Game #8 - Utah State 7:00pm Tuesday 11/28 @ The ARC

[covufan]

I agree that it looks like Joe lacks effort at times.  Marty is fun to watch and really aggressive.  Wouldn't mind seeing him get more minutes. 

Parker has a total of 106 minutes played through all games according to the stat sheet on the valpo basketball website and only 16 points and 10 turnovers.  Certainly hope he changes it around.  He looks to have the physical capabilities.  I didn't follow him much in high school.  Was he a big scorer?

He was THE scorer on a terrible team.  He also was playing out of position at the 5 as I recall as he was also the tallest kid.

As a Junior on a good team with his brother Brachen, Parker averaged 15.8 PPG and 6.6 RPG. Last year with a new coach and being the only returning starter playing the 5 (defenses collapsed on him) he had a rough go of it to start the season and improved as it went on, ending the season averaging 16.29 PPG and 7.3 RPG.  I still expect Parker to contribute more as the season goes on and he gains more confidence.

He is obviously practicing well, as he continues to start. 

[wh]

Postgame quotes from USU coach:

http://www.utahstateaggies.com/sports/m-baskbl/recaps/112817aab.html

[talksalot]

Golder's "T" was definitely soft. Have seen guys get away with a lot more after an obvious blown call like that.

Not a blown call.  Don't watch the hand on the replay... watch the body contact...  Matt Lottich was standing right in front of the scorers table yelling "Marcus... you fouled him"...

[a3uge]

Valpo shot 2-13 from 3, committed some bonehead turnovers down the stretch, missed some insanely easy rebounds, had a technical foul in the 2nd half, and still won by 7, and really, the game wasn't in doubt in the final 10 minutes (win probability stayed above 75%). It's amazing how much expectations have shifted since the start of the year. We're sitting at 8-0, the average MOV is 25.3, and there's been 2 games in single digits (and those ended up wins by 3 possessions).

I think I'm more encouraged by them winning after played pretty bad basketball last night. It's critical Valpo avoids bad losses in their OOC portion. Every year Valpo has had one of those gut punch losses, like Ball State in the NIT year, Missouri the year before that, and Santa Clara last year. If Valpo can avoid the bad losses, they'll be in great shape come seeding time, and that'll really help attract better opponents in the future looking for RPI boosts.

[VUCPB alum]

How many students in the student section?  Missed seeing that too.

Pretty good not great. Half to two-thirds full? Overall crowd was a little lighter than we've seen at some points in the season, but respectable. The amount of energy and noise in the room was immediately noticeable... compared to Savannah. It wasn't just my family and the Ragland family making noise! But, I did hear one of the Ragland girls from clear up in EE. "Defense, Valpo, defense!"

Solid turnout especially for finals coming up. It kind of makes me sad looking at the student section the last few years. I honestly don't know what happened. Valpo Admissions is getting the intellectual types but we need to start admitting the intellectual types that like basketball. I'm not too far removed from my college days and I remember the students section being more crazy. Literally 2 years ago the swim team was showing up in speedos to games. The student section needs a little bit more of that. V-Rex is always mr. reliable and a we have an outstanding group of hardcore students that get to every home but there can could be more. I don't want to be a downer after a good crowd especially for a coming up on Finals weak but if I were in the Athletics Department I'd be taking a deep look at why the student section has been shrinking in recent years. But I want to give credit to the @happeninghoops crew who have been handling the social media on the @Valparaizone twitter account. They've been very active and I do think they're efforts have made a difference this season. I know they've been trying to rejuvenate the student section. I think it's just a "student/fan culture" that needs to be built and sustained from year to year. When I went to school it was fun because the student section was more packed. The band was going strong. Maybe it's easy to lose that or maybe its cyclical with certain classes. I'd honestly try and reach out to one of the marketing classes in the business school and make this a fun class project or something. Also the incoming student need to be indoctrinated at the beginning of every year to the Valpo Basketball fanbase. Bring them down to the ARC and teach them the cheers. Introduce them to the basketball team and coaches.

The band has been over taxed the past few years. The band right now is mostly STEM majors and/or members of Christ college, all of which are very time consuming. On top of that they play for all home volleyball, football, and m and w basketball, along with rehearsals and events like the popcorn parade sprinkled in. Add all of this together you are asking volunteers to commit about the same amount of time as a group of athletes that are receiving scholarships for their time. Midway through football season there is a huge drop out rate among the freshmen because the time commitment coupled with the only reward being a part of the NCAA tournament band (if the team makes it) and they don't see the point of staying. Also they have to sit through women's basketball and, until this season, football too which is pretty much a morale killer

[crusadermoe]

I hadn't thought before of needing to play at the Womens' games and volleyball too.  That sounds only fair on the surface.  But boy it does double and triple the student time spent. That seems like a very valid point.

I wonder if that is policy at other universities.  Does anyone know if that is a Title IX or is self-imposed by Valpo?   

Maybe there could be a rotation and get a larger band rather than spreading these kids so thin.

[VULB#62]

I too didn't realize the Pep Band appeared at so many events.  VUCPM, you've struck on a line of thinking that has been brought up before, but your more detailed explanation has added a ton of weight to the arguement that the Pep Band (we gave  up on a marching band a long time ago) needs to be underwritten by some sort of student financial aid (or academic credit) and the appointment of a paid band coach/director (aren't the cheerleaders and dancers coached?). It goes without saying (but I will say it anyway) that a really good, creative, energetic and fairly large Pep Band can whip the house into a frenzie. This has got to be a priority initiative in the "fan experience" category for the Athletic Department. 

[historyman]

I agree that it looks like Joe lacks effort at times.  Marty is fun to watch and really aggressive.  Wouldn't mind seeing him get more minutes. 

