Game #15 - Missouri State at the ARC December 31 3pm ESPN3 Home at Last

[a3uge]

Wow, what a complete horseshit call on Smits there.

Again, the key to defending isn't standing straight up, it's flopping over.

[nkvu]

Wow, what a complete horseshit call on Smits there.

He needs to take some acting lessons and learn how to flop. Apparently that works in the Valley.

[oklahomamick]

Vegas has us as a 1 point favorite!

[vu72]

Who are the announcers?  I need names emails and numbers.  4-0 last 4 games against them

Apparently MSU can have their announcers doing both home and away games.  Nice...for their fans.  These dopes are wondering why we started 8-0 and now aren't so good.  Apparently forgot Joe Burton isn't on the team.

[valpotx]

These announcers are morons, plain and simple.  Yes, the Valley is a step up league-wide, there is no denying that fact.  However, our teams that won 5 of the last 6 regular season HL titles would play with every single top MVC team during that time period, outside of Wichita State.  We are not losing by 20+ because of the league switch, it is simply because we lost 5 Seniors, and are a team of FR/SOs this season, and our top player in his second game back from mono.  Don't let facts get in the way of your MVC blinders...

[nkvu]

Just to make things complete, we're not rebounding the ball very well either.

But on the bright side, at least we scored over 40, which puts us safely at Jr. High level. If by some miracle we get to 50 we can say we graduated to J V status.

[FieldGoodie05]

Still going to be a Valpo fan in the morning.  Glad to see we have some gritty freshmen bigs.

Smits and Sorolla are soft panty waisted nitty mungers.

P.S.  These MSU announcers, well.....

[valpolaw]

I'm not sure where this Valpo team goes from here. I hope they figure things out. Unfortunately Alec Peters isn't walking through the door to save us. I'm fearful of a last place or second to last finish this year.

Also, those who don't keep up with Valpo basketball like these announcers don't realize the number of seniors we lost, young team, joe not making the grades, walker comin off of mono, etc, and they just think we are weak and the horizon league is weak.

[valpotx]

The only way I can figure the ineptitude of the announcers, is that they look at the HL currently at 28th in conference RPI, and seem to believe that it is always as such.  I believe that it was usually between 13 and 16 for most of our tenure.  However, they would have a media guide that states we had beaten them 4 times in a row, all within the last few years...

[a3uge]

https://www.sports-reference.com/cbb/schools/missouri-state/2011-schedule.html

I guess we welcomed the first place Valley team to the Horizon in 2011?

[valpotx]

Yes, they got a taste of Horizon League basketball that day

[M]

I thought Mileek played pretty well tonight...outside of that I'm having a hard time. Walkers twoboffensive fouls wiped out 5 points plus a free throw, Golder hasn't done much of anything since we stopped playing JUCO talent teams, Sorolla doesn't look like he's improved at all, and Bradford can't hit water if he fell out of a boat lately.

All that said...I liked starting Mileek and I liked that he tried playing the two bigs together. I don't think our players are broken, I think our offensive system is broken. On just about any half court possession you'll see no more then 2 guys moving at a time. That's sooo easy to defend. We are loaded with athletes design a scheme that works with our strengths. When the offense is bad the defensive effort seemed to follow suit.  My confidence level with this coaching staff was at a 10 from last year all the way through the first 5 games this year. I'd say I'm at a 7 right now (I'm an optimist I guess) in believing the coaching staff can turn this around (however that may look) this year.

[Valpo89]

I took my two sons to the game today, spending $36 to watch that debacle.
I will not spend a dime on this team the rest of the season. I'm only attending games if someone hands me free tickets.
Embarrassing. This feels like 1992.

[M]

Are your sons grown? If not, their school ID would've got them in free...heck your old school ID will probably get you in free.

[vu72]

https://www.sports-reference.com/cbb/schools/missouri-state/2011-schedule.html

I guess we welcomed the first place Valley team to the Horizon in 2011?

We sure could have used Brandon Wood and Cory Johnson today!

[talksalot]

Why is our home video broadcast so slanted towards Missouri State coverage?

Because that was the Missouri State TV guys... their own crew, etc.  Todd and Dave on the Radio call only

[talksalot]

ok, someone ELSE can start the game thread for the Bradley game on Wednesday...

[valpopal]

I couldn't make it to the game because of holiday obligations, but this was probably a good one to see from a distance. Valparaiso basketball hosted its first Missouri Valley Conference game, and the results were an embarrassment in every way, on and off the court.


First, we had to endure a broadcast by a Missouri State television crew rather than have Valpo announcers, and in the opening of the show they speak about the high school feel that you get at the ARC.


