I brought over some of the posts from the "Predicting November" thread on Murray State to this game thread.
Quote from: bw12 on October 30, 2013, 09:05:28 AM
Not only did they lose a lot of talent, but they also lost their starting point guard and arguably best player. With their recent run, their name carries of weight, but they are in a very similar reloading/rebuilding situation as us. I am excited to see how we match up against a team very similar, but one we should beat at home.
Can't post a link, but here is the quote from a story on ESPN. "Murray State point guard Zay Jackson, who was expected to be the Racers top player this season, is out for the year after suffering a knee injury in practice on Saturday."
That being said we should win all our games at home, but I predict loses to Illinois, Ohio, and then against any random team just because we are not on our game.
Quote from: bbtds on October 30, 2013, 10:07:12 AMHere's what Murray State has
NEWCOMERS
Cameron Payne
6-2 freshman guard
Luasanne Collegiate School Memphis, TN
Mr. Basketball in Tennessee
HS team won 2A Tenn State Championship
20 points per game
10 assists per game
Jonathon Fairell
6-7 junior forward
River State College Ft Pierce, FL
17.7 points per game
11.8 rebounds per game
Jarvis Williams
6-8 junior forward
Gordon State College Barnesville, GA
19 points per game
10 rebounds per game
HS team won State Championship in GA
Jeff Martin
5-11 freshman guard
Seven Lakes HS Katy, TX
13 points per game
5 assists and 3 steals per game
T.J. Sapp (won't play against Valpo)
6-3 junior guard
transfer from Clemson but just like Keith Carter
won't play until 2nd semester
RETURNING:
Dexter Fields
6-2 senior guard
transfer from UAB two years ago
scored 12 against Valpo
had 8 double digit scoring games
6.5 points per game
Jeffery Moss
6-4 sophomore forward
21.4 minutes per game
4 double digit scoring games
4.4 points per game
There are other returnees but none with significant minutes.
The loss of Zay Jackson is really going to hurt them. He red-shirted last year and looked to have a lot of talent.
http://www.midmajormadness.com/ohio-valley-conference/2013/10/7/4814030/murray-state-guard-zay-jackson-tears-acl-out-for-season (http://www.midmajormadness.com/ohio-valley-conference/2013/10/7/4814030/murray-state-guard-zay-jackson-tears-acl-out-for-season)
Quote (selected)
With a tough schedule, and little in the way of experience, the Racers outlook wasn't great with a fully healthy Jackson, with most, including us (Foreshadowing!), picking the Racers in the middle of the OVC West Division. Now, the Racers have an even steeper climb to stay with the top of the conference, and possibly even to keep their impressive streak of 26-straight winning seasons intact.
If ever there was a time for a loud, student led, ARC crowd it's against this newbie Racers team.
Quote from: classof2014 on October 30, 2013, 10:41:24 AM
I think we should be able to handle Murray State. I think they're in a similar boat as we are, a lot of unknowns and their first game being on the road and especially losing their PG for the season will definitely hurt them quite a bit.
I just looked and they lost quite a bit from last season. In that game they only had 17 points coming from players who are on this roster as well and 12 of them from one player (Dexter Fields). While we return 25 points of scoring from that game. I know we lost a lot of talent but I think they lost more than we did and now without them having a starting PG, I think it makes a Valpo win that much more likely on opening night.
Not gonna guarantee a win, especially with a boatload of newcomers on the team but I give us at least a 75% chance of winning this game.
Quote from: bbtds on October 30, 2013, 12:30:18 PM
http://murrayledger.com/sports/murray_state/msu-tabbed-as-co-favorite/article_5b819626-3ba0-11e3-9447-0019bb2963f4.html (http://murrayledger.com/sports/murray_state/msu-tabbed-as-co-favorite/article_5b819626-3ba0-11e3-9447-0019bb2963f4.html)
Quote"Jeffery Moss and Dexter Fields are our only two returners, so it's not a surprise," Prohm said. "Our best player returning (Zay Jackson) didn't play last year, and now he's not playing again this year (out for the season with a torn ACL). We were picked first in our division (by the OVC coaches),
And even with depleted numbers entering the season (the Racers will open the year with just nine scholarship players) Prohm said the expectations in Racer Country are the same.
"Our goal never changes," he said. "You win as many conference games as you can, win your side of the league and win a double-bye in Nashville in the OVC Tournament. Once you are there, you're expected to win, and that will be what we work for everyday and push toward.
"Our goal is not going to change, because it can't change."
The Racers will open the season at Valparaiso Friday, Nov. 8 at 7:30 p.m.
Quote from: valpotx on October 30, 2013, 02:37:57 PM
We have to remember that the OVC as a conference is a decent amount worse than the HL, and especially the division Murray State is in. I believe just about everyone in their division had a 200+ RPI last year.
Edit: Confirmed - http://warrennolan.com/basketball/2013/conference/Ohio%20Valley (http://warrennolan.com/basketball/2013/conference/Ohio%20Valley)
Quote from: wh on October 31, 2013, 04:04:56 PMWell, if we renew our series with Murray State after this year, Zay Jackson won't be in a Racer uniform:
http://ovcball.net/2013/10/zay-jackson-to-transfer/ (http://ovcball.net/2013/10/zay-jackson-to-transfer/)
Last night Murray State beat Freed Hardeman 95-68 in their only exhibition game. Freed Hardeman had previously lost to Lipscomb 95-83 in an exhibition game on Halloween night.
Freed Hardeman is an NAIA school in the TSAC (TranSouth Athletic Conference). FHU finished 14-19, 3-7 in their conference in 2012-13. The Lions were 5th place in a 6 team conference.
FYI: The Freed Hardeman campus was a location where many scenes from the "Walking Tall" movies were shot in 1973 in Henderson,
TN.
http://www.goracers.com/news/2013/11/2/MBB_1102134017.aspx (http://www.goracers.com/news/2013/11/2/MBB_1102134017.aspx)
QuoteThe Murray State Racers used a 53-28 second half to score a 95-68 win over Freed-Hardeman in exhibition play Saturday at the CFSB Center in Murray, Ky.
Jarvis Williams led the way with a double-double of 19 points and 11 rebounds, while the Racers got 18 points from Jeffery Moss, 14 from Dexter Fields and 11 from Terron Gilmore.
Leading 42-40 at the half, the Racers pushed to a nine-point lead at the 18:15 mark when Williams fed Moss for a three. MSU was again up by nine (55-46) when Williams scored in the paint with 14:25 left.
Payne had a game-high eight assists and Williams made three steals.
In the first half, the Racers enjoyed their largest lead of six on seven occasions. Moss scored on a tip-in for a 30-24 lead at 7:03 and later the Racers led again by six at 36-30 when Jonathan Fairell put back his own miss at the 4:18 mark. The lead was 40-34 with 2:11 left when C.J. Ford led a fast break and found Fields for a three-pointer.
