2/28 - Green Bay @ Resch Center - Final Regular Season game

[RS]

Have a question. Was out of town over weekend. What happened to Tevonn.  Saw the boxscore and saw he played 9 minutes.  Is he hurt bad?

[crusadermoe]

I think the seeds work well for us.   Oakland is the most dangerous team because they can catch fire shooting and play so fast with so many possessions.  They put up 108 vs. Detroit.

The good news is that if they get to the finals, they will be gassed from playing 3 games in 3 days at their pace.

Wright State is a slow-down half court nuisance.  But they don't pose the fluke risk of coming out of the gate 20 to 5 on a string of bombs in front of a home crowd at the JLA.

[crusadermoe]

Oops, my bad.   I didn't know Oakland swept Wright State and gets the #2.   Reverse my comments.

[hailcrusaders]

Have a question. Was out of town over weekend. What happened to Tevonn.  Saw the boxscore and saw he played 9 minutes.  Is he hurt bad?

Rolled his ankle in the first half. Walked off on his own power and soon went to the locker room. Came back out after half, but spent the remainder of the game on the bench.

He's tough, so I hope he'll be alright.

[talksalot]

If the seeds hold... we get the winner of the Green Bay / Milwaukee game on Monday night.

Green Bay beat the Panthers at home by 2
Milwaukee beat the Phoenix at home by 1

[oklahomamick]

Frustrating for the players, coaches and the fans because we didn't rebound (probably what we do best).  Rebounding, the thing we are really good at and dominating at, we failed to do this game.  Still got the win and sweeping the Wisconsin trip is always an accomplishment no matter if we are rv....  The two teams we played this weekend, really wanted to beat Valpo and gave us their best game. 

[usc4valpo]

Valpo just beat one of the better teams in their conference and went 16-2...and all I hear is a bunch of whining about how poor they played, this guy didn't do that, etc. Holy crap, Valpo just won road games against tough opponents who are eyeing this game. Give them a little credit, they are 26-5!!

[oklahomamick]

I don't get on the board and comment as much when I attend the game.  Probably better....and I'm sure everyone here appreciates that.  I thought we had several guys committed to go get the rebound.  Several times the ball bounced around and was tipped this way and that way.  We forgot to block out and instead threw numbers at "going after" the rebound. 

Side note:  When I played soccer at Valpo we had a road trip to Western Illinois and needed to win in order to advance to the conference tournament.  We beat a very good Western Illinois team that ended up getting a player drafted in the MLS.  After the long bus ride home from Macomb we had practice and class.  5 days later we had to go to Oakland for the conference tournament and play the same Western Illinois team we beat days ago.  Only this time it was a much different outcome, they destroyed us.  Point is, two weekends with back to back travel and important games takes a mental and physical toll.  The team will get back to Valpo late tonight?  Then have a week (not even) before they bus to the hotel in Detroit? 

[a3uge]

I don't get on the board and comment as much when I attend the game.  Probably better....and I'm sure everyone here appreciates that.  I thought we had several guys committed to go get the rebound.  Several times the ball bounced around and was tipped this way and that way.  We forgot to block out and instead threw numbers at "going after" the rebound. 

Side note:  When I played soccer at Valpo we had a road trip to Western Illinois and needed to win in order to advance to the conference tournament.  We beat a very good Western Illinois team that ended up getting a player drafted in the MLS.  After the long bus ride home from Macomb we had practice and class.  5 days later we had to go to Oakland for the conference tournament and play the same Western Illinois team we beat days ago.  Only this time it was a much different outcome, they destroyed us.  Point is, two weekends with back to back travel and important games takes a mental and physical toll.  The team will get back to Valpo late tonight?  Then have a week (not even) before they bus to the hotel in Detroit?

Valpo has spring break starting tomorrow - no classes this week, and Green Bay/Milwaukee will have a long drive Friday, play Saturday AND Sunday and then Valpo Monday. If Valpo is the tired team on Monday, it probably means they either got the flu, or they partied at Pepe's all week!

