Valpo First HL Tournament Game Saturday

[valpopal]

I think we need to stop calling ourselves Butler. In our most dominant stretch as a team we didn't win any tournament games and Peters willc end his career only making it to 1 tournament.Butler actually did things with their good teams.

That was a Wright State poster who referenced Valpo as "the new Butler" in an insult at VU.

[DMvalpo18]

Guess what?  The only pathetic thing in my sight right now is our fandom.  Its so discouraging seeing everyone dump on the team. Yes the game was terrible but the defense at least kept them in the game. Alec Peters is more than 23 points per game. Teams constantly double team and triple team him making the other players more successful. Give credit to Milwaukee's defense too. They knew that Valpo would be shooting 3's. They defended those shots and lanes where Walker and Hammink would normally drive and score were not there. Peters prescience on the court was worth more than 23 points. Lets not cry over Skara. Or Carter. Or even Jubril's poor decision. It was a successful year up to Peters injury. Wins against Rhode Island, Alabama and BYU were pretty good. I enjoyed this team. I don't think they did not slack off in tonights game as so many others are whining about. Just my 2 cents. And no I'm not a troll. Been a proud season ticket holder foe many years. A VU grad and while I may not post a lot I do read the fan website every day. In the end I know we are fans. Fans have a right to gripe and also to speak well of and for the team. Until next year which many may think will be down, I for one think not. Thanks for reading my "gripe"

Thumbs up on this. People forget very quickly that an entire season shifts course based on a few moments of things not going the right way. One play where Peters gets hurt changes things dramatically. We also had 3 shots at the end to avoid that terrible loss, just couldn't do it.

[valpotx]

Guess what?  The only pathetic thing in my sight right now is our fandom.  Its so discouraging seeing everyone dump on the team. Yes the game was terrible but the defense at least kept them in the game. Alec Peters is more than 23 points per game. Teams constantly double team and triple team him making the other players more successful. Give credit to Milwaukee's defense too. They knew that Valpo would be shooting 3's. They defended those shots and lanes where Walker and Hammink would normally drive and score were not there. Peters prescience on the court was worth more than 23 points. Lets not cry over Skara. Or Carter. Or even Jubril's poor decision. It was a successful year up to Peters injury. Wins against Rhode Island, Alabama and BYU were pretty good. I enjoyed this team. I don't think they did not slack off in tonights game as so many others are whining about. Just my 2 cents. And no I'm not a troll. Been a proud season ticket holder foe many years. A VU grad and while I may not post a lot I do read the fan website every day. In the end I know we are fans. Fans have a right to gripe and also to speak well of and for the team. Until next year which many may think will be down, I for one think not. Thanks for reading my "gripe"

Unfortunately, while Milwaukee DID play good defense, our defense was not very good.  We gave up a lot of open looks.  It is only because Milwaukee couldn't shoot their way out of a barn today, that we were even in this game.  I understand that you are trying to be positive, but this was a piss poor effort by our team.  The season was a success in spite of adversity, but this game was played at about 50% effort.

[SanityLost17]

Why do you say the Horizon League has reached its lowest point?  Just because Valpo (the new Butler) lost? Maybe the rest of the league is as competitive as Valpo and Oakland. That is good for the league.

The league has reached its lowest point because only a few teams do a damn thing in the non-conference.  The teams that don't do anything worthy proceed to destroy everyone's RPI throughout the season(even in loses), and then get rewarded with neutral court opportunities to spring upsets to further destroy teams that actually went out and did something prior to January.  So, if you are so equal, go get yourself a sub-100 rpi entering HL  play once in a while, otherwise shut the hell up and go away!

[FWalum]

Unfortunately, while Milwaukee DID play good defense, our defense was not very good.  We gave up a lot of open looks.  It is only because Milwaukee couldn't shoot their way out of a barn today, that we were even in this game.  I understand that you are trying to be positive, but this was a piss poor effort by our team.  The season was a success in spite of adversity, but this game was played at about 50% effort.

I don't know what game you where watching. Yes we couldn't throw the ball in the ocean, but the defensive effort and intensity was there all night.

[VU2014]

I don't really know what to say tonight... I was avoiding the forums since the beginning of this game. I love Valpo Basketball (as we all do) but it would be an understatement to say I was disappointed with the effort tonight. We just didn't show up tonight and 8-10 times we should beat this MKE team.

I don't blame the coaches. They can't suit up to play for them. I want to stress MKE played great defense and came up with a few big 3's in this game, but this Valpo team has more talent then that even without Alec. Judging from the effort from a few players tonight their counterpart wanted it more tonight.

I was shocked how much Lexus was passing up shots tonight. Not just him but many guys. They were passing up open shots and drained the play clock down to the last few seconds and settled for bad shots. Missed some shots (which is expected but not the amount of shots).

