0 Q1 wins and a Q4 loss is no bueno against a very uninspiring Non-conference Strength of Schedule. Drake I think has used up much of its margin for error and could really use a split at least with Loyola. Maybe it's not dead but this certainly didn't help their resume at all.
It is true the margin of error has diminished for Drake, yet they still are in pretty good shape and control their own destiny.
One could easily imagine a second MVC bid should either Drake or Loyola lose the MVC title game. Assuming that Drake and Loyola win out otherwise and split their two remaining regular season games, Drake would be 27-2 and Loyola would be 23-4 heading into the title game. Either would have a strong resume with just one more loss in the conference title or semi-finals, wherever it happens. That might change a bit if there is a sweep of the Loyola v. Drake regular season series.
I know it is unlikely, yet it would not be out of the question for BOTH Drake and Loyola to be considered for at-large bids if another MVC team wins the conference tournament. How great would it be for the MVC to have three teams playing in March?
Quote from: valpo95 on February 09, 2021, 09:09:49 AMI know it is unlikely, yet it would not be out of the question for BOTH Drake and Loyola to be considered for at-large bids if another MVC team wins the conference tournament. How great would it be for the MVC to have three teams playing in March?
I just don't see this happening in today's NCAA. The Big Ten will get 10 teams in the Big Dance before the MVC would get 3 teams there. It's more likely the Big Ten will get 9 teams than the MVC gets 2 teams.
Quote from: valpo95 on February 09, 2021, 09:09:49 AM
Quote from: VUGrad1314 on February 08, 2021, 03:43:43 AM
0 Q1 wins and a Q4 loss is no bueno against a very uninspiring Non-conference Strength of Schedule. Drake I think has used up much of its margin for error and could really use a split at least with Loyola. Maybe it's not dead but this certainly didn't help their resume at all.
It is true the margin of error has diminished for Drake, yet they still are in pretty good shape and control their own destiny.
One could easily imagine a second MVC bid should either Drake or Loyola lose the MVC title game. Assuming that Drake and Loyola win out otherwise and split their two remaining regular season games, Drake would be 27-2 and Loyola would be 23-4 heading into the title game. Either would have a strong resume with just one more loss in the conference title or semi-finals, wherever it happens. That might change a bit if there is a sweep of the Loyola v. Drake regular season series.
I know it is unlikely, yet it would not be out of the question for BOTH Drake and Loyola to be considered for at-large bids if another MVC team wins the conference tournament. How great would it be for the MVC to have three teams playing in March?
I agree with your 2 bid scenario - if both win out. To be fair, I would add conditionally that if either fails to win their remaining games against inferior opponents, the 2-bid scenario rightfully goes out the window. No crying, no whining, no feeling sorry for the conference, no victimhood of any kind.
what a crushing win! that really dented their rankings :lol:
solid effort to see them up there with loyola and illinois in the run in
Great story on Eron. It would not be an exaggeration to say 99% of students wouldn't be interested enough to attend, and 99.9% wouldn't take several pages of notes.