Parker has a total of 106 minutes played through all games according to the stat sheet on the valpo basketball website and only 16 points and 10 turnovers.  Certainly hope he changes it around.  He looks to have the physical capabilities.  I didn't follow him much in high school.  Was he a big scorer?

He was THE scorer on a terrible team.  He also was playing out of position at the 5 as I recall as he was also the tallest kid.

As a Junior on a good team with his brother Brachen, Parker averaged 15.8 PPG and 6.6 RPG. Last year with a new coach and being the only returning starter playing the 5 (defenses collapsed on him) he had a rough go of it to start the season and improved as it went on, ending the season averaging 16.29 PPG and 7.3 RPG.  I still expect Parker to contribute more as the season goes on and he gains more confidence.

Parker has made some great moves around the basket. He just doesn't seem to have that finishing touch to get the ball to go down.

[wh]

I agree that it looks like Joe lacks effort at times.  Marty is fun to watch and really aggressive.  Wouldn't mind seeing him get more minutes. 

Parker has a total of 106 minutes played through all games according to the stat sheet on the valpo basketball website and only 16 points and 10 turnovers.  Certainly hope he changes it around.  He looks to have the physical capabilities.  I didn't follow him much in high school.  Was he a big scorer?

He was THE scorer on a terrible team.  He also was playing out of position at the 5 as I recall as he was also the tallest kid.

As a Junior on a good team with his brother Brachen, Parker averaged 15.8 PPG and 6.6 RPG. Last year with a new coach and being the only returning starter playing the 5 (defenses collapsed on him) he had a rough go of it to start the season and improved as it went on, ending the season averaging 16.29 PPG and 7.3 RPG.  I still expect Parker to contribute more as the season goes on and he gains more confidence.

Parker has made some great moves around the basket. He just doesn't seem to have that finishing touch to get the ball to go down.

I agree. Once he adds a couple of Jubril herky-jerky ball fakes to his repertoire, the points will come.     

[justducky]

Not a blown call.  Don't watch the hand on the replay... watch the body contact...  Matt Lottich was standing right in front of the scorers table yelling "Marcus... you fouled him"...

Looked to me like an obvious foul. Matt needs to get Marcus under full control or my ejection prediction will come sooner rather than later.

[VU2014]

I agree that it looks like Joe lacks effort at times.  Marty is fun to watch and really aggressive.  Wouldn't mind seeing him get more minutes. 

Parker has a total of 106 minutes played through all games according to the stat sheet on the valpo basketball website and only 16 points and 10 turnovers.  Certainly hope he changes it around.  He looks to have the physical capabilities.  I didn't follow him much in high school.  Was he a big scorer?

He was THE scorer on a terrible team.  He also was playing out of position at the 5 as I recall as he was also the tallest kid.

As a Junior on a good team with his brother Brachen, Parker averaged 15.8 PPG and 6.6 RPG. Last year with a new coach and being the only returning starter playing the 5 (defenses collapsed on him) he had a rough go of it to start the season and improved as it went on, ending the season averaging 16.29 PPG and 7.3 RPG.  I still expect Parker to contribute more as the season goes on and he gains more confidence.

Parker has made some great moves around the basket. He just doesn't seem to have that finishing touch to get the ball to go down.

I agree. Once he adds a couple of Jubril herky-jerky ball fakes to his repertoire, the points will come.     

It would be nice to see more production from Parker. He sometimes looks frantic when he looks to score. It looks like he also rushes his shot mechanics to my admittedly untrained eyes. He definitely has the physical skills but he needs to let the game come to him. He looks like a freshman out there.

I actually think Parker is quicker and has more bounce then Jubril had but Jubril was more college ready then Parker. Jubril was fundamentals guy and that's why Bryce trusted him so much in his freshman/sophomore years. On 'Union Street Hoops' Paul mentioned that he has seen him drain 3's in practice and shoot around. It's good to hear. You literally see the potential in Parker but he's adjusting to the speed of the college game which is expected.

I could see Coach wanting to keep him confident by leaving him in the Starting lineup, sort of the way he did with Micah Bradford at times last season.

[crusadermoe]

I suspect Columbia City (Hazeen's HS) played competition that wasn't as tough as Jubril's opponents in high school.  But I could be wrong. 

[VU2014]

I suspect Columbia City (Hazeen's HS) played competition that wasn't as tough as Jubril's opponents in high school.  But I could be wrong. 

You are 100% correct. Indiana is a great basketball state but the Chicago Public League is arguably the most competitive High School basketball in the country.

[vufan75]

I suspect Columbia City (Hazeen's HS) played competition that wasn't as tough as Jubril's opponents in high school.  But I could be wrong. 

You are 100% correct. Indiana is a great basketball state but the Chicago Public League is arguably the most competitive High School basketball in the country.

Jubril was not a CPL guy. He played at Andrew HS in Tinley Park, a southwest suburb of Chicago. Not positive what AAU team he played with.

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-G920A using Tapatalk

[VU2014]

Not positive what AAU team he played with.

He played for Meanstreets

[bbtds]

Golder's "T" was definitely soft. Have seen guys get away with a lot more after an obvious blown call like that. That said, he probably has to rein it in for a while, just to avoid getting an undeserved rep.

I understood his frustration, though - fouls were 10-3 in favor of USU at the time, with two completely different standards of contact on each end for the 2nd half until this point. I'm sure the fact that Markus had just been knocked to the floor on a drive on the other end with no call led to his reaction, too.

Maybe Golder has been a hot head since grade school and for him to change could be difficult. Maybe the reason he feels so much love from his coaches, teammates and Valpo staff is because he never experienced that before and it will take him a while to curb his old ways and become a much better team player who doesn't get incensed by the refs and will learn how to keep a cooler head over time.