Game #9 - Purdue @ Mackey Arena Thursday, Dec 7

[VUSWIM08-12]

Lottich trying too many combinations, bradford, hazen, linseen, kiser cant compete keep them out

[FieldGoodie05]

I am getting so tired of watching Smits making some kind of fundamental mistake on almost every possession on both ends of the floor.

And BINGO, that's why Sorolla is our better center hands down.

[valpolaw]

I agree that we seem to be trying too many different rotations and no one seems to be getting in a rhythm. We need to trim the rotation.

Why isn't Golder playing more?

[govalpogo]

*sigh*  Yuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuup.

[a3uge]

Lottich more interested in getting everyone equal playing time than winning the game. Too late now.

Also, just because Bryce wasted timeouts like nobody's business, doesn't mean that Lottich should watch Smits implode the team on both ends for 4 minutes straight.

[covufan]

That 28-8 run is a killer


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[FieldGoodie05]

I'd like to request, based on the results of this first half, that some of you social posters slow your roll.

As was on display tonight, we are a YOUNG team just trying to figure out our identity.  The 8-0 was some solid growth in the early season, this "can" be a big learning experience.

I'm not down on the guys, we already knew our offense was our biggest flaw through 8 games.  I suspect we settle down a bit in the 2nd half but this is still a strong experienced Top 25 team.

I'm not certain on this, but UF sounded like a "younger" team playing Loyola yesterday.  Still a massive win by a league mate, but inexperienced (yet highly talented) teams like UF have more flaws.

PU and NW play in a grind it out B1G, so we were never going to stun them into complacency.  I stand behind a 3-4 December record as a likely outcome.  4-3 would be a huge December.

[VUSWIM08-12]

I blame this on Lottich, did he really think a 12 man rotation was going to work. Obviously we are trying combinations that will work, but I thought Matt would have had a better rotation game plan. First off TAKE HAZEN OUT of the starting line up. Y do they continue to keep him in the starting 5  . He killed any type of momentum we had when he fell down. He falls over himself. We need Smits, Sorrolla, Walker, Golder, Evelyn, Burton, Joseph, and maybe Mcmillian/Bradford in the rotation.

[nkvu]

Big dose of reality tonight.

Wake up call as to how much they need to improve to play at this level of competition.

Now everybody's had time on the floor and gotten a taste of the big time, let's see if we can compete for a half.

[FieldGoodie05]

I blame this on Lottich, did he really think a 12 man rotation was going to work. Obviously we are trying combinations that will work, but I thought Matt would have had a better rotation game plan. First off TAKE HAZEN OUT of the starting line up. Y do they continue to keep him in the starting 5  . He killed any type of momentum we had when he fell down. He falls over himself. We need Smits, Sorrolla, Walker, Golder, Evelyn, Burton, Joseph, and maybe Mcmillian/Bradford in the rotation.

Coach is in his 2nd year of coaching (HC)  at any level.  Take a step back and let's see how he progresses from here, I still think well of his upside.

I'm as emotional as the next guy, surprised I'm not the one making such posts!!!  I'm sort of glad we got ______-slapped in the first half.  No one learns from success, rather from failure.  And BOYYYYY did we fail in the first half. 

Still, let's see a good 2nd guys.  We know you have it in you.

[a3uge]

I blame this on Lottich, did he really think a 12 man rotation was going to work. Obviously we are trying combinations that will work, but I thought Matt would have had a better rotation game plan. First off TAKE HAZEN OUT of the starting line up. Y do they continue to keep him in the starting 5  . He killed any type of momentum we had when he fell down. He falls over himself. We need Smits, Sorrolla, Walker, Golder, Evelyn, Burton, Joseph, and maybe Mcmillian/Bradford in the rotation.

The 12 man rotation is cool vs lesser competition because its goal is to find the best lineup for the second half. Vs Purdue it's idiotic, because they can shoot Valpo out of the game quickly if Valpo stalls on offense. Also, starting Hazen and only giving Golder 6 minutes is really baffling. Golder not being the first man off the bench is flat out criminal.

