2/13 - Wright State in the ARC - Hall of Fame Day

[historyman]

I think we are under rating the ability of Wright State. They got to the rebounds better than many teams we face, they ran excellent plays out of the timeouts, they shot better than Valpo, they play good defense, their coach has clearly outcoached Bryce and Benzinger was very clutch to make a three the Raiders had to have. Who knows why they play so poorly on the road against the other HL teams.


Valpo did poorly in clutch situations and didn't deserve to win.

[justducky]

That seemed oddly reminiscent of 2 seasons ago when Lexus was caught ball watching on a last second shot/put-back against a different team at home (I forget which team).

Saint Louis

Bryce was so mad that 2 1/4 years later Lexus is still sitting at the end of the bench.   

[nkvu]

Disappointed:
In the first half defense, or lack of same.  It was lucky we weren't down by more with all of the open shots the D allowed,
In the lack of shot making,
In the officiating, which stunk,
In the first half game plan - when pounding the ball inside doesn't work, make changes.
In the shot selection and ball control at the end of the game.
In losing a game that while not a must win game was a would be really nice to win game.
Did I mention the officiating?

Interesting about the officiating. Two quick fouls on our best defender Vashil. Then two quick fouls on T. Walker our second best defender. Now Wright state can drive to the rim without worrying about getting rejected.  Then Vasile gets a third offensive foul before half and Bryce picks up a T. They get off to a nine point lead in the first half.  Now we have to play catch up in the second half and ultimately we choke. They throw the ball at the basket and it bounces around and goes in. We miss numerous open shots and make incredibly stupid turnovers. It's like a perfect storm of things to not go our way for us to lose to this team again. I really, really hope we don't have to play this team again because they really are into our heads.

[justducky]

In the first half game plan - when pounding the ball inside doesn't work, make changes.

The double low post looked interesting but it produced very little. For something like that to work you need top notch post play, better outside outlet angles and equally important the perimeter guys need to hit some shots. I never really noticed but when we set up that way did a third guy ever crash the offensive glass?

[a3uge]

Déjà VU. Happens every year, but I never get used to it. Last year it was a loss to Detroit. This year it was Wright State twice. Before that, it was Detroit at home and YSU on the road, YSU on the road again, missed layup vs UWGB, Loyola at home, Howard Little air-balling the front end of a one and one... They all start blending together. I could copy and paste posts from 5,6 years ago and they would all be virtually the same.

It doesn't really matter if Wright State is a good team that often plays bad, a bad team that sometimes plays good, or whatever. Teams play poorly sometimes. It's not a new concept.

At the beginning of the year I thought expectations were so high for the team, that it would be incredibly difficult for the team to live up to them. I guess that was right. Figuring it was coming at some point, but it stings. It's not the end of the world, and it does not kill the goal of making it to the tournament and finally winning a game, but it's certainly one of the most gut wrenching losses I can remember.

[bbtds]

I.............well..............(speechless)

[valpolaw]

Call me negative, but it seems as though this team never misses an opportunity to miss an opportunity. In my opinion, this season would be a huge let down if they don't make the tournament.

[crusaderboy]

This was embarrassing, and another loss to a bad team.  I don't care that we lost twice to them this season, that doesn't make them good.  I don't care how bad of a shooter someone is, if you don't have anyone within 10 feet of them, they can make a 3 if they are at a D-1 school.  Yes, it banked in, but you don't just give them a shot like that with 1 minute left.  Wright State is a team that we should beat by 15+, and our guys should be absolutely embarrassed that they lost twice to a team like that...if they weren't already embarrassed by their loss to Ball State

This ... to infinity. You don't leave ANYONE open from 3-point range with that much time left when ONLY 3-pointers can beat you at that point. Coaching 101.
Another brain lapse led to this situation: why was Valpo, up 6 with the ball and shot clock winding down, isolating their worst free throw shooter on the low block and trying to get HIM the ball? Skara had taken his man to the hole and drawn fouls twice already in the late shot clock situation! Oh by the way you also had AP and Tevonn on the floor, but let's throw it in to 14.
Getting outplayed is one thing. Getting outmaneuvered (twice now BD has panted BD this season) is another.