Murray State starts its 88th season of collegiate basketball Friday when they travel to Valparaiso, Ind., for the season opener with the Valparaiso Crusaders. Tip-off is set for 7:30 p.m. (Nov. 8) at the Athletics Recreation Center.
The Racers freshman phenom, Cameron Payne, Mr. Basketball in Tennessee from Memphis, only scored 9 points but did have the game high 8 assists.
Terron Gilmore, who is a 6-7 sophomore forward and averaged 8 minutes per game last season, scored 11 in the FHU game.
FYI: MSU's athletics website has added a link to the HLN broadcast so I would assume a large portion of their fans will be watching the Valpo broadcast of the game.
Valpo 73
Murray State 66
Murray State 69
Valpo 81
With the way Valpo got up and down the court with Robert Morris I expect a lot of the same without the 38 points from one of MSU's shooters.
72 to 61 Valpo. They'll lead start to finish and it should be a comfortable win.
Murray St 75 Valpo 61. Me of little faith.
From afar and not having seen either exhibition, the questions that quickly came to mind were: against two lesser programs why were both scores so close; why was RMU allowed to be even within 1 point in the last portion of the second half; how could a D-I team allow a single NAIA player to drop 38 on them without assigning someone to shut him down? Our guys have been playing together since last season, over the summer, and prior to the official opening of the 2013-14 practice season. These games should have been fine-tuning efforts not so much experiments. These thoughts push me in the direction of greater caution. While the future will be bright, and I think the team will be one that no one wants to play the end of the season, right now I see a loss against Murray State. Can't predict the score, but it will be a respectable loss (maybe 6-8 points).
I was at both games. Bryce really was testing different line ups in the exhibition games. I think this team has great promise but we might struggle from time to time this season. As for Murray State - I think it will be a close game with us losing in the end. (Hopefully a learning experience.)
As for the 38 points.... That kid was on fire - making shots where I thought he was well guarded. If he plays like that all season he should be on a division I team.
I don't see how we lose this game. Murray State is in the same boat we are, they lost about all they had last season and now they took a huge blow in losing their most promising player who was their PG no less which is the most important position on the court. The ARC is not an easy environment for road teams to play in, and with them being so young I see them losing to us. If MSU had Isaiah Canaan and Ed Daniel and whoever else was on that team they'd probably win. But they're lineup has a bunch of newcomers, like us and with them playing on the road in a hostile environment I don't see them winning.
As for the 2 exhibition games, was at them both. They finished the Hillsdale game really well. The first half was more jitters than anything. If they would've played the first half like they did the second it would have been a blowout. As for the RMU game, McKinney was on fire, I thought many times he was guarded and a hand was in his face, etc... Take him out of that game it would've been an 80 to 50 shellacking. Also many of the freshmen weren't making the stupid freshmen mistakes and Williams, Peters, and Yeo showed they can shoot lights out and will be a big part of this team. As for Coleman and Dority both looked much better and more under control.
Obviously we'll know much more about this come 9:30 on Friday night. Overall though, with MSU being in a similar position as us I don't see how they win their first regular season game on the road, in a tough environment.
Quote from: a3uge on November 03, 2013, 11:31:29 PMMurray St 75 Valpo 61. Me of little faith.
WHO are you and WHAT have you done with the guy I always agreed with?
Have you looked at their roster and outlook this year?
Don't be like one of those guys that fills out their bracket based on name rep.
If playing a close game or heaven forbid losing an exhibition tilt is a harbinger of doom for the regular season then the WSU Raiders must now be considered preseason conference PRETENDERS.
Quote from: LaPorteAveApostle on November 04, 2013, 09:01:07 AM
Quote from: a3uge on November 03, 2013, 11:31:29 PMMurray St 75 Valpo 61. Me of little faith.
WHO are you and WHAT have you done with the guy I always agreed with?
Have you looked at their roster and outlook this year?
Don't be like one of those guys that fills out their bracket based on name rep.
As big of a college basketball fan I like to think I am, I don't fill out brackets because I like to root for mid majors.
Anyways, my lack of faith comes from Valpo, not Murray State. I just don't think Valpo is there yet. Maybe mid season with Carter coming in things will be different. I feel we are incredibly thin down low and don't have the shooters to make up for it. You can't just replace KVW with a couple of tall guys and expect the same result. His knack for scoring by the basket was a huge part of the offense last year, and even with a healthy Capo, I think Valpo could struggle offensively down low. If these freshmen can shoot well, I think we'll be fine, but if Gueye and Vashil can't dominate against non D1 teams that play 6'7 forwards instead of a center most the game.... just don't see them winning some tough games early on. Murray State is still a decent team and should be 1 or 2 in the OVC (admittedly isn't saying much). I guess I might be overestimating Murray State, whom has a bunch of production loss as well, but it looks like they have some pretty good JUCO players coming in, as well as a 3 star freshman guard to attempt the daunting task of replacing Canaan.
Is anyone aware of anything special being done in NWI to promote this game? We have a prominent mid-major coming to our house. We're raising the championship banners. Yet, I haven't seen or heard a thing about it anywhere. We should have a near full house for this, but I have a bad feeling it won't be anywhere close. It's the casual fans I'm thinking about that we should be (and hopefully are) trying to reach.
We will lose a close game to Murray State. Our weakness is the center position. Playing either Gueye or Vashil is like playing 4 on 5 while on offense. They cannot catch the basketball, simple as that.
Paul
Quote from: FWalum on November 04, 2013, 10:13:43 AM
If playing a close game or heaven forbid losing an exhibition tilt is a harbinger of doom for the regular season then the WSU Raiders must now be considered preseason conference PRETENDERS.
Wright State will be a little bit better than last year. Which wasn't very good. Their RPI was 129 and their only top 100 RPI win was Detroit (which was a matchup problem for Detroit). Had they beaten Valpo, they would've still ended with a +100 RPI, which would have netted them a 15 seed (barring a ridiculous geography-based move). If they make the tournament this year, they'll probably be a 15 seed. While they are blaming the loss on injuries, it's not like injuries don't happen mid-season. I do think Wright State will be a 20 win team, but their OOC schedule is so horrendous that I don't think they'll break an RPI of 100. Are they conference pretenders? Maybe not. The whole league is so down that they're still one of the most likely teams to win the Horizon.
Let us not forget even though Gueye and Vashil are not great offensively they both are really good defenders. So everything kinda evens out, KVW was the best big man in the league, that's gonna be hard to replace. Gueye and Vashil are better defenders than KVW, in my opinion. So it's a trade-off. This is a different look team, I think our guards will be the focal point of the offense instead of the forwards. Last year it was the opposite our scoring came from the 4 and 5 position, this season it'll have to be the 1, 2, & 3.
