Game #22 - Wednesday Jan 24 7pm ARC - Evansville on ESPN3

[JBC1824]

Bradford has got to go. Start Golder or Kiser, and Joseph can be the back up PG.

[justducky]

OK... is there ANYONE who wants to start the conversation about the late-night game coming up on Saturday against 3 big time scorers... who can shoot from anywhere...

No! Send EddieCabot a personal message and tell him he is next up. Beg if need be and grovel if you have to. We need a transfusion of fresh blood.

[crusadermoe]

I didn't see any of game live.  I had a bad internet feed when I tuned late in the 2nd half so I just watched LIVE STATS.  The first GLARING STAT I saw was McMillan.  Like so many have said, how do you align his three 3 pointers and his 12 minutes of play?  More Maleek!  He seems like the guy with the most "upside" value this year and you don't run with him while he is hot?   I don't see big holes in his game.  It's just a learning curve so let him learn!!

Tediously the same in the stats line:
1)  Bad shooting by the guards
2)  Five combined rebounds by two 7-footers.   

........it's Groundhog Day 

[justducky]

A 4 guard lineup can only offer what it offers no matter who is running the point. It worked pretty well for 3 games and has gone downhill ever since. If it is not providing us with opportunities to win then why are we still using it?

Time to develop our 4s and 5s. Our underclass 1s, 2s and 3s will sort themselves out in the process.

Sorry Max, and sorry Tevonn but it is time to switch gears.

[VU2014]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dvV6Kg51NPI&feature=youtu.be

[VU2014]

I just watched the St. Mary's game over again (why? I have no clue). The team and offense is unrecognizable  The only similarities are the uniforms and the court.

If you get a chance just watch the first 10-15 minutes. The offense moves so much better. The 2015-2016 had better players but that team was like a well oil machine. Even if the talent level isn't the same I'd love to see some semblance of an efficient offense like this. It's really almost sad watching this 2017-18 team.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y-5QzOSVS2Q

[Valpo89]

They had a special halftime birthday celebration for "The Crusader."  You should have seen the expression on his/her/it's face. So touching. Also of great interest, I don't ever recall The Crusader's birthday ever being commentated before, but talksalot explained that it is his/her/it's 77th. That's special!

Sorry for the sarcasm. I'm a little edgy right now. 

That was the lamest "halftime show" ever. I think even the people in the mascot outfits were cringing on the inside. No one was paying attention.
Whatever happened to the Jesse White Tumblers, or the Frisbee dog, or the guys on unicycles?

[oklahomamick]

Players don't seem to have roles...the team has no identity.  Is there a tactic or strategy when playing or is it just a bunch of individuals?

[NativeCheesehead]

I asked about the halftimes a couple of years ago. Was told ml isn't big on spending money for halftime entertainment. Believes the game is the event, and people's decision to attend is based on that.

[M]

Probably should've done the kids club stuff on the Crusader's birthday....oh well. Maybe next year.

[oklahomamick]

I asked about the halftimes a couple of years ago. Was told ml isn't big on spending money for halftime entertainment. Believes the game is the event, and people's decision to attend is based on that.

The philosophy of having young kids play a quick game during halftime is that their families will come.  Thats probably more than what any half time "entertainment" could bring.....


I would like to see some fun contest during halftime.  Similar to what the NBA does. 

[VU2014]

I asked about the halftimes a couple of years ago. Was told ml isn't big on spending money for halftime entertainment. Believes the game is the event, and people's decision to attend is based on that.

The philosophy of having young kids play a quick game during halftime is that their families will come.  Thats probably more than what any half time "entertainment" could bring.....

I would like to see some fun contest during halftime.  Similar to what the NBA does. 

I'm personally not big on half-time shows. I'm sort of with ML's thinking of the game is the show. I'd rather see that money go elsewhere like paying top assistants or something to tangibly improve the team. I just want to win.

There are better ways to improve the gameday experience then spending $ for a 15 minute show. Example: improve the concessions, update the concourse, fix the sound system, help fix improve the pep band (get the music department involved). Also they should use the talent they have on campus for half-time shows.

If we were winning this probably wouldn't even be talked about. Winning heals all.

[VU2014]

https://twitter.com/courierpress/status/956479703623200768

Taylor, UE break out of slump against Valpo to win first Valley road game
Pat Hickey, pat.hickey@courierpress.com
Jan. 24, 2018

http://www.courierpress.com/story/sports/college/evansville/2018/01/24/taylor-ue-break-out-slump-against-valpo-win-first-valley-road-game/1063554001/?utm_source=dlvr.it&utm_medium=twitter

[vu72]

We don't really have a team, per se, rather than a collection of individuals out there on the court.

