11/13/2013 Wednesday--Valpo at Illinois--6:30 p.m. CST--Game Thread

[covufan]

Several people have stated on here that Alec was promised starts

I'm not doubting this, but it doesn't sound like Valpo or the Drews.  What I remember is some comments that as long as Alec was in a VU uniform, he'd be starting.  I took that to mean that his skills, especially during practice, have shown that he'll be in the starting lineup for the foreseeable future.  I can see Bryce promising a chance to start, if earned during practice.   

[covufan]

Toward that end, who is the grad student IN OUR OWN ATHLETIC DEPT that thinks we will lose by 20?
http://www.illinoisloyalty.com/Forums/showpost.php?p=824522&postcount=66

Hmmm.  Of course, if I'm a 22-23 year old recent grad with no Valpo exposure before the job offer, I might side with the Big Ten team as well.  However, I don't think I'd predict a loss by 20 of my employer and future degree grantor to a friend that posts on the oppositions fan board.  Hopefully, this person will be impressed tonight, and get his friend to post something more positive. 

[Kyle321n]

http://www.illinoisloyalty.com/Forums/showpost.php?p=826956&postcount=106

Turns out Gueye has significantly more experience than Fernandez, so I was wrong about that in my preview. Shows how thorough I am doesn't it? (In all seriousness, I try to be pretty thorough, I don't know how I missed his years at Alabama).

Guy with 7 posts on their forum is thorough and missed the PREVIOUS team Gueye was on... It's not like he went Alabama>>JUCO>>Valpo buddy...

Moreover, who on this board thinks that this year's team will be better than last year's?
http://www.illinoisloyalty.com/Forums/showpost.php?p=824526&postcount=67

I would say we're more balanced this year, but definitely not better.  A game between the two teams would be fun though.
'12-13 Valpo 72
'13-14 Valpo 64

[a3uge]

I'm glad we get to see this game on B1G Network in HD as opposed to the grainy Horizon League Network. I still feel I haven't seen Valpo yet.

My expert analysis. Or excerpt analysis (have a lot more stuff floating in my head)

Illinois is a young team that may or may not be a tournament team. Last year Illinois was a bubblish team and won a game as a 7 seed against Colorado. Their shining moment of last season was their last second wide open layup against 1 overall Indiana (whom as a 1 seed didn't make it past the Sweet 16). They also had good wins over Gonzaga and Butler. They didn't have any embarrassing losses that we can laugh at. Their final RPI was 40 (Valpo's was school record 58 ).

As for this year, Lundari has them as a bubble team (out). The preseason coaches poll from the B1G doesn't seem to exist, so you have to look at rankings from random guys at CBS Sports and USA Today. Most of these predictions have Illinois as 7 or 8 seed (out of 10ish teams). All of these polls have them below Indiana, whom just narrowly escaped LIU-Brooklyn (projected 4th in the NEC). LIU actually had the ball down 1 with the shot clock off, missed, and had another last second shot after IU missed the front end of the ensuing 1 and 1. But that's neither here nor there.

This is a game that Valpo hasn't won in forever. Other Horizon League teams have had more success against power conference teams. Green Bay beat Marquette last year, UIC beat Colorado St, and Cleveland St beat Vanderbilt. Of course we all know about Butler. If we want to turn the corner and own the Horizon, we need to be able to beat unranked power conference teams every once in awhile. True, these opportunities may not happen often, but if Valpo wants to be a top tier mid major, we need to win these games.

As much as I want Valpo to win this game, I'm not sure this is the year they'll beat a middle of the pack power conference team on the road. But hey, if LIU can almost knock off Indiana, Valpo can beat Illinois. Hopefully we dig down and fight hard in the half filled State Farm Oyster/UFO Arena, make 40 of 50 free throws and pull out a win.

[bbtds]

In the house!

[a3uge]

I'm in the chat for once if anyone wants to join.

God B1G announcers are the worst. Just cheerleaders for B1G Teams.

[Chairback]

Bobby has to play perimeter d, my lord.

[78crusader]

15-8 Illinois. So far same old story.

Paul Y

[a3uge]

Gueye just looks brutal offensively. Valpo doesn't have an inside presence and unfortunately not as many shooters as last year. Lexus seemed to be running the offense more effectively than Dority.

[Smj]

I don't say this very often but the refs in this game sucked a$$...   Bryce got a tech but he waited too long.

[classof2014]

Make our free throws this is a completely different game. Overall Valpo hung tough the whole way didn't expect them to win. We had our chances got the game within a position a few times and had the ball with the ability to tie or take the lead. Never could get over the hump. Valpo will be good this year, but they need to work on their free throws. Going 11/20 is just not going to do it. Make 5 of those this game comes down to the wire. Overall I thought the team played well and just couldn't break through and get over the hump when they brought within a possession.

Overall this is kinda what I thought it was gonna be. Valpo would have their chances but unfortunately they couldn't capitalize.