Both Coleman and Dority look much more consistent in the two games this year and Peters can shoot lights out and a healthy Capo can score pretty well as well. Don't know if he's gonna be a 100% for the MSU game but if he is there's our decent production from the 4. Like I said before the scoring is gonna be more guard oriented this year than forward oriented last year.
I'm not at all worried about our ability to score. Let us not forget if need be Bobby can play the 5.
Quote from: classof2014 on November 04, 2013, 12:14:43 PMI'm not at all worried about our ability to score. Let us not forget if need be Bobby can play the 5.
It just occured to me that this years late game-protect the ball -go small- Bobby at the 5 lineup, might be as big or slightly bigger than last years go big, Ryan at the 3 look. I don't know how this might count in the win and loss column but I love having all of these big bodies.
It's evident to see that those posters who have seen this reloading Valpo team play are the believers and those who didn't see the team play some very very good lower division teams in Hillsdale (who took Toledo to OT before losing by 1) and Robert Morris, who has a very hot guard in Keshaune McKinney that put up 38 points, are the doubters.
Where this Valpo team has weaknesses other teams may not have the strengths to take advantage of those weaknesses. We are not too sure of where Murray State stands because, like Valpo, the Racers are rebuilding/reloading. On the other hand where Valpo has strengths I don't see many other Div. I teams, except maybe Illinois or possibly Ohio and Saint Louis having strengths that can overcome Valpo's strengths. On the offensive end Valpo is going to be better than almost all of it's opponents. In the shot blocking department there will be very few teams better than Valpo. I don't remember how many times the crowd was gasping with excitement when Vashil or Moussa swatted away a shot under the basket. In the area of quickness to the basket by Williams, Dority, Coleman, Yeo, Peters and Carter, when he is available, Valpo will be one of the quickest teams in the Horizon League. In the area of rebounding Valpo will be solid with Adekoya, Chadwick, Peters, Fernandez, Coleman, Yeo and Gueye. To be honest Valpo has the potential, this season, to win 20 plus games.
I do realize there will be disappointments with this team. There will be nights when they don't play well as a team and we as fans will be frustrated because Valpo will lose to a team they could have beaten. I'm hoping those games will be few and far between.
Quote from: wh on November 04, 2013, 11:16:13 AM
Is anyone aware of anything special being done in NWI to promote this game? We have a prominent mid-major coming to our house. We're raising the championship banners. Yet, I haven't seen or heard a thing about it anywhere. We should have a near full house for this, but I have a bad feeling it won't be anywhere close. It's the casual fans I'm thinking about that we should be (and hopefully are) trying to reach.
Well, I don't think I would call it "special", but did notice this on facebook:
https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=584644454924609&set=a.310843392304718.92238.113914928664233&type=1&theater (https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=584644454924609&set=a.310843392304718.92238.113914928664233&type=1&theater)
Valpo - 71
Murray - 63
Quote from: justducky on November 04, 2013, 12:49:40 PM
Quote from: classof2014 on November 04, 2013, 12:14:43 PMI'm not at all worried about our ability to score. Let us not forget if need be Bobby can play the 5.
It just occured to me that this years late game-protect the ball -go small- Bobby at the 5 lineup, might be as big or slightly bigger than last years go big, Ryan at the 3 look. I don't know how this might count in the win and loss column but I love having all of these big bodies.
Some other advantages that we will have this year over last are-
1 Because of Erik and Kevin it was common for us to have only 3 3-point shooters on the floor at the same time. This year we should always have 4 and to the extent that Capo and Chadwick can handle the center position (late game deficit) maybe put 5 guys on the floor who can shoot the 3. ( Makes me wonder what our team season 3 point shooting % will be.)
2 Also because of Erik being gone and us always having 4 3-point shooters on the court maybe the inside game opens up enough that even Vashil and Moussa can handle their open looks. (How much better would Kevin have been if Erik had needed to be closely guarded?)
3 I've already forgotten my 3'rd advantage so I'll just skip to the 4'th. ???
4 This block vs charge rule change looks to me to be a big advantage for us over the majority of our opponents and we should put a lot of work into learning how to best defend it and exploit it. I wouldn't be much surprised if this alone hands us a couple extra victories.
You folks talked me into this so I'll venture 76-75 for VU, with the rest of November being just as interesting.
Quote from: wh on November 04, 2013, 11:16:13 AM
Is anyone aware of anything special being done in NWI to promote this game? We have a prominent mid-major coming to our house. We're raising the championship banners. Yet, I haven't seen or heard a thing about it anywhere. We should have a near full house for this, but I have a bad feeling it won't be anywhere close. It's the casual fans I'm thinking about that we should be (and hopefully are) trying to reach.
There are some promotions with local businesses and media. In addition, Valpo has an electronic billboard on US 30 near I-65 that is being used to promote basketball games this year. Last week it featured Alec Peters and this week it will feature Clay Yeo. Here is an example:
(http://i44.tinypic.com/znonsi.jpg)
Since we have freshmen, like Clay, from the region making their debut in a regular season game, we should see if that helps draw fans from nearby communities. In addition, there should be a big student turnout, especially because banners will be raised before the game, as you mention, and the championship basketball, baseball, golf, and softball teams will all be honored and receive rings at halftime. Plus, the football season is over for Valpo High School and others, so there will not be competition for the crowd from their usual Friday night games. In the exhibition games, the ValparaiZone support has been very good and the band has been better than in recent years. I'm hopeful for a fairly fine turnout. We'll see.
Will be real nice to see some of the faces from last year in the ARC on Friday night. Highly doubt KVW and Rowdy will be there cause they're in Europe but I will imagine the rest of the team be there and will get quite the ovation from the crowd.
Quote from: justducky on November 04, 2013, 11:41:34 PM2 Also because of Erik being gone and us always having 4 3-point shooters on the court maybe the inside game opens up enough that even Vashil and Moussa can handle their open looks.
You're asking for way too much here. Moussa and Vashil have to catch the passes into them and not fumble the ball away while making a move. Right now that doesn't seem likely. The best offensive move by Gueye may be throwing the ball towards the basket and crashing for the rebound and slamming the ball home. He did that twice in the Robert Morris game on his own shots.
Hello Valpo fans looking forward to the start of basketball season. I will be making the trip up from Murray. I have a quick question. Should I go ahead and buy my ticket in advance? This is my first trip to Valporaiso and was just curious if this game is in jeopardy of a sell out. Thank you and good luck on the season.
Quote from: Clearthetrack on November 05, 2013, 11:27:20 AMHello Valpo fans looking forward to the start of basketball season. I will be making the trip up from Murray. I have a quick question. Should I go ahead and buy my ticket in advance? This is my first trip to Valporaiso and was just curious if this game is in jeopardy of a sell out. Thank you and good luck on the season.
