Women's Basketball 2016-2017

[NativeCheesehead]

This is why I was so disappointed Dorow was brought back. I think a good coach could take the talent already there and have us at or near .500 in year one. With this year, and possibly next (not sure what buyout would be on the two year deal) under this coach we will continue to struggle.

[jack]

We have under-achieved for many years now. That's a given. It's hard basketball to watch. We've been playing the same vanilla offense since Dorow arrived. After 5 minutes of play, our opponent's coaching staff has seen what to expect the rest of the game. We still don't have anyone on staff that can teach the proper technique of blocking out. Out-rebounded again by 13 boards. Our footwork inside is terrible. I've been saying this for years.
We could only muster up 8 assist the entire game. Our guards aren't seeing the floor, and our bigs are out of position.
We stole the ball 1 time to their 7.
Our bench only contributed 14 points to their bench's 27.
2 for 19 from 3. Not much you can say about that one.
I don't see much success in the future with the schedule we have, and the same issues we've had year after year. Until we get someone at the helm that's willing to take a step backward and concentrate on the fundamentals of the game, it's going to be the same broken record.

[valpotx]

This is why I was so disappointed Dorow was brought back. I think a good coach could take the talent already there and have us at or near .500 in year one. With this year, and possibly next (not sure what buyout would be on the two year deal) under this coach we will continue to struggle.

Not with the talent that we had when she first started.  It was already a large struggle to win games in Freeman's last few seasons.  I don't believe that any coach would have gotten us to around .500, as you still need players that can make shots, and not turn the ball over.

[jack]

This is why I was so disappointed Dorow was brought back. I think a good coach could take the talent already there and have us at or near .500 in year one. With this year, and possibly next (not sure what buyout would be on the two year deal) under this coach we will continue to struggle.

Not with the talent that we had when she first started.  It was already a large struggle to win games in Freeman's last few seasons.  I don't believe that any coach would have gotten us to around .500, as you still need players that can make shots, and not turn the ball over.

I disagree. The last season Freeman was here, though we only went 10-21, you have to remember that the team was devastated with injuries. Most games we only dressed 6 or 7, and several games where we only had 5 healthy, with 2 being freshman. In the Dorow era, with the talent on hand and healthy, we've underachieved. We can't continue to make excuses and hope things get better. They won't. We've been wasting decent talent by not providing them with the tools they need to gain confidence and succeed. It's been the theme for years now.

[vu72]

This is why I was so disappointed Dorow was brought back. I think a good coach could take the talent already there and have us at or near .500 in year one. With this year, and possibly next (not sure what buyout would be on the two year deal) under this coach we will continue to struggle.

Not with the talent that we had when she first started.  It was already a large struggle to win games in Freeman's last few seasons.  I don't believe that any coach would have gotten us to around .500, as you still need players that can make shots, and not turn the ball over.

Agree that players still need to make shots. Dani Franklin had a TERRIBLE night against Bradley, couldn't hit the broad side of a barn. She averages 20 per game and had 10 and is shooting 50% from the 3 but went 0 for 5. Our bigs are not very athletics and get out rebounded.  20 turnovers per game.  Still a long way to go...

[valpotx]

I wouldn't go so far as to say that we had the talent to be a winning team in the last few seasons.  You cannot have 20 - 30 turnovers in any game, and expect to win games.  Whenever I watch a game, some of the turnovers I see are just simply stupid, and not anything you can really coach out of someone.  They tend to just dribble right into a defender, or pass a ball to someone who is 100% covered.  They should have better instincts than this at the D-1 level. 

Jeanette Gray and Suzie Hammel would run our current squad ragged, in regards to athleticism.  Jeanette apparently plays professional football in a women's league (http://www.chicagoforcefootball.com/playerbio.asp?id=304&year=2013), which is a different league than what Heather Furr plays/played.  I know that I am living in the past from when we were good, but the athleticism differences in what I have seen from our team over the last decade is vast compared to what I witnessed when on campus.  We didn't turn the ball over 15+ times each game back then, and it seems like it has been commonplace in the last 10 years. 

[IndyValpo]

Wow the collapse continues. The preseason #9 and 10 play and we lose by 25. Might have been the saddest performance in the Dorow era. Basically little effort given.

Why are we still starting Schaub? 20 minutes 0 points, 5 to's. Donchetz should be the starter and it isn't even close.

We open down 10-0 with 6 turnovers claw back by half start the same people get out scored 30-6 in the third.

This game reminded me of the football where we fired Carlson when the bus returned to Valpo. It was that bad....