[oklahomamick]

I don't get on the board and comment as much when I attend the game.  Probably better....and I'm sure everyone here appreciates that.  I thought we had several guys committed to go get the rebound.  Several times the ball bounced around and was tipped this way and that way.  We forgot to block out and instead threw numbers at "going after" the rebound. Side note:  When I played soccer at Valpo we had a road trip to Western Illinois and needed to win in order to advance to the conference tournament.  We beat a very good Western Illinois team that ended up getting a player drafted in the MLS.  After the long bus ride home from Macomb we had practice and class.  5 days later we had to go to Oakland for the conference tournament and play the same Western Illinois team we beat days ago.  Only this time it was a much different outcome, they destroyed us.  Point is, two weekends with back to back travel and important games takes a mental and physical toll.  The team will get back to Valpo late tonight?  Then have a week (not even) before they bus to the hotel in Detroit?

Valpo has spring break starting tomorrow - no classes this week, and Green Bay/Milwaukee will have a long drive Friday, play Saturday AND Sunday and then Valpo Monday. If Valpo is the tired team on Monday, it probably means they either got the flu, or they partied at Pepe's all week!

Good deal on the spring break and not having to worry about class.  That helps. 

[VULB#62]

I look at it as the first road weekend of many ahead. The more they can get used to the hostile  "neutral" environments they'll face the tougher they'll be. What doesn't kill ya makes ya stronger.  Go Valpo 

[justducky]

My memory is now far from perfect so please correct me if I am wrong but.................

Didn't we zone Green Bay for significant stretches at the ARC? So we chose to man up with them while shorthanded 2 players at the Resch? We had foul trouble and injuries and we still played mainly man to man against an average 3 point shooting team? The method for this madness is?

[chef]

Valpo is a man to man to man team. Bryce usually only goes zone when an opponent is in an offensive groove. That never happened today as Green Bay shot 34%. Valpo's man defense held one of the nation's best offenses in check. If not for 20 offensive rebounds, this game would not have been close.

[nkvu]

So did the unavailability of T Walker and Skara make the difference on rebounding or was it fatigue. It seemed to me the team seemed a step slow tonight. At the same time their ability to stay close and hit the winning shot even though they weren't at their best was a real good sign.  Something that other teams have done to us in past years.  Getting T Walker and Skara healthy for Monday is the most important thing.   I think a fresh and healthy Valpo team will be really tough in the tournament.

[rink]

Valpo just beat one of the better teams in their conference and went 16-2...and all I hear is a bunch of whining about how poor they played, this guy didn't do that, etc. Holy crap, Valpo just won road games against tough opponents who are eyeing this game. Give them a little credit, they are 26-5!!

Part of me feels griping is warranted.  (Surprise.) Let's face it, this is supposed to be a team capable of national noise. The Horizon is a pretty bad conference, so "two of the better teams in the conference" doesn't change the fact that these are sucky teams with circa 150 RPIs that came within a hair's breath of providing TWO losses. The team might need to play better to fulfill expectations.

That said, avoiding losses on the road certainly deserves credit. I'm sure Belmont and Iowa would have killed for squeaker road victories today against TN St and OH St, respectively. Same for Xavier with the letdown at Seton Hall. And Duke at Pitt.

Here's to looking better in the conference tournament and taking care of business there, getting a favorable seeding to the dance, and doing something nationally relevant for the first time in a loooong time.

[valpotx]

It's perfectly fair to say that we did not play well at all on Sunday.  I am a big fundamental guy, and we played without fundamentals throughout much of the game.  I cannot stand giving up 20 offensive rebounds.  I cannot stand how many times our guys have been jumping before they know where they are throwing the ball, only to cough it up at the last minute.  I cannot stand when we take extremely out of control shots (E Vic and Darien today).  I cannot stand traveling when you just receive the ball.  I love this team, but it is games like today where my wife has to take my son out of the room, because many four letter words seem to leak out .  I don't mind close games at all, or even close losses.  Even if we won by 10+, I still would have been pissed based on the basic mistakes we were making.

[VULB#62]

I, too, thought our guys were leg weary and slow to the ball (see my post during the first half).  But let's not forget that UWM took us to OT in a very physical game while GB was kinda cruising against UIC. Let's also not forget that we walked into two senior nights in a row. Lots of emotion to counteract.