[NativeCheesehead]

One week until Northwestern, will be very interested to see the mental growth in that time.

[a3uge]

2nd half, Hazen starts while Golder sits on the bench. Insanity.

[VUGrad1314]

I blame this on Lottich, 

I blame Happening hoops.

[a3uge]

Is Golder injured? Or suspended?

[govalpogo]

Donezo,  just needlessly aggravating to watch at this point.  We'll see you on Saturday.

[EddieCabot]

2nd half, Hazen starts while Golder sits on the bench. Insanity.

I can't watch, but from Paul Oren's tweets, sounds like Purdue is getting every whistle.  Not a surprise, but disappointing.

Also, the shooting % looks awful.  I wonder if the sight lines in a bigger arena are bothering the team, because they seem to shoot better than this at the ARC.

[talksalot]

To quote the New Yorker Magazine:   "Yes, I Know, but other than that Mrs. Lincoln, How was the play?"

[VU2014]

Sufficiently embarrassed after this performance...

Purdue is clearly the better team and the refs weren't a help in that 1st half but this was a TERRIBLE and unacceptable performance tonight. Credit Purdue who is a dominated this game.

WE NEED TO BE BETTER. This was an atrocious performance. 

[nkvu]

Lost the first half by 20 and the second half by 10. 

Maybe if they played a third half it would be even. 

Then again, maybe not.

[talksalot]

before the game was over...

Valpo RPI 54  .5902    SOS 267  .4536

After the Final was posted the SOS 182  .4886

We are still in a 6-way tie for longest winning streak of the year at 8

Scoring Margin
1. Kansas +25.6
2. Cincinnati +25.1
3. Villanova +23.8
4. Virginia Tech +22.4
5. Miami (FL) +22.1
6. West Virginia +21.2
7. Texas Tech +20.5
8. Purdue +20.4

[talksalot]

Maybe we could do something about the 9th game of the year... last year, it was at Rupp Arena... over the past 32 years, we are 16-16 in the 9th game of the year....

[VUGrad1314]

I'm sort of glad we got ______-slapped in the first half.  No one learns from success, rather from failure.  And BOYYYYY did we fail in the first half. 

This statement somewhat contradicts your earlier defenses of the soft non-con schedule that created this problem.  Why couldn't we have taken our lumps earlier where the support of our home crowds could help us through tough stretches and potentially to to meaningful wins or so that they could learn how to play in tough road environments sooner? We came out shellshocked tonight. Why? Bad scheduling. In addition to never having faced an opponent like Purdue we had also never seen that kind of environment. Tougher games would have left us in better position to take advantage of Purdue's slow start and give ourselves a chance. The level of opponent we've played did not prepare us for this game. Young team or not we shouldn't have this many identity or rotation questions in game 9 with the season nearly 30% over. Answers should be surfacing now and all we have are questions. Why? Because our first 3 or so games were little more than glorified exhibitions. Hopefully this game teaches us what we need to know before conference play starts. I still believe in our coach and our team but this just shows that if we want to consistently challenge and beat teams like Purdue and contend for at large bids we need to schedule better non-con opponents so that we 1. Can learn about our team faster 2. Have them grow quicker and 3. Not pin so much of our postseason hopes on just a handful of games that we must have in order to be considered.

[crusadermoe]

I have said many times I don't know hoops well enough to diagnose differences in outcomes.   

But it does make sense that a faster tougher team will expose a lot of issues in a team not familiar with each other yet.  On the good side, our guys can jump and run with Purdue.  That has not been the case in other years.  Burton is starting to roll and he is a shooter that we need badly.

I think this has been a good schedule for this team.  Build some confidence.  Get whipped a couple of times.  Then go west for some test runs and come back to the MVC with your best mix of players and roles.

[bbtds]

These in-state rivalry games are always fun!  Hopefully Purdue will give us a good game! 

I think that was a big affirmative.