Women's Basketball 2018-2019

[valpopal]

Valpo lost 79-72 to a stronger Bowling Green team that out-rebounded the Crusaders 44-18. However, despite tying the team record by making 17 3-pointers, Valpo also only made 5 out of 14 free throws. Ultimately, the loss came down to the same problem seen so many times this year, a catastrophic 3rd quarter where Valpo was outscored 25-10. The 3rd quarters have been horrible all season long. If not for the 3rd quarters, Valpo would have a pretty good record, maybe 8-4 instead of 4-8. Perhaps the team should just remain on the bench during halftime and not go to the locker room because whatever happens during the intermission seems to be hurting rather than helping.

[valpotx]

We only have 7 healthy bodies right now, so I will give them a pass for the moment.

[valporun]

What is causing all of these season-ending or long term injuries? Are the players not built to withstand a long season, or are they the types of girls who should have played more than just basketball growing up? Is Valpo Women's Basketball a textbook explanation of what has happened to youth and high school sports with too much emphasis on one sport as the way to get to college? Is it possible there are some strength and conditioning issues with the program that Bob Brooks has been running with the women's basketball program since the early 2000s?

[VULB#62]

One of the most common season-ending injuries among female athletes is ACL tears.  There have been a multitude of studies that have disseted causes as well as treatments.  Women tear ACLs at a rate anywhere from 2X to 10X that of male athletes depending on the sampling across these studies.  It is generally accepted that part of this is due the skeletal-muscular differences between the male and female anatomy. I have a sense that WBB probably produces the largest amount of injuries per capita with soccer a close second and VB third, but that's just my gut with no facts to back it up.  So, despite a strong strength training program, the deck is kinda stacked aganst both the trainers and the trainees.

Here is one article I quickly found that addresses cause as well as talks about ways to reduce the potential for these injuries.

https://www.verywellhealth.com/acl-tears-more-common-in-women-and-girls-2549223

[valpotx]

I believe that most of the injuries occurred during the offseason, as well.  I was looking forward to seeing if Morrison would vastly improve her shooting % during her SO year.

[bbtds]

Wasn't valporun's question more to do with why does the Valpo WBB program have more injuries as compared to other WBB programs rather than why do women in general have more injuries than men?

[VULB#62]

Yes, but part of the linked article talked about programs using specific trainng protocols to address ACL tears.  By inference, my point was that our training staff might or might not be following one of those protocols, yet, it is still a crap shoot because of female anatomical construction, individual variances within that range, and, to be sure, the selection of the correct program by the staff. And I cannot believe our staff is ignoring the issue. Heck, we could also be inadvertently recruiting players with "pre-existing conditions" who could skew our stats. Who knows.

As an aside, living in the Green Bay area, I get a lot of TV coverage of the UWGB WBB games. One observation I had was that it seems all of their players wear knee braces on both knees. I believe that is a preventive measure. I don't recall if Valpo does that.

[IndyValpo]

A fairly easy victory as expected over IUNW. We actually had a 2 deep as Meredith returned as did our walk on. She actually got 5 minutes PT hitting 1 of 2 from 3 point range. Perhaps a 6-5 3 point specialist!

[jack]

Dealt with these issues for years during my coaching career. It is absolutely a difference in skeletal make up. Women's hips line up and center differently then mens, over the lower body and put very different stress and pressure over the knees and lower back, which seem to be the bulk of the injuries for this team. There are very different exercise and stretching techniques targeted just for women, that greatly reduce these injuries. I'm certain this program doesn't utilize these. One very specific drill is where the athlete lays flat on the floor up against a wall, extending both legs vertically up the wall. It's important that the back remains flat to the floor. hold this position for 20 minutes. It's harder than it seems. This realigns the knees and hips. More than any other drill, this did the most to reduce injuries. Sounds simple, but many trainers don't know it.   

[IndyValpo]

How are we doing against Loyola....ValpoWBB just tweeted that we had just gone on a 10-0 run to cut the deficit to 18 at 60-42.

[VULB#62]

Lost 80-54.

[vu72]

After beating them 3 times last year, something has dramatically changes for one of the teams.  I don't know the answer, somebody out there does.   