As far as future pieces of the puzzle, I like what I've seen from Mileek. Linssen has had flashes of being good. Golder is a more athletic Howard Little. Evelyn reminds me of Lavonty Dorety. Smits has improved but still has major work left. Sorolla seems to have stalled. Hazen appears to be on the dark side of the moon. And Kiser, although he's a grinder, should be the 9th man on most teams. I'm seeing a lot of "meh" on the roster.

This program is in some major trouble. We need talent and we need it to gel together fast. Otherwise we're looking at the MVC cellar for a few years.

I was going to come on here and rant, but no need, you guys have covered it very well!  Just to add a little fresh air to the discussion or perhaps to help get a few off the ledge, remember that we are starting a freshman and two sophomores with four sophomores and freshman coming off the bench.  The loss of Joe Burton was bigger than anticipated.  Tevonn is getting more attention than he can process and the result of all this is what you might expect, moving up a few notches conference wise.

The good news is that we do have some cavalry coming in.  Remember a four star 6'7" three point shooter in Ryan Fazekas as well as a potential Illinois Mr. Basketball.  That's so far.  As for poor Micah, I do feel sorry for him.  Obviously he isn't trying to miss shots and as his percentages continue to drop the pressure only gets worse.

I would add only that Mileek should be playing more minutes and as for coaching?  Perhaps we are seeing just how much a guy like Alec Peters can cover for coaching inexperience.

[valpo84]

Guess I will be Kevin Bacon in Animal House -- "everybody just calm down."  Would suggest some folks go to the tanning salon as seasonal disorder is running rampant. 

1. We all knew this was going to be a transitional year.  But it has been exacerbated by departure and injuries.  "When the going gets tough...."

2. We (well maybe me) have repeatedly said back to November this was an offensively challenged team.  There are no shooters. ("Oh, but Bluto, we have guys shooting 36% from 3, oh ....") There should have been at least one shooter at least, that dude who shall remain nameless at Clemson, who could be having a big year (after that 8 game suspension), But nooooooo, someone told him transfer and now he sits the bench.  Alec Peters isn't walking through that door between now and March.  The other "shooter" has departed. Hence, we have an offense that has to try to go inside and still can't hit an 8 foot pull up. Or, hey let's try to get to the line, well, maybe not so much.

3. Guys are still playing hard. Look, I have season tixs to the Cavs, I know what not playing hard and terrible coaching are. (PM if you want to any games, prices are negotiable).  In fact, I think in some situations they are trying too hard.  Example 96, Valpo cuts the lead/ties it with about 8 mins to go.  Looks like the big mo is about to switch, all we need is a go to scoring possession.  3 straight possessions guys try to do something more than they should -- long 3 by Golden, horrible entry passes, etc. We panicked, like young teams do.  That's where the senior leadership has to take control with Tevonn and Max.  Turnovers, missing FTs and "brain farts" (did Todd's partner really say that on air) is no way to go through life, Crusaders."

4. "I think that this situation absolutely requires a really futile and stupid gesture be done on somebody's part!" That sequence is then followed by the series of events with Max and boom we're down 8 or 9 again.  You can only climb that hill so many times.  And, yes, I tweeted that we were in the MVC Reffing Twilight Zone and being hazed by the MVC refs. And to the TV, I was yelling at Matt to get the T.  It's time, you don't want to jeopardize a game outcome or momentum swing, but there are times YOU HAVE TO GET ONE, and we are way past that time.   

5.  Everyone needs to lighten up about the coaching.  Sometimes, and FW can maybe back me up on this, you have a team that just can't do what you want them to do.  This team is exasperating.  When they're going good, they click on all cylinders.  When it starts to go down hill, it goes down hill.  The coaches have to be equally frustrated. But let's also remember that most of these guys are not his recruits and he has not had a chance to establish his program yet.  This is year 2 of the Process. He started in April 2016 (late in that recruiting season).  He had to keep his star player; battle over another one; find assistants as Jake and Roger left; and recruit. His guys have talent -- Fazekas, JLF, Bakari, Golden, McMillan -- for next year.  Add back the Centers, Marty, Hazen, Kizer and you have the ingredients.  What we need, and it's been said repeatedly is a knock down 3 shooter and a floor general (we have the schollies now).  The upheaval of rosters with transfers and possible early departures is going to result in a clunker year every once in awhile for mid-majors.  If they come every 10 years that's not too bad.  If we string 2-3 of these struggling seasons together, then we can have coaching discussion.  Or, if that doesn't work, "my advice to you is to start drinking heavily" before and after games.