[Valpower]

Part of me feels griping is warranted.  (Surprise.) Let's face it, this is supposed to be a team capable of national noise. The Horizon is a pretty bad conference, so "two of the better teams in the conference" doesn't change the fact that these are sucky teams with circa 150 RPIs that came within a hair's breath of providing TWO losses. The team might need to play better to fulfill expectations.

That said, avoiding losses on the road certainly deserves credit. I'm sure Belmont and Iowa would have killed for squeaker road victories today against TN St and OH St, respectively. Same for Xavier with the letdown at Seton Hall. And Duke at Pitt.

Here's to looking better in the conference tournament and taking care of business there, getting a favorable seeding to the dance, and doing something nationally relevant for the first time in a loooong time.

Yes, the Horizon was a bad conference this year, but some of the teams have, as expected, improved in the latter half. Given the slight regression by Valpo (somewhat expected with the lack of conference competition in the early stages) the close games at this stage are not so surprising.

[bbtds]

Beautiful weekend in WI by raveled from Milwaukee to Green Bay this morning. Stopped for lunch at Longhorn and our team was there having lunch too!   Powering up for a win tomorrow

Sure glad Shane had that extra bite of protein so he could hit that trey at the end. 

[justducky]

So did the unavailability of T Walker and Skara make the difference on rebounding or was it fatigue.

They out rebounded us on the offensive glass 16-14 at the ARC as well so much of this is a result of their aggressive drive to the basket style of play. Tevonn and David would have helped some because both anticipate well and are quick enough to stay in front of the attacker. Any time the penetrator gets a step on his defender help has to rotate and rebounding box out chaos often ensues. The trick is to contain the penetration and Carter does this particularly well.

Didn't we zone Green Bay for significant stretches at the ARC?

Valpo is a man to man to man team. Bryce usually only goes zone when an opponent is in an offensive groove

Am I even correct on my memory of significant zone play at the ARC? If so and we won by 12 vs winning by 2 at the Resch then how should we defend them at Joe Louis Arena?  Or should we worry about that when or if the time comes?   

[bbtds]

I, too, thought our guys were leg weary and slow to the ball (see my post during the first half).  But let's not forget that UWM took us to OT in a very physical game while GB was kinda cruising against UIC. Let's also not forget that we walked into two senior nights in a row. Lots of emotion to counteract.

Milwaukee had a senior night/day against UIC and not against Valpo.

http://mkepanthers.com/news/2016/2/28/mens-basketball-big-second-half-sends-panthers-to-senior-day-victory.aspx?path=mbball

[VULB#62]

I, too, thought our guys were leg weary and slow to the ball (see my post during the first half).  But let's not forget that UWM took us to OT in a very physical game while GB was kinda cruising against UIC. Let's also not forget that we walked into two senior nights in a row. Lots of emotion to counteract.

Milwaukee had a senior night/day against UIC and not against Valpo.

http://mkepanthers.com/news/2016/2/28/mens-basketball-big-second-half-sends-panthers-to-senior-day-victory.aspx?path=mbball

Yep.   

[usc4valpo]

Rink, I see where you are going and I am certainly not a glass half full kind of person. But Valpo is conference leader, and for UWM and UWGB a win over Valpo can make their season or change their momentum going into the Horizon tournament.


Valpo has an excellent team and has had a great season, but their talent level is not top 25 and the Horizon is pretty weak. Damn, I wish Valpo had the opportunity to join the Valley a couple of years ago.

[usc4valpo]

Now here is a topic for griping. Can't they find a better place for a steak than Longhorn? They like to overdose the salt on their meat.


Find a Texas Roadhouse for crying out loud or find a good German restaurant in Wisconsin!

[historyman]

That said, avoiding losses on the road certainly deserves credit. I'm sure Belmont and Iowa would have killed for squeaker road victories today against TN St and OH St, respectively. Same for Xavier with the letdown at Seton Hall. And Duke at Pitt.

Here's to looking better in the conference tournament and taking care of business there, getting a favorable seeding to the dance, and doing something nationally relevant for the first time in a loooong time.

Very well put! (Surprise--just kidding)