Keith Carter

valporun · January 29, 2015, 12:23:43 PM

Whatever happens, the wins we've had where Keith has been sitting have been helpful in our pursuit of a postseason run. The NCAA committee will look at our play during the time without KC favorably because we didn't give up because we were missing a link to winning. Think back to when Cincinnati lost Kenyon Martin in the conference tourney (Big East for them, or was it Conference USA?), and how it ended their season. We've won games without KC, regardless of how good or bad our conference is, we have players who have stepped up when and where they've needed to. Unlike some teams, where the loss of one player ends the season, Valpo has the leadership to step up and be the "missing link" to keep the season going strong. If its Nickerson, Walkers, Joseph, we have someone who can step up whenever needed, and helps when Peters has all the defensive focus on him. If it takes Keith time to get back to where he is 100% or effective again, we don't have to go crazy waiting. We have a team that can do it with or without Keith in uniform. We've seen it in this month, regardless of whom we played. I'm not worried about how we'll play, or when Keith gets back to full strength. I'm not as concerned about how he's recovering, because we have the pieces to keep the puzzle moving forward. We have the guys to step up. Just like Norman Dale, when the team was down a player, "My team is on the floor". He put trust in the players on the court. Our season isn't over because KC or Lexus are out.

FWalum · January 29, 2015, 12:44:27 PM

Hard to believe that Keith is closing in on the end of his Junior year of college ball and has only played in 42 games.

historyman · January 29, 2015, 02:18:53 PM

I have a feeling Bryce didn't want to admit that Keith will be out for most of February to our opponents, who then had to prepare in case Keith played in the end of January games (YSU on road, GB and Milw). Once it was learned that Keith had torn a ligament in the toe it was pretty evident he would not return till the end of February. That ligament tear and damage in the toe will take another 3 weeks. It sure sounded like Bryce was hoping for a quick return from Keith due to Keith's great determination to get well faster than normal. I have a feeling due to the ligament tear in the toe Keith will not return until the game at Milwaukee or Wright State at home. It would be extremely nice to have Keith back for the GB game at home 2/13 but it probably won't happen.

covufan · January 29, 2015, 02:21:14 PM

Has the ligament tear been reported, or is it just speculation?

historyman · January 29, 2015, 03:03:34 PM

Quote from: covufan on January 29, 2015, 02:21:14 PMHas the ligament tear been reported, or is it just speculation?

Has anything "officially" been reported about Keith's injury? Other than Bryce's non-committal statements on the coach's show that he does with Todd which are posted on the athletics website there has been nothing. The info about the torn ligament was passed by the training staff to a poster that talks with them regularly.

If you hadn't seen it during the game against YSU at the ARC and read posts about it on this message board would you have known about the injury? In the past we have had players show up to games with injuries that we didn't know anything about till they were actually sitting on the bench when they would normally be playing. When has any injury actually been made "official?"

valpopal · January 29, 2015, 03:34:30 PM

Carter has taken off the boot and is exercising as part of his rehabilitation. Timetable for his return still uncertain. Lexus had surgery on his kneecap yesterday, but is hoped to be fully recovered for next season after a long rehab schedule.

bbtds · January 29, 2015, 03:44:59 PM

Quote from: valpopal on January 29, 2015, 03:34:30 PM
Carter has taken off the boot and is exercising as part of his rehabilitation. Timetable for his return still uncertain. Lexus had surgery on his kneecap yesterday, but is hoped to be fully recovered for next season after a long rehab schedule.

For covufan's sake is that report on Keith's injury speculation or official?

covufan · January 29, 2015, 03:56:28 PM

Quote from: bbtds on January 29, 2015, 03:44:59 PM
Quote from: valpopal on January 29, 2015, 03:34:30 PM
Carter has taken off the boot and is exercising as part of his rehabilitation. Timetable for his return still uncertain. Lexus had surgery on his kneecap yesterday, but is hoped to be fully recovered for next season after a long rehab schedule.

