Game #21- Wright State Friday January 27 7pm ARC *NOTE GAME TIME

[talksalot]

Today, being January 27th... here's our history...it's been 10 years since we played a game on January 27th

1/27/2007  Lost at SUU 76-60
1/27/2005  Lost at SUU 93-77
1/27/2001  Valpo 89 Oakland 57 in the ARC... one word... Wille
1/27/2000  Valpo 84 Chicago State 59 in the ARC
1/27/1997  Valpo 110 Northwood 77 in the ARC
1/27/1996  Valpo 65 UMKC 57 @ UMKC

Last home loss:
1/27/1994  UIC 93 Valpo 84

so we have a 3 game home winning streak on January 27th, by an margin of 30 points per game

[FieldGoodie05]

So how many of the same faces are suiting up for / coaching WSU for this season?

New HC
New Assistant Coaches

Alstork (return)
Benzinger (return)

Am I reading that correctly, only (2) returners with major minutes from last years team?

REALLY hope they didn't reload with that perimeter game and stellar D.

[FieldGoodie05]

Hard to watch Lexus struggle.  Did he have his legs underneath him more in the non-conference?  His decision making is the tough part lately. 

Picking up his dribble (rookie) at the top of the key.  Dribbling into traffic despite his better judgement with a TO imminent.  And taking early shots in the shot clock.

If it is the legs, as we have been hearing, going to need Lexus to use his bball IQ more.  I'm rooting for him because he has shown leadership and was a big reason we won some trap games like Ball State.

P.S.  In unrelated observations,  Ickow calls games (wins) extremely prematurely for the Crusaders.  Just heard him say VU is going to go up 1.5 games with tonight's game being up by 15 (at half time) and a likely win.  Drives me bonkers!!!  But I very much enjoy his commentary and interviews.  Does a great job.

[VU2014]

Some head scratching officiating tonight...

Lots of contact being allowed from one side tonight. Seems like the officiating is trying help make this game get competitive for Wright State but they just aren't taking advantage of the officiating giving them the small nudge to get something going.

There have been a few offensive charges and blocking fouls called on Valpo that have been total bs by the officiating and I think they know it.

Edit 1: Wright State gave us a scare at the end there. Tevonn came up big at the end there and Shane delivered that dagger 3 to put the nail in the coffin.

[hailcrusaders]

A few thoughts:

It's interesting to see Wright State transformed into an up-tempo, jump shooting team from the slow, grind-it-out, possession style club they were a few years ago. Like Green Bay, they're better than they showed tonight and we can't count on them hitting only two three pointers the next time(s) we play them. That said, our opponents have been struggling from 3 of late, and I think that's karma's way of repaying us for early in the year when it seemed that everyone was shooting the lights out from deep against us.

I HATE HATE HATE it when we take the air out of the ball too early. It's a problem that has gone back to the Drew days. Everyone stands around while the ballhandler dribbles at the top of the key and tries a wild drive at the paint or a contested three with :02 on the shot clock. Or the stretch where we had two shot clock violations in three possessions. This team shouldn't go nine minutes and change without hitting a fg.

Tevonn Walker saved our a**es tonight with a few clutch shots and his constant hounding of the basketball. We're gonna miss him more than we think when he graduates.

Bradford was hit-and-miss. Smits had an off night. Sorolla looked fine to me and I realize we're trying to balance our two young bigs, but I think Sorrolla should be getting more minutes in crunch time. Whenever I look at our bench, it seems like Lexus is putting in solid minutes on the exercise bike. Trying to work his legs back into shape I'm guessing, but I hope he isn't wearing himself out.

Green Bay is up 12 at half over Oakland at the moment and I can't decide who to cheer for.

[VU2014]

Whenever I look at our bench, it seems like Lexus is putting in solid minutes on the exercise bike. Trying to work his legs back into shape I'm guessing, but I hope he isn't wearing himself out.

Yeah he's been on the bike quite a bit the last few games. Maybe he's trying to keep the legs and the knee warm and moving during the game. I'm actually thinking the coaching staff has been resting him a bit of late, trying to prevent him from wearing down and saving him to be as fresh as possible for conference tourney play. Lexus has those quick hands on D that disrupt the opposing teams guard play.

[FieldGoodie05]

I HATE HATE HATE it when we take the air out of the ball too early.

Agreed, and Lexus takes THIS to a whole new stratosphere.  Seems like he tests the 10-count in the back court EVERY time he brings it up.  Regardless if he is pressed or not.

I'm rooting for you Lexus, we have all seen you do better.

[crusadermoe]

Oakland looked so dominant against us.  Why have they been losing? 

I watched a bit of their Green Bay game tonight and didn't see Stevie Clark.They look lazy and confused a lot.   Of course they had shot 1 of 13 from 3-point line so that kills anyone.

Just wondering what happened to the stud team we saw at the ARC.

[FieldGoodie05]

Oakland looked so dominant against us.  Why have they been losing? 

I watched a bit of their Green Bay game tonight and didn't see Stevie Clark.They look lazy and confused a lot.   Of course they had shot 1 of 13 from 3-point line so that kills anyone.

Just wondering what happened to the stud team we saw at the ARC.