I would buy one ahead of time just so you're sure to get a good seat if you want one near the Racers' bench. Section D is behind the visitors bench. Click on the section you want to see which seats are remaining.
Here's the website to buy a ticket for the Murray State at Valpo game
http://www.etix.com/ticket/online/performanceSearch.jsp?performance_id=1751945&cobrand=valpo (http://www.etix.com/ticket/online/performanceSearch.jsp?performance_id=1751945&cobrand=valpo)
Quote from: Clearthetrack on November 05, 2013, 11:27:20 AMHello Valpo fans looking forward to the start of basketball season. I will be making the trip up from Murray. I have a quick question. Should I go ahead and by my ticket in advance? This is my first trip to Valporaiso and was just curious if this game is in jeopardy of a sell out. Thank you and good luck on the season.
Just buy them online. You can pick your exact seat from the map.
http://www.etix.com/ticket/online/performanceSearch.jsp?performance_id=1751945&cobrand=valpo (http://www.etix.com/ticket/online/performanceSearch.jsp?performance_id=1751945&cobrand=valpo)
It won't be sold out, but you probably don't want to end up in the Mezzanine. It's $25 for a chairback seat and $10 for everything else. You probably want D, which is where the block of visitor tickets are.
Any ideas when they will show the intro video or make it available online? Thanks
Probably will see the intro video posted after Friday night's game.
Quote from: VULB#62 on November 04, 2013, 06:27:59 AM
how could a D-I team allow a single NAIA player to drop 38 on them without assigning someone to shut him down?
I didn't see the game, so I can't really speak of this individual performance, but I am not shocked to see an NAIA player drop 38 on a D1 team especially when hot from deep. A buddy of mine who played NAIA ball hit 10 3's in a game and didn't play a whole lot after halftime. He did the same type of thing in HS against D1 competition including all state players. I am not saying it's common, but I wouldn't be surprised nor would I be too concerned. Hot is hot and as long as you can get the shot off...
*Some NAIA players are really very capable of being good D1 players...see the Indiana State player who averaged 10+pts per game and transferred to NAIA Div 2 Indiana Wesleyan.
Hi ClearTheTrack... Sellout? Probably not. Lots of things going on at the ARC on Friday as we celebrate 4 NCAA tournament teams from last year (Basketball, Baseball, Softball and Golf)... Section E is behind the Visitor's Bench, EE is in the mezzanine level above it (and right around the corner from Concessions and the bathrooms). I just looked for two tickets at our website, and it offered row "B"; not the greatest seats since you'll have to look up and over the team bench and the scorer's table, to see the other end of the court. Try for row 5 or higher. Parking will be an issue...that's the reason to come early...and we have a women's volleyball match starting at 4pm so there may be some cross-over crowds in the parking lot.
If you come early, you can eat in the Harre Union "Founders" hall has a nice variety... and walk across the street to the Chapel. Definitely worth the visit. Supposed to be a bit nippy (about 40 when the game gets out, no rain in the forecast); and you will probably be a 10/15-minute walk from your car. Don't park on the neighborhood streets; although, the city would appreciate the donation to their parking fine fund. The parking lots are pretty well marked.
Thank you for the information guys. I look forward to the trip. I love seeing a university and gymnasium for the first time. I am not one to barely make it to a game on time so I will get there very early. I will never forget sitting in my bedroom as a 13 year old watching ya'll's current head coach nail that game winner against Ole Miss and then watching the second round victory against Florida State. I know Valpo has had good teams since then but what a dance memory that is. I hope to see Murray and Valpo have outstanding seasons that result in conference championships. I feel this game provides a stiff test for the new Racers in our stable. I'm also looking forward to spending some time driving through the beautiful state of Indiana!
FYI park in the old tennis courts, immediately west of the ARC, by the old hospital (aka the large expanse of dirt). I don't think you'll find the ARC anywhere near as nice as the CFSB Center, it will remind you quite a bit of your high-school gym, just larger. Hope you have a good time on Friday, not as good as Valpo fans though! But may I welcome you to beautiful Northwest Indiana, where the waters are brown and the air is thick!
Correct me if I am wrong,but wasn't a Valpo grad. Calvin Luther a coach and AD at Murray State?
Quote from: setshot on November 06, 2013, 08:56:29 AM
Correct me if I am wrong,but wasn't a Valpo grad. Calvin Luther a coach and AD at Murray State?
Yes, according to Wikipedia:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cal_Luther (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cal_Luther)
Pretty interesting.
Quote from: setshot on November 06, 2013, 08:56:29 AMCalvin Luther
if his middle name was melanchthon that's the most protestant name i ever heard
Cal Luther also coached at UT Martin during the transitional days to division 1. He was before my time when he was at Murray State and didn't know he was Valpo grad.
QuoteLuther became DePauw University's head coach in 1954. In his first season as head coach, he coached DePauw to a rare tie against Wabash. DePauw defeated Wabash 67-66, however the coaches of both teams decided the game should be recorded as a tie due to a scorers error.
Could you imagine any school conceding a tie to their arch rival due to a scoring error in this day and age? That really makes me proud that he was a Valpo grad. It sounds like something Homer and Bryce would do.
Quote from: Clearthetrack on November 06, 2013, 01:57:45 AMI will never forget sitting in my bedroom as a 13 year old watching ya'll's current head coach nail that game winner against Ole Miss and then watching the second round victory against Florida State.
You were right, valpotx,
ya'll is a much more common expression than I thought. ;)
Gueye ready for long-awaited Valparaiso men's basketball debut
http://www.nwitimes.com/sports/college/valparaiso-university/gueye-ready-for-long-awaited-valparaiso-men-s-basketball-debut/article_bcb005e1-5308-5a7f-bd29-5491a344552d.html (http://www.nwitimes.com/sports/college/valparaiso-university/gueye-ready-for-long-awaited-valparaiso-men-s-basketball-debut/article_bcb005e1-5308-5a7f-bd29-5491a344552d.html)
For CleartheTrack and anyone else coming from the Purchase area of Kentucky you may want to use I-69 through Indiana. I recently went to Evansville from Indy that way and it wasn't too bad.