6.  The one thing this team should focus on (and I remember this from a few years ago when there was a stretch like this and Bryce started emphasizing this) is going back to fundamentals. ("is that a pledge pin on your uniform?") Don't try to make the spectacular play (tip ins and flushes), grab the rebound first, go with the 3Cs (catch, collect and convert), make the easy pass to an open player, not trying to thread the needle at 90mph (couple examples in crunch time last night), make post entry passes that Centers can catch (big guys do not like passes at our feet), free throws and on the defensive end get the rebounds, block out.  Just some examples.

In this twitter fueled instantaneous overreaction world we live in, and when a team is struggling, I remember fondly Dick Harlan (God bless his soul), who could always make the difficult times in VU hoops be discussed in a positive, constructive and respectful manner.  We can be funny and a bit snarky (use those little memes), but take a deep breath, think about all the solar systems that could be like atoms on your fingernail, and remember it's just college basketball. 

[bigmosmithfan1]

You make some good, rational points, valpo84. Here's what I will offer two words as a counterpoint as to why fans are totally right to be on edge right now (and yes, why our AD shouldn't be afraid to have a quicker hook than most think is warranted if the ship doesn't get righted): Ball State.

Remember Ball State? Not now, but what they used to be. Five NCAA appearances and three NIT appearances from 1989 to 2000. Then they lost their coach to a larger school, but no problem, right? That 2000 team was young, and the new coach was inheriting a talented squad (in fact, three guys on that roster would go on to play in the NBA). Almost immediately, there were transfers. (You might remember Josh Murray, who singlehandedly knocked VU out of the old Mid-Con tourney that one year for IUPUI - yeah, Tim Buckley didn't want him). Don't worry - the coach is just bringing in guys for "his system" they said. In year two, despite beating Kansas and UCLA in the non-conference, the team missed the tourney, largely because the coach couldn't get out of his own way. Within two more years, BSU's nearly 20-year streak of winning seasons was over.

By the time BSU finally fired the coach, all momentum for one of the top mid-major programs in the country was gone. The program has struggled until the last couple of years, but still has not gotten close to returning to the NCAA tournament, 18 years later.

The point is this: for midmajor programs, "sustained success" can turn into "mediocre floundering" in a heartbeat. Particularly when your facility is years behind your conference mates and is basically a glorified high school gym. If you've missed on a hire or something is otherwise amiss, you had better fix it, and fast. Once you've lost "it," it's extremely difficult to get back.

(On a counter-counter point: I make fun of Butler a lot on here for using the "health" excuse to submarine Brandon Miller to make it look like they didn't can a guy after one losing season, but to their credit, they were well aware of the level of results that were unacceptable to them as a program and took action accordingly. That's a big reason why they've sustained the level of success in their program. Behind the happy, phony piousness and the "Butler Way" nonsense is a ruthless pursuit of winning basketball. Valpo could take at least a few notes.)

[valpolaw]

We have 3 wins and 11 losses in our last 14 games.  That's just ugly and there's no excuse even if this is a "transitional year".  This isn't a YMCA rec developmental league. 

[mj]

Bigmo is absolutely correct. Midmajors have a short shelf life if things go bad. The history of Valpo basketball might buy us an extra season or two but after that, there's no safety net.

We basically can't whiff on any of our new recruits. You can make a mistake on one (Bradford) or two (potentially Hazen) but you're in dangerous territory when you start looking at three or more. This program is at a crossroads.

[vuny98]

I am more optimistic than most on this board. With Joe Burton, this team was decent. Not great but decent. You loose arguably the best player on the team mid season without a true number 1 on the team to take the load (Walker is a good player, but he has always been an inconsistent scorer) and this is what you get. Team is young, and as pointed out, some recruits have not played well at all. If next year, Fazekas and Freeman don't pan out then yes we can worry, but if they are as good as advertised we should have a lineup that can compete.

G - Evelyn - JR
G - Freeman - FR
F - Fazekas - JR
F - McMillen - SO / Goulder - JR
C - Smitts - JR

[NativeCheesehead]

Would take Big's point a step further. We have NO margin for error in the backtracking of this program. Unlike Ball State, we don't have Worthen Arena and an honest to goodness athletic marketing budget.

3 years of mediocrity in a row and we are in serious trouble. That being said, I agree with vuny, and tack on that we still have 2 scholarships open for next year. Let's see what happens.

[vu72]

Would take Big's point a step further. We have NO margin for error in the backtracking of this program. Unlike Ball State, we don't have Worthen Arena and an honest to goodness athletic marketing budget.

3 years of mediocrity in a row and we are in serious trouble. That being said, I agree with vuny, and tack on that we still have 2 scholarships open for next year. Let's see what happens.

So you are giving the program rope till Derrik et al graduate?

