Game 32: Green Bay at Joe Louis Arena - Horizon League Semifinals - 3/7/16

[78crusader]

Slept like a baby last night. Woke up crying every two hours.

Paul

[truth219]

Its painful

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[covufan]

One of the most egregious coaching errors I've seen all year came at the end of regulation when nobody from Green Bay's bench instructed Cooper to intentionally miss the second free throw, which would have allowed Valpo nothing more than an 80 foot heave. Remember Valpo was out of timeouts and there was only 2.1 seconds left. There's never a more clear cut time to miss a free throw, yet not a single coach, player, or manager said a word to Cooper. Thus allowing Valpo the home run pass and overtime. Seconds after Peters made the layup Greg Kampe looked at me and simultaneously we said "why did he make that free throw?"

I thought the same thing at the time. 1.6 seconds later I was very thankful. The thankfulness was short lived, however.


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[crusaderboy]

Lack of a true point guard hurt us in ot. Have to give Green Bay credit. They hit the shots, got the rebounds and made the free throws they had to. They played with more poise and deserved to win. Sad end to what was a realistic shot at doing some damage in the dance.

This game was lost by the decisions made following the loss at Wright State. Anyone who watched that game saw that Valpo needed a true backup pg who could run the offense and, more importantly, UNDERSTAND, what the defense was doing. When it was decided to stay the course with Hammink and E Vic -- while Lexus Williams sat on the bench -- you saw the result last night.

[oklahomamick]

Also, Green Bay doesn't shoot 12-22 from deep at the ARC, and Valpo likely doesn't shoot 9-29. I didn't think that was an outlandish opinion...

Thats the cause of the loss.  the difference at 3pt was huge.

[crusaderboy]

Don't want to come across as an absolute ass, but if your team couldn't win a neutral site league tournament game to Green Bay, were they really going to be successful in the NCAA Tournament?? I don't know many people who like the new format, so don't act as if only Valpo was affected.

Go ask George Mason that question. Or better yet, ask Oregon or Oregon State.

[bbtds]

Lack of a true point guard hurt us in ot. Have to give Green Bay credit. They hit the shots, got the rebounds and made the free throws they had to. They played with more poise and deserved to win. Sad end to what was a realistic shot at doing some damage in the dance.

This game was lost by the decisions made following the loss at Wright State. Anyone who watched that game saw that Valpo needed a true backup pg who could run the offense and, more importantly, UNDERSTAND, what the defense was doing. When it was decided to stay the course with Hammink and E Vic -- while Lexus Williams sat on the bench -- you saw the result last night.

Do you think this is part of a plan that favors seniors because they have "earned" their playing time by their need to "play now or it's over?" Homer was also one to reward seniors just for being there longer.

If you were Alec Peters would you think about transferring to a more loaded team (a school that seems destined to win) for 2017-18? He would have to sit out 2016-17. 

[crusaderboy]

I think Bryce is enamored with 6-6, 6-7 players who are athletic, but also wild cards, at the expense of 6-foot point guards who are not flashy and won't frighten anyone getting off the bus. But the thing is, Lexus was good enough to play as a freshman, and play well. Watching him, he had that "it" quality to him. Now, I do not know how much the injury has slowed him, or if he is only a shell of the player he was two years ago, but after that Wright State game on the road, he at least deserved a chance.

As for Peters, let me ask you this: wouldn't you look around?

I actually believe, if he stays, that they can be better next season. I may be wrong, but one thing that always gnawed at me watching this team, was I never got the impression that Alec felt like this was his team. Your best player HAS TO LEAD at this level. I would like to see that side of him emerge next season.
They will miss K Carter, for sure, but everyone else was spare parts. I really do like Hammink -- he reminds me of a lefty Shawn Huff -- and I am looking forward to seeing more touches for T Walker, Skara and Jubril. Plus you add Derrick Smits to the fold and Valpo could have some serious juice next season.
It will all come down to Alec's decision.

[a3uge]

Wait, Alec Peters is a free agent?

[crusaderboy]

Wait, Alec Peters is a free agent?