[Brandon]

Detroit Mercy was picked to finish second in the Horizon League preseason poll, not 10th.

[IndyValpo]

Detroit Mercy was picked to finish second in the Horizon League preseason poll, not 10th.

Well that explains some of the result though not the lack of effort.

I could have sworn the Detroit announcer (who I thought was pretty good) said 9 and 10.

[valpotx]

They also have the pre-season player of the year.  Not a bad loss, though I wish it was closer.

[IndyValpo]

They also have the pre-season player of the year.  Not a bad loss, though I wish it was closer.

Did you watch it? We went through the motions and were down over 30 but rallied to lose by 25.

[valpotx]

Even our better teams got spanked by GB in the early years of our HL journey.  The haves and the have nots in Women's sports have a large difference in talent.  I would assume that the top 3 HL teams will beat down the rest of the HL in a similar manner.  We will see how it pans out.

[NativeCheesehead]

ValpoTX, You are absolutely right with the haves and have nots. I think this just further proves my on the coaching change? Can Dorow make up Horizon League respectable? Possibly. But i would argue it's time to try out a couple of boom or bust type WBHCs. Big school coach who couldn't cut it in the power 5s, high level 2nd or 3rd Assistant who may or may not be a little raw for their own program. What do we have to lose at this point? It may be a lofty goal for this program to compete for the league title year in and year out but so what? If you're not aspiring to be a championship level program what the hell are you taking the floor for?

[IndyValpo]

Even our better teams got spanked by GB in the early years of our HL journey.  The haves and the have nots in Women's sports have a large difference in talent.  I would assume that the top 3 HL teams will beat down the rest of the HL in a similar manner.  We will see how it pans out.

Agreed but Detroit is not Green Bay by any means. They are 5-7 with 2 home losses and a 10 point loss at Bradley. We should have been more competitive.

[IndyValpo]

Approaching midway in the 2nd Q Oakland 47 Valpo 17

[vu72]

Down 28 at half to Oakland
Pretty sure Dorow has proven convincingly that she can't coach at this level. She needs to go. Embarrassing.

[justducky]

Down 28 at half to Oakland
 Pretty sure Dorow has proven convincingly that she can't coach at this level. She needs to go. Embarrassing.

What took you so long?   

[M]

Is it she can't coach or is it she hasn't recruited good talent? Regardless, the women's program is in shambles and she probably is at the end of her rope.

[Vinny]

Wasn't Dorow given an extension recently? Even in the embarrassment that was Valpo football a couple years ago, the school showed it will not part ways with a coach based on poor performance. Carlson had only six days left on his contract when he was let go after the Butler fiasco, so his firing was more symbolic than anything else.

There are other programs that are consistently poor (swimming/women's tennis), but the coaches typically remain.

[usc4valpo]

vinny,
Not true about Osteen. I thought the 3-40 legend had another year on his contract that Valpo had to eat.

Valpo is obviously not trigger happy when it comes to firing incompetent coaches.

[usc4valpo]

story, but with all that is available at Valpo, why should we expect mediocrity?

[IndyValpo]

Is it she can't coach or is it she hasn't recruited good talent? Regardless, the women's program is in shambles and she probably is at the end of her rope.

The can't coach part is pretty obvious. Do we have talent is a harder question. We run an offense which basically gets no one open therefore we usually end up forcing a shot. The only opening is a dump into Lindfors who has developed a decent post move. She should be shooting 10-12 times rather than 4-5.

The fact that Franklin scores 19 a game within this system is a testament to her.

[jack]

Nothing new here. Every year it's another excuse. Injuries, still playing with the talent that the previous coach brought on board, bla, bla, bla. The coaching staff lacks basketball knowledge, and they are trying to build a program with an average D2 coach at best. The staff, along with the talent they brought in, has no business playing in D1. The weakest link is the coaching. Even with the talent on hand an average D1 coach could do much more that this coaching staff is doing. Pretty sad really. The only thing they are accomplishing is beating down the confidence of a group of young ladies that need better direction and guidance. 

[justducky]

I think a good coach could take the talent already there and have us at or near .500 in year one.

Pretty sure Dorow has proven convincingly that she can't coach at this level.

Regardless, the women's program is in shambles and she probably is at the end of her rope.

story, but with all that is available at Valpo, why should we expect mediocrity?

The can't coach part is pretty obvious.

The weakest link is the coaching.

What took you so long?   

I believe we have finally arrived at a consensus. How long will the pain continue?

[valporun]

If she gives out snacks/treats after games and participation trophies at the end of the season, does this help her keep her job with the parents that want their precious stars coddled?