MBB 2018-19

[JD24]

I don't want to be that guy that criticizes grammar on the board but I'm noticing a lot of misspelling of player names lately. The least we could do is spell a guys name right. Let's not get in the Alex Peters habit. Ryan Fazekas - Not Ryan Fazekus MarKus Golder - Not Marcus Golder Jay Sorolla - Not Jay Smirolla Not trying to be knit-pick but we probably owe it to guys to get the spelling of their names right.

Thanks VW

[justducky]

I don't want to be that guy that criticizes grammar on the board but I'm noticing a lot of misspelling of player names lately. The least we could do is spell a guys name right. Let's not get in the Alex Peters habit.

Ryan Fazekas - Not Ryan Fazekus

MarKus Golder - Not Marcus Golder

Jay Sorolla - Not Jay Smirolla

Not trying to be knit-pick but we probably owe it to guys to get the spelling of their names right.

Triple like!!!!

My apologies to Ryan and Markus because I have butchered both from time to time. As for misspelling Jarrik Smirolla, I have one question. Is that even possible?

[SanityLost17]

Our remaining road schedule of @Drake / @UNI / @Bradley will go a long way to determining final standings. 

On paper I actually think we match up with all 3 times fairly well and we have proven an ability to win on the road @MoSt / @SIU / @IllSt.    I almost think we are going to have to win 2 of those road games if we want to go 11-7 in conference play because I think we are likely to lose at least 1 of our final 4 home games.    This is a favorable schedule compared to some other teams though.  4 home games and 3 away, and I think the 3 road games are decent matchups for us and how we are built.

How can we get to 11-7...

vs Loyola = L
vs IndSt = W
@Drake = W
vsSIU = W
@UNI = L
@Bradley = W
vsEvansville = W

Just looking a the schedule, as long as we don't have any more major injuries I think we at least get to 9-9.   Is 9-9 enough to stay out of Thursday?

[bigmosmithfan1]

don't want to be that guy that criticizes grammar on the board but I'm noticing a lot of misspelling of player names lately. The least we could do is spell a guys name right. Let's not get in the Alex Peters habit. Ryan Fazekas - Not Ryan Fazekus MarKus Golder - Not Marcus Golder Jay Sorolla - Not Jay Smirolla Not trying to be knit-pick but we probably owe it to guys to get the spelling of their names right.

To be fair, many of us on the board are Bears fans and we have a tendency to misspell/mispronounce our favorite players. NOW PUT IN DAT TURBINZSKIS GUY AT QB!

[justducky]

Just looking a the schedule, as long as we don't have any more major injuries I think we at least get to 9-9.   Is 9-9 enough to stay out of Thursday?

Almost certainly yes! If ISU-b, Evansville, and Bradley all suffered a total collapse then perhaps there would be a small chance for a 9-9 team to join them. Also a slight chance that Loyola sputtered to 10-8 and still was on top! Computer calculations for every outcome with tiebreakers would likely place us at 95%+ chance of avoiding Thursday. All of this begins with the assumption that we beat only SIU, ISU and E-ville with all being at home.

If you come up with a different number then show us your work.     We are never too old to learn. 

[NativeCheesehead]

And after you show your work make sure to write the honor code as well.

[VU2014]

A really great article!

Valparaiso's Golder overcomes ankle injury with teammates and mother on his mind
Paul Oren Times Correspondent
37 min ago

https://www.nwitimes.com/sports/basketball/college/valparaiso-s-golder-overcomes-ankle-injury-with-teammates-and-mother/article_911f0b5d-0b7f-54a3-8940-9c12a56d70a0.html

https://twitter.com/NWIOren/status/1094416384342282242

[wh]

A really great article!

Valparaiso's Golder overcomes ankle injury with teammates and mother on his mind
Paul Oren Times Correspondent
37 min ago

https://www.nwitimes.com/sports/basketball/college/valparaiso-s-golder-overcomes-ankle-injury-with-teammates-and-mother/article_911f0b5d-0b7f-54a3-8940-9c12a56d70a0.html

https://twitter.com/NWIOren/status/1094416384342282242

Terrific article!  Loved his comments crediting his teammates (brothers) and their "next man up" attitude, and of course how much he loves and appreciates his mom.

[VULB#62]

I remember way back early in the season when things weren't going well for the team that a question about on-court leadership emerged. Reading the article kinda answered that question for me. The kid's infectious enthusiasm and "I love this game" worn conspicuously on his sleeve whenever you see him has helped to jell this squad and pull them closer.

[SanityLost17]

A really great article!

Valparaiso's Golder overcomes ankle injury with teammates and mother on his mind
Paul Oren Times Correspondent
37 min ago

https://www.nwitimes.com/sports/basketball/college/valparaiso-s-golder-overcomes-ankle-injury-with-teammates-and-mother/article_911f0b5d-0b7f-54a3-8940-9c12a56d70a0.html

https://twitter.com/NWIOren/status/1094416384342282242

Terrific article!  Loved his comments crediting his teammates (brothers) and their "next man up" attitude, and of course how much he loves and appreciates his mom.

I see WH has changed his mind about individual player write-ups.   

[valpopal]

[VUGrad1314]

New USH: Oren is making me nervous about transfers. I think he knows something. I'm very concerned about some of our key players.

https://www.nwitimes.com/digital/audio/union-street-hoops/podcast-union-street-hoops-stars-and-stops/article_44e0e628-2ef3-11e9-b536-b70f5f52afd1.html#tracking-source=home-the-latest

[M]

Transfers happen every year to just about every team. Guessing we will see a transfer or two isn't really going out on a limb.