I believe he will graduate in May and is free to pursue a grad transfer

[NativeCheesehead]

To be fair, to the GB fan from above, some nice points, congrats and good luck. If you'd bothered to look around a bit, we've been bitching about this conference all year, and the outcome of one game does not change my opinion. It WILL be an embarrassment to the conference to play in front of under a thousand fans for the right to go to the big dance. And no one is saying it would have been better had we made it. Oakland losing was the key. Please do a little homework or drop the guise of "respect" and just flat out troll us. 

[historyman]

Wait, Alec Peters is a free agent?

Unfortunately in today's NCAA every player in every sport has the chance to transfer. This past off season was the only one that Valpo DIDN'T have a player transfer in recent memory.

[VULB#62]

I could not watch the game live and relied on Game Tracker only.  So I didn't see the ebb and flow of the game -- only the stats as they came up.

(1)  Now I am looking at the box score and what jumps out at me was that Vashil, the DPOY, only played 24 minutes while only committing 2 PFs.  And we surrender 1 shy of 100 points.  Wasn't the point of having a rim protector to enable the perimeter defenders to challenge the 3 point shot (which we apparently did not -- 12/22!) without worrying about inside?  Someone please explain?

(2)  And as I watched Game Tracker and saw Valpo 3 point attempt after 3 point attempt go clang in the second half (and GB get the DRB), I noticed in spite of that we were still managing to hang close.  So I was continually asking myself after every errant three attempt, why weren't we pounding the ball in low or at least trying to get better 2 pt looks.  If we would have made just half the 2 pt shots down low or from 15'  in place of those missed threes, we would have had a comfortable margin and better chances at ORBs.  Someone please explain?

[BK]

I seem to recall some Mid-Con teams crying foul when someone with very close ties to VU signed a multi-year deal to play the conference tournament in Fort Wayne.  And there were literally dozens of people watching those games.  I guess what goes around comes around.  The current venue isn't going to wow anyone who happens to be on channel 256 when their remote control batteries run out of juice, but I think VU's play down the stretch had much more to do with the loss, than playing in an outdated venue away from home.     

[oklahomamick]

ESPN bracketology has Wright St. as a 16 seed.

[Kyle321n]

I can explain #1 pretty well. Green Bay frequently went with a line up that had Fouse and Hurdle as their "bigs". Vashil couldn't guard them 1 on 1 and Jubril was a better match up on the defensive end. For some reason Bryce was reluctant to go into a zone, but I really think if you put a 3-2 zone with Vashil and Alec down low I think you slow down their shooting tirade.

As for the second point, that's something Bryce and the players would have to ask. I think they'd say they weren't affected by the fact they were shooting in an 20k+ arena vs. the normal 8-10K college stadiums, but you could see it on Keith and Alec's shots in the first half.

[Kyle321n]

ESPN bracketology has Wright St. as a 16 seed.

I really hope the winner of tonight gets a 15 seed and plays Maryland. Let's see how that goes for them.

[covufan]

I saw where someone thought this was the worst thing for Valpo basketball since the Harden one finger salute.  I realize the frustration and disappointment, but I still believe that this team the best team Valpo has had.  They may not have achieved their goal for the season, but should still be proud.  The 1998 team may have finished the season well, but this team played well (mostly) the whole year. 

Green Bay should be congratulated on the game they played.  They beat us, out hustled us, and had an answer for every time we had a little momentum.  Watching the game, it seemed that our team, except for Peters and sometimes Carter, did not have a sense of urgency while playing 6-7 points down most of the second half.  GB played with energy the whole game, especially after we took a short lead in OT. 

The game came down to the 3-point line - they made their shots and we didn't.  According to ESPN's BPI, we saved our worst game of the year for last night.  Also, GB played their best game of the year.  We play an average game, we win. 