Second, we have a team that is depleted (Burton is gone, Walker is not 100% yet, we learn Evelyn is sick and has some other personal issues he has to deal with, Kiser is sitting on the bench with one foot in a boot, and Hazen is just plain sitting on the bench...for the whole game).


Third, if Osipoff's twitter report was anywhere near correct ("It's about 33 degrees in the ARC") not only was the ARC looking like a half-empty high school gym, but the temperature inside was as cold as an old barn, which apparently affected only our players' shooting.


Fourth, the team that showed athleticism and speed early in the season has become a group that dribbles and passes outside the arc until a last-second shot has to be taken to avoid a shot-clock violation. Plus, despite this slow down in which it looks like everyone's feet are stuck in cement, the turnovers continue, though at least Valpo kept the total below 20 this time. Hell, if you're going to turn over the ball anyway, why not run and drive to the basket, especially since the outside shooting is so poor?


Fifth, the margin of loss ties the largest at home in conference play since January of 2014. This does nothing to inspire support or give confidence that more students will attend after the break. In fact, I had hoped that the move to the MVC would be a good time to restart publicity, promotion, and community support; however, I have seen no evidence that crowds will be larger or more engaged than in past seasons in the Horizon League. After today, the crowd size at games might even diminish this season.


Sixth, even if Tevonn Walker is a very good player, this team seems to lack a leader. The best Valpo teams have always had good players who also served almost as a coach on the court and a leader among teammates: Bryce Drew, Rowdy Broekhoff, Alec Peters, etc.


Seventh, Missouri Valley Conference Commissioner Doug Elgin apparently was in attendance, and I doubt the first impression was a good one.


Maybe I'll wake up tomorrow after toasting in 2018 and feel a little more optimistic, or maybe I'll just have a hangover. 

[78crusader]

This team is heading toward a 3-15 conference season. Maybe 2-16.

Paul

[nkvu]

Have we ever had a season where we failed to win a game in conference?

[Valpo89]

Are your sons grown? If not, their school ID would've got them in free...heck your old school ID will probably get you in free.

One son is a senior at IU and the other is a 7th grader.
I thought "School ID" means, you know, VU student or employee.

[Just Sayin]

Valpo is becoming the Chicago State of the MVC, chipping away at the solid reputation the Valpo basketball program has worked hard to build for over two decades with three different coaches. We are clearly earning - and for good reason - "the pansies of the conference award" while the refs treat us as such. This can't be good for the future of the program or the University. Taking these beatings would be easier to accept if we saw the team improve every game. But they seem to be going backwards without direction and every game they have the "deer in the headlights" reaction to real competition.

[VUGrad1314]

I too attended this absolutely embarrassing dismantling. I tried to give myself some time to cool down before posting. It hasn't worked. This offense sucks. Our scheme doesn't suit our personnel. We can't shoot. We can't rebound despite size supposedly being one of our strengths. We can't get the ball into the post, and no amount of timeouts or "coaching" by Lottich does any good. I can't believe we laid such a massive egg in front of the commissioner. That's not good at all. Schools are taking pot shots at our gym, and it's only a matter of time before other fanbases start impugning our program. When we joined the MVC I had confidence that we would become a leading member quickly. Now I'm concerned that we might become the next Drake. As far as I'm concerned if he can't turn it around this year Lottich should enter the 2018-2019 season with the understanding that if he can't show any improvements next year is his last. The MVC isn't an on the job training league. Also please announce some degree of improvements to the ARC before the start of next season. Having opposing announcer groups and tweeters talk about the "high school feel" of the gym and how cold it is in there is so very bad for branding and the school's image. It's almost a black eye. We don't have to do it all at once but can we please at least show some progress? Oh and when multiple fans say that the halftime scrimmage is more exciting than the game? That's bad for businessand it won't help community support (which I thought was pretty good today).  That boils down to either recruiting or coaching. President Heckler, MLB, Coach Lottich and everyone else need to decide RIGHT NOW what kind of program we're going to be. Are we a leader in this conference or are we just glad we made it to the MVC? Because right now I see the latter. I see a program that craves exposure but is simultaneity afraid of it. I see a program afraid of its own potential. If everyone else sees what I see then let's invest and make it happen or face the loss of the casual fan and the declining attendance associated with it.

[wh]

Maybe I'll wake up tomorrow after toasting in 2018 and feel a little more optimistic...

No you won't. You know as well as I do, this team is in serious trouble.

[a3uge]

Two games into a rebuilding season, and we're Chicago State already. Fun stuff!

Also, who gives a   if people think the ARC is a high school gym. Wow, must have been nice for Missouri State fans to watch their team go 17-16 last year in bucket seats.