MVC Hoops: 2017-18

VUGrad1314 · April 13, 2018, 01:16:11 PM

Walter McCarty is building himself a pretty solid looking staff with strong connections to Butler. His staff includes ex Bulldogs (and Iowa Hawkeyes) coach Todd Lickliter and ex South Alabama coach and former Butler assistant Matthew Graves This tells me two things: 1. The Aces are probably going to try to recruit Indianapolis and the surrounding area hard and 2. They'll probably get a series with Butler started sometime soon. That would be a good get for them.

IrishDawg · April 13, 2018, 02:13:25 PM

Quote from: VUGrad1314 on April 13, 2018, 01:16:11 PM
Walter McCarty is building himself a pretty solid looking staff with strong connections to Butler. His staff includes ex Bulldogs (and Iowa Hawkeyes) coach Todd Lickliter and ex South Alabama coach and former Butler assistant Matthew Graves This tells me two things: 1. The Aces are probably going to try to recruit Indianapolis and the surrounding area hard and 2. They'll probably get a series with Butler started sometime soon. That would be a good get for them.

We'll see on the series, but generally speaking, staffs with those kinds of personal connections (and there are a bunch) don't like to hurt each other's careers. It'll definitely be a couple years anyway as Butler has home and homes with Ole Miss and Florida this season and next season.

valpo64 · April 13, 2018, 04:24:02 PM

I have not heard anything on McCarty as a coach, ass't or whatever he has been doing until now. Was he a "big" name candidate? And now with the hiring of Lickleiter and Graves I am really confused. They are 2 experienced coaches working for a guy who is basically an unknown quantity??

VUGrad1314 · April 13, 2018, 05:33:40 PM

First of all McCarty isn't completely unknown to the college game. He spent 3-4 years as an assistant at Louisville. I think 2007-2010 or 2011. Secondly, McCarty is a local guy with ample NBA experience as both a player and a coach. This will play well with recruits. I think McCarty's NBA and Brad Stevens connections were big here. Lickliter Graves and McCarty all have deep connections to Butler/Brad Stevens and/or the NBA. Graves was an assistant under Stevens at Butler Lickliter was replaced by Stevens at Butler after he took the job at Iowa where he failed miserably and has experience I believe as an NBA scout, while McCarty was an assistant under Stevens with the Celtics ( and under Jim O'Brien with the Pacers). Because of these connections the three probably felt better about working together. In addition to his local ties, one reason McCarty appeals to a program like Evansville that has been down for so long is because unlike his two lead assistants who may have equal or better qualifications is because he doesn't have the same stigma of being a coaching retread. Had the Aces gone that route even for someone with a resume like Lickliter who was very successful at Butler I doubt the fanbase would be as excited. As for why these men chose to join up with McCarty is likely due to Stevens and timing. Having washed out at South Alabama Graves I'm sure was eager to continue his career and nobody was going to offer him a HC job. Same with Lickliter, his Iowa tenure was really bad and he had been away from the college game for awhile. He definitely would need to prove he can still recruit in order to become a HC again which I think is his goal.

covufan · April 13, 2018, 08:15:35 PM

McCarty is wise to get two assistants with previous HC experience. That is not a bottom MVC staff. I'm sure we'll see some of the Evansville players that originally asked to transfer coming back to the program. The MVC in 2019 just got tougher.

VU2014 · April 13, 2018, 10:11:49 PM

Quote from: covufan on April 13, 2018, 08:15:35 PM
McCarty is wise to get two assistants with previous HC experience. That is not a bottom MVC staff. I'm sure we'll see some of the Evansville players that originally asked to transfer coming back to the program. The MVC in 2019 just got tougher.

Not a bad staff, but I don't think it will change their fortunes in 2019. They'll probably be a bottom dweller next season. Dru Smith and Ryan Taylor won't be coming back to Evansville. It's a rebuild down there.

VUGrad1314 · April 14, 2018, 01:03:30 AM

It may take some time to start seeing results but this much is clear: For the first time since Crews roamed the sidelines Evansville fans have legitimate reason to believe that the program is being stewarded by people who will lead it somewhere good. Big time upgrade over Marty Simmons and his staff.

valpo64 · April 14, 2018, 01:08:20 PM

VUgrad I appreciate your insight and info on the U of E coaching situation. However it still seems a little bit unusual what has come together there. Hopefully it will work out for them. One thing for sure it isn't the smooth Butler way to put together a staff. Different strokes for different folks.

VUGrad1314 · April 14, 2018, 07:06:38 PM

Well, Evansville doesn't have the same level of sustained success, stability, and continuity that Butler has either. Gotta start somewhere. I agree that it is a strange way to put together a staff. I'm betting Lickliter especially will be leaned upon heavily if McCarty should need any help. As I said, Evansville benefited greatly from timing here. Neither Lickliter nor Graves was likely to get a HC offer, but it's clear they wanted to get back into coaching preferably in a place where they're comfortable and are known (both have strong midwest ties). Furthermore Evansville presented a great opportunity because they could play an important and prominent role in a turnaround that, if successful, would be a huge boon to their careers. If it's not successful, at least their names are back out there as they pursue other jobs.

FieldGoodie05 · April 14, 2018, 07:12:26 PM

Quote from: VUGrad1314 on April 14, 2018, 07:06:38 PM
Well, Evansville doesn't have the same level of sustained success, stability, and continuity that Butler has either. Gotta start somewhere. I agree that it is a strange way to put together a staff. I'm betting Lickliter especially will be leaned upon heavily if McCarty should need any help. As I said, Evansville benefited greatly from timing here. Neither Lickliter nor Graves was likely to get a HC offer, but it's clear they wanted to get back into coaching preferably in a place where they're comfortable and are known (both have strong midwest ties). Furthermore Evansville presented a great opportunity because they could play an important and prominent role in a turnaround that, if successful, would be a huge boon to their careers. If it's not successful, at least their names are back out there as they pursue other jobs.

It's outstanding to see strong opportunities like the Evansville hires in our new conference. Even better that the private school portion of the MVC has a brighter future and present (Loyola).

Now it's Valpo's job to hold up its end of the bargain. We sure could use a Top 5 finish this coming year to wipe out the mess that was 2017/18.

VU2014 · July 11, 2018, 09:38:01 AM

https://twitter.com/HoopvilleAdam/status/1016690308334215169

2017-18 MVC Post-Mortem
July 6, 2018
@HoopvilleAdam

http://www.hoopville.com/2018/07/06/2017-18-mvc-post-mortem/

oklahomamick · July 11, 2018, 11:10:55 AM

Is it too early to start a poll on our mvc finish this year? I know I know, our schedule won't be published until September....😂 so a poll in July might be early.