For covufan's sake is that report on Keith's injury speculation or official?

I was just curious after the post by humbleopinion earlier today, which was the first I had heard of the partial tear.

If the post is from valpopal, I don't consider it speculation.

valpo4life · January 29, 2015, 04:12:49 PM

According to an Oren tweet about oh 25 minutes ago, he stated that Bryce mentioned a strained ligament in addition to the dislocated toe. Not a torn ligament. If that is the case he could be back sooner than we thought. From what I have heard, we were actually hoping to have Keith back on the court for Milwaukee. But that is just word of mouth.

bbtds · January 29, 2015, 05:16:20 PM

Quote from: valpo4life on January 29, 2015, 04:12:49 PMFrom what I have heard, we were actually hoping to have Keith back on the court for Milwaukee. But that is just word of mouth.

Now I think the board is venturing into the area of speculation.

valpopal=official for message board, not official for VU

humbleopinion=speculation, but very knowledgeable

valpo4life=speculation, unknown whether knowledgeable about men's team, questionable knowledge about women's team.

Anyone want to add any comments?

humbleopinion · January 29, 2015, 09:37:12 PM

I think my sources were pretty reliable. -- they were Keith and Homer speaking prior to the Milwaukee game.

Maybe they were speculating...

valpo4life · January 30, 2015, 10:46:16 AM

I will say my source is directly involved with the men's team and said the "initial goal" was for Keith to be back for Milwaukee or UIC. I never said they expected to have him back by either of the games. Just that they were hoping.

valporun · January 30, 2015, 12:12:52 PM

In my opinion, I'm ready for Keith Carter to return when his body is ready for him to return. Right now, based on how we've played with KC out, I'm not worried about us winning or losing games because he isn't in the lineup. The guys have picked up the missing pieces and placed themselves where needed. I'm glad this team hasn't let one injury to anyone get them down. This is a good team with moveable pieces. We aren't a one-trick pony this year. We are a TEAM!!

valpo4life · January 30, 2015, 01:43:59 PM

Quote from: valporun on January 30, 2015, 12:12:52 PM
In my opinion, I'm ready for Keith Carter to return when his body is ready for him to return. Right now, based on how we've played with KC out, I'm not worried about us winning or losing games because he isn't in the lineup. The guys have picked up the missing pieces and placed themselves where needed. I'm glad this team hasn't let one injury to anyone get them down. This is a good team with moveable pieces. We aren't a one-trick pony this year. We are a TEAM!!

And I think everyone on this board agrees with you. We're just speculating based on who was heard what to when we may see him again. We're all hoping he isn't rushed back into play, but also ideally want him to get a couple games in before the big ones in March. Even if we were to learn he's done for the season, I would still have confidence in this team to win the league.

truth219 · February 03, 2015, 01:09:41 PM

Wonder if we will see Keith in uniform this week

bbtds · February 04, 2015, 12:04:15 AM

Quote from: truth219 on February 03, 2015, 01:09:41 PM
Wonder if we will see Keith in uniform this week

Most likely just in this uniform

for a while before we see Keith in this uniform

sliman · February 04, 2015, 10:47:36 AM

Paul Oren reports today that Keith has begun shooting free throws and riding a bike. Sounds like no running, jumping, etc. yet so his return is still several days or more away. As said previously, let's get him healthy and in shape before asking him to play. As we all know it's the HL tournament that's most important and, yes, I know his presence might increase our chances of hosting it.

agibson · February 04, 2015, 11:32:53 AM

Who knows how seriously he meant it, or how seriously to take it. But, in Paul Oren's blog post looking ahead to the rest of conference play
http://www.nwitimes.com/blogs/sports/valparaiso-university/twas-the-month-before-madness-horizon-league/article_f3281130-ac24-11e4-958e-13f868bbf856.html
he mentions Keith as "probably back" for Feb 27 at CSU. And doesn't mention anything about Keith re the Feb 13 game where UWGB comes to town.

