Game #9 - #1 Kentucky Wednesday Dec 7 7pm (CT) Rupp Arena Lexington, KY

[VUOR63]

I really hope Alec Peters goes off and scores 40+, 15-20 rebounds and show NBA scouts that loyalty and work ethic trump talent.  While my head says VU loses by 25, my heart says VU wins by 2, that close only because of missed free throws down the stretch.

[VUSWIM08-12]

I really hope Alec Peters goes off and scores 40+, 15-20 rebounds and show NBA scouts that loyalty and work ethic trump talent.  While my head says VU loses by 25, my heart says VU wins by 2, that close only because of missed free throws down the stretch.

I was thinking the same thing, Alec hasn't shot the ball well this season and perhaps its because he is more of a focal point but I would love to see him drain a couple threes early to get this team fired up. I somehow get the SEC Network as part of my cable package here in Vermont so of course I'll be watching!

[FWalum]

Something that would quickly turn the tide against us would be Jubril getting into early foul trouble. He has made strides in many areas, but is still prone to committing unnecessary high risk/low reward reach-in fouls. At this stage in their development, I fear that our freshmen bigs will be completely over matched every time they step on the court.   

I actually think it would be a good thing and interesting to see our bigs playing against people their own size.  In watching Smits play it has seemed that some of his frustration has been his perception that he is getting called for things because he is much taller and larger than the opposing player.  He won't have that excuse tonight.

[agibson]

Hmm.. I _thought_ the COMCAST Sports package that I added so easily and cheaply included SEC Network. Maybe not...

[ValpoHoops]

Hmm.. I _thought_ the COMCAST Sports package that I added so easily and cheaply included SEC Network. Maybe not...

I always had it when I lived there. Channel 336 or 366 or something like that. I had the sports package as well.

[agibson]

Hmm.. I _thought_ the COMCAST Sports package that I added so easily and cheaply included SEC Network. Maybe not...

I always had it when I lived there. Channel 336 or 366 or something like that. I had the sports package as well.

I've found the channel - it just won't let me watch it.

I would have thought that I'd checked when I subscribed. But maybe I just looked at PAC12, and BeIN sports which I wanted more proximately to the subscription... I seem to remember some of their advertising graphics even included the SEC Network logo. But, it was and remains obvious that it's very hard to get a list...

Seems like in Valpo I'd have to subscribe to the "Digital Preferred" tier or some such - changing tiers and not just adding a channel package.

*shrug*

Back to the old days. I've listened to plenty of games, sans video, picture painted by the dulcet tones of Todd Ickow. It has its advantages, and will certainly work.

[M]

Not being able to watch doesn't really sound like such a bad thing     Time to start scoring some points here fellas!

[FWalum]

Back to the absolutely horrible shooting.  And Lexus now has three fouls so Bradford will be running the point.

[agibson]

Davidson in? Hammink running the point? Does _not_ sound good.

Now I feel bad for those teams against whom I've been tempted to chant "double digits".

[atkins]

Kentucky turned the ball over 7 of the first 10 possessions, yet the game was already over before the mid-point of the first half.  We look like a high school team against an NBA squad.  Time for Kentucky to insert its benchwarmers (nearly all of whom would start for us).  If the current trend continues, we will be blown off the floor by 50. 

[agibson]

But, hey, Tevonn made the second FT. What are we now, 2 for 6? Double digits!

[FWalum]

 Walker seems to be the only one that can match these guys athletically.

[agibson]

Walker seems to be the only one that can match these guys athletically.

So what you're saying is, Tevonn can keep up with these guys athletically!

[FWalum]

Smits needs to see some minutes.

[ValpoDad89]

Great learning experience for us. We are playing 1* recruits up and down that KY roster. Mad that we can't stay with them but the learning helps the program and hopefully motivates us going forward. I wish we played KY before Oregon because I think we would've faired better in Eugene but u play them as they come.

Let's close out respectfully. Hopefully our guards are watching how you help out on defensive rebounding.

[atkins]

Turned game off and watched ISU knock off Butler by 1.  ISU is no pushover. 

[agibson]

Turned game off and watched ISU knock off Butler by 1.  ISU is no pushover. 

Previously undefeated, 16/15 Butler. Impressive!

ISU remains undefeated at home. But that's only 3-0. A win @Utah State. A bad sounding loss @NIU. Three losses on neutral courts.

I'm glad Indiana State is coming to the ARC, I guess, rather than vice versa!

[ValpoDad89]

I was watching that score too with much interest. Good for ISU. Good for us so long as we beat them.

My biggest pet peeve for tonight is the lack of yellow jerseys on both ends defending or protecting the rim. Kentucky is having their way on both ends of the glass. I never saw that from a Valpo team but then again I've never seen us play a talented team like this either. On to the second half....

[FieldGoodie05]

Let's make this game respectable VU...come on.

Although, if we finish non conference with 3 or less loses that would be magnificent.

[FWalum]

 What the heck has Smits done that he is not even getting a sniff in this game.

[Valpower]

Let's make this game respectable VU...come on.

Although, if we finish non conference with 3 or less loses that would be magnificent.

At this point, I'm not much interested in a narrowing of the margin if it's not against Kentucky's best effort. It's clear our shooting needs help (don't know that it's merely a matter of work or coming around, at this stage) and depth is absolutely required against a team like Kentucky.  That said, I'm not dismayed. All I care about is developing the underclassmen and peaking at the right moment.

[Valpo89]

This is almost as bad as the NCAA Tournament opener against Arizona in 1996.

[valpotx]

I knew that we would lose, but our guys just looked scared all game.  It's like they all forgot how to play the game because they were facing a storied program, and were making high school mistakes.  A lot of it wasn't due to athleticism differences in the first half (though Kentucky is leagues ahead of us in that area), but dumb decisions by our guys, and freezing up as they got open shots.  Kentucky was struggling to keep the ball, and we were missing driving layups, which could have really changed the complexion of the game in that half.  A lot of it was telegraphing our passes, allowing the athletic Wildcat players to step in and steal the ball.  All in all, it was a learning experience, but it could have been a much closer loss if we stuck to our fundamentals (blocking out, getting back on transition D, etc).

[78crusader]

The key now is to get ready for the next game and not let Kentucky beat us twice.

Paul

[valpotx]

Davidson deserves more playing time.  He was one of the only guys that did not play scared.  He wasn't dribbling off his leg, forgetting the ball, etc, like many of our players were doing.  He seems to be a calm and collected guy, and could be a Junior Seth Colclasure (not a Senior Seth, because he was better that year).