[Valpo89]

I was unable to attend last night because my son had an indoor soccer game. I was able to watch the first half on ESPN3, and obviously it was brutal. Then I followed on twitter during the soccer game. Up by 6 with a minute to go, I thought, well they're going to escape. But then I should have realized that for some reason, the VU players and coaches have a mental block against Wright State and Billy Donlon. After reading what happened, I could only shake my head and think I made the right decision to NOT go to that game. Geez. Pathetic. Stop being afraid of Billy Donlon.

[vufan75]

After waiting awhile to collect my thoughts and calm down, I will say this.
1- Donlan and his staff out coached BD and staff again.
2- someone please explain why BD had Vashil in game for last play (not that it mattered but why have worst FT shooter on court).
3- Tevonn is not same player we saw last year. Why? Maybe defenses taking away his drive to hoop and forcing him to be a jump shooter from distance? He just seems different and not having fun on the court which he seemed to last year.
3- who can and will step up to be offensive scorer to complement AP, a role filled by Tevonn last season. Besides PG Keith Carter.
4- AP seems to be told to work the low block on offensive end. Last season he was able to float outside more and utilize his shooting skills. Refs give him no calls on block. Yoho from my angle last night was draped all over Alec at times but no fouls called.
5- Valpo struggles in making entry passes into bigs on block.
6- Valpo comes out flat a lot in 1st halves and not ready. Why? Almost seems as if they think we are here so game is over. Rankings and accolades mean nothing to opponents other than you will get their best game. Night in and night out.




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[wh]

Also, why don't teams in college ever go for the 2-for-1??  We had 50 seconds left on that last possession, and could have driven to the basket within 12-15 seconds, leaving 5-6 seconds for us to get a last shot if WSU used the full shot clock for their possession.  Even if we miss the shot driving the lane, we at least get the last say, rather than having to play defense for a last second shot by WSU.  Who was supposed to rotate to block out Minnis?  That seemed oddly reminiscent of 2 seasons ago when Lexus was caught ball watching on a last second shot/put-back against a different team at home (I forget which team). 

Todd asked Luke Gore exactly that in the postgame.  He said they set up a play to get KC open for a 3-point shot within the first 5 to 6 seconds of that possession, but when that didn't work out they worked the clock to get the best shot they could get.  He also mentioned (my paraphrase) that he thought there might have been a brief opportunity to pull the trigger on the 3 but it didn't happen.  He didn't sound critical.  I think he was just kind of wondering out loud. He sounded pretty somber throughout.  Obviously, he knows as well as we do what we threw away last night - soon-to-be Top 25 ranking by continuing to stack up wins, possible at-large bid if needed, possible tournament seed somewhere in the middle of the pack, a chance to play an evenly matched opponent and advance, etc. 

[Vinny]

Tip to your cap to Billy Donlon, who was unquestionably the better coach last night, and move on. The season is not lost. Valpo wasn't getting an at-large bye anyway.

[NativeCheesehead]

Alright, since it's the next day now i'll allow myself to post on this. Thoughts:

1. We're going to be fine. WSU matches up very well with us, but i truly believe we would beat them 7/10 times. These just happen to be two of those.

2. Call me crazy, but I really want WSU as the two seed rather than Oakland. Now that you've spit out your coffee, let me explain. Let's assume Valpo gets the 1 Seed (if we don't, chances are we played poorly enough down the stretch that we don't win the tourney anyway), there are two things that the new tourney format favors, 1)Depth 2)Playing well away from your home gym. Two things that favor Valpo. Whoever is the two seed has a distinct advantage in the semis against a team playing their third game in three nights. So let's assume the two seed advances. If it's Oakland, they're playing what will essentially be a home game on even footing with us rest wise. I know we've lost twice to WSU, but Oakland in a one game playoff makes me more nervous. Let's assume our offense doesn't get out of this funk. Oakland has the ability to quickly score in bunches, and potentially put away a team struggling to score.

