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

[VU2014]

No doubt Purdue is a great team. If they're playing well that team has Sweet 16 written all over them, but the way we looked so offensively inept at times is a concern.

I think we'll be better going forward but I hope the team can figure things out offensively because other the Joe last night it was brutal. I still think we're a strong defensive team which is the real strength of this team but the way we looked offensively last night.

I'm not even "on the ledge" with this team after last night because I know we're a better team then what we showed last night but that was just brutal to watch. I thought we should have played better. Credit to Purdue though.

I wish we could have played some better competition earlier in the season that could have prepared us better for the game. Probably would have helped if we could have went Ball State then Northwestern and then Purdue. But I know that's not how scheduling works. You take games when you can get them and the scheduling doesn't workout the way we'd all like.

Last night was a nice slice of humble pie.

[vu72]

Clearly it was a case of stage fright against a team loaded with Seniors and good enough to be in the Final Four.  We are a VERY young team and it showed when we finally played a high quality team.  I'm not too worried as the identity of this team is still a work in progress.  Is it Tevonn's team?  Should be and I think the team was showing deference to him.  When he is off, like last night or is being double teamed, others need to step up like Joe did.  All that will shake out and as Matt has said from the beginning, "we will be a much better team at the end of the season than at the beginning"

[usc4valpo]

Ba

Despite this loss I still think we can beat Ball State and Northwestern; and if we do that we can still put forth a decent resume. If we do well in conference we could still be in the conversation; and if we do okay, we can still land in the NIT possibly hosting a game. This should be our minimum goal as a program going forward every year. Go Valpo!

ll Ball State - yes, Northwestern - I think too much brown and gold kool aid is being consumed.

[VU2014]

A blurb about the Valpo/Purdue game.
https://twitter.com/hoopvilleadam/status/939142273014562817

[VU2014]

Well worth the listen. Paul did a post-game breakdown with NWI Times Jim Peters and CJ Peters.

https://twitter.com/nwioren/status/939041536645373952

[agibson]

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.

But watching Smits drive past their back-up big was a thing of beauty!

[agibson]

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?

I like Golder's game a lot. But a line of 12 minutes, 0-2 shooting, and 2 PF's doesn't exactly scream "hot hand" in this game.

[oklahomamick]

Well.........that sucked but at least we aren't in the horizon league anymore.

[FWalum]

I never expected us to win but the way we played out of the gates really kind of ticks me off. Purdue was pretty bad to start the game and we were literally turning the ball over left and right. I get there are some nerves but still...

The only bright spots:
-Joe Burton showed he can create his own shot.
-At the beginning of the game we played decent defense & rebounded well

I get we're young and inexperienced but that game was unacceptable. We couldn't even make open looks when we got them.

Purdue was very well prepared and amped up after ISU, Ball State and Loyola knocked off P5 teams. They weren't sleeping on us but even if they were we weren't going to beat them with the way we're playing.

I really want to see us play better against Ball State.

Ditto to all the above.

Everyone here needs to remember that Purdue and most other B1G teams do not lose at home.  Paul mentioned in one of his tweets that we did not lose the game because of the refs, but as a young team, we let Purdue and the style of play frustrate us tremendously.  The tone of play was set by the refs allowing PU to use single hand hand-checking, arm bars, hip-checking and other physical defensive actions and we were not ready mentally for that type of game. In other words, ball pressure was a bitch causing us to fumble around getting into our offense. It didn't help that we were not allowed the same latitude in some situations including the two "cylinder" rule fouls on some pretty decent traps.  Smits also had a nice block on Haarms that even my Purdue friends thought was clean. Other than the first 8 minutes of the game, Purdue played loose and we were wound tight.

Very disappointed that we were not mentally prepared to compete, let's hope the lesson is learned.

[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.

But watching Smits drive past their back-up big was a thing of beauty!

Absolutely agree.  I think by the end of this season we could see him improve his consistency in time for a solid last two years.