As usual you take 641 north to I-24 east to I-69 north/east to Pennyrile Pkwy north to Henderson. Take US41 across the Ohio River into Evansville and then I-164 east then north till it becomes I-69 north (north of I-64). When I-69 ends west of the Crane Naval Base (NSWC Crane) you come off the ramp onto US231. Go south 1/4 mile (this may have been all reconfigured since I last went this way due to the new construction starting on the new section of I-69 towards Bloomington) and turn left on Hwy 45/58 going east. Go to the north end of Crane and turn left to continue on Hwy 45 north towards Bloomington. (Hwy 58 continues straight into Owensburg). It's 30 miles from where I-69 ends to Hwy 37 in Bloomington. When you get to Bloomington take Hwy 37 north. There's a few stoplights on 37 but a lot of them will stay green as you go through. When you get to I-465 in Indy take it West and then it will curve North. When it crosses I-65 take I-65 North towards Chicago. At US30, exit 253, go East on US30 through the Southlake Mall area, then about 10 miles, with many stoplights, into Valparaiso. When you get to the Industrial Revolution Restaurant on the left, it's after two railroad overpasses, turn left on Linwood Ave, which is a 135 degree or so left turn. Take Linwood to the 5 way stop sign intersection at Union, Garfield & Linwood. Turn right on Union. You'll see the ARC on the left after the stop sign at University Park. If you want to see our magnificent chapel and eat at the Harre student union continue straight, pass the stop sign at McIntyre Court, till you see a parking lot on the left. Turn left into the parking lot and park. The Harre Union is the huge building straight east, the chapel, you can't miss, is directly south of the Harre Union and the Christopher Library is directly west of the chapel and attached to the Arts and Sciences building.
This route will take you through many parts of Indiana I'm sure you have never seen before. It takes just a few minutes longer and is about 20 more miles and is mostly divided highway (I-69, Hwy 37, I-465, I-65, US30). It also avoids any Chicago area traffic.
Some might be tempted to take US231 north to I-70 east to I-465 in Indy. That section of US231 goes through some very winding White River country south of I-70. If you have the time and like the windy, curvy roads then by all means that is the road for you.
Post Trib weighs in
http://posttrib.suntimes.com/sports/23583618-556/mens-basketball-lavonte-dority-may-be-small-in-stature-but-he-has-huge-role-for.html (http://posttrib.suntimes.com/sports/23583618-556/mens-basketball-lavonte-dority-may-be-small-in-stature-but-he-has-huge-role-for.html)
http://posttrib.suntimes.com/sports/23583619-556/mens-basketball-valparaisos-5-keys-to-the-season.html (http://posttrib.suntimes.com/sports/23583619-556/mens-basketball-valparaisos-5-keys-to-the-season.html)
A sneak peek at the banners to be raised during pregame ceremonies:
(http://i39.tinypic.com/6iybf9.jpg)
There's no national/regional broadcast of this game, correct? I got my hopes up thinking two mid-majors with good name recognition would warrant at least an ESPNU consideration, but I checked the cable guide last night and saw nothing.
Quote from: rink on November 07, 2013, 06:31:50 PM
There's no national/regional broadcast of this game, correct? I got my hopes up thinking two mid-majors with good name recognition would warrant at least an ESPNU consideration, but I checked the cable guide last night and saw nothing.
Correct. There is
not a national/regional broadcast of this Murray State at Valpo game. It's on HLN and the Valpo Sports Radio Network.
Quote from: valpopal on November 07, 2013, 05:08:42 PM
A sneak peek at the banners to be raised during pregame ceremonies:
(http://i39.tinypic.com/6iybf9.jpg)
Wait a minute! I assumed we were raising the conf. championship and NIT banners from 2 years ago. Don't last year's banners have to first hang in the hallway for a year "according to tradition?" ;)
Seriously, as noted many times last season this is something we've missed the mark on for many years. I'm glad to see that someone has finally done something about it.
Pre-game story from Murray, KY Examiner:
Murray State opens as 6 1/2 point underdogs at Valparaiso
http://www.examiner.com/article/college-basketball-murray-state-opens-as-6-1-2-point-underdogs-at-valparaiso (http://www.examiner.com/article/college-basketball-murray-state-opens-as-6-1-2-point-underdogs-at-valparaiso)
Seems like a good prediction. A lot of new faces on both sides, and a good player unavailable for Murray State.
Does anyone know what time the banner ceremony will start? I don't want to show up and miss it!
Quote from: Kyle321n on November 08, 2013, 11:27:01 AM
Does anyone know what time the banner ceremony will start? I don't want to show up and miss it!
Not sure but I'd guess 7:15ish.
Valpo's going to "Double Down" this weekend with wins over both Murray State and Butler. Sure!
Quote from: setshot on November 08, 2013, 12:20:20 PM
Valpo's going to "Double Down" this weekend with wins over both Murray State and Butler. Sure!
If Valpo beats Cleve St in VB and Murray St in MBB then I'll attend the football game on 49th Street and cheer my a** off for the sweep. I'm so inspired that setshot is predicting a football win!! OMG!!!
Is the banner ceremony before the game, and the ring ceremony at half time?
Is the banner at valpoathletics.com merely confusing, or actually wrong?
http://valpoathletics.com/media/images-splash/champnight.jpg (http://valpoathletics.com/media/images-splash/champnight.jpg)
Quote from: agibson on November 08, 2013, 01:50:23 PMIs the banner ceremony before the game, and the ring ceremony at half time? Is the banner at valpoathletics.com merely confusing, or actually wrong? http://valpoathletics.com/media/images-splash/champnight.jpg (http://valpoathletics.com/media/images-splash/champnight.jpg)
I don't believe the banner is wrong but maybe not totally clear. I believe, and I hope someone in the athletic dept will correct me if I'm wrong but you do have us guessing, that the basketball team will be featured before the Murray State game and during halftime the baseball, golf and softball teams will be honored. That is consistent with this banner. It makes sense because Dority, Capo, Coleman and Fernandez will be busy at halftime.
I'm heading to a meeting in about an hour to time things out. Early discussion was to do the basketball banner pre-game and the other three sports at Halftime... but that may change depending, which is why I'm going to the meeting.
Come on over early, watch the volleyball match with Cleveland State that starts at 4pm and stick around.
Quote from: talksalot on November 08, 2013, 03:13:10 PMCome on over early, watch the volleyball match with Cleveland State that starts at 4pm and stick around.
Alas, the Boys and Girls club doesn't schedule their basketball leagues with the VU schedule in mind. I look forward to the second half on HLN. But, I hope that others are more dutiful fans than I, and that there's a good crowd!
and I have the schedule in front of me. We will be starting the pre-game clock a bit early. Normally, Valpo would head to the locker room with about 10 on the clock... tonight, they will stay out warming up and we will stop the clock with 5:00.
We will show a highlight video from last year, about a minute long. During a brief recap of last years conference tournament, the three banners (draped in black bunting) will be cranked down from the rafters. We will have folks from last year's team (no surprises) who will unveil it.... to a thunderous applause.
The team will head to the locker room for a few minutes and then we'll start in the usual way with Racer starters, Valpo Starters and the anthem.
At Halftime... we will have the crusaderettes followed by Championship Ring ceremonies for (in this order) Men's Golf, Baseball and Softball. All of the team banners also are in the lobby of the ARC... already up and shiny.
(OH, Volleyball just swept Cleveland State)
AND, for those at the game... at the 12:00 media timeout in the first half... lots of applause for "Thank you to Cindy Eaton"...retired after 17 seasons as ticket manager.
two hours!