[VUGrad1314]

My worry is that it will be core guys.

[SanityLost17]

My worry is that it will be core guys.

Players are not playing like they are disgruntled and want to leave, so lets chalk that up to misplaced emotion for now.   That said...

Go 5-1 to finish the year and and win 2 games at Arch Madness.  20 win season and in the championship game.  Those are the things that keep players wanting to come back.  If we do that and a few leave, so be it, nothing else you can do at this point and it is what it is.     

[Pgmado]

New USH: Oren is making me nervous about transfers. I think he knows something. I'm very concerned about some of our key players.

https://www.nwitimes.com/digital/audio/union-street-hoops/podcast-union-street-hoops-stars-and-stops/article_44e0e628-2ef3-11e9-b536-b70f5f52afd1.html#tracking-source=home-the-latest

I swear I don't know anything.

[talksalot]

I swear I don't know anything.

Ohhhhh, there are so many different opportunities there... you put the ball on the Tee and beg me to swing at it.....

so tempting...

[VU2014]

I swear I don't know anything.

Ohhhhh, there are so many different opportunities there... you put the ball on the Tee and beg me to swing at it.....

so tempting...

Take a swing! We all want to hear

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oM6z2LiR0PI

[justducky]

I swear I don't know anything.

Ohhhhh, there are so many different opportunities there... you put the ball on the Tee and beg me to swing at it.....

so tempting...

And the rest of us promise to backup any dastardly plot you can imagine, so long as it does not convict us of collusion.

[wh]

A really great article!

Valparaiso's Golder overcomes ankle injury with teammates and mother on his mind
Paul Oren Times Correspondent
37 min ago

https://www.nwitimes.com/sports/basketball/college/valparaiso-s-golder-overcomes-ankle-injury-with-teammates-and-mother/article_911f0b5d-0b7f-54a3-8940-9c12a56d70a0.html

https://twitter.com/NWIOren/status/1094416384342282242

Terrific article!  Loved his comments crediting his teammates (brothers) and their "next man up" attitude, and of course how much he loves and appreciates his mom.

I see WH has changed his mind about individual player write-ups.   

I criticized the Smits interview because all the questions and all the answers centered on self-promotion. The questions were all "you, you, you" focused and Derrik's answers were all "I, I, I" focused. Markus' interview was much more "we" focused, which is why I commented, "Terrific article!  Loved his comments crediting his teammates (brothers) and their "next man up" attitude, and of course how much he loves and appreciates his mom.."  Hopefully, the difference is obvious.

There are no stars on this team. They win as team. They lose as a team. Anytime anyone has a big scoring game, rest assured that other players made personal sacrifices to make that happen. I'm sure fellow players would find Derrik's lack of recognition toward them especially offensive because there isn't a player on the team that expends less effort on defense than he does.

Here is the all-time master at making teammates feel valued and appreciated, while carefully avoiding any hint of self promotion.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LACYARhKew0

[VU2014]

https://twitter.com/ValleyHoops/status/1096214257488838656

[NativeCheesehead]

MOST foes into Loyola and wins. These first year coaches making Lottich look worse and worse.

[VUGrad1314]

Yep. Ford started slow rallied his troops and has surged. DeVries has done an amazing job. Give him Valpo's roster and we'd probably be looking at Loyola Part II. I don't care how critical the 2020 class is if he can't turn it around by this time next year Lottich needs to go. Hire Gore or Townsend that way we probably won't lose recruits anyway.

[SanityLost17]

I have watched MoSt and Drake play several times.   I agree they both have great coaching.   HOWEVER, I think we are undervaluing their talent and maybe overvaluing ours.    We have talent, we really do, but so do they.

Like I said in the other thread.  2 overtime losses and a 7 minute meltdown.  That is how close we are to being in 1st place in a league with shockingly EVEN talent.

I have been plenty critical of Lottich and will continue to do so in a constructive manner, but the rhetoric on this board and on social media will not help and will only harm the program.

Lottich needs to learn how to coach offense or get an assistant that can be that guy.   I really like Lottich's defensive strategy more often than not.       

[crusader05]

I agree about undervaluing talents, Missouri State and Drake are good, well coached teams(which is why they are at the top) so I find our losses to them less frustrating, as well as our loss to Loyola. I do wonder what our record would be if we didn't have any injury outside of Fazekas. I would like to think we would have at least two more wins and be firmly middle of the pack, which is about what was expected of us.

I also think it's just hard to separate the emotions of watching the losses vs what we would expect if we just had the facts. IE: if told that Valpo, picked to finish middle of the pack of the Valley would lose Fazekas, Golder, and Smits for differing times in a 7 game stretch we might not have been surprised by our standing. BUT we have seen how well the team CAN play, and we can see how the losses look (some lack of effort, some deer in headlights freezing) and it's hard to process that where we are is not actually that "surprising" which is why I think we see less calling for Matt's head outside of the fan base. But at this point Ryan's back Smits is back and Golder should be over the flu even if he is still playing hurt and they need to get back to where they were the first half of the conference slate.

My (hopefully) reasonable expectation is that we win at least 2 of the next games and make it out of Thursday night. I'm not holding hopes of a 3 game run even though they're capable because I think now we should be aiming for showing that we know how to right this ship.

Edited a bit because woof did I have some typos.