Iona @ Valpo Game Thread - Wednesday 7:05, CIT First Round

[agibson]

Pomeroy has the Gaels at #60 overall, to Valpo's #105.  He has the next game in his computer already, picking Iona to win 74-73, winning with 56% probability.  Should be a good one!

Realtimerpi has a prediction up as well.
http://realtimerpi.com/bin/rtr/rpi/scouting?team1=281&team2=253&gender=1&home=&date=03-16
Valpo 78 - Iona 75, Valpo with a 57% chance of winning.

Will we try to outrun them?  We might be able to beat them at their own game, but it feels less certain. 

Or, can we bring back some of the tough defense we've seen at times this season?

And I notice one Vegas line.  PK.  Even bet.  Flip a coin.

[Valpo89]

Here's what I'm thinking going into this game: The last time the pressure was "off" was the Missouri State game. They played relaxed, got an early lead, and you never got the sense that Missouri State would get back in the game. Homer was able to dust off the play book and use some old plays, like the halfcourt alley-oop play to Rogers that he always used to run with Raitis Grafs. Iona, yes, is supposed to be a good team that is ranked ahead of VU. But so was Missouri State. After they got down, they acted like the ARC was the last place in the world they wanted to be. Maybe that can happen again tonight.

[StlVUFan]

Here's what I'm thinking going into this game: The last time the pressure was "off" was the Missouri State game. They played relaxed, got an early lead, and you never got the sense that Missouri State would get back in the game. Homer was able to dust off the play book and use some old plays, like the halfcourt alley-oop play to Rogers that he always used to run with Raitis Grafs. Iona, yes, is supposed to be a good team that is ranked ahead of VU. But so was Missouri State. After they got down, they acted like the ARC was the last place in the world they wanted to be. Maybe that can happen again tonight.

I like the way you think, 89

[grad66]

Sounds reasonable that with the chance to rest some, most/all of the players should be ready to go for it.  Best of luck to the team, including the coaches!
Let's "Just Do It" ... Go Valpo!!

[bbtds]

Here's what I'm thinking going into this game: The last time the pressure was "off" was the Missouri State game. They played relaxed, got an early lead, and you never got the sense that Missouri State would get back in the game. Homer was able to dust off the play book and use some old plays, like the halfcourt alley-oop play to Rogers that he always used to run with Raitis Grafs. Iona, yes, is supposed to be a good team that is ranked ahead of VU. But so was Missouri State. After they got down, they acted like the ARC was the last place in the world they wanted to be. Maybe that can happen again tonight.

Wrong!

If you don't have height you must hit your 3 pointers. Period

Well, Iona got the message but Valpo didn't

[okinawatyphoon]

No wonder we weren't invited to the NIT. A disappointing end to a season that showed some promise. I hope we didn't spend too much money on this tournament with nothing to show for it!  

[chelseadal]

No wonder we weren't invited to the NIT. A disappointing end to a season that showed some promise. I hope we didn't spend too much money on this tournament with nothing to show for it! 

Sorry guys. The Gaels came in and took it. On to the Quarters. Wish it was the NCAAs. Oh well.

[Mr. Doom]

Sorry guys - tough loss to end season. I know we didn't see anywhere near your best.
Hopefully, we'll see you guys down the road in the near future.
Come back and take the Horizon next season!

[nkvu]

Sad.  Truely a sad end to the season.  Glad it wasn't in the NIT on National TV.  I think now we really overachieved during most of the season and only played to our true level at the end.  Iona has given the Horizon League a blueprint on how to play us next year.  Sag off ten feet on Buggs and make us play 4 on 5 on offense.  And unless we can dig up a true 5 with some skills, we will not be able to compete as we cannot shoot the 3 as a team consistantly enough to make up for it over the course of a season.

[vu72]

So, was Brandon sick or what?  Have you ever seen him on the bench for 14 minutes in the second half when we are down--or ever?  Something was up.
Our problem all year--we could have won several more--is we were a bad 3 point shooting team.  Not just tonight, we were something like 8th or 9th in the conference.  Couple that with our free throw shooting and there you have it.
Some real mysteries of late with Ryan kind of disappearing etc.  Why didn't Matt assert himself earlier?
I think you will see Jay and Brandon playing more together next year.  Erik is a great defender but as someone else said, teams have figured him out.  Perhaps a healthy Tommy Kurth will help also as he at least can shoot free throws.

We will be hard pressed to improve on this year unless we get someone big to help or Vucic or Cam really step it up.  Otherwise we will be bombing away with the same result--some great games and others like tonight.

[csd72]

I was going to ask the same thing. I couldn't believe how much he was on the bench. Early in the game he came in and nailed a couple of shots. I came here as soon as I got home to see if he was sick or something. Very weird.