Sorolla did it last year, just hope he too improves his consistency.  These two continue to improve and I'm happier with them this year than expected.  Our F position has a year of growing pains ahead of it, not that either are bad.  Just deer in the head lights, young.

[bigmosmithfan1]

You know what would help both Sorolla and Smits? If they quit trying to lay the ball in or going for two-foot jump hooks and instead start dunking the damn thing. And I mean trying to do that every time. That's a much higher percentage play for a seven-footer, it will also result in getting to the line more (refs are more likely to blow the whistle when you are finishing strong) and fewer blocked/missed shots. Even the BTN announcers commented on a couple of our misses inside could have been avoided by going for a dunk instead.

I love having bigs that have a midrange game as much as anyone, but how many bunnies do we have to miss before we alter our strategy here?

And besides, dunks are fun! If I was that tall, I'd dunk everything, all the time: the ball, my warm-ups, extra shoes, leftovers from dinner, you name it.

[FieldGoodie05]

You know what would help both Sorolla and Smits? If they quit trying to lay the ball in or going for two-foot jump hooks and instead start dunking the damn thing. And I mean trying to do that every time. That's a much higher percentage play for a seven-footer, it will also result in getting to the line more (refs are more likely to blow the whistle when you are finishing strong) and fewer blocked/missed shots. Even the BTN announcers commented on a couple of our misses inside could have been avoided by going for a dunk instead.

I love having bigs that have a midrange game as much as anyone, but how many bunnies do we have to miss before we alter our strategy here?

And besides, dunks are fun! If I was that tall, I'd dunk everything, all the time: the ball, my warm-ups, extra shoes, leftovers from dinner, you name it.

Are we certain they are athletic enough to dunk over opponents in such a scenario?  All dunks I've seen are uncontested and I'm never amazed at how emphatic it was.  Derek got a few this year with authority but I think the rim was slanting downward at the time!!!

[justducky]

I sure didn't think we would catch ourselves looking past Purdue and directly at Ball State. That is what happened, correct? Cause if that was a concentrated effort at Purdue we have a lot to learn about concentrating our effort.

Hmmmm     I need to mull on this for a while.

-  Who are our shooters?   Against athletic teams it is not as easy to get to the rim or score in transition.  Who is going to consistently hit 3's/jumpers? 
-  Will our 4's develop in time?  It is a weak spot, but we couldn't be more young at that position, nowhere to go but up. 

Purdue challenged us to beat them inside or with inside outside ball movement resulting in drained 3 pointers. We failed at both. They conceded open 10-12 foot jumpers to both Smits and Sorolla but that didn't happen either. As for our freshmen I didn't realize that Hazen has yet to connect on a 3.

[talksalot]

And besides, dunks are fun!

Just a reminder, we are looking for someone to sponsor DUNKS in the ARC...

suggestions already made include: 
a plumber (for the "Steve's Plumbing Flush")
Betty Crocker (for their Dunkeroos)
and obviously Dunkin Donuts or Family Express Cravin' Donut Dunk ....

perhaps a "Slam Dunk Course of the Game"?   That's a Comm-100 Slam Dunk Course of the game!   

[agibson]

As for our freshmen I didn't realize that Hazen has yet to connect on a 3.

And he had at least one look that was _wide_ open against Purdue.

[bbtds]

Despite this loss I still think we can beat Ball State and Northwestern; and if we do that we can still put forth a decent resume. If we do well in conference we could still be in the conversation; and if we do okay, we can still land in the NIT possibly hosting a game. This should be our minimum goal as a program going forward every year. Go Valpo!

I really hope you're correct but the reality of a team that has it's shooting disappear en mass will probably send us to the lower middle of the conference and take us out of the conversation for a post season spot other than the CIT/CBI.

[usc4valpo]

So for a reality check, Valpo faced a bunch of ham and eggers to get some confidence and then reality hit when they faced Purdue.  There is potential on this team but there is a lot of room to improvement. What disappoints me is that Smits has not improved as much as I would expect from a player is his third year in the program.

Valpo should beat Ball State but Northwestern is a real stretch.