Some people may disagree but I can't blame the Coaches for this loss. THIS IS ON THE PLAYERS. This is going to be a game where players say to themselves, "What could I have done differently" for a while. Just feel bad for seniors. Not the way you want to go out.

[valpotx]

Unfortunately, while Milwaukee DID play good defense, our defense was not very good.  We gave up a lot of open looks.  It is only because Milwaukee couldn't shoot their way out of a barn today, that we were even in this game.  I understand that you are trying to be positive, but this was a piss poor effort by our team.  The season was a success in spite of adversity, but this game was played at about 50% effort.

I don't know what game you where watching. Yes we couldn't throw the ball in the ocean, but the defensive effort and intensity was there all night.

I watched the game where everyone just wanted to pass the ball around the perimeter.  There weren't any drives to the basket.  Yes, they were in a zone, but you can always drive to draw them to you, which opens up better shots.  That is how people shoot us out of a zone, so why couldn't we have even attempted to do such a thing?  We had a few drives at the end, but for the bulk of the game, we had late shot clock looks that were rushed.  On defense, we did have some good stands, but we also let them get to the basket pretty easily, and to kick it out for various open 3 point shots.  We were extremely lucky that they missed several shots within 5 feet of the basket, as well as bricking many 3 pointers.  The effort was about 50%, and I am not angry as I type this up.  This game would be a good example to show my sons in how not to play when your shots aren't falling.  We didn't have any of the hustle points that you need, when your shot is not working.  We shot 7 of 15 from the FT line.  The only positive from this game was that we ended up +11 in rebounds, but we didn't do anything with those second chances...

[nkvu]

First, last, and only post this season. Sorry it has to be such a downer.

A pathetic end to the most disappointing season I can remember.  Great start. Pitiful end.  No leadership. No mental toughness. The Joe is so much in the team's heads that they would be lucky to hit the Detroit River with a shot. When your most consistent player is a freshman walk on your program is in trouble.

So which alphabet tournament will we go to (not the NIT I expect) to give our underclassmen a chance to play in another meaningless game.  Will Shane even bother to play in it?  He still has some chance to play overseas so why take a chance on being hurt right? Who cares?

Smits and Sorolla should shoot 10,000 free throws before next season. If they had shot just 50% we would have won this cluster#%?! of a game. At least then I could have postponed my disappointment for a couple of days

Hope the league is happy with all the empty seats shown on tv. An NKU v Green Bay final could have an attendance of less than 1000 unless they drag people in off the street. Hey I've got no problem with giving street people a warm place to be for a few hours in March. The league should give them a voucher for hot dog and a coke too.

Best wishes to Alec. In hindsight I wish now he and had transferred to Vanderbilt or some other potential tournament team. Maybe fewer minutes would have helped him avoid the leg problem and I could have had a connection to somebody playing in the big dance. Now I probably won't even watch a game. Hope it doesn't affect his chances in the NBA draft.

Bye

[M]

Unfortunate end to the regular season.

Hoping they play in a postseason tourney...any post season tourney.

[VU2014]

Guess what?  The only pathetic thing in my sight right now is our fandom.  Its so discouraging seeing everyone dump on the team.

Not disappointed in the regular season, but its fair game to "dump" on the teams effort tonight.

The guys didn't show up tonight. The guys looked very passive and nobody looked like they wanted to become an aggressor other then Kiser and maybe Smits in very early going of the game.

Coaches can't play the game for them. There are going to be nights where shots are not falling but they should NEVER be nights like this. MKE played good D but its not like they we playing NBA caliber D.

12 points in the 1st half. I repeat 12 points!! That is unacceptable on any level. It is not without of bounds to criticize this effort. And someones fandom should not be questioned for pointing out the obvious.

The guys had a moderately successful regular season but nobody plays to win regular season titles and that should not become the bar of expectation for this fan base.

[justducky]

Our fatal flaws were exposed. No Jubril, no Alec equals almost no inside game and a reduced rebound margin. So clog the driving lanes and place modest pressure on the 3 legitimate 3 point shooters we have left on the floor and our offense sputters to a halt. Actually our best driver is also our best outside shooter (Shane) so that only left 2 fair outside shooters on the perimeter for the drive and dish. That isn't a formula for success. Derrik and Jay needed great tournament performances for us to have any chance for a championship. Didn't happen. Just too many pieces of the puzzle gone.

Alec gone! Best rebounder, best 3 point shooter, best inside scoring threat. Thats a lot of holes to fill.