So, was Brandon sick or what?  Hav eyou ever seen him on the bench for 14 minutes in the second half when we are down--or ever?  Something was up.
Our problem all year--we could have won several more--is we were a bad 3 point shooting team.  Not just tonight, we were something like 8th or 9th in the conference.  Couple that with our free throw shooting and ther you have it.
Some real mysteries of last with Ryan kind of disappearing etc.  Why didn't Mattt assert himself earlier?
I think you will see Jay and Brandon playing more together next year.  Erik is a great defender but as someone else said, teams have figured him out.  Perhaps a healthy Tommy Kurth will help also as he at least could shoot free throws.

We will be hard pressed to improve on this year unless we get someone big to jelp or Vucic or Cam really step it up.  Otherwise we will be bombing away with the same result--some great games and others like tonight.

So, was Brandon sick or what?  Hav eyou ever seen him on the bench for 14 minutes in the second half when we are down--or ever?  Something was up.
Our problem all year--we could have won several more--is we were a bad 3 point shooting team.  Not just tonight, we were something like 8th or 9th in the conference.  Couple that with our free throw shooting and ther you have it.
Some real mysteries of last with Ryan kind of disappearing etc.  Why didn't Mattt assert himself earlier?
I think you will see Jay and Brandon playing more together next year.  Erik is a great defender but as someone else said, teams have figured him out.  Perhaps a healthy Tommy Kurth will help also as he at least could shoot free throws.

We will be hard pressed to improve on this year unless we get someone big to jelp or Vucic or Cam really step it up.  Otherwise we will be bombing away with the same result--some great games and others like tonight.

[sliman]

Hey, let's give Iona some credit.  We didn't have our A game -- at least in outside shooting -- but Iona's pressure was a factor part of the time.  I don't know if we've seen a mid-major team all year that had the overall quickness they showed.  We've faced teams that had 2-3 players very quick, but they had five on the floor most of the time and we didn't react very well.  In fact, our reactions were slow all night -- tipped passes, fumbles, etc.  Some ugly memories of the Loyola game. 

[bbtds]

We will be hard pressed to improve on this year unless we get someone big to help or Vucic or Cam really step it up.  Otherwise we will be bombing away with the same result--some great games and others like tonight.

I just don't see how you think Vucic will improve enough to make a real difference. I agree with what another poster said that he will have a career a lot like Calum MacLeod. Tall but no big man skills.

[wh]

I don't know how much you could tell on the web, but trust me when I say this was a completely half-hearted effort.  The entire team looked disinterested, especially on the defensive end.   We were constantly beaten off the dribble.  Their players went around us like we had concrete in our shoes.  No one ever stepped over to take a charge.  Double teams came late.  No one blocked out.  Sloppy misses underneath the basket.  Fumble-itis the entire game.  Clutching up against the press.  Outhustled for loose balls.  They overplayed the passing lanes all game and we acted completely confused.  Our coaching staff looked like they took the week off too.  We looked totally unprepared for anything they did offensively or defensively.  Did anyone watch any tape?    Obviously Iona did.  They did the best job of not defending Eric that anyone has done all year.  What a wasted opportunity.  

[cmack]

What a truely fitting end to the season.  We again drop the ball when it really counts.  I have to ask if something changed in the dynamics of this team at the end.  Somehow we became a very different team with 5 games to go.   I have no inside info whatsoever.  I just feel like for such a promising team to simply bottom out, that maybe something went down late in the season to totally upset the chemistry.  There has to be something more than just a good team suddenly becoming a bad team.

[csd72]

A rough game to watch tonight. My write up on the game is now up. I am going through my pictures, and should have them up in about a half hour.

http://confessionsofasportsjunkie.wordpress.com/2011/03/16/gaels-bring-valpo-season-to-an-end/

[StlVUFan]

Sorry guys - tough loss to end season. I know we didn't see anywhere near your best.
Hopefully, we'll see you guys down the road in the near future.
Come back and take the Horizon next season!

Your team came in well prepared and on fire.  Well done.  Our play-by-play guy thinks you should be able to run the table.

I truly think we spent all our best bullets a month ago and kind of regressed to our mean, as the saying goes.

Folks, it's kinda hard to win when the other team shoots almost 60% from the field and over 50% from beyond the arc.

All through the game, I kept wanting to tell Todd Ickow, you can stop telling us now that so-and-so is not a good FT shooter because that clearly wasn't working either

It was as if our basket was a dixie cup and theirs was the ocean.  Not much you can do about that.

What concerns me are thoughts running around my head wondering if the guys were subconsciously setting themselves up to fail because they were bummed about not getting an invite to the NIT.  I'll never know, but I can't help but wonder.

*If* that were true, it would be a disconcerting sign for the future.

One thing's for certain: Erik Buggs better develop an outside shot over the summer or he's going to fall down the depth chart.  You've got to be able to make the other team guard you.  Maybe he just needs to believe in himself.

The low-post double team that worked so well earlier in the season (including the first half of the regular season) turned out to be a gimmick that was very scoutable.  Down the stretch it started failing epically.

Then there's Brandon Wood's game tonight, which leaves some unanswered questions heretofore alluded to.