Is anyone else having trouble with the WVUR feed?
Quote from: mj on November 08, 2013, 07:15:34 PMIs anyone else having trouble with the WVUR feed?
I have not been able to connect using the headphone link all year. I've been using the TuneIn Radio app.
Just as a reminder to those who may not know or who have forgotten during 7+ months of no BB, on the Forum Home Page, toward the bottom, is the HLN feed plus a chat window where you can interact with other alleged humans.
No problems with the audio there :)
I used the TuneIn Radio app for the postgame tonight, since HLN cuts out about 30 seconds after the buzzer. Also, TuneIn Radio app or their website is a better source to get the WVUR feed of football and basketball games than the athletics website headphones.
Good win! Not perfect. Murray St helped us with some bad FT shooting, otherwise they win. But to some degree, we returned the favor. (Dority, wtf?) Freshmen look really impressive, wow, big surprise. Should be an exciting season!
Go valpo!
Not many score predictions, but looks like Tex takes it with 73-66 good guys.
What a great game--we have turnover problems (again) and we have trouble finishing (again) ...but we're doing it younger so therefore better because easier to take.
Peters looks to be a bit like Rowdy--but a year ahead of schedule (i.e. Peters frosh = Rowdy soph). (And in the Totally Not Too Early Dept., he's on track for 1632 career points after tonight, which would put him 5th ahead of Raitis.) But first things first.
ON TO THE CHAMPAIGN ROOM
Surprised that foul trouble did not become more of an issue. It was like the refs did not want to call anything against Murray State at the ends.
I really thought we looked good. As this season goes on if we keep looking better we could have a really fun season.
What the hell was the end when Clay got wrapped up from behind - how was that not intentional?
Overall I thought the team played well... Coleman looks great, was by far the best player in a VU and possibly on the court tonight. Capo I think might still be battling an injury but he looks better, I don't see Dority as a PG, he just didn't look good tonight. Hit some big shots though when we needed them. I think Williams is gonna be great, the hustle play he made for a putback basket late in the 1st half was PHENOMENAL!!
One may say if MSU shot better from the free throw line they win, if we shot better from the FT line we win by 10. Some kinks to work out but overall they looked really good. Peters, Williams, and Yeo will all be big-time contributors to the team this year. I think our size in the middle gave them issues all night long. One thing, Coleman looks like a different player, he's making great plays all the time. And I loved the hustle in the team as well.
Oh yeah, one last thing I need to say.... VASHIL!!!!
Laporte - young group but they sure are a fun group to watch... Even with some sloppy play asst times (seniors group last year started with some very sloppy play) There are a couple freshman that I think will become some valpo favorites....
Vashil was great... He had great hands tonight. During exhibition games both our big guys had stone fingers - not tonight..... Way to go guys....
That was a fun game to watch, outside of the million fouls called. How about Vashil?? Dude looks like he has really put in some work over the last 2 years to get to this point. He was able to handle most of the passes thrown his way, and was able to finish most as well. If we can get even half of that production from him each game, I will be ecstatic. Several of us continually point out that he is still very new to basketball, and his ceiling for the rest of the year and next year looks much higher than anticipated after the previous season.
Coleman showed that he also put in some work on his game, learning that his limited time at the end of last season was due to some stupid mistakes and drives. Overall, each of our guys took much smarter angles to the basket on drives, which you wouldn't expect from FR players! I very much look forward to another 20+ win season this year, and seeing how our young guys improve throughout each game :)
ValpoTX - agree on Coleman - he looked great out there (seems to just know where to be on the court)
Also, since I was a big critic of them last year, what a great showing by our fans! You could hear the students chanting throughout the game, and the place seemed to fill with energy when it needed to. Let's keep that up on the crowd side, as it really helps our guys!!
Also noticed we only attempted 13 3-pointers. Don't know if there was a time last year where we didn't attempt 20. Fun game to watch and will be a fun team to follow. These freshmen are gonna do something special here at Valpo. WOW
Great games by Vashil, Coleman and Peters.
I really wish we would push the ball more on the break even with fast teams like Murray State. If you noticed VALPO broke out to it's biggest lead when the Crusaders pushed the fast break with Dority, Williams, Fernandez, Yeo and Peters. And we threw the home run ball again and it worked despite the Racers seeing it coming. Great play by the 2 freshmen on that play. I think Dority runs the team better on the fast break. We'll have to see if the set plays work better once Carter starts running the point.
Much, much better hands by Vashil tonight. He wasn't completely cured of the fumble fingers but he looked extremely good.
The composure of Peters, Yeo and Williams is simply amazing. When have we had freshmen play like that since Bryce, himself? And what a hustle play by Lexus on that put-back. Amazing is the only word.
The Racers played Valpo tough all the way and you have to give them credit for playing well in a tough environment. They certainly looked like more of a reloading team than a rebuilding team.
Let's surprise the Illini at least if not by beating them then by giving them a close game. Big Ten Network on Wednesday night!
Valpo holds off tough Murray State team in opener
http://posttrib.suntimes.com/sports/23626791-556/basketball-valpo-holds-off-tough-murray-state-team-in-opener.html (http://posttrib.suntimes.com/sports/23626791-556/basketball-valpo-holds-off-tough-murray-state-team-in-opener.html)
I know both teams played ugly at times but did I miss something? That's not the sixth best team in the Horizon is it? That place is Racer Arena comeback to life. Why would you guys want a new gym haha. That was cruel and unusual punishment to make this particular Racer team open in that place.
Quote from: Clearthetrack on November 08, 2013, 11:47:57 PM
I know both teams played ugly at times but did I miss something? That's not the sixth best team in the Horizon is it? That place is Racer Arena comeback to life. Why would you guys want a new gym haha. That was cruel and unusual punishment to make this particular Racer team open in that place.
IMO this group will be competing for a conference championship, especially considering that our possibly best player (point guard Keith Carter) will be eligible before conference play begins. I really enjoyed watching your Racers in person tonight. Great speed and athleticism, excellent coaching, and a "never say die" attitude. Two games decided by a total of 5 points - it doesn't get much better than that. I hope our 2 programs keep playing each other. Good luck to the Racers!
I would like to see the two programs continue to play. I think Valpo will compete for the Horizon league crown. It's amazing the last time i was in Indiana i was wearing a Kentucky blue shirt in Assembly Hall and I had never encountered ruder people in my life. the blue and gold shirt got a much warmer reception in the Hoosier state.
CleartheTrack,
You're double Zay attack unfortunately is down to one Zay but that point guard is a real Payne in the tookus. Despite all the issues your team played well in a tough environment all the way to the end and represented their school well. The Racers believe in fair play and play with dignity. Those traits are to be respected and admired. We, as Valpo fans, would love to continue playing your school in future years and to build up a nice rivalry.
