Game #30 - @ Wright State 2/24 6:30 PM CST

[VULB#62]

Somebody has to start it.

[oklahomamick]

Vegas has Valpo a 2 point favorite. 

[M]

I think now that the air has cleared and they have got past senior night they are ready to roll!  Valpo wins it 75-68.

[bigmosmithfan1]

Have we ever played well at the Nutter Center? It sure feels like we haven't.

[PlumStreetBum]

Have we ever played well at the Nutter Center? It sure feels like we haven't.

You might say that we frequently get busted at the Nutt. 


I'm sorry, I couldn't help it.


I'll show myself out.

[VUOR63]

Tonight, Valpo wins and Oakland loses.  Sunday, the starters play about 10 minutes.  Mark it down!

[PlumStreetBum]

Okay, substantive post time.
The all-time series stands at 15-14 in favor of Wright State, but Valpo is 12-10 against them in the HL. All-time at the Nutter Center, the Raiders are 9-5 against Valpo.
HL results from the Nutter Center:
2015-16: VU 62 - 73 WS (L)
2014-15: VU 66 - 56 WS (W)
2013-14: VU 58 - 67 WS (L)
2012-13: VU 68 - 61 WS (W)
2011-12: VU 55 - 73 WS (L)
2010-11: VU 71 - 60 WS (W)
2009-10: VU 57 - 59 WS (L)
2008-09: VU 58 - 68 WS (L)
2007-08: VU 71 - 66 WS (W)

[VU2014]

I'm going to be split screening the valpo game and the Oakland @Green Bay game tonight. Some big games tonight.

Its pretty cut and dry. Valpo needs to win and hopefully Oakland gets out of their hot shooting streak and goes cold for the rest of the season at Green Bay tonight.

What I'd like to see from Valpo tonight:
-Start shooting the ball better. We are not a good jump shooting team, but hopefully guys like Tevonn, Max, lexus, and Micah get hot and carry that confidence and shooting into the conference tourney

-Tevonn always gives strong effort of the defensive end (he'll make sometimes silly fouls but thats going to happen when you play hard defense), but I'd like him to heat up offensively. He's played much better offensively the last 2 games. Just would like to see consistency.

-I want to see Smits not foul out. Smits suffers from some ridiculous foul calls from officials earlier in the season, but the last few games his defense has been horrendous and he deserved the fouls he's getting called on. I don't want to be to critical but he has just been bad and it's causing jay to have to carry a heavy minutes load. Smits is only a freshman and will get better in the future but I'd like him to just play fundamentally sound defense in the post and use his 7'2" frame to fight for rebounds. I just want him to give us some minutes with out being a defensive liability. It's been a tough stretch but he's better then he's played and is capable.

-I would like us to get out to a big early lead and not let up on the lead, so we could give Alec, Shane, Jay and Tevonn some rest.

-Have everyone stays healthy

[oklahomamick]

I understand GB is a difficult place to play, but Oakland is hot right now.  Their stock trending up.  I only wished one of those free throws from UWM went in against Oakland. 

[covufan]

We need to take care of our business and win this game.  Watching the other scores is for the fans.

Valpo   77
WSU    70

[valpotx]

Valpo 72
Wright State 67

Green Bay 81
Oakland 77

[Valpo Joe]

Another OT - Valpo runs out of bench - 3 T Fouls against Valpo - double digit TO - 3pt 31% - Valpo wins by 1

[Valpower]

-I want to see Smits not foul out. Smits suffers from some ridiculous foul calls from officials earlier in the season, but the last few games his defense has been horrendous and he deserved the fouls he's getting called on. I don't want to be to critical but he has just been bad and it's causing jay to have to carry a heavy minutes load. Smits is only a freshman and will get better in the future but I'd like him to just play fundamentally sound defense in the post and use his 7'2" frame to fight for rebounds. I just want him to give us some minutes with out being a defensive liability. It's been a tough stretch but he's better then he's played and is capable.

I'd like to see Smits defend the shot then CONSISTENTLY, almost rhythmically, get quickly back to business of positioning for a rebound.  I've noticed at times that he will linger in an upright position with his back to the basket (well after the ball has left the shooter's hand) as if to prove to the refs that he's maintained an upright body position.  Not only does it not convince the refs, it may actually just call their attention to him.  Most importantly he misses a lot of rebound opportunities.

[VU2014]

Betting line for tonights game is Valpo (-2). Close odds.

[78crusader]

We have not shown we can beat an upper level HL team on the road.  WSU 76-71. 

