A New Season of Crusader Women's Basketball

[StlVUFan]

All I'm saying is that Coach D has been quite an...asset...to our program.

Also, valporun, I know you are probably in the know about how the NCAA cross country selection committee works, but how about leavin' the hoops talk to the big boys (aka those of us "in the know)?

 

You do realize you are a cartoon character, right?

[covufan]

All I'm saying is that Coach D has been quite an...asset...to our program.

Also, valporun, I know you are probably in the know about how the NCAA cross country selection committee works, but how about leavin' the hoops talk to the big boys (aka those of us "in the know)?

 

You do realize you are a cartoon character, right?

[valporun]

The Horizon League is not in the women's basketball radar after Green Bay. They don't look at the Horizon League for teams to fill more than the automatic bid in their 64-team field. An cross country doesn't really give too many at-large bids, unless the team is outside of the top 25, and didn't qualify from the regional they ran.

[StlVUFan]

Women's basketball is even more biased toward the big schools than Men's basketball is.

By. A. Mile.

There is no hype whatsoever for mid-majors, outside of South Dakota State a few years ago, Green Bay, etc.  Sort of like how a few Men's pundits are aware of Xavier, Butler, Gonzaga, and Memphis and nothing else.  But most Men's pundits are keenly aware of lots more than that.

No Women's powerhouses are ever afraid to come play a mid-major on their home court because they know the stands are going to be at least half-empty.

It is not too hard to imagine that recruits favor the big schools by a MUCH wider margin in Women's basketball than in Men's basketball.

A couple of years ago, Green Bay got an at-large bid.  Valpo is not even in the same galaxy with Green Bay when it comes to the bubble.  Detroit is the closest thing to a rival for the Phoenix, and Detroit is not in the same galaxy either.  You think Butler owned this conference on the Men's side?  Not even close, compared to Green Bay on the Women's side.

There's nothing wrong with fantasy, of course.  I'm all for declining to prematurely close a book before the story is over, so to speak, but just as I try not to predict demise, I also try not to predict success.  Why even get worked up over March before January even begins?

[SadersofthelostArc]

All I'm saying is that Coach D has been quite an...asset...to our program.

Also, valporun, I know you are probably in the know about how the NCAA cross country selection committee works, but how about leavin' the hoops talk to the big boys (aka those of us "in the know)?

 

You do realize you are a cartoon character, right?

I AM?!?  I had no idea.  It feels like you and I have had this conversation before.  /deja vu

[valporun]

For those who get the B1G Ten Network on your cable or dish systems, the women play the University of Michigan Wolverines at 5PM CT, or in about 10 minutes.

[GSmithINBB8]

For those of you who don't know, since clearly everyone is confused about the whole Betsy Adams situation, she didn't leave the program Coach Dorow released her. Crazy right? They told her that the incoming freshmen with no college experience were better then her and she wouldn't see the floor. She wasn't given a chance to stay they just took away her scholarship after all she has done for the program. You are telling me that a three year captain, a three year starter, the leader on and off the floor wouldn't play? This girl bleeds brown and gold, respected by her team, and has so much heart. She would never just hang up her jersey and leave. She wouldn't do that to her team or the program. I am happy though that she is actually at a successful program and is doing great. She deserves a great last year at a great school. And after watching these crusaders play I don't see any of the newcomers playing over her.The half time report for this Michigan game talked about how Valpo is lacking leadership and experience, there is Betsy Adams for ya. But good for her I hope to see her in the NCAA tournament, something she would have never experienced at VU.

[vuweathernerd]

i think the biggest bit of irony to come from sader's comments here are that he was such an avid supporter of freeman before and right after his firing, and now all of a sudden, he's saying the new coach has to clean up his 'mess.'

[valporun]

GSmith, I do have to agree with you. Why Richards and Carr over Adams doesn't make sense. I mean Carr was a shooter in high school, but she's not D-I shooting material, and Richards is like Buggs, an offensive liability. Adams was more of an all-around player than these two.

[SadersofthelostArc]

All I'm saying is that Coach D has been quite an...asset...to our program.

Also, valporun, I know you are probably in the know about how the NCAA cross country selection committee works, but how about leavin' the hoops talk to the big boys (aka those of us "in the know)?

 

You do realize you are a cartoon character, right?

And here come the lemmings...

