Game #10 - Missouri State Saturday Dec 10, 20 7pm (CT) JQH Arena, Springfield M

[talksalot]

Valpo is undefeated in games-played-after-loss.  Let's keep the string going.  Bears are undefeated at home, coming off a 79-71 win over #269 SEMO on the road Wednesday night.

12/03/16 @ #200 Air Force  L83-70
11/27/16 vs #140 No Dakota St W64-50
11/23/16 @ #117 DePaul L68-66
11/13/16 vs #163 Jacksonville State  W91-65
11/11/16 vs #350 (0-7) Alabama A&M 96-62

Here's their roster:
http://www.missouristatebears.com/roster.aspx?path=mbball

Here's their stat sheet through the SEMO game:
http://missouristate_ftp.sidearmsports.com/custompages/sports/m-baskbl/stats/2016-2017/MBBOverall.pdf?path=mbball

"Back on Track"

[covufan]

This is going to be a tough game.  Unless we come out of our shooting slump I think this game will be very close.  We have to play great defense.

Valpo  73
Mizz St 67

[swiftmutiny]

This is a team we should beat handily. My prediction: Valpo will rally from the loss to Kentucky and win by 15.

[VUfan]

No time to feel sorry for ourselves, study and get going. Hit the floor running!!!    a close VU win 75-71

[M]

I think Valpo rebounds from last night with no side affects.....79-62 winner.

[talksalot]

Our last chance for a non-conference road win this year... we only  have 3 on the schedule, Oregon, Kentucky ... and Da'Bears.

[justducky]

These next 2 games are important for both team development and post season seeding . Unfortunately because they have home court advantage Sagarin has us at a slight underdog to the Bears and I think this may be realistic.

Let me lump Missouri St and Indiana St into the same category with some comparative numbers.   MS-- Pomeroy   122   Sagarin   111  WN Predicted RPI   131
                                                                                                                                      IS--      "          125      "         103          "                 128

I have not viewed either team in action so my respect for these opponents is all based on the opinions of others but a glance at these numbers suggests that we could play reasonably well and still come away with 2 losses. So does Matt treat these as must wins to the possible detriment of our freshmen development? What is the proper coaching approach for the MVC midsection?

[agibson]

This could be one of the last games all season (at Oakland?) where we'll be underdogs.

One of our last chances to make a (moderate) one-game statement.

[vu72]

This could be one of the last games all season (at Oakland?) where we'll be underdogs.

One of our last chances to make a (moderate) one-game statement.

On the road and all but underdogs in Vegas? Probably not.  I view these as the kind of game we had last year at Ball State, although I think both of these teams are better, particularly Indiana State.  We need to win both to kep us in the national thought process.

[talksalot]

the Warren Nolan "Predictor" shows us as 19-point underdogs 80-61, giving us a 7% chance of winning. Giving a lot of weight to their 4-0 home record and our 0-2 Road record.

the RealTimeRPI predictor shows us losing by 2:   76-78 L - Scouting   
That real-time predictor also has us losing:
@ Milwaukee 79-75
@ Green Bay 81-73
@ Oakland 82-72
@ Wright State 81-73
(Ending season 22-7 and 13-4 in the HL)

The other HL Road Games
We are favored @ CSU 79-76  and YSU 79-76; UDM 79-77 and NoKy 79-77

[valpotx]

Valpo 73
Missouri State 65

[crusadermoe]

Ducky's research on rankings would say these are tight games ahead.

Question is outside shooting as has been said.  Do we space the floor or do they collapse on the hoop and take away the drive threat?

[atkins]

I think we win this one and possibly lose to ISU or eek out a tight victory.  We may be regressing a bit, which would not be unusual, as a result of fatigue, etc.  I suspect the league season will be much tougher than anticipated. 

URI probably won't see the top-25 again this year, and they have not looked good their past two games post-Valpo, so although it was great to win at home against them, the magnitude of that victory has been overstated.  We are currently the fifth best collegiate basketball team in Indiana, and the top four are substantially better than us.

It will be a fun remainder of he season, but our offensive inconsistency and obvious interior defense shortcomings will make the road rocky.

[FieldGoodie05]

Well said, I have cautious optimism though that Lexus/JOSEPH/Bradford won't be so out matched against our remaining competition.

I've said this before but didn't see a reply...who thought we had a highly efficient shooting team from outside (preseason)?  We are slightly worse from outside than expected, but Alec was the only proven perimeter player coming into this season.  Adekoya is a low production 3-baller from last season....his % appears to be the only bright spot from the perimeter.  Thoughts?

[rink]

Mo St has a loss to DePaul on their record? Valpo by 8.

[agibson]

This could be one of the last games all season (at Oakland?) where we'll be underdogs.

One of our last chances to make a (moderate) one-game statement.

I figured we'd be slight underdogs in the gambling parlors. Apparently not. We may have opened slight underdogs or as a push some places but the line seems to have slid to favor us by about two points.

[talksalot]

I figured we'd be slight underdogs in the gambling parlors. Apparently not. We may have opened slight underdogs or as a push some places but the line seems to have slid to favor us by about two points.

Vegas Insider consensus says Valpo now GIVING 3... and 98% of the money is on Valpo.  O/u is 137.5... something like 70-67.

[wh]

I wonder if MSU can duplicate this atmosphere:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4tCktnwwffc

[justducky]

I wonder if MSU can duplicate this atmosphere:

Yes but after that game the team went straight downhill!      A hangover curse that left both Missouri St and Valpo nowhere near the bubble both were seeking.

[FieldGoodie05]

Adekoya and JOSEPH not playing tonight "due to University matter"?

[hailcrusaders]

Am I correct in thinking this is on ESPN3?  The MVC has a contract with them as well?

[FWalum]

Adekoya and JOSEPH not playing tonight "due to University matter"?

Anybody know anything about the situation?

[Valpo2010]

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">Here is statement from @ValpoBasketball concerning Adekoya and Joseph. #HLMBB pic.twitter.com/ytu3Zm8LP3</p>&mdash; Paul Oren (@NWIOren) December 11, 2016
<script async src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

[agibson]

Adekoya and JOSEPH not playing tonight "due to University matter"?

Anybody know anything about the situation?

Valpo scratches players so rarely, I don't remember for sure what language they use. This is presumably distinct from a team rules violation?

I don't -think- they're on the bench, but haven't gotten a good look. Actually, take that back, maybe that is both of them. Weird.

I thought maybe they could have been sent back to campus for the last days of classes and to focus on classes. But they're in Missouri...

Finals start Monday. It seems too soon to be academically ineligible.

[Smj]

The statement does not answer any questions....

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