1/24 - Northern Kentucky @ the Highlands

talksalot · January 23, 2016, 08:07:22 AM

Time to start the thread...and get over last night...

Here's the NKY/UIC box Score...

http://www.uicflames.com/sports/m-baskbl/stats/2015-2016/012216.html

looks like an 8-man rotation; shot 75% from the line, and got there a lot!

NKY posting: Valpo game preview

http://www.nkunorse.com/news/2016/1/23/MBB_0123163536.aspx

and their full .pdf game notes...

http://www.nkunorse.com/documents/2016/1/23//NKU_MBB_GameNotes19.pdf

HC · January 23, 2016, 09:19:44 AM

Valpo by 11. I hope we get to see a little bit of Lexus if Keith can't go (and if EVN is unproductive)

valpo84 · January 23, 2016, 09:43:00 AM

What I saw of them in an earlier game this year vs Xavier is that they are a slower, smaller version of Wright state. They are decent offensively--set based offense. We need to bounce back and get the ball in the paint. Last 5 mins last night we failed to exploit the zone by passing to FT line and working the baseline. When we do not throw entry passes, we become a jump shooting team, and we were not a good jump shooting team last night if E Vic is launching them. Agree should have gone pressing and quicker with Lexus, who is looking better based on Monday night. Our ball movement last 5 mins was atrocious.

agibson · January 23, 2016, 09:47:16 AM

I'm seeing reports of only about an inch of snow in the Cincinnati area.

I'm not sure how Rhode Island fared after their game.

nkvu · January 23, 2016, 09:57:03 AM

Quote from: agibson on January 23, 2016, 09:47:16 AM
I'm seeing reports of only about an inch of snow in the Cincinnati area.

I'm not sure how Rhode Island fared after their game.

We only got a light dusting. Shouldn't cause any problems (except of course for my newspaper deliverer who still hasn't managed to show up)!

NativeCheesehead · January 23, 2016, 01:52:23 PM

Couple of thoughts for this game:

1. Would like to see us start fast offensively. I know you can't really control how well you shot from night to night, but we seemed very passive, very content to shoot jumpers against WSU. First five possessions, I'd like to see us take the ball to the hoop or get it in to AP at least 3 of those times.

2. Match the intensity of NKU. I admit I have not done my homework on these guys due to the fact they're new in the conference but I would imagine this is their home game of the year. My guess is we'll see a good, hyped up crowd. Let's get after them early.

3. Since we haven't heard an update on Keith, i'll assume this is a game to game kind of thing. Regardless, need EVN and Shane to get comfortable running the offense.

agibson · January 23, 2016, 01:59:28 PM

Quote from: agibson on January 23, 2016, 09:47:16 AMI'm not sure how Rhode Island fared after their game.

Looks like it was a ~10 hour overnight Amtrak, getting in around dawn.

a3uge · January 23, 2016, 02:01:20 PM

Should be the first game of a long stretch that locks up one of the top 2 seeds in the tournament.

agibson · January 23, 2016, 02:03:36 PM

Quote from: agibson on January 23, 2016, 01:59:28 PM
Quote from: agibson on January 23, 2016, 09:47:16 AMI'm not sure how Rhode Island fared after their game.

Looks like it was a ~10 hour overnight Amtrak, getting in around dawn.

By contrast, this is apparently the Duquesne men's basketball team.

[tweet]690956016159186945[/tweet]

Stuck on the interstate since about 9:30 PM.

@DuqMBB
@DuqEquipment

agibson · January 23, 2016, 02:23:26 PM

SMU too apparently, on their way to Temple (Philadelphia), presumably. Game was originally Saturday, postponed to noon Sunday. And scheduled, for Sunday, on ESPN2! Not sure they're going to make it...

This is what 18-0 gets you, it would seem.

[tweet]690966888390656000[/tweet]

[tweet]690942999543615489[/tweet]

Or maybe they're already in Philly, and their bus got stuck between the hotel and practice, or something?

oklahomamick · January 23, 2016, 04:28:50 PM

I understand UIC took NKU to overtime and that hopefully wore them out a bit. However I wish we had more of a competitive travel partner. Could you imagine if Butler was still our travel partner?

agibson · January 24, 2016, 10:02:07 AM

Need from Sin City: the lone opens at Valpo by 10, goes as high as Valpo by 13, and now sits around 11.5.

Think VU will manage a chip on their shoulders? The Peters game face should be good.