[valpotx]

We will want to root for the #1 seeds to win their tournaments this season.  We are still predicted to be a 7 seed in the NIT, which would be a nice consolation for this season and how it ended.  I don't think it worthwhile to play in the CBI or CIT.

http://www.nycbuckets.com/current-nit-bracketology/

[justducky]

We will want to root for the #1 seeds to win their tournaments this season.  We are still predicted to be a 7 seed in the NIT, which would be a nice consolation for this season and how it ended.  I don't think it worthwhile to play in the CBI or CIT.

http://www.nycbuckets.com/current-nit-bracketology/

Ordinarily I would agree. BUT - we are down to one forward with a reliable 3 point shot. ONE! How can we compete?

[VU2014]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CIWO3dxVnO8

[bbtds]

Prior to that YSU had the home town fans silent.

Not in my ear they certainly weren't silent. So much of what you hear on television/ESPN3 broadcast is decided upon by where the TV production people put the microphones.

[usc4valpo]

Bad stuff happens in life. This is not the end of the world. One thing about watching sports is that there are no guarantees. Hey, at least this is not the 80's where a 20 win season would have students dancing in the cold!

The more games you play, the better. More playing time implies more player evaluation, and this is imperative for next year.

[vu72]

What in the world did Matt mean/say about not even being able to have any time in the place prior to pre-game warmups?  He said the last time we had a chance to put up any shots was last year!!!  Paul asked whether or not it was a Valpo scheduling issue or a Horizon League issue with no real answer provided.  If everyone faced the same problem then fine, it was an even playing field.  If for some reason it was unique to us, then we either screwed ourselves or the League had it out for us.

[M]

I heard that too! Matt seemed pretty irritated about that (or maybe just from the night in general).

[a3uge]

Does the Horizon rethink the double-bye? Having no 1-2 seeds in the semis is really bad. That means no RPI boost in remaining games, an uninteresting finals matchup, and of course, a bad seed in the NCAA tournament.

I thought the elimination of the double byes was asking for trouble. It's harder to win 3 games than two, and you're just shifting the sitting duck problem a round earlier.

It's just another round of "I told you so."

But I guess the Horizon has shifted its focus on trying to make money in one weekend vs the NCAA tournament.

[wh]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CIWO3dxVnO8

4:18 into the video:

Matt comment:
"It's tough when you come in and don't take any shots in the arena."

Oren follow-up question:
"Coach, I don't know if this is the time to bring this up, but the same kind of thing happened last year not getting into the arena and everything. What led to that? Was it a Valpo scheduling thing?  A Horizon League scheduling thing? What was it?

Matt reply:
"I don't know. I just know it's difficult."

So, for 2 consecutive years we take the floor against teams that played the day before, and our players haven't so much bounced a ball or taken a shot until pregame warmups. And we lose both games. By the way, 40% of our minutes were played by freshmen in their first college tournament game in an arena they've never been to before.

Two years ago when Valpo hosted, a comprehensive practice schedule published by the league was posted on every door, showing when each team had exclusive use of the floor on what day. I cannot image that has changed. Before our tournament game against Maryland we had exclusive use of the arena.

IMO there's about a 95% chance this is another Valpo Athletic Department F-up. I know there are people who post anonymously on this board who work in the Athletic Department. If you don't have the gumption to defend your employer and refute this notion, my suspicion will become 100%.

If this is a "Valpo thing," someone's head needs to roll. But, of course it won't because that would be admitting guilt and accepting responsibility,
and if we learned anything from the Jubril situation, never ever do that.

[brycepeters]

I think I speak for all Valpo Fans when I say go Phoenix today!

We need Green Bay to run the table and shock the world beating a two seed and get this conference back on the map!

It's clear Valpo and Oakland had no interest in doing that this year so why not them? 

[crusader05]

I know the team was practicing on Detroit-Mercy's court on, I beleive, Friday. I wonder if it's due to having to play four games on Friday so there's little time to schedule in others? Unless the team goes up 2-3 days earlier than they need too which then turns into extra cost.

[valpotx]

I think I speak for all Valpo Fans when I say go Phoenix today!

We need Green Bay to run the table and shock the world beating a two seed and get this conference back on the map!

It's clear Valpo and Oakland had no interest in doing that this year so why not them? 

GB will never get this conference back on the map, unless you are talking about the Women's side...

[M]

I'm pulling for a Charles Cooper led Green Bay team....

The whole not getting in the gym is so bizarre...add in the fact that the same thing occurred last year. Makes absolutely no sense.

[valpopal]

If the teams were not allowed any time for practice in the arena due to Horizon League scheduling, especially after the problems encountered by top seeds in last year's tournament, then that would just add another negative element to the debacle that is Motor City Madness. As mentioned elsewhere, when the tournament was held at campus sites, all teams were scheduled time to practice on the court and get comfortable with shooting in that environment.