While I still feel that we are worthy of an at-large berth, I'm not convinced the selection committee will think so.  RPI is not the only ranking system that the committee uses, and I hope that the committee looks at our time in the AP and USA Today polls, as we were in the top 40 for much of the last several weeks.  It would have been nice if Wichita State had won the MVC, so that is one at-large off the table.  We now need for the rest of the conference tournaments to be won by the expected team.  We also need most or all of the bubble teams to lose early in their respective conference tournaments.  This includes Vandy, Cincinnati, St. Bonaventure, Syracuse, VA Commonwealth, UConn, Temple, Gonzaga, Oregon St, Tulsa, Michigan, Florida, South Carolina and Pittsburgh.  With Monmouth also losing, I think we are competing with them and Temple for a play-in 12 seed. 

I think that a nice finish to this season would be a trip to NY.  This team can do it - I just hope that they get motivated for going on the road to have that opportunity.

[valpotx]

I would hope that Alec stays.  His girlfriend is apparently Abby Dean based on previous posts I have seen on here, and she is a Senior.  I wouldn't put it past any Power 5 conference teams to casually mention something to him, if they know that he graduates in May. 

[oklahomamick]

I think Alec has a good relationship with Bryce and wouldn't leave.  I think the odds of K. Felder leaving for NBA is higher than Alec leaving to a high major.  If I was betting...

[valpotx]

I think Alec has a good relationship with Bryce and wouldn't leave.  I think the odds of K. Felder leaving for NBA is higher than Alec leaving to a high major.  If I was betting...

Taking into account your information, then he wouldn't leave...unless Bryce leaves .  This will be a long offseason, similar to last season.

[Pgmado]

If you were Alec Peters would you think about transferring to a more loaded team (a school that seems destined to win) for 2017-18? He would have to sit out 2016-17. 

He would not have to sit out next season.

[hailcrusaders]

Yes, Valpo should have won the game no matter the venue, but there is no denying that the game ends differently at the ARC. I would think after dominating conference play we would have earned the right to play that game at home, but perhaps others feel differently.

There is no guarantee that Valpo goes to the Sweet Sixteen this year. But I like their chances a hell of a lot more than GB or WSU's. I don't see either of those teams coming up in anyone's Cinderella watches. If either team wins two or more games, I'll eat my words.

Here's what's going to happen tonight. The game is Green Bay versus Wright State at the JLA, 200 miles driving distance from Dayton, and 450 miles from Green Bay. On a weeknight no less. Maybe 1000 people are going to show up (there would have been just as many were it at Valpo, and 6000+ were it at the Nutter Center), bringing the tournament total attendance to about 18,000. Half of what they were hoping for.

LeCrone and the cronies at Olympia will claim the tournament a success despite getting 50% of their attendance goal, and anointing a soon-to-be one-and-done commuter school that no one is going to think twice about in the brackets. They'll say the usual wishwash about learning a few things and looking forward to improving the experience next season, and NOTHING appreciable will change.

[justducky]

Vashil played only 24 minutes with 2 points, 2 blocks and 0 personal fouls. The lineup GB used forced Bryce to either play more zone or play longer stretches with Vashil on the bench. With our best team defender riding the pine, our best guard defender (Tevonn) unavailable, and their incredible 3 point (12-22) shooting; exactly what GB wanted to happen- happened. That is some solid coaching with just a dash of shooting luck.

A coach has to pick his poison. In retrospect should we have played more zone? I realize that their transition game would have sometimes prevented us from setting up.

[VULB#62]

Vashil played only 24 minutes with 2 points, 2 blocks and 0 personal fouls. The lineup GB used forced Bryce to either play more zone or play longer stretches with Vashil on the bench. With our best team defender riding the pine, our best guard defender (Tevonn) unavailable, and their incredible 3 point (12-22) shooting; exactly what GB wanted to happen- happened. That is some solid coaching with just a dash of shooting luck.

A coach has to pick his poison. In retrospect should we have played more zone? I realize that their transition game would have sometimes prevented us from setting up.

Minor, insignificant correction - Vashil had 2 PFs. But you confirm a question asked and speculated upon in another string.  And when you bench the HL DPOY for half the game it suggests that he was a liability defensively, because we never feature him on offense. 20/20 hindsight also suggests that instead of benching him, surround him with a better situation i.e., zone.