[SadersofthelostArc]

The Horizon League is not in the women's basketball radar after Green Bay. They don't look at the Horizon League for teams to fill more than the automatic bid in their 64-team field. An cross country doesn't really give too many at-large bids, unless the team is outside of the top 25, and didn't qualify from the regional they ran.

I appreciate the history lesson re: the cross country.  No sports fans really follow competitive running, so it is an eye-opener for the rest of us to see how that activity functions.

But, if you think the NCAA goon squad doesn't have an eye on the Horizon, then you are more out of the loop than I thought.  My guy with ties to the selection committee has mentioned that they often discuss Horizon and other mid-majors as alternatives for those low at-larges.  Coach D doesn't take this job otherwise. 

[SadersofthelostArc]

i think the biggest bit of irony to come from sader's comments here are that he was such an avid supporter of freeman before and right after his firing, and now all of a sudden, he's saying the new coach has to clean up his 'mess.'

Keith and I are not on speaking terms, so you do the math. 

[SadersofthelostArc]

For those of you who don't know, since clearly everyone is confused about the whole Betsy Adams situation, she didn't leave the program Coach Dorow released her. Crazy right? They told her that the incoming freshmen with no college experience were better then her and she wouldn't see the floor. She wasn't given a chance to stay they just took away her scholarship after all she has done for the program. You are telling me that a three year captain, a three year starter, the leader on and off the floor wouldn't play? This girl bleeds brown and gold, respected by her team, and has so much heart. She would never just hang up her jersey and leave. She wouldn't do that to her team or the program. I am happy though that she is actually at a successful program and is doing great. She deserves a great last year at a great school. And after watching these crusaders play I don't see any of the newcomers playing over her.The half time report for this Michigan game talked about how Valpo is lacking leadership and experience, there is Betsy Adams for ya. But good for her I hope to see her in the NCAA tournament, something she would have never experienced at VU.

Good to see Betsy's grandma checking in with the board!  Welcome aboard, Granny Adams!

(Or, it's just Keith on a ghost account trolling us and Coach D)

[SadersofthelostArc]

GSmith, I do have to agree with you. Why Richards and Carr over Adams doesn't make sense. I mean Carr was a shooter in high school, but she's not D-I shooting material, and Richards is like Buggs, an offensive liability. Adams was more of an all-around player than these two.

Let me put this in terms you can understand...

Keeping Adams around would have been like trying to enter a 5k distance jogger into the 800 meter dash....ain't gonna do it, ain't gonna work.  And the way Coach D wants to have these girls get-up-and-go, fast paced "O," it's like the 800m dash on crack...this is a 5 x 94 ft relay and she needs her horses.

Make sense?

[GSmithINBB8]

Whether I am or am not related to Betsy doesn't matter. Which I am not. I am just a fan just like you. I wasn't attacking anyone anyways I was just letting everyone know what actually happened. But it's ok it doesn't matter, would you like to know why? It'll tell ya anyway....because you'll see her in the NCAA tourney while VU doesn't get through the horizon league tourney. But you are saying that VU doesn't need her when she is playing at a better school, with a better program, doing very well...ok? You are also saying she is too slow? Have you watched FGCU play? You do realize they run a faster paced offense then VU does right?

[KL31NY]

Tonight's 73-32 L to Michigan on the Big Ten Network is scheduled to re-air at midnight central time and I think it might air 8am central when more people will be awake. I know that doesn't sound like a very interesting proposition for most. Just out of love for broadcasting and the rarity of seeing a VUWBB on any format other than HLN or in person, I'm gonna give it a look.

[SadersofthelostArc]

Tonight's 73-32 L to Michigan on the Big Ten Network is scheduled to re-air at midnight central time and I think it might air 8am central when more people will be awake. I know that doesn't sound like a very interesting proposition for most. Just out of love for broadcasting and the rarity of seeing a VUWBB on any format other than HLN or in person, I'm gonna give it a look.

C'mon man, give us hardcore fans at least a LITTLE credit.

[valpotx]

Saying FGCU is a 'great school' is an absolute joke.  If you are speaking about their women's basketball program only, then great...but let's not say 'great school' overall...

[VULB#62]

Good school maybe when you talk about facilities and funding.  They have a very nice athletics complex and are pretty competitive in most of their sports.  Men's Soccer is usually in the regional rankings every year. Atlantic Sun Conference.

[IndyValpo]

GSmith, I do have to agree with you. Why Richards and Carr over Adams doesn't make sense. I mean Carr was a shooter in high school, but she's not D-I shooting material, and Richards is like Buggs, an offensive liability. Adams was more of an all-around player than these two.