HailVU2014 · January 24, 2016, 11:25:23 AM

At the BB&T Center and holy cow is this arena awesome! Probably the best in the HL. Hands down.

Also, some good news here... Keith Carter is taking warmups with the team, doing defensive drills, free throws, the whole bit. Doesn't look hindered but certainly testing out that ankle. But overall, he looks fine!

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-G900A using Tapatalk

oklahomamick · January 24, 2016, 12:00:37 PM

Let's hope for a good game and let's go UIC.

oklahomamick · January 24, 2016, 12:22:45 PM

We are struggling shooting the ball. Taking bad shots and missing the easy ones on top of it.

a3uge · January 24, 2016, 12:42:58 PM

Carter looks good. Hate to the amount of

charge calls the refs call on us.

oklahomamick · January 24, 2016, 12:48:04 PM

Quote from: oklahomamick on January 24, 2016, 12:22:45 PMWe are struggling shooting the ball. Taking bad shots and missing the easy ones on top of it.

Free throws on the other hand have been great. 10-12. 2-2 for Vashil.

a3uge · January 24, 2016, 12:59:21 PM

Valpo is definitely playing with a lot of intensity. Gotta like NKU - they don't have much talent, but they seem well coached and they play pretty hard.

I didn't even see Nickerson playing. He might be in the dog house after the poor showing Friday.

oklahomamick · January 24, 2016, 01:22:51 PM

Quote from: a3uge on January 24, 2016, 12:59:21 PMValpo is definitely playing with a lot of intensity. Gotta like NKU - they don't have much talent, but they seem well coached and they play pretty hard. I didn't even see Nickerson playing. He might be in the dog house after the poor showing Friday.

Nickerson finally in. He's just not as quick as he was last year. Understandably.... Difficult for him to play on the perimeter against guards two steps quicker.

a3uge · January 24, 2016, 01:35:18 PM

Thankfully, this game is a snoozer!

vu72 · January 24, 2016, 01:58:35 PM

Great game by our guys once they settled in. I'm glad Shane is getting the minutes and he deserves them! Still can't understand why Darien chooses to try to force drives to the hoop on fast breaks when he could pull it back and set up a play. Sloppy and way to many offensive fouls!! Otherwise, a very solid effort.

Oh, and one more thing. The announcers were very professional and called a terrific game.

valpopal · January 24, 2016, 02:08:15 PM

NKU was kept to 30% field goal shooting (15-50), and Valpo had another double-digit plus-margin in rebounds. Usually when watching sports, most look forward to watching their team on offense. It is rare to enjoy when your team is on defense. However, when I watch this team play defense as well as they can, I am reminded how much I enjoyed watching the '85 Chicago Bears defense, perhaps even more than the offense. Obviously, defense is the key for this team.

nkvu · January 24, 2016, 02:42:25 PM

Very enjoyable for the first game I've attended in person since 1969. After a slow start shooting the team got it together and took control stretching it out for an easy win. Nice bounce back from Friday. The BB&T Center is really nice. Pretty good crowd for a Sunday with 2 NFL playoff games coming up. I think once NKU becomes more competitive in conference attendance will pick up.

sliman · January 24, 2016, 03:45:39 PM

Tuned in shortly after the start of the game and missed the names of the announcers. Who was the announcer that coached Bryce in the NBA? Thought they did a good job and had done some homework, but may have been a bit effusive in their praise of us (because of our record?). Pleased, though, that they picked up on what I presume was an Aaron-fed stat about our record following a loss. And I shared their amazement at Keith's game when he was perhaps "doubtful" and certainly "questionable" before the game. It also was good to see Tevonn getting back in a better rhythm. NKU's facility looked great on TV, a fact nkvu validates in his observations.

justducky · January 24, 2016, 04:01:44 PM

For a game day the board seemed extremely quiet. So I counted up our total mens basketball related posts and it only totaled 13. Did everybody switch into "wait until next year" mode

How good or bad would we have looked without Keith Carter?

Quote from: oklahomamick on January 24, 2016, 01:22:51 PMNickerson finally in. He's just not as quick as he was last year. Understandably.... Difficult for him to play on the perimeter against guards two steps quicker.

Since his problem was wrist related this shouldn't be true but maybe he wasn't doing enough legwork while injured? If it is this simple then good because his defense last year was exceptional. Somebody needs to step up to the backup point role with a statement game that says "this job is mine get in line behind me".

1/24 - Northern Kentucky @ the Highlands

HC