bbtds · February 04, 2015, 12:44:01 PM

Quote from: agibson on February 04, 2015, 11:32:53 AM
Who knows how seriously he meant it, or how seriously to take it. But, in Paul Oren's blog post looking ahead to the rest of conference play
http://www.nwitimes.com/blogs/sports/valparaiso-university/twas-the-month-before-madness-horizon-league/article_f3281130-ac24-11e4-958e-13f868bbf856.html
he mentions Keith as "probably back" for Feb 27 at CSU. And doesn't mention anything about Keith re the Feb 13 game where UWGB comes to town.

That guy is really psycho, I mean psychic.

Kyle321n · February 04, 2015, 01:20:26 PM

Quote from: bbtds on February 04, 2015, 12:44:01 PM
Quote from: agibson on February 04, 2015, 11:32:53 AM
Who knows how seriously he meant it, or how seriously to take it. But, in Paul Oren's blog post looking ahead to the rest of conference play
http://www.nwitimes.com/blogs/sports/valparaiso-university/twas-the-month-before-madness-horizon-league/article_f3281130-ac24-11e4-958e-13f868bbf856.html
he mentions Keith as "probably back" for Feb 27 at CSU. And doesn't mention anything about Keith re the Feb 13 game where UWGB comes to town.

That guy is really psycho, I mean psychic.

If only that guy was any good at predicting over/unders

justducky · February 04, 2015, 01:50:05 PM

Quote from: agibson on February 04, 2015, 11:32:53 AMhe mentions Keith as "probably back" for Feb 27 at CSU.

I hope to be proved wrong but I am now resigned to the possibility that Keith may not be of much help for the remainder of this season. Unless this is a deliberate smoke screen, a late February return means he wouldn't even have time to polish off the rust and find his new role prior to the tournament. Not good!

My new bumper sticker is SINK OR SWIM WITH EVN

wh · February 04, 2015, 02:43:58 PM

I'm afraid you're right. It would be 1 thing if he was recovering from an upper body injury like a shoulder. He could still be running wind sprints and staying in basketball shape. Keith hasn't so much as jogged for weeks now. Even if he's been riding a bike, he can't possibly be anywhere close to maximum basketball condition. His recovery is going to take however it's going to take. But, to your point, if he doesn't come back until the last week of February, we might as well stop thinking about it.

Kyle321n · February 04, 2015, 03:02:43 PM

I really thought that this stretch of games we're in right now (UWM, UIC, Detroit, Oakland) would have been great to bring him back IF he was healthy. If he had 2 games to kick off rust before the Green Bay game I thought that would be perfect. Now that we're 2 games out form the GB game I kind of would like him to come back after Green Bay since I don't want him being rusty and possibly a little slow against the league's best PG. Then he can shake off rust against Milwaukee, Wright St. and Detroit that would be great, have him at 100% for Cleveland St. and the tourney.

We've proven that EVN and Max can handle their own against Keifer. It was his worst offensive performance in 3 seasons and Max looked pretty good out there offensively. If Tevonn can shoot better than 10% from the field at home, and let's hope he can, we should be to take the GB game without Keith.

And if you had told me before the season that without Lexus and Keith we'd be 6-1 I would have told you we played UIC twice (true) and then our non D1's in the other games. Certainly not Wright State and Cleveland State.

Pgmado · February 04, 2015, 03:13:17 PM

Don't read anything into when I mentioned Keith in the blog breakdown. I'm not sure when he's returning, but I'd have to assume it's by/before the season finale. Bryce Drew was pretty clear to Osipoff and I that they expect Carter to play at some point this season.

talksalot · February 04, 2015, 06:21:35 PM

Just learned we'll be missing a fan tonight. Dot Neuchterlein will be missing tonight's game; she fell on the ice the other night and did a real number on her ankle. I guess even Rod Moore couldn't tape it up and send her back in the game.