Is Lottich the man?

[valpopal]

The player taunting Mileek that led to a technical was a perfect representation of the lack of respect for Valpo's interior defense. Lottich needs to show video of that over and over again to the big men before the next game.

Valpo needs to earn respect in the MVC to avoid this from happening in the future:
[tweet]957468353093947392[/tweet]

[nkvu]

Earlier in the season coach predicted we would be a better team in March. For the most part, we've looked like a deer caught in the headlights the first time we play conference opponents. Let's see how we do the second time around the league in terms of competing.

I don't mean just looking at final scores because many times we have been blown out for most of the game then rallied furiously in garbage time to make the score respectable. I mean are we actually in the game with a real chance to win in the second half.  If we can do that the second time around then I would take that as a sign that coaching is having a positive impact. If we continue to be down double digits at half and 20 - 30 in the second half, then I think the coaches need to take a hard look at themselves in terms of how they can get better, and how they can help the players they have get better.

[JD24]

So Lottich hasn't recruited very well....big big part of college coaching.  If you have better players you have a very good chance of winning. None of the freshman he recruited can get on the court...besides mileek getting very little.  I guess freshman should redshirt in the mvc?  Do freshman play at other mvc schools? Now the sophomore that coach recruited.  Sorrola blah...Bradford bust. Good thing coach has been able to get some transfers.... But I would even question the transfers.  Not ability but attitude.  One has been dismissed.  Golder and Evelyn comduct themselves much different than max and Tevonn....I'll just say that

I will support the notion that, to this point, the recruited talent under this coach has been significantly underwhelming and that this is a major issue until it is not an issue.

[valpotx]

To be fair, these recruits under Lottich have better recruiting rankings than many past classes.  It just turns out those rankings appear to be severely flawed for our guys.  I hate to say it, but Hazen appears to be a bust...

[valporun]

Sorolla and Bradford committed when Bryce was still head coach, correct? This means the seniors thru sophomores were Bryce recruits. I do get tired of seeing Twitter posts from Micah or Barry about Micah getting into the gym early in the morning, as most gym rats do, but maybe this gym rat needs to get out of the gym for individual work, and only be on the court during team practice for awhile. Might help his head clear a little.

Golder is probably playing too far ahead of what he was at North Idaho, but he'll get where he will be better for this team.

We definitely need a leader, but we don't have anyone on this roster that can take that step, and it might be two or three seasons before we have that real leader in Valpo basketball again. I know, some of you will say Javon will be that leader, and that's why I'm saying two or three seasons from now, and not pressing it today.

[vu72]

To be fair, these recruits under Lottich have better recruiting rankings than many past classes.  It just turns out those rankings appear to be severely flawed for our guys.  I hate to say it, but Hazen appears to be a bust...

Not even close to a bust--yet.  He has only been present in the box score in 16 games with several of those with less than 5 minutes logged.  As I have pointed out on a few occasions there are numerous players who have shown little promise their freshman year only to turn into very productive, even star players by their senior year.  He has size and athletic ability and is all of 18.  Time will tell.

[valpolaw]

I would not be surprised if hazen and Micah transfer

[FieldGoodie05]

I would not be surprised if hazen and Micah transfer

Are we any better NEXT YEAR if Micah transfers?  Last I checked we had only (1) other PG ball handler for next years team.  Honest question, because I'm 50-50 on his future.  If he can settle into distributor and stop launching bad 3's I'm actually happy to have him.

This is a general statement intended for all of us.  GO GET LAID AND STOP WHINNING about things we can't control.  UNI is not in that much better of a position than us as it stands today.  Should we expect to be better than a UNI program in our first year in this conference?  They are superior in nearly every facet of a program that is measurable.

[oklahomamick]

Kind of like Texas football...great recruiting classes based on rankings, but turns up as duds

[truth219]

I would not be surprised if hazen and Micah transfer

Are we any better NEXT YEAR if Micah transfers?  Last I checked we had only (1) other PG ball handler for next years team.  Honest question, because I'm 50-50 on his future.  If he can settle into distributor and stop launching bad 3's I'm actually happy to have him.

This is a general statement intended for all of us.  GO GET LAID AND STOP WHINNING about things we can't control.  UNI is not in that much better of a position than us as it stands today.  Should we expect to be better than a UNI program in our first year in this conference?  They are superior in nearly every facet of a program that is measurable.

i dont feel like this team has any future stars, just a lot of role players. Has anyone on this team made strides since last season? IMO Linssen has the most potential on this team and doesn't get to play. Golder has potential but he is so high on himself he isn't the type of player I prefer for valpo to recruit.