Partly due to the injury bug with CLARK and their energy guy (rebound and block artist) Army of 1. 

But from watching their last games including tonight...all energy, all first 10 on the shot clock and finally not hitting all their 3's.  Or in this case, hitting nearly no 3s.

They'll be back.

[VU2014]

They'll be back.

Agreed. Clark (out this game) and Brock look banged up.

Kampe's team seem complacent at times but they always wake up for the big games vs Valpo. They have a lot of talent on their roster.

[wh]

I HATE HATE HATE it when we take the air out of the ball too early.

Agreed, and what's more once they take the foot off the gas on offense, they start to look sluggish on defense, as well. Todd even mentioned that we did not do a good job of getting out on the shooter on those late 3's. To make matters worse, we stopped guarding Alstork and let him penetrate at will, after completely frustrating him for the first 33 to 35 minutes of the game. We've had some pretty dominating performances lately, but we're not a dominant team per se. We have 3 inexperienced freshmen who are still inconsistent and we're still a below average shooting team. We can't ever afford to let off the gas and coast, especially against a team that won't ever give in like WSU.

[a3uge]

I love the games where we dink around with 5-6 minutes to go, and then just slam on the gas when we really need it. I think being able to flip a switch is a good sign.

[wh]

Apparently, you have blocked last year's game at the ARC out of your mind. We took the foot off the gas in that one too and got run over by a MAC truck.

[VU2014]

https://twitter.com/kevconnorsespn/status/825183582679334912

Should be on ESPN2 any minute now. Just a heads up.

[VU2014]

https://twitter.com/ValpoBasketball/status/825207378631151616

[agibson]

Great fun that Paul wrote the post-game beat pieces from both perspectives tonight.

Maybe he did the same for the Green Bay semi-final last year?

If there is a "reporter for the Horizon League" surely it's him.

[bbtds]

I love the games where we dink around with 5-6 minutes to go, and then just slam on the gas when we really need it. I think being able to flip a switch is a good sign.

Unfortunately Tevonn was the only one who "slam on the gas" in the last few minutes. Except for Shane hitting the three nobody else did much on offense or defense at the end of the game. That is not really a good thing. Thank God for Tevonn!

[bbtds]

Apparently, you have blocked last year's game at the ARC out of your mind. We took the foot off the gas in that one too and got run over by a MAC truck.

I believe that if Tevonn hadn't sparked the scoring and tough defense and Benzinger had been hitting his threes (he missed all of his threes all game) and if their former coach Donlon had been around to choreograph a comeback that Wright State would have Wrong Stated us again.

[FieldGoodie05]

I love the games where we dink around with 5-6 minutes to go, and then just slam on the gas when we really need it. I think being able to flip a switch is a good sign.

Unfortunately Tevonn was the only one who "slam on the gas" in the last few minutes. Except for Shane hitting the three nobody else did much on offense or defense at the end of the game. That is not really a good thing. Thank God for Tevonn!

100% agree.  Last year we lost games because Tevonn and or Skara were injured and unavailable to do just precisely that.  Skara is missed with his big offensive rebounds in the crunch for easy put back OR reset the offense.

Thankful we still have Tevonn for just that reason.  Alec very clearly is capable, but when 3 defensive heads turn EVERY time he sniffs the ball it really emphasizes the need for one of our other guys to step up.

[vu72]

I know it was the nature of the game, but our bigs just disappeared last night. The lack of rebounding, particularly by Derrik, is a concern to me.  Last night he had 2 points, zero rebounds, five fouls and zero blocks. All of that in just 14 minutes of play.  J was better but not by much, adding 4 points, 3 rebounds, 3 fouls but 3 blocks! 

These kids need to keep their arms up and move their feet.  I expect huge improvements over time and clearly their play will be better when their opponents aren't looking up at their arm pits.

[M]

I thought Smitrolla would dominate last night but after the first bucket of the game by Smits he was about as effective as I was sitting in section DD.

[vu72]

I thought Smitrolla would dominate last night but after the first bucket of the game by Smits he was about as effective as I was sitting in section DD.

Speaking of the upper deck, the announced attendance was at 3400ish.  It looked more full on TV.

[M]

It was a nice crowd for sure. A lot of students, wife said they're probably doing pledges or something (I'm not a fan of frats or sororities, but that's not what this is about). I'm glad there were so many people there to see the W!

[M]

I do want to give props to Mark Alstork. He's been watching a lot of LeBron film...his flopping might be tops in the league.

Also, did anyone else see Lottich giving the ref the business when they wouldn't review Tevonn getting grabbed by the face and thrown aside? This was right after they reviewed the play looking to see if Walker elbowed Flopstork under the basket.

[VU2624]

I do want to give props to Mark Alstork. He's been watching a lot of LeBron film...his flopping might be tops in the league. Also, did anyone else see Lottich giving the ref the business when they wouldn't review Tevonn getting grabbed by the face and thrown aside? This was right after they reviewed the play looking to see if Walker elbowed Flopstork under the basket.

He should have tossed a red hankercheif and asked them to review for a facemask penalty.

Of course, he probably would have been greeted with an early invite to the post game buffet.