Game 4: IU-Kokomo 11/18 7:00PM

VULB#62 · November 17, 2015, 03:18:08 PM

Alec played 37 out of 40 minutes against Rhody. Keith 34, Tevonn 31, Vashil 29, and Darien 24. I think there's gonna be a lot of resting tomorrow night. Also figuring Darien's ankle will swell up on the plane ride home and he'll not be in the rotation for the next two games to rest for the Oregon trip.

agibson · November 17, 2015, 03:31:55 PM

Are these games useful as a tune-up?

Or, once Rhode Island was scheduled, would we have preferred to cancel them?

Will we see Levingston Simon?

Has anyone been scouting intramurals or pick-up games?

justducky · November 17, 2015, 03:34:22 PM

Is Lexus healthy enough and in good enough shape to give us 25 minutes? His length of time on the floor may tell us much about his stage of recovery.

Valpower · November 17, 2015, 03:43:22 PM

Quote from: agibson on November 17, 2015, 03:31:55 PM
Are these games useful as a tune-up?

Given how many minutes we played the starters, I'd say this could still be useful for keeping the bench sharp. (And for having Hammink and Adekoya serve their punishment?

)

a3uge · November 17, 2015, 03:44:55 PM

I swear to god if anyone gets hurt during these two games...

VULB#62 · November 17, 2015, 04:02:47 PM

Didn't Jubril already serve his suspension?

agibson · November 17, 2015, 04:05:29 PM

Quote from: VULB#62 on November 17, 2015, 04:02:47 PM
Didn't Jubril already serve his suspension?

Yeah, Jubril's good. Just Hammink waiting.

vu72 · November 17, 2015, 05:21:04 PM

So these dudes are 0-3 and lost their last game to Calumet College of St. Joseph by 27. I'd start Livingston-Simon, Lexus, Nick, Shane and Alec (need to keep his starting streak in tact!). Bring in E for Alec in the first 3 minutes and then keep Alec, Vashil, Darien, Tevonn on the bench. The other should win by 30 or so.

VULB#62 · November 17, 2015, 05:26:13 PM

I'd sit Shane for the suspension.

vu72 · November 17, 2015, 05:49:21 PM

Quote from: VULB#62 on November 17, 2015, 05:26:13 PM
I'd sit Shane for the suspension.

I thought of that after i posted! Totally agree.

humbleopinion · November 17, 2015, 06:14:41 PM

I hope Darien gets playing time and finds his shot. It was great to see him hitting the glass, but we need him scoring as well.

agibson · November 17, 2015, 06:38:54 PM

Quote from: humbleopinion on November 17, 2015, 06:14:41 PM
I hope Darien gets playing time and finds his shot. It was great to see him hitting the glass, but we need him scoring as well.

Agreed on his shooting, but probably they'll rest his ankle?

VULB#62 · November 17, 2015, 06:47:25 PM

Quote from: agibson on November 17, 2015, 06:38:54 PM
Quote from: humbleopinion on November 17, 2015, 06:14:41 PM
I hope Darien gets playing time and finds his shot. It was great to see him hitting the glass, but we need him scoring as well.

Agreed on his shooting, but probably they'll rest his ankle?

Speaking of ankles -- how is Derrik's? In the pre game interview the term "Red Shirt" was actually said as a possibility by Bryce.

humbleopinion · November 17, 2015, 07:47:32 PM

In a passing conversation with one of the coaches, I got the strong impression that a red shirt is quite likely.

VULB#62 · November 17, 2015, 09:13:56 PM

If so, there's a big up side to that over the long haul. He will again eventually practice this season against Vashil, but not exhaust a year of eligibility. He and Alec will team up for Alec's senior year. Then what would have been his junior year (now soph) it will be his team for three years. Hope we can find a budding Alec to complement him by Alec's senior year -- and if we make a deep run the next two NCAAs that might not be such a stretch.

usc4valpo · November 18, 2015, 08:33:37 AM

we need to destroy Duckzilla

IndyValpo · November 18, 2015, 10:29:14 AM

Remember in the 2011-2012 we played IU-Kokomo and Cincinnati Christian and we were short handed. We actually added 2 players from campus Griffy Carpenter and Nathan Stegelmann. Carpenter played those two games and was gone. Stegelmann stayed all season ultimately playing in 8 games.

Valpower · November 18, 2015, 02:38:35 PM

Quote from: a3uge on November 17, 2015, 03:44:55 PM
I swear to god if anyone gets hurt during these two games...

As you wouldn't want them to be hurt in any of the other 26, either, your statement may suggest there's something especially unimportant about these games. I don't see it that way. Depth is a very important attribute of this team and it needs to be maintained not just as a hedge against injury, but as a tactical advantage too. I think that without these games you run the risk of retarding the development of the bench. Right now, RPI and rank can be instrumental to Valpo in getting to the Dance and elevating the program's visibility so playing with a short rotation can be tempting because every D-1 game seems important. But I also think you also run the risk of peaking too early and limiting your options later on. What you really don't want is the players getting hurt because they were showboating on the court, but that applies to all games as well.

I've also gotta add that playing opponents that you're supposed to crush can sometimes have value as an opportunity to teach the players how to stay out of harm's way of a frustrated opponent. The non-D1 teams can have a desperate, cornered-animal quality sometimes.

agibson · November 18, 2015, 06:36:59 PM

Hammink suspended. Smits, Skara, DWalker not dressed. All is right with the universe.

In principle, could still go ten deep. So, hopefully it means that Alec, Vashil, Jubril, maybe others can get some rest.

A little too bad Darien doesn't get the chance to work out some kinks.

agibson · November 18, 2015, 06:40:07 PM

We're on game four... and Oakland's playing their season opener?

Is this another one of those seasons where we play "most* wins in the country"? (*includes 2 non-D1's)

On kenpom.com (not sure if it's D1-only, or not) only seven teams with three wins. Milwaukee adds a loss to their three.

We should get to five before Kentucky, most impressive of the seven, gets to four.

Pgmado · November 18, 2015, 06:55:02 PM

Kudos to Valparaiso public address announcer Mike Targonski. He's doing a great job tonight. Not sure what happened to talksalot, but I think he just got Wally Pipp'd.

hailcrusaders · November 18, 2015, 07:25:59 PM

This feels oddly like the Iona game...

Smj · November 18, 2015, 07:30:33 PM

Video/sound feed is horrible .....

Go Valpo!

a3uge · November 18, 2015, 08:49:09 PM

That was painful to watch. Kudos to anyone who watched.

vu72 · November 18, 2015, 08:56:40 PM

A classy performance and all that was needed. We had some bench guys get some minutes and rested those who also needed it. I have to say that hearing about Butler scoring 144 or 106 against St. Joe's tells me much about their program and none of it is good. That is classless on the surface against a team clearly over matched and troubling on a deeper note. How much humiliation do you need to inflict on a team trying their best against a far superior opponent? Why schedule these games if humiliation is your purpose? Bush League at it's best..