I also hope you were able to enjoy your drive, which ever way you decided to travel, and enjoyed your visit to our campus.
http://www.nwitimes.com/blogs/sports/valparaiso-university/wrapping-up-murray-state/article_51e9262a-48f6-11e3-8976-0019bb2963f4.html (http://www.nwitimes.com/blogs/sports/valparaiso-university/wrapping-up-murray-state/article_51e9262a-48f6-11e3-8976-0019bb2963f4.html)
http://www.wpsdlocal6.com/sports/extra/Valparaiso-defeats-Murray-State-77-74-231253131.html (http://www.wpsdlocal6.com/sports/extra/Valparaiso-defeats-Murray-State-77-74-231253131.html)
NBC Channel 6 in Paducah sent a camera crew to the game or possibly used a student crew or paid a company for the news report.
Valparaiso defeats Murray State 77-74
http://murrayledger.com/sports/murray_state/racers-fall-in-opener-to-valparaiso/article_b8efcbce-490c-11e3-8516-001a4bcf887a.html (http://murrayledger.com/sports/murray_state/racers-fall-in-opener-to-valparaiso/article_b8efcbce-490c-11e3-8516-001a4bcf887a.html)
From the Murray Ledger & Times
Racers fall in opener to Valparaiso
Impressed by the freshman and improvement by Vashil. Disappointed in Gueye, thought with his size he would be a bigger impact than 4 fouls. Enjoyed watching Coleman get to the hole.
Side note, Northern Kentucky (future HL member???) took Purdue to the wire and lost by 1.
Quote from: bbtds on November 09, 2013, 12:27:22 AMYou're double Zay attack unfortunately is down to one Zay but that point guard is a real Payne in the tookus.
bbtds, never change. (eh except for your first word there ; )
Quote from: Clearthetrack on November 09, 2013, 12:26:49 AMthe blue and gold shirt got a much warmer reception in the Hoosier state.
Glad we were hospitable! Thanks for coming, and let's make this a series :) Oh, and thanks for your injection of outsider sanity re: our facilities.
You know, not to go all Aristotle & Aquinas up in here, but let's look at Dority. In the literal sense. Function should follow form, and he is at his best when he does what his body suggests he'd be good at: go to the hole, absorb contact, and finish. When he did that, he sewed up the victory. When he tried to do too much, he didn't succeed. Not sure what is up with him--he's never been a high-percentage shooter, but he is a career 84.7% FTer...or was until last night, when it fell to 81.3%. That suggests someone with good form (i.e. if he couldn't hit from ANYWHERE it just wasn't in the cards, but he can). So the overall % plus the turnovers suggest someone who struggles with decision-making. Which, not what you want in your point guard.
Then again, it was a pretty good night when your weak link still had the stones to go to the rack and finish with the game on the line.
Crusaders open season with thrilling victory
http://www.nwitimes.com/sports/college/valparaiso-university/crusaders-open-season-with-thrilling-victory/article_8d346903-0dca-573b-af80-12cb756e3879.html (http://www.nwitimes.com/sports/college/valparaiso-university/crusaders-open-season-with-thrilling-victory/article_8d346903-0dca-573b-af80-12cb756e3879.html)
Yeah, the frosh were solid! Love Lexus. Berman would have a car nickname by name. Good acceleration at the least. Anyway....Peters really has a knack. I think he had 3 or 4 shots go down and come out again. It is great to see us match up athletically so evenly with teams and not have to rely so heavily on outsmarting teams with backdoor passes.
I think Peters will outperform Rowdy over time if he starts hitting 3s. He is much stronger driving to the hoop.
I agree about the Freshman, Vashil, and Coleman as they were all great. But what I was extremely impressed with was our rebounding and second chance opportunities! The last couple years we had to make our shots to survive and barely had second opportunities on offense. Last night looked completely different. We are a big team that can rebound! This will help us get through some off shooting nights.
Also, our size alone caused for some really tough shots. I am excited to see where this team can go.
Interesting posts all around. Love hearing that the Racer fans were well received and appreciated the environment. 4400 or so was posted, immagine what he would have thought with another 1000 in the house! Love Coach Lottich's comment..."are they all like this?" LOL!
Vashil got the most "wows" out of me last night. Way better than last year. A dominating rebounding performance which was hard to find last year. So we match up well against a very fast team and probably will against bigger slower teams as well.
The freshman are in a first year league of their own. I still can't understand how the fans had really no expectations of Lexus coming in. I guess it was because of his limited accolades while Yeo and Peters and even Davidson had the clippings. All very cool under pressure.
Finally, I can't help but to compare last years team to this one. We are much bigger and thus would have a rebounding edge. Much quicker overall with great depth. Shooting? Not so impressive but will probably come around with time. If we can gain some 3 point shooter consistance we will be very tough.
As everyone seems to have noted, members of this freshman class are already playing with poise and contributing, which exhibited itself and helped a lot on a night Dority's game was off. They are going to be fun to watch develop even more. Also, Jordan has improved immensely since last year. He seems confident and in control when he has the ball, and his ability to finish at the basket has become consistent. In addition, he has a good feel for rebounding, which helped lead Valpo over Murray State 44-35 on the boards, a key to the win.
Peters reminds everyone of a stronger and more developed version of Rowdy as a freshman, and he tied Coleman for the lead in rebounds. Although his stats weren't large last night, Clay still exhibits an athleticism and aggressiveness that helps his teammates get open, and he is fun to watch. Lexus displays composure, and though he only had one assist, his ball handling often helped others find a position to score.
Bobby still seems to be a bit less than 100%, a step slow or a bit rusty that led to early foul trouble, and he is yet finding his place at the forward position, although he did get placed in the center for a brief spell due to Moussa's own foul trouble. Nevertheless, he did show his three-point shot is a possible threat to other teams at times, which could open up the inside more for Moussa or Vashil. Also, he scored 9 points and had 4 rebounds in only 16 minutes of playing time.
However, the surprise player of the night was Vashil, whose energy and enthusiasm was as high as ever, but whose footwork and ability to finish at the basket seems to have become much better, and who has become stronger grabbing and controlling rebounds. As you can see in the photo below, nobody was happier and more satisfied than Vashil, who couldn't stop smiling in the postgame press conference, especially when Bryce mentioned his play against Murray State was a product of dedicated hard work over the last year.
Here are some photos from the game to enjoy. I will post a link to many other pictures later, but my schedule is full this morning:
(http://i39.tinypic.com/ot3wph.jpg)
(http://i42.tinypic.com/11qgvhg.jpg)
(http://i42.tinypic.com/n4trtx.jpg)
(http://i42.tinypic.com/2aalrg6.jpg)
(http://i43.tinypic.com/14sdx8h.jpg)
wow. thanks for all those, but especially the last one. that's beautiful, and sums it all up.