[valpotx]

We have some key players that are out for the entire season.  This year is pretty much a chance to get some folks minutes, that might not have otherwise gotten them, so that we can be better prepared next season.

[bbtds]

We have some key players that are out for the entire season.  This year is pretty much a chance to get some folks minutes, that might not have otherwise gotten them, so that we can be better prepared next season.

The problem with that is Valpo WBB will be losing Meredith Hamlet to graduation and unless they immediately find a player much like Hamlet they could be even worse next year. We'll have to see what kind of recruiting Coach Evans can do with a full off season to get the players she feels can truly help the program.

[valpotx]

I believe that the transfer from Denver will fill in nicely, and probably be a better shooter than Hamlet.  As much as I like Meredith overall, she has never been a high % shooter.

[valpowbb1]

This is a completely different system with kids recruited to play in a different system.  It is much like a football coach who is spread system taking over a team better suited to power football.  It will take time to get the right kids in place and coach up the present ones to play in this system. 

[NativeCheesehead]

And this is a much different situation than the men's team handoffs we've seen. This program has been a dumpster fire for the past three years. I'd say we have no idea how good the new coach is until about midway through year three.

[valpopal]

Valpo lost 79-72 to a stronger Bowling Green team that out-rebounded the Crusaders 44-18. However, despite tying the team record by making 17 3-pointers, Valpo also only made 5 out of 14 free throws. Ultimately, the loss came down to the same problem seen so many times this year, a catastrophic 3rd quarter where Valpo was outscored 25-10. The 3rd quarters have been horrible all season long. If not for the 3rd quarters, Valpo would have a pretty good record, maybe 8-4 instead of 4-8. Perhaps the team should just remain on the bench during halftime and not go to the locker room because whatever happens during the intermission seems to be hurting rather than helping.

Another game, same sad story: women fall to UNI 71-52, but they basically lost once more with a terrible 3rd quarter during which they were outscored 21-4. I don't understand how this team can be so predictably awful in the 3rd quarter repeatedly throughout the season!

[IndyValpo]

And this is a much different situation than the men's team handoffs we've seen. This program has been a dumpster fire for the past three years. I'd say we have no idea how good the new coach is until about midway through year three.

Honestly we have been bad for about 8 years starting with the last 3 of the Freeman era.  There are some troubling signs however like the 3rd quarter letdowns. This weeks show Coach Evans suggested that there was a complete lack of effort in 3 quarters of the Loyola game yet despite that and losing by 20+ she didn't play the whole bench. If there is no penalty for lack of effort....

[jack]

The lack of "effort" in the 3 period would suggest that, whatever they are doing in the locker room at half time isn't working. Their last coach struggled with the same issue, and outcome. Maybe it's time to find out what's going on at the half! Just saying>>>

[jack]

Also, not that it would have made a difference in this game, but 62% from the stripe should not be acceptable. We need to be between 78% and 83%.

[FieldGoodie05]

Also, not that it would have made a difference in this game, but 62% from the stripe should not be acceptable. We need to be between 78% and 83%.

A team shooting 80% seems prolific

[FieldGoodie05]

Also, not that it would have made a difference in this game, but 62% from the stripe should not be acceptable. We need to be between 78% and 83%.

A team shooting 80% seems prolific

Looked it up for men, only two teams in D1 achieved 80%

Incarnate Word 80.5%
NDSU 80.1%

I'm assuming women's teams shoot higher FT% than men's teams?  I wouidn't at all be surprised, but not 83%.

[jack]

Also, not that it would have made a difference in this game, but 62% from the stripe should not be acceptable. We need to be between 78% and 83%.

A team shooting 80% seems prolific

Looked it up for men, only two teams in D1 achieved 80%

Incarnate Word 80.5%
NDSU 80.1%

I'm assuming women's teams shoot higher FT% than men's teams?  I wouidn't at all be surprised, but not 83%.

78% as a team is very good for women. 83% is a stretch. 62% is not acceptable.

[usc4valpo]

I wonder if this team will win again for the rest of the year. They need to recruit hard and build this team. I also think Dorow left a mess of a program.