In addition, playing WSU on the second night of a back to back favors us. If we can get a situation where the semi allows us to win while playing a 9 man rotation, i'll take Yoho and co coming off a (hopefully) tight semi where their starters played 35 or more.

3. I reserve the right to retract all of this and hide in a hole depending on results of Friday.

[vu72]

Tip to your cap to Billy Donlon, who was unquestionably the better coach last night, and move on. The season is not lost. Valpo wasn't getting an at-large bye anyway.

[/b]

Hopefully we won't need to find out.  Nonetheless, this is a very weird year.  Teams are losing at home (Wichita State, Oklahoma, among others)  There is a ways to go before Selection Sunday.  I wouldn't rule Valpo out of those discussions.

[a3uge]

I think there is definitely something to be said about having experience playing in high pressure situations. I think you saw that with Wichita State a couple times this year - they looked bad in the closing couple minutes of both their losses. Valpo has played two close conference games and even the first one didn't come down to the last few possessions. Not that I want Valpo playing Cleveland State close, or that it's a valid excuse, but I think Valpo has to learn to play clutch basketball like they did last year.

[humbleopinion]

How long did the refs take to make the judgment on Tevonn's "unintentional flagrant" foul?  It seems to have been five minutes or more.  As the game was coming down to the wire, and our depth was a distinct advantage, Wright State had the benefit of a long rest.

I wondered how often there had been turnovers from trying to face a pass into AP.  I don't think there were any.  If he is going to post up, he has to get him the ball much more often.  When he touches the ball inside, he tends to score (except when he gets called for a charge when there are a few seconds left in the game).

[valpo64]

Our offense seems to be less effective when AP doesn't touch the ball.  Granted our opposition often  double and triple team him, but early in our offensive sets AP is often open.  When we do not get him the ball early in our offensive sequences, the defenses settle in on him and make it more difficult for him to get the ball.  In any event, Alec has to get more touches for us to be successful.  Our best offensive threat has to get more than just 10-12 shots per game.  Him having the ball seems to always open up other opportunities and options when we are on offense.

[valpotx]

I liked seeing how pissed Alec was in the postgame interview.  He still answered the questions, which was professional, even though his answers were a bit shorter than usual.  I bet that he comes out tomorrow with his pants on fire, and lights up CSU!

[historyman]

I liked seeing how pissed Alec was in the postgame interview.  He still answered the questions, which was professional, even though his answers were a bit shorter than usual.  I bet that he comes out tomorrow with his pants on fire, and lights up CSU!

If only he had been that pissed before the game since we blew the game at WSU earlier in the conference season.

[SanityLost17]

I have not had the heart to get back on the board until tonight, after a few drinks. 

My analysis from the WSU game.  WSU ran a very simple weave at the top of the key.  Why is it that we ended up switching to have our 4/5 man guarding their point guard over and over again?  Don't get me wrong, I realize we missed DOZENS of wide open 3's during the game that would have made this point unconsequential.  However, even if we kept bricking wide open 3's, if we would not have switched, their point guard would have not been able to make it to the basket/free throw line over and over again. 

Bryce was out-coached.  The fact that the WSU fans want Donlon fired is CRAZY.  He is one hell of a coach.  He gets the best out of the talent he is given.  Perhaps he is not the best recruiter in the world, but i feel like he could remedy that if he is ever hired to a major program. 

[historyman]

Bryce was out-coached.  The fact that the WSU fans want Donlon fired is CRAZY.  He is one hell of a coach.  He gets the best out of the talent he is given.  Perhaps he is not the best recruiter in the world, but i feel like he could remedy that if he is ever hired to a major program.

The WSU fans that traveled to the ARC and saw the game live gave Coach Donlon a huge cheer when he came back out for his radio interview. I think the WSU message board fans who can be extremely critical are the only WSU fans that have, at times, called for his firing. If I was a WSU fan I too would have been very upset after the loss to UIC but in the end out-coaching Valpo's coach would have made up for stumbling in the UIC game.