[valpotx]

That was a good effort by our guys overall, and the score makes it look worse than it was, as it should have been a single digit victory for Illinois.  Unfortunately, that was a game we could and should have won.  You should never lose to a team that goes through 2-2/18+ stretches on offense.  We had our chance with the ball twice down two, with us jump passing it to Illinois, and then Bobby for some terrible reason trying a drop shot from beyond the free throw line.  Illinois will only get better and be a middle-pack Big 10 team, but they were there for the picking.  This wasn't the usual BCS team that does not miss a single 3 against us, so it was that 1 out of 10 chance we had at winning against a good program.  Too bad, but I am encouraged by our defense and think we will be a top 2 HL team if we can play like this the rest of the season.

[classof2014]

We need to develop a go-to guy on this team. When we brought it to 2 a few times I was looking for Rowdy to drain a 3 but he unfortunately wasn't there. Not a bad performance at all. Didn't expect them to win and you can't win 'em all.

[Smj]

Okay so I did not like the refs but I really like our team.   Hope this is a confidence boost because we kept up with then and at one point when we were within 2 with about 4 minutes I thought we might be really close at the end.

Respectable loss....

[mj]

A disappointing but predictable performance tonight from Valpo. It seems like we see a variation of this game every time we play a major conference school. 

The free throws killed us tonight. When we were down 2 with 6:13 and then 5:28 left to play, I would have liked to see a freshman step up. Instead we get 2 bad possession from seniors and that was that. I guess there's always next time...

[govalpogo]

This one hurts more than I thought it would because the boys clearly had momentum and opportunity to take the win tonight...and then were outscored 12-1 or some such number.  Woof.  Overall, I love the tenacity shown by the team, coming back 3 times to keep Illinois on their toes.  Some bad shot selection from both teams, but they had just enough skill to overcome.  Their tough floaters down the stretch were killer...ours were air balls...speaking of, did a ton of shots get tipped tonight or was there an unfortunate number of shots that missed everything?

Stay hungry Valpo!

[govalpogo]

Oh, and the Horizon League is looking up if we're gonna finish 6th!

[LaPorteAveApostle]

6:43 to go when we cut it 49-47.

no change in score until 4:41.

only problem was they scored, not us.  and then again, and again.  and again.

For over 6 minutes--the last 6 of the game, almost, we had nothing but a Coleman FT.  We got 4 points in the last 31 seconds to break the 50 mark.

You're not going to get calls on the road vs. the B1G.

As far as freshman vs. senior, I don't think that makes a whole lot of sense.  I think the freshmen would have had the same results and then you'd be wishing we had someone experienced handling the ball in those matters.

[valpotx]

Lexus and Lavonte need to work on finishing the drive a little better.  They would get the needed step, but seemed to choke when they thought that their shot would be altered at the rim.  Go up strong young man, and make them bring the contact, don't anticipate it all of the time!  I really like this team, and believe we will be in the postseason in some form again this year.

[Valpofan00]

Not a fan of bobby in the paint or really at all besides when he shoots the 3. I think he makes WAY too many mistakes for a senior. Refs were absolute  . Announcers were obviously rooting for Illinois. And we just couldn't finish at the rack. Rebounding killed us more than free throws in my opinion.

[valpotx]

I won't say that the refs were terrible, but there were several times where the replays showed us getting hit on the head or hand, and the announcers saying it should have been a foul.  Impressive that we kept out of foul trouble for the most part, even without getting away with as much at the Illini apparently did.

[a3uge]

Blech. Carter cannot come soon enough. I'm going to completely lose it if I see Dority drive wildly into the lane one more time and heave up a shot... Overall, I can't really point to anyone having a good game. Even the freshmen. Gueye had some steals and some blocks, but also had a horrible foul with the 1 and 1 and only had 2 rebounds, one being an offensive rebound that was immediately tied up. Capo finally seemed to develop an outside shot, but no points down low? Just a really ugly game by everyone.

And all of these guys need to practice free throws. This is going to be even more important this year with the amount of fouls called. Missing the front end of a 1 and 1 is brutal.

Actually, these guys need to practice shooting in general. How many airballs did we witness?

[Valpofan00]

Most of them were tipped so maybe 1

[rink]

IL's desperation three at the end of the first half and our woeful FT shooting, that's the ballgame. The ticky tack fouls against us were just icing on the cake.

Meanwhile, Bucknell defeats Penn St in Happy Valley tonight, nice BCS win for the program's perception. When will we get the bleeping job done!? Embarrassing drought continues...

[classof2014]

I would agree on the 3 at the end of the the first half I was like, that's game, we're not winning. That was pretty much a five point swing. Bobby was open under the basket and would have had the easy 2 but instead we turned it over and a desperation 3 going in. Big difference between going in down by 3 compared to 8. Changed the whole feel of the game for us. We need Keith Carter now, with him we probably win this game. Also no presence down low is gonna hurt.

Like I said before if we make our FTs this is a one possession game in the last minute of the game. This one was ours for the taking.