Game #5 - Samford Bulldogs @ ARC 11/21/17 7PM Savannah Invitational #2

[talksalot]

For starters... Samford is in Birmingham, Alabama.  who knew.

We played them in the ARC under Scott Drew in 2002 and Crusaders won 87-79

We Played them in the UAB Classic (played in Birmingham in 1983, but across town from their campus)... and the Bulldogs won 75-69.

Not sure how good this team is.

11/10 - Lost to Arkansas  95-56
11/13 - beat Alabama A&M  87-68
11/16 - Lost to LSU 105-86

Sagarin #204 this morning. (Valpo is #98)

They will be playing Loyola on Sunday at 2pm also part of the Savannah Invitational.

They have three guys in double-figures

22  Densel-Dyson  6-5 Senior starter 12.3
  2  Coleman 5-10 Junior off the bench with 11.3
20 Thompson 6-8 Senior starter with 10.3
00 Cunningham 6-2 Senior starter with 7.7
3 Sharkey 5-10 Sophomore starter with 6.7
33 Walker 6-9 Junior Starter with 9.0

#55 - Alex Peters - Has scored 8 points on the season, and has missed all four free throw attempts.

and they have a 7-0 Senior  Center from Spain... who has not played this year... don't know why.
====================
the LSU story:

BATON ROUGE, La. -- The Samford University basketball team played even in the second half with the homestanding LSU Tigers on Thursday, 58-58, but couldn't overcome a lackluster opening period of action in a 105-86 non-conference setback held at the Pete Maravich Assembly Center.

Samford (1-2) shot a sizzling 61.1 percent from 3-point range (11-of-18) in the second half. The Bulldogs finished the contest with 15 baskets from beyond the arc, including a season-high five 3-pointers from junior guard Justin Coleman.

Coleman scored 19 points on 7-of-12 shooting from the field and added a pair of assists. Senior guard Demetrius Denzel-Dyson led all scorers with 21 points on 7-of-16 attempts, including five rebounds and four 3-point baskets.

Samford's senior forward Alex Thompson also scored in double figures with 10 points, but only played a total of 16 minutes before fouling out. Fellow senior Eric Adams logged 32 minutes for the Bulldogs and pulled down a team-high seven rebounds. He also led the team with four steals and dropped in seven points.

Samford got off to a slow start against LSU. The Bulldogs committed 11 turnovers in the first half and only shot 39.3 percent from the field in the opening 20 minutes of action.

Head Coach Scott Padgett's squad looked more relaxed in the second half and only committed four turnovers in the final 20 minutes of play. Samford also shot the ball much better and knocked down 57.1 percent of its attempts from the floor.
================
Yes, THAT Scott Padgett...
Scott Padgett, the former collegiate standout at the University of Kentucky, NCAA champion and first-round NBA draft pick, is in the midst of his fourth season as head coach of the Samford Bulldogs and his sixth as a member of the program. On June 6, 2014, he was officially named the 28th head basketball coach at Samford University.

As one of the top up-and-coming young coaches in the nation, Padgett has quickly transformed the Bulldogs' basketball team into a Southern Conference championship competitor and rapidly revamped Samford's recruiting efforts; turning the beautiful, head-turning Southern university to a destination campus.

On July 3, Padgett signed a five-year contract extension that protracted his deal to now last throughout the 2021-22 campaign.

"I'm thrilled to announce a five-year extension for Coach Padgett," said Samford Director of Athletics Martin Newton. "Scott has brought a tremendous work ethic, passion and winning culture to our basketball program. He is a proven winner and has done so at every stage of his college and NBA playing career, and now in his coaching career. Scott is a tremendous asset to our university and community. He exemplifies the mission of this great university. He is a players-first coach and an outstanding role model for our student-athletes."

Last season, Samford concluded the 2016-17 campaign with its most victories in 11 years (20), as well as the Bulldogs' first winning season since 2005-06. Samford also set a number of school records last year, including points, field-goal attempts, free throws and assists.

The Bulldogs accumulated a school-record 2,834 points and shattered the previous record of 2,335, which was set during the 1970-71 campaign.

I know you'll want to know that last year, VU scored 2.408 points, the year before we scored 2,782 in 37 games... both of those were school records.  We have been over 2,300 in each of the past 8 years.

[valpotx]

They have had solid seasons in the past, but we should win this at home:

Valpo 82
Samford 68

[covufan]

Like watching this team!  Looking forward to the last half of November games.

Valpo   88
Samford 69

[VULB#62]

What is this team's ceiling?  I can't remember a  VU team so athletic ..... and also disciplined and skilled to boot.

[talksalot]

Loyola beat Samford 88_67 today.  I'm going with 82 to 59

[VU75]

and they have a 7-0 Senior  Center from Spain... who has not played this year... don't know why

He is a transfer from South Florida sitting out this season.

[valpolaw]

Hopefully this one will also 80 something to 50 something again.

[VULB#62]

I love 80 something to 50 something wins.

[VU2014]

It will be interesting to compare the Loyola vs Samford game to our game against them on Tuesday.

If you want to watch the LU vs Samford game: http://www.espn.com/watch/_/id/3200140/samford-vs-loyolachicago-m-basketball
https://twitter.com/BettsSportsBeat/status/932464619179913218
https://twitter.com/CBB_Central/status/932383129268051968

[talksalot]

Can someone else start the next few game threads? I'm out of town.

