MBB 2018-19

[VU2014]

Does anyone have an update on Jay's injured ankle/foot? I think I remember someone saying 2 weeks, but it was odd that they didn't bring to the game on Thursday and Coach was very tight lipped when asked about it in the post-game press conference.

Things could get very ugly if he doesn't play in the Myrtle Beach Invitational.... we need at least one big man who can play some defense and fight for rebounds.

[VUBBFan]

I believe the first prognosis was a turned ankle and out for at least two weeks. Was suppose to go for cat scan/x-rays on Wednesday. Not bein g at the game Thursday and Matt's response does not bode well. However, Matt never is very forthright with information on what is happening with players, outside of the game

[jsher3141]

Does anyone have an update on Jay's injured ankle/foot? I think I remember someone saying 2 weeks, but it was odd that they didn't bring to the game on Thursday and Coach was very tight lipped when asked about it in the post-game press conference.

Things could get very ugly if he doesn't play in the Myrtle Beach Invitational.... we need at least one big man who can play some defense and fight for rebounds.

I thought the same thing when I watched the post game. Micah is injured and still on the bench. Plenty of other guys have been in a boot and on the bench for games in years past.

Just hope there isn't something bigger at play here. Matt's comment reminded me of how they talked about and tight lipped they were about the whole Jubril situation. Something just seems off. If you haven't seen the post game press conference on YouTube, watch it.

Sent from my LG-US998 using Tapatalk

[VUBBFan]

It would very beneficial to have Jay when we play WKU. I can see Mileek fouling out in the first half against their highly touted center Bassey. However they have been having some trouble with their other projected starters or main players.


First transfer Lamonte Bearden has been declared academically ineligble to play until after the fall semester.


Then last week three players (Hollingsworth, Anderson & Murray) were involved in police matters. All unrelated to each other and differrent days (Monday, Thursday and Friday). They have each been suspended subsequently for violation of team rules. However, it appears the punishment for that is only one game at WKU (VU's seems to be two) so they will be back by Myrtle Beach time. Still it may cause a little distraction for the team, hopefully.


https://wkuherald.com/sports/desean-murray-suspended-will-not-travel-to-washington/article_7674bee0-dfb5-11e8-8142-1332870c041d.html

[VU2014]

MEN'S BASKETBALL: Valparaiso's big men brimming with potential
Robbie Weinstein robert.weinstein@nwi.com
Nov 4, 2018 Updated 51 min ago 

https://twitter.com/rwweinstein/status/1059305305392197632

[VU2014]

MEN'S BASKETBALL: Valparaiso's big men brimming with potential
Robbie Weinstein robert.weinstein@nwi.com
Nov 4, 2018 Updated 51 min ago 

https://twitter.com/rwweinstein/status/1059305305392197632

In the article it says sorolla will be out till mid-November.

Also interesting is that Jay was the only player highlighted that wasn't quoted in the story, so the coaches didn't make him available to the media. I don't think Robbie was at the game so he probably interviewed Smits and McMillan after the Thursday game, unless this article was written over a week ago.

It's just suspicious that the Coaches are shielding him so much. This doesn't feel like standard protocol for an injury. I can't remember if AP was made available to the media during his injury? I'm pretty sure he was. This combined with him not being on the bench for Thursday, but Micah was is just odd. It makes me think that that X-ray turned up something more serious. It could be the case that I'm over thinking everything.

[VUBBFan]

Gonna look for Jay at Tuesday's game to hopefully see how he's doing.

The middle of November (the 15th) is the first game at Myrtle Beach.

[VU2014]

https://twitter.com/rwweinstein/status/1059564139566247936

[VU2014]

Peak 'Zeke': Marquette grad Ryan Fazekas improved, healthy for official Valparaiso debut
Michael Osipoff
Post-Tribune
Novembor 5, 2018

https://twitter.com/MichaelOsipoff/status/1059580138935988224

[VU2014]

Did anyone hear anything about how the scrimmage went?

I love the fact that the coaches brought the MVC refs in for this game.

a) it makes the scrimmage all that more real
b) it allow our guys to build somewhat of a rapport with the refs which just wasn't there last season. Our guys weren't use to the way they called games and it was pretty obvious at points last season. There may not have been a "respect" factor either. We finished last in the conference last season because others were better than us but there were some games where the officiating played an impact on the outcome of games. Maybe this will help all parties involved.

https://twitter.com/NWIOren/status/1060010309115670534

[justducky]

Did anyone hear anything about how the scrimmage went?

I heard that the playing time competition has gotten so intense that a bench clearing brawl broke out with the coaches also exchanging punches. The gold team or the Golder team was winning, I think. Afterward everybody kissed and made up with a dinner of raw red meat.   