It is a puzzler why we let her go, however,  Richards and Carr are PG's while Adams was a SG.  I never saw Carr play in HS but she must have made alot of points on layups because she is not an outside shooter.

At one point last night we had Richards, Carr and Miller on the floor at the same time against a zone.  3 PG's, none who can shoot passing the ball around the perimeter. That combo will never work.

[valporun]

Luckily we only have a few more months of Richards left, and not sure that Carr will stay in the future plans. I'm not familiar enough with Miller yet to know where she fits. The women need some shooters, besides Lange and Gerardot. Of course, Lange graduates, but after that, not sure what shooters we have in this system.

[SadersofthelostArc]

Luckily we only have a few more months of Richards left, and not sure that Carr will stay in the future plans. I'm not familiar enough with Miller yet to know where she fits. The women need some shooters, besides Lange and Gerardot. Of course, Lange graduates, but after that, not sure what shooters we have in this system.

Well, that's an unneccessary slam.

[KL31NY]

Non-conference season ending soon. We host Ball State Saturday and then NIU the following weekend. The rest of my update will consist of a quick summary of the current season and a throwback to last year's heroic win over the Cards...

I feel like every year for last five years or so that I keep saying this team is better than its record. While it keeps getting watered down with extended use, I feel that's true this season. We're only 3-8, and have lost eight of our last nine. We've been blown out by some good teams, but we also came close to wins against Saint Louis, at IUPUI, and at Western Michigan. And we're much deeper this year than we were last year, which takes me back to Ball State.

Last year in Muncie, we dressed only seven players and only five at 100% health despite having a 15-player roster to open the year (Richardson and Jansone ineligible (NCAA), Adams, S. Lang, and Callaway out for the season with injuries, E. Lang and Ladd had left the team (offseason, 6 games in respectively), Horton out for BSU (concussion) ~ Timmerman (shin) and Carr (hip) played through). In the first half, we lost Scott to an ACL tear during a contested layup. In the second half, Gerardot fouled out. Yet despite all that adversity, we won 67-53 finishing with just five players. We played a phenomenal game on both ends of the floor, and now this year we have the home court and many more active players dressing as advantages. Hope this year's VU-BSU meeting, like last year's, provides another shining moment and a quick spark moving forward

[jack]

The coaching staff continues to tweek with the starting line up with no luck. If we lose this one, you have to put the loss on the coaches. It's a given that we are struggling with the shot this year. So why in the world won't the coaches hold shooting practices? These ladies need to get back to the basics. I don't believe I've seen another D1 Ladies team that lack the fundamental basics of shooting, like this squad does. It's kind of embarrasing to watch really. So the ladies a few days off for the holidays and come back to a long practice to do what? Run, run, and run some more Really? I don't think running is our problem, and it probably wore these ladies out after the break they had. It's obvious they have no energy today. We need to coach smarter, period.  That was probably one of the most pathetic halves I've seen in a long time. The anouncers are stating they don't look like they have any flow. Ya think? Watch the substitution pattern and that question can be quickly answered.
The damage done by playing the likes of Duke, Michigan, and Louisville, and the other power houses we've played to this point it growing evident. You have taken a young group, with a new coaching staff, who all have struggled with their confidence, and re-assured them that they probably have much to worry about. Does anyone here see a value in playing the schedule we have played thus far? We lost to Western Michigan - should not have happened. Lost to Butler. should not have happened. Now we are trying to lose to the worst team we've played yet.
Continuing to try and convince yourself that next season will be better is getting old. Until this coaching staff gets these ladies back to the basics of shooting, all the running in the world isn't going to help. You can't continue to ask Tabitha to carry the load.
The first 5 minutes of the second half will tell the tale here. Lets find out exactly what kind of coaching we have.

[IndyValpo]

Jack, I am with you.  I watched the first half and it was probably the worst half I have ever seen.  Apparantly in the second half someone actually ran some plays to get Weidemann some shots.  She is our best bet besides Geradot to actually make an occasional basket.  Richards and Richardson play real hard but they simply can not shoot.  Probably the two poorest shooting starting guards in D1. But they did win and they really needed that.

The same minds that schedule football must have dreamed up this one as well. 

It is still early in the Dorow era but there are definitely some concerns.  Not signing anyone in the early signing period is extemely troubling.  More so than the men's side, almost all of the decent talent on the women's side goes early.  Certainly no one with size and ability is still out there.