[talksalot]

Thanks to Mike Targonski for filling in for me at the PA

[valpo4life]

I wouldn't mind seeing a change in the starting lineup for this one. I personally want to see Kiser get a starting role over Hazen, I think he's earned it. Good things seem to happen when he's on the court for us, my favorite stat of his is that he has just 1 turnover in 77 minutes this year. And hopefully this would light a fire under Hazen to get him going as I see him as the ideal guy to have in that spot. Keep Golder in that energy off the bench spot, it fits him well.

Hoping for a little more of a challenge in this one. I know the way our schedule was built is a good thing for the players and coaches, but I'm ready for the jump up in competition. We're not going to be able to keep playing 12 guys a night. We are probably the only team in the country that doesn't have a single player averaging 25+ mins or single digits. That isn't realistic. We all know they talent we have, we know what each guy on the roster can bring, now we need to find out who can do it against better opponents. That's the next step for our season. Samford played Loyola pretty tough until the last couple of minutes, so I think we will learn more about our team tomorrow than we have so far this season.

[bbtds]

Thanks to Mike Targonski for filling in for me at the PA

Hardly noticed any difference. Just kidding, You would have kept the lost cell phone. 

[bbtds]

Did you notice how Kiser took over in the situation when Golder got in the jawing match with the SELA player?  JK "discussed" the situation with Marcus and made sure he saw that a physical confrontation was not the proper response.

[wh]

Valpo opens -9.

[SanityLost17]

I wouldn't mind seeing a change in the starting lineup for this one. I personally want to see Kiser get a starting role over Hazen, I think he's earned it. Good things seem to happen when he's on the court for us, my favorite stat of his is that he has just 1 turnover in 77 minutes this year. And hopefully this would light a fire under Hazen to get him going as I see him as the ideal guy to have in that spot. Keep Golder in that energy off the bench spot, it fits him well.

I'm not sure you always have to start your 5 best players.  Having a couple really talented players coming off the bench at the 1st substitution can be a big advantage.  When guys like Walker and Burton need a breather you can send in your would be starters with the 2nd unit to pick up the slack.   Maybe it is better to have Smits/Golder coming off the bench to have more weapons with the 2nd unit. 

[FWalum]

And hopefully this would light a fire under Hazen to get him going as I see him as the ideal guy to have in that spot.

I could see a change potentially happening at that spot, but it won't be to light a fire it will be to make Parker feel more comfortable.  He needs to calm down because he is pressing.  I have seen this kid play a fair amount and also watched VU practice and this is not the same player.

I'm not sure you always have to start your 5 best players.

BINGO... 5 best players at doing what, defense or offense, rebounding or scoring, energy or consistency. Teams are a mish mash of players that compliment each other, so it is hard to say what comprises the 5 "best" players in any particular situation or team. Getting your team comfortable and knowing what is expected and going to happen is as much a part of the "starting five" and the "second group" as getting players to understand their "role". Not a lot of curve balls are generally thrown into the mix once a coach settles on a starting and substitution pattern.

[SanityLost17]

I think that once we start facing tough competition that Linssen and McMillan will be the 2 forced out of the rotation.   I kind of wish one of them would have been redshirted.  I think the remaining 10 players can all get playing time based on matchups with teams we are playing, who has the hot hand, and any injuries we have during the year. 

[valpolaw]

86 to 59 is my final prediction. 

[oklahomamick]

Agreed, don't have to start best 5.  Example was when Micah Bradford was starting last year.  Besides you need a strong bench and this is a tactic that been used around college and nba hoops.


I would like to see Smits starting in replace of Sorolla. 

[justducky]

BINGO... 5 best players at doing what, defense or offense, rebounding or scoring, energy or consistency. Teams are a mish mash of players that compliment each other, so it is hard to say what comprises the 5 "best" players in any particular situation or team. Getting your team comfortable and knowing what is expected and going to happen is as much a part of the "starting five" and the "second group" as getting players to understand their "role". Not a lot of curve balls are generally thrown into the mix once a coach settles on a starting and substitution pattern.

Hmmm. That sounds a lot like coach speak.

I would like to see Smits starting in replace of Sorolla. 

I am not in total disagreement but I  would like to hear your reasoning. How does this move improve the team?

[VU2014]

I've been loving the social media clips the marketing has been putting out. Very well done. 
xhttps://twitter.com/valpoathletics/status/932725397644562432

[VU2014]

I've seen some of the betting lines increase to Valpo -10.5

Samford is the most talented team we've play played to date. We're not going to blow out every team we play from here on out. Samford have been slow starters this season, they generate more of their offense in the 2nd half.

Keys to the game:
-LIMIT the turnovers and take care of the ball tonight. Samford is a team that can cause some turnovers.
-Guard Samford's perimeter shooter well tonight. They need to shoot at a good clip to beat us.

Prediction:
Valpo 83
Samford 70

[oklahomamick]

I think he has more offensive weapons and gets more rebounds.  But now that I mentioned it, that's probably better served in the second group.  You can't have too many "like players" in the same group. 

[VU2014]

It sounds like Samford is banged up. They were missing one of their best players against Loyola.

Samford fan board's Valpo Game Thread: http://www.samfordbulldogs.com/viewtopic.php?f=2&t=7647&sid=1034e0eedec491f6e1a7dd8c20c120e1