Paul

[wh]

I hope I'm wrong (of course), but I would not be surprised if we lose both games this weekend. I have lost a lot of confidence in this team. We're consistently getting outplayed at guard, Derrik has become a huge liability at both ends, and we lack talent at the end of the rotation. While other teams have gotten better, we haven't. Add to that the never ending Jubril hangover and low energy funk, and I don't see much reason for optimism.

[VUfan]

Lets play to our ability and be on the ball.    and get some help from friends ( GB).  VU78- WSU 70

[FieldGoodie05]

I hope I'm wrong (of course), but I would not be surprised if we lose both games this weekend. I have lost a lot of confidence in this team. We're consistently getting outplayed at guard, Derrik has become a huge liability at both ends, and we lack talent at the end of the rotation. While other teams have gotten better, we haven't. Add to that the never ending Jubril hangover and low energy funk, and I don't see much reason for optimism.

Sadly I'm with WH on this one.  Our guard play has regressed.  NKU is a win.  WSU is a loss.  Oakland has its groove back...😩

[VU2014]

We have not shown we can beat an upper level HL team on the road.  WSU 76-71. 

I'd put Oakland and Valpo on a different level then every other team in the conference. Oakland is the only other team I would consider upper level.

Green Bay is a good team and well coached but not on the level of VU and Oakland and that terrible loss to Green Bay at their place on the back end of the Wisconsin road trip. That Wisconsin road trip back to back has been a problem for every team in the Horizon for years. Valpo just flat out didn't show up to play and had zero effort. I put that game in the unacceptable mulligan.

Oakland is a very good team. And their strengths take advantage our weaknesses. Their defense is a good matchup well against our offensive scheme. Another couple factors are that we are not an athletic team. We have Shane and Tevonn as the only two regular starters that are athletic. Max is athletic but he's not reached the same caliber of Tevonn and Shane. I also think our lack of depth this year has hurt us. But at the end of the day credit Oakland. I'm hoping coach Lottich purposely didn't open up his bag of tricks for that 2nd game in terms of scheming and he was holding back for the conference tourney because we know Kampe is going to attack and play us the same way if we meet up.

The roster needs to be remodeled after this season. Don't get me wrong we are a good team but we have weaknesses against longer more athletic teams. Alec's greatness covers up for many of the deficiencies with the roster. I don't blame Lottich for the roster because it was an odd transition year with losing our starting PG (Keith), Replacing Vashil with to 2 freshman Centers, Skara transfer, Jubril suspension along with 2 (originally 3) redshirts.

We're still a good team and well coached but we have weaknesses. No need to jump off a ledge. I have confidence with this team but I see the realities of our weaknesses. We could beat any team in the Horizon on a good night (including Oakland). 

[a3uge]

Oakland lost to Cleveland State and Detroit at home. And also were VERY lucky to escape UWM and UIC. And not in a "they were close with 4 min left" kind of way. They're not as good as their record shows.

[vu72]

I suspect we are going on the road for two Senior Night Celebration games.  Never a good situation.  On the other hand we are playing teams who have lost at home to North Carolina Central (NKU) and Youngstown State (WSU). I think the tougher matchup will be with NKU.  Wright State goes as Alstork goes and he was shut down big time by CSU (7 points on 1 for 11 shooting).

It will be very tough but I think we have the mindset to win both.  I see a sweep.

[talksalot]

WSU's senior "night" is Sunday afternoon against UIC.

[NativeCheesehead]

These two games are going to be very interesting even beyond the title implications. We are used to Valpo teams playing their best basketball down the stretch. This team has not shown that.
Now sure, the Jubril situation has taken both a physical and mental toll. But after the final ruling came down that's no more than an excuse. We have more talent than any other conference team save maybe OU. It's time for that to come through.

Two marks of a great coach are leading your team through adversity and having them ready for the end of the year. Lottich will show us a lot over the next two weeks.

[wh]

Oakland lost to Cleveland State and Detroit at home. And also were VERY lucky to escape UWM and UIC. And not in a "they were close with 4 min left" kind of way. They're not as good as their record shows.

That's a good description of the team that went 5-4 in the first half. Unfortunately, they're 7-0 in the 2nd half, including another blowout win over Valpo.

[AlecPeters101]

Let's gamble a little what do ya say!?!?! If Alec peters doesn't play for the rest of the season everybody owes me $20 deal? Once you agree you can't turn back on your word, so you better be confident.