Basically this game came down to who hit their shots and who didn't, and who got the steals and who didn't.  The latter is controllable, the former, not so much.  I don't think there were a lot of lucky bounces, I just think Iona played with a little more intensity defensively and they were very opportunistic (which was richly rewarded).

23-12 is still a mighty fine record.  That and 12-6 in conference are our best yet in the HL.  I think it's clear now just how far we still have to climb on this particular mountain, but I see no reason to give up hope for the future.  It's still doable.

[StlVUFan]

What a truely fitting end to the season.  We again drop the ball when it really counts.  I have to ask if something changed in the dynamics of this team at the end.  Somehow we became a very different team with 5 games to go.   I have no inside info whatsoever.  I just feel like for such a promising team to simply bottom out, that maybe something went down late in the season to totally upset the chemistry.  There has to be something more than just a good team suddenly becoming a bad team.

As I say, I think we were playing over our heads earlier.  However, I would also say that this kind of thing is still a challenge that teams deal with all the time, and some of them deal with it better than we did.

But I also think the rest of the league just caught up with us.  We were pretenders, in other words.  The postseason posed it's own challenge.  You lose your opportunity to go to the Dance, then you wait around hoping and praying you'll go to the NIT (because your coach is the eternal optimist instead of a hard-core realist - did anyone really bank on getting the NIT invite?  Not me) -- so much so that your disappointment is too much to recover from.

True?  I have no idea.  Possible?  Perhaps...

[nkvu]

We will be hard pressed to improve on this year unless we get someone big to help or Vucic or Cam really step it up.  Otherwise we will be bombing away with the same result--some great games and others like tonight.

I just don't see how you think Vucic will improve enough to make a real difference. I agree with what another poster said that he will have a career a lot like Calum MacLeod. Tall but no big man skills.

As I have said in the past, unless we can figure out how to recruit some skilled big people, we will be doomed to play people out of position.  Cory and Ryan did yeoman service in playing the 5 and 4, but it isn't really fair to expect them (and by extension) the team to excel with them playing out of position as they have the last two years.  And you can say that in the past, the Horizon League has been a guard dominated league, but I think that is changing.  Unless we figure out why we can't recruit skilled big guys, we will never seriously challenge.  I just don't see Cam (after 3 years of decreasing playing time) and Vucic doing this for us.  I haven't seen any report that Vucic will be a player.   As I observed before, he appears to be a Calum McCloud type - tall but not a contibuter.  as I see it, we have one scholarship left for next year.  Any hope for a big that can actually contribute?  

[cmack]

The secret stash of European 7-footers is gone.  And skilled big men are going to go to bigger better programs.  I would settle for a muscle-bound, bruising 6-7 power forward if we could get one.  I am tired of 6-9, 185lb. power forwards with perimeter shooting skills.

[rlh]

Tonight showed what I have said several times....in the past several weeks, teams have figured out how to play us.  Go inside, we can't do much about it if you have good strong men inside, like tonight, or Anthony Hill or Brown from Green Bay, Polka from Loyola.  We have to get bigger to make the next step and hopefully we will.  If we aren't hitting our outside shots like tonight, we are always going to be in trouble until we get an inside game of some sort.  Kudos to Cory and Ryan for the battle they put up all year, but Kevin, Hrvjoe and Cam have to step up next year and give us an inside presence, or we need to get one from a recruit.  Whichever, it has to be done to move up.....i loved this team, and loved this season....now we need to use this as a springboard for more.

[wh]

I think it's clear now just how far we still have to climb on this particular mountain, but I see no reason to give up hope for the future.  It's still doable.

I have no plans of giving up hope for the future and hopefully no one else will either.  I'm going to spend the next 2 weeks relaxing in St. Thomas and put this season in my rear view mirror.  Talk to everyone soon.    

[valpofan56]

I have to put a fair amount of the blame for this loss on Homer and the coaching staff.  It was clear from the first minute of the game exactly what Iona was doing on defense with Buggs.  After it was clear that Erik wasn't able to make them change what they were doing, he should have been yanked from the game and never put back in.  Valpo's offense relies a lot on backdoor cuts and with Iona playing a box and 1 and sagging off Buggs it plugged everything up on the inside, preventing us from getting anything in close to the basket.  Couple that with terrible outside shooting, which we really would have needed if we were going to beat that defense, and we were doomed.

[koala]

I heard Bryce talking after the game and he said that Brandon, Ryan and another player were all struggling with illness or injury and had not been able to practise much.   I know for a fact that Ryan was really unwell in the last two games of the season and so was going to struggle with energy and fitness for this one.   A disappointing end but I am still really proud of the team and also Cory and Ryan for playing out of position in the 4/5 and being up against bigger and stronger bodies as rlh pointed out.

[csd72]

Pictures are now up. I tried to get a few of the seniors. I look forward to getting a few more next season.

http://confessionsofasportsjunkie.wordpress.com/2011/03/16/valparaiso-crusaders-vs-iona-gaels-photo-gallery/