[FieldGoodie05]

Bigmo is absolutely correct. Midmajors have a short shelf life if things go bad. The history of Valpo basketball might buy us an extra season or two but after that, there's no safety net.

We basically can't whiff on any of our new recruits. You can make a mistake on one (Bradford) or two (potentially Hazen) but you're in dangerous territory when you start looking at three or more. This program is at a crossroads.

This is precisely my argument for being concerned with the MVC move.  I think I'd be just as worried in the HL with this team, but Belmont's big fish in a medium sized pond has real staying power (concept).

I'm 70% happy with the MVC move but I'm still 30% worried we back-slide on recruits as a result of CONSISTENT muddling league finishes.  What recruit chooses 7/10th Place Valpo, what's the draw?

[EddieCabot]

Bigmo is absolutely correct. Midmajors have a short shelf life if things go bad. The history of Valpo basketball might buy us an extra season or two but after that, there's no safety net.

Look no further than SIU.  Over 6 seasons in the early 2000's, they were 155-46 (26 wins a year), made 6 NCAA tourneys and 2 Sweet 16s .  Over the next ten years, they've gone 146-173, with only one 20-win season. 

I don't know exactly what happened under Chris Lowery, but it seems that SIU was reluctant to pull the plug on him as things spiraled downward, due in part to the success he had early on when taking over a program built by Bruce Weber and Matt Painter.  (For reference, Lowery owns the SIU record for most wins (29 in '06-'07) and most losses (23 in '11-'12) in a season.  Hinson has done an OK job, but they're a shell of the program they were a little over a decade ago.

I think it's way too early to question the coaching staff, but I do think it's important that things get turned around quickly before too much momentum is lost. 

[vu72]

We basically can't whiff on any of our new recruits. You can make a mistake on one (Bradford) or two (potentially Hazen) but you're in dangerous territory when you start looking at three or more. This program is at a crossroads.

Not sure you were implying that Micah was Matt's recruit, but he wasn't.  He committed for Bryce and reaffirmed his commitment once Matt was named head coach.  I can name a bunch of kids who looked pretty unimpressive their freshman year.  Think of folks like Jake Diebler who averaged 0.9 ppg his freshman year and finished at 7.9.  How about Brandon McPherson who started at 1.3 and finished at 15.0. Shawn Huff started at 4.4 and finished at 12.6 and even Dan Oppland started at 4.6 and finished at 20.1.

Freshman are freshman and Seniors are Seniors.  Evansville had 2 Red-shirt seniors, 3 seniors, 1 red-shirt juniors and 1 junior, on their team and it looked like it. That's 6 guys able to drink beer legally.  We have 2 seniors and ... a bunch of freshman and sophomores.

[FWalum]

5.  Everyone needs to lighten up about the coaching.  Sometimes, and FW can maybe back me up on this, you have a team that just can't do what you want them to do.  This team is exasperating.  When they're going good, they click on all cylinders.  When it starts to go down hill, it goes down hill.  The coaches have to be equally frustrated. But let's also remember that most of these guys are not his recruits and he has not had a chance to establish his program yet.  This is year 2 of the Process. He started in April 2016 (late in that recruiting season).  He had to keep his star player; battle over another one; find assistants as Jake and Roger left; and recruit. His guys have talent -- Fazekas, JLF, Bakari, Golden, McMillan -- for next year.  Add back the Centers, Marty, Hazen, Kizer and you have the ingredients.  What we need, and it's been said repeatedly is a knock down 3 shooter and a floor general (we have the schollies now).  The upheaval of rosters with transfers and possible early departures is going to result in a clunker year every once in awhile for mid-majors.  If they come every 10 years that's not too bad.  If we string 2-3 of these struggling seasons together, then we can have coaching discussion.  Or, if that doesn't work, "my advice to you is to start drinking heavily" before and after games.

I am beginning to wonder about how this fan board has changed, the operative word being fan.  None of you know what has been going on with this team, none of you are in the locker room or at practice. The reason the "offense is unrecognizable" is because it was changed to accommodate the skill sets of Tevonn and Burton, how many of you have talked to the coaches about that... I would guess 0. Don't say "why didn't they change the offense once Burton left and Tevonn got sick", you don't know how long it takes to install an offense, one that they are certainly trying to tweak to accommodate the personnel changes. Most everyone praised Matt last year for handling the Carter, Skara and Adekoya issues, yet now despite additional problems beyond his personal control this forum is putting him on the hot seat.  Widely acknowledged as the best coach in the MVC, Ben Jacobson hasn't done a thing this year in the conference.  happens. I understand that the buck stops with Matt, I don't agree with everything he does, but at least I know that I will never agree with everything and everyone and I don't have to air petty grievances about specific young players or young coaches on a public message board.