I'll echo what everyone else has said about last night's game. A great team performance, especially from the freshmen. If this is the 6th best team in the Horizon League then it's going to be one hell of a conference this year.
I was amazed at Vashil last night. How many times has Valpo brought in a raw big man (Vucic, Witt, Mbaye, etc.) hoping he was going to develop? It seems like this time the development actually occurred. I will say that Vashil did seem to turn the ball over a few times near the end of the game, but I'll attribute that to fatigue. A great game overall for the guy.
Quote from: valpopal on November 07, 2013, 05:08:42 PM
A sneak peek at the banners to be raised during pregame ceremonies:
(http://i39.tinypic.com/6iybf9.jpg)
The pre-game banner raising ceremony was a very nice celebratory moment. They showed a short highlight video from last year, including, of course, Ryan's 3 pointer at the gun to beat GB in the semi's and highlights from the MSU tournament game. The players in attendance were introduced, including Ben and Will. The crescendo was the unveiling and raising of the banners. Very well done!
Does Valpo always hang an individual banner for winning regular season, the tournament and participating in the NCAA tourney? Seems like they would end up with a bunch of banners! I've seen several places that use one banner per season and just list the various accomplishments. Just curious.
Quote from: EddieCabot on November 09, 2013, 03:32:50 PM
Does Valpo always hang an individual banner for winning regular season, the tournament and participating in the NCAA tourney? Seems like they would end up with a bunch of banners! I've seen several places that use one banner per season and just list the various accomplishments. Just curious.
I hope that becomes a major problem! ;)
I've seen those as well. One banner would suffice in multi-bid conferences where entry into the NCAA tournament is almost a right of passage. As we all know, it's a much bigger accomplishment (relatively speaking) at our level. Teams can go for long stretches - sometimes years - between championships and NCAA tournament appearances. Giving maximum exposure to special accomplishments along the way just makes sense.
I have now uploaded more than 40 photos from the Murray State game at the link below, including these three images that I post to recognize and applaud the strong student support evident thus far this year: congrats to the ValparaiZone!
I hope you enjoy the pictures: http://www.flickr.com/photos/96208998@N05/sets/72157637498094096/ (http://www.flickr.com/photos/96208998@N05/sets/72157637498094096/)
(http://i39.tinypic.com/2nq0bn.jpg)
(http://i44.tinypic.com/2ni08as.jpg)
(http://i44.tinypic.com/saxrhe.jpg)
Quote from: LaPorteAveApostle on November 09, 2013, 06:35:48 AM
Not sure what is up with him--he's never been a high-percentage shooter, but he is a career 84.7% FTer...or was until last night, when it fell to 81.3%. That suggests someone with good form (i.e. if he couldn't hit from ANYWHERE it just wasn't in the cards, but he can). So the overall % plus the turnovers suggest someone who struggles with decision-making. Which, not what you want in your point guard.
I think it's pretty clear he won't be our PG for long. Lexus is a true freshman and already getting key minutes down the stretch at PG. Lexus will continue to get big minutes on the floor with Lavonte. Once Carter is eligible, Dority slides to the 2 full time and Lexus is the back-up PG off the pine. Our guard depth is worth getting excited over...Yeo is already vastly exceeding the expectations of many. Carter-Dority-Williams-Coleman-Yeo is nice.
Quote from: mj on November 09, 2013, 11:07:29 AM
I was amazed at Vashil last night. How many times has Valpo brought in a raw big man (Vucic, Witt, Mbaye, etc.) hoping he was going to develop? It seems like this time the development actually occurred. I will say that Vashil did seem to turn the ball over a few times near the end of the game, but I'll attribute that to fatigue. A great game overall for the guy.
I was especially impressed with his hustle. Diving after a loose ball or running after a rebound after it hits the floor aren't behaviors that are often seen from a big man.
Quote from: valpopal on November 09, 2013, 09:16:45 PMI hope you enjoy the pictures:
who invited the girl in the Illinois sweatshirt (3rd pic)? :)
http://farm4.staticflickr.com/3696/10769594314_8cbfd36198.jpg
I want to be the "O" this time.... No, you were the "O" last time.
Maybe no one will notice.
Quote from: Smj on November 10, 2013, 08:31:53 AM
http://farm4.staticflickr.com/3696/10769594314_8cbfd36198.jpg (http://farm4.staticflickr.com/3696/10769594314_8cbfd36198.jpg)
I want to be the "O" this time.... No, you were the "O" last time.
Maybe no one will notice.
You can't see the person that is the "G" in "Go", and the last "O" man is standing in front of the "P" man. Looks funny I know, but I was there to see they had it right don't worry.
.... I get an opportunity like that.... I'm taking it... Lol
I thought Cameron Payne would be a lot better. The guy just took too many bad shots. Free throw shooting was abysmal by both teams. If Murray State shoots FT better, we lose. If we shoot FT better, we cover the spread. I feel this has been a huge issue in the past, and with the amount of fouls being called this year, everyone is going to have to work on their free throws.
It's still hard to gauge this team. While I was extremely impressed and surprised by the outstanding play of Coleman (offensively), I was also surprised with the horrid play of Dority. 1 assist and 5 turnovers? From a point guard? That's just not acceptable. I thought Williams handled the ball much better and should split more minutes with Dority. Murray State shooting was terrible. They couldn't seem to get anything going.
Vashil surprised me as well. He's gotten so much better. He still has some bricks for hands, but he look much more capable than Gueye. I was very disappointed with Gueye. He was getting pushed around all over the place. I was hoping his size would at least create a couple of offensive opportunities from sucking the defense in down low, but he couldn't seem to gain any position.
Alec Peters needs to be more assertive.
Quote from: a3uge on November 11, 2013, 11:58:28 AM
Alec Peters needs to be more assertive.
He seems to let the game come to him (reminds me of Ryan)...
Quote from: Smj on November 11, 2013, 10:18:19 PM
Quote from: a3uge on November 11, 2013, 11:58:28 AM
Alec Peters needs to be more assertive.
He seems to let the game come to him (reminds me of Ryan)...
I thought that was one of Broekhoffs biggest problems... He would sometimes disappear offensively. Of course he could always find a way to take over the game in a variety of ways.
I don't think he should force things quite yet as a freshman, so its hard to get on him too hard. I just would rather see Peters take some shots rather than Dority making the same mistakes over and over again. Is that contradictory? Probably.
A3uge - I do feel that sometimes Dority drives and seems to have a one track mind..... "Going to shoot..." Would like him to drive and dish a bit more but that is only because he is "playing" the point.
Lexus is going to be a great point - he ALWAYS has his head up ready to find the open guy. However, the jury is still out when it comes to his defensive ability against a very good point guard.
Alec will be able to take over some games and I see him getting a bunch of freshman honors this year.