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[valpolaw]

I don't consider it "whining" for those of us on this board to expect more from the team and coaches.  Watching this team go out each game and get progressively worse and calling it like we see it isn't whining. It's the truth and the reality is this team hasn't been competitive for majority of these games and something needs to change quick.

[VU2014]

Everyone needs to take it easy on the freshman. We haven't seen enough of any of them to declare if they're a bust or even how good they can be. Parker had a rough start to the season but hasn't sniffed playing time since. Disappointing? yes, but I'm far from giving up on him. There have been plenty of freshman who have had rough freshman years and went on to nice careers.

For as down as I have been on Micah maybe he can develop into a useful player as well. Sometimes players need to go somewhere else to get a fresh start to jump start their playing careers. I'm not sure I'd say that is likely but that decision will be up to him at the end of the season. Maybe this can get turned around for Micah. The staff has clearly be targeting adding another PG for next season. They offered Xavier Castañeda and it sounds like we're targeting Daniel Sackey for the class of 2018 with Javon. If we do land Sackey, Micah might be hard pressed for minutes next season if he doesn't significantly elevate his game.

Let's not compare ourselves to any other MVC programs. We should have our own level expectations set for ourselves and it's fair to say we should expect better results and it needs to get better. It should also be acknowledged that this was always going to be a "transition year". It's just been a much rougher transition then we all thought it would be.

[valpotx]

Kind of like Texas football...great recruiting classes based on rankings, but turns up as duds

My assumption is that you mean UT, and not TX recruits in general.  Just about all top football players come from TX .  Hell, just about 1/2 of OU's team each year is from TX.

[bigmosmithfan1]

That dunk by the ISU kid was spectacular, but the taunting afterwards would have made a tougher or more experienced team take a number and make him feel his next visit into the lane. We did nothing... just took it. THAT lack of fire is a big, big problem right now.

[bigmosmithfan1]

I'll be more specific: if someone pulled that against the 1998 team, one of the Jenkins twins or Vilcinskas would've sent that kid into the fourth row the next trip down the floor. (Ask Brian Cardinal about that if you doubt me).

[M]

3 or 4 of our guys on the court never even saw it since they were to busy looking elsewhere instead of stopping the ball.

[VU2014]

That dunk by the ISU kid was spectacular, but the taunting afterwards would have made a tougher or more experienced team take a number and make him feel his next visit into the lane. We did nothing... just took it. THAT lack of fire is a big, big problem right now.

It would have been nice to have a player like Bobby Capobianco out there who would have done the dirty work and stuck up for his teammate.

(ignore the UDM fan's title of the video, for the record that play wasn't dirty, imo. Good hard clean foul)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8w55X1ythAI

[valpotx]

Good, clean, hard foul.  Went for the ball. 

[oklahomamick]

Correct UT.  Always high recruiting classes and always poor results on the field.

[VU2014]

Some interesting comments:

He thought he'd have different players? I'm assuming he's referring to Joe not being here. Did we miss out on a recruit that he thought would commit or something? Or is he saying he thought the players would be better then they are and would rise to the occasion. A interesting comment to make.

https://twitter.com/MichaelOsipoff/status/958025860191326209

[M]

Gotta just be talking about Joe...although players is plural so maybe not.

[VU2014]

Gotta just be talking about Joe...although players is plural so maybe not.

Here is his teleconference call: https://soundcloud.com/mvcsports/matt-lottich-valpo
https://twitter.com/Valpo_Hoops/status/958065754204770305

[crusader05]

could also mean Tevonn not being at 100% or, going farther back, Lexus would be there

[VUGrad1314]

With the seemingly valid questions as to whether or not he has the players backs circulating in many fans' heads I would think Lottich needs to watch it with comments like the one he made about having different players. All it takes is for one or two guys to misinterpret that comment for him to lose the locker room. If he loses the locker room he's done. I think we know what he meant and that he wasn't trying to throw anyone under the bus but still doesn't seem like the smartest or best comment to make right now.

[vu72]

Gotta just be talking about Joe...although players is plural so maybe not.

It is Tevonn, Kizer and Joe.  We "lost" Tevonn for 4 games and John for 6 and then there is Joe. 

We haven't had the whole team we expected to have since game #11 against Purdue.