Just as a precaution the MVC referees were given an armed escort to the Porter County line.

[wh]

Did anyone hear anything about how the scrimmage went?

I heard that the playing time competition has gotten so intense that a bench clearing brawl broke out with the coaches also exchanging punches. The gold team or the Golder team was winning, I think. Afterward everybody kissed and made up with a dinner of raw red meat.   

Just as a precaution the MVC referees were given an armed escort to the Porter County line.

I heard they had to call it shortly after it started because there was no one on hand to rebound missed shots.

[VU2014]

https://twitter.com/valpoathletics/status/1062395141212790786

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Vreuc635B4w

[bbtds]

I heard that the playing time competition has gotten so intense that a bench clearing brawl broke out with the coaches also exchanging punches. The gold team or the Golder team was winning, I think. Afterward everybody kissed and made up with a dinner of raw red meat.   

So a bit of bad blood between Special Asst Bowen and Coach Holloway. I can see that. It's obvious that Bowen is trying to get one of the asst coaching positions.







:-)

[VU2014]

Off and on: Valparaiso's Bakari Evelyn acclimates to playing multiple backcourt roles
Michael Osipoff
Post-Tribune
Nov 14, 2018


https://twitter.com/PostTribSports/status/1062874288074747904

[VU2014]

https://twitter.com/JaumeSorolla/status/1066891797538848768

[EddieCabot]

I was reading through the Valpo game notes and saw a Pronunciation Guide showing coach's name as "lot-ICK" , indicating emphasis is on the 2nd syllable (or 2nd syl-LA-ble, if you wish).  That seemed odd, so I watched Todd's interviews with him and he clearly doesn't pronounce it that way.  Does anyone who's met the coach know which is correct?

[wh]

I was reading through the Valpo game notes and saw a Pronunciation Guide showing coach's name as "lot-ICK" , indicating emphasis is on the 2nd syllable (or 2nd syl-LA-ble, if you wish).  That seemed odd, so I watched Todd's interviews with him and he clearly doesn't pronounce it that way.  Does anyone who's met the coach know which is correct?

It's pronounced "Coach lot•ICK". If you forget, just remember "more cow•BELL".

[covufan]

From the MVC projections at Teamrankings.com:

https://www.teamrankings.com/ncaa-basketball/team/valparaiso-crusaders/projections

It could be quite crowded in the 2nd thru 8th positions.

[VU2014]

It sounds like a medical redshirt situation waiting to happen.

Hopefully Micah starts to feel better just from a quality of life perspective. Back injuries are very tricky and problematic. Forget basketball for now. Hopefully he just starts to feel better.

https://twitter.com/michaelosipoff/status/1070795394718801920?s=21

[VUBBFan]

Does not look good for Micah this year. Back problems are tricky injures to come back from.

https://twitter.com/barrybradford3/status/1070871781928562688

[justducky]

Does not look good for Micah this year. Back problems are tricky injures to come back from.

https://twitter.com/barrybradford3/status/1070871781928562688

The gamble with signing 2 redshirt transfers for the same season is that everybody else needs to stays healthy. Matt rolled the dice to get Eron Gordon and Nick Robinson for the 19-20 and 20-21 seasons and inadvertently handicapped our 18-19 results in the process.  No Micah means at most 10 scholarship players with 6 largely unsuited for either the 1 or the 2. This will significantly reduce my MVC expectations. Every sniffle, bruise and ankle twist could cost us an additional game. 

[VU2014]

Micah is a point guard and I actually don't think we've been in bad shape this season with Lavender and Bakari. Lavender has played pretty darn well and Bakari has improved as well this season at limiting the TOs compared to last season.

I think the 2 redshirts will be worth the risk reward even if we're a little short handed this season.

[SanityLost17]

I will continue to say I think Micah was due for a breakout season just like Smits.   At this point I hope he redshirts and stays at Valpo 2 more years.  He will be a very solid PG for us when Lavender graduates.   

[VU2014]

I will continue to say I think Micah was due for a breakout season just like Smits.   At this point I hope he redshirts and stays at Valpo 2 more years.  He will be a very solid PG for us when Lavender graduates.   

If this back injury turns into something chronic, that breakout season might not come to fruition. I've been sort of down on Micah for a while now. When he was strictly a PG on the court he was actually pretty solid, but he was a huge offensive liability at the same time because defender just dared him to shoot the ball and ended up crowding the paint. The FT shooting started to show signs of improving by seasons end. I honestly didn't know what to expect coming into this season and I'm even less sure after this injury. Regardless I hope he recovers quickly and returns to being pain free.