Valpo vs. WVU 11/24/2018@1pm CST

[M]

I don't disagree with you, but he also needs to be played at a position where he can be successful. Playing him at the 5 in a pinch for a few minutes at a time is fine but he has to get run at the 4 more often then not and maybe that'll happen when/if Sorolla comes back. If those aren't big time minutes then that's fine but we can't expect him to grow into an all conference player by playing him lots of minutes out of position.

[covufan]

Except for allowing too many offensive rebounds and second chance points, we played well on their court.  When we went down 14-5 early, we really came back and played with them. 

Smits looked great, and stayed out of foul trouble. 

If they play like this, it will be a good season.  IF.

[JD24]

Derrik Smits is beginning to channel his inner dad which is a good thing. He is no longer the complete waste of time he's been for the most part to this point. I agree that when Sorolla returns it will help things.

The team played well today. A hearty golf clap for the effort.

[valpo64]

No question the WVU game was a big step forward for this team.  Where has Smits been his first 2 seasons?  Keep up the good work, Rick!  Every phase of our game looks to have taken a step forward, especially the 3-point shooting, assists now greater than turnovers.  This could be an exciting season when "J" returns and we can have a "big" on the floor throughout the game.

[Valpo89]

Remember guys, we haven't been at full strength all year.  Add another 7 footer and a speedy guard and we may really have something come conference time.  No one in the Valley is going to blow us out.

Sorolla, yes. I doubt if Micah Bradford is the solution to any problems this team has.

[crusadermoe]

Who cares where the prior Derrick was? 

As long as this one stays often and for long periods, I am ready to salute him and cut him some slack for a few games. Our ceiling for the year is looking a bit higher, but it's a long ride through December and the winter. 

Carpe Diem!

[wh]

Remember guys, we haven't been at full strength all year.  Add another 7 footer and a speedy guard and we may really have something come conference time.  No one in the Valley is going to blow us out.

Sorolla, yes. I doubt if Micah Bradford is the solution to any problems this team has.

As hard as it will be for Micah to break into the rotation this season, it will become even more difficult next year with Gordon and Robinson added to the mix. Thus, he may simply have an injured back waiting to heal up, or it may be that it won't be healing up for the rest of the season, after which he will graduate in 3 years and become a graduate transfer with 2 years of eligibility remaining.

[justducky]

I doubt if Micah Bradford is the solution to any problems this team has.

Barring health issues everybody gets better over their 4 year careers. While Micah has always been a spotty shooter his rise in assists (68) and turn over decline (38) were rather dramatic vs his frosh performance. He also grabbed 507 of our 17-18 point guard minutes and knows his teammates well. No I am no longer certain he will ever be a full time starter but I do think that at full strength he is for now much less of a gamble than Sackey. If you look at the season stats you will see that Lavender and Evelyn are logging some big minutes that Matt might like to reduce. I just can't see how having Micah back in the mix can be anything but a positive.

[nkvu]

I doubt if Micah Bradford is the solution to any problems this team has.

Barring health issues everybody gets better over their 4 year careers. While Micah has always been a spotty shooter his rise in assists (68) and turn over decline (38) were rather dramatic vs his frosh performance. He also grabbed 507 of our 17-18 point guard minutes and knows his teammates well. No I am no longer certain he will ever be a full time starter but I do think that at full strength he is for now much less of a gamble than Sackey. If you look at the season stats you will see that Lavender and Evelyn are logging some big minutes that Matt might like to reduce. I just can't see how having Micah back in the mix can be anything but a positive.

Once he stopped throwing up 3 point bricks and started playing as a distributor he really helped the team last year. No reason he couldn't do the same this year. Question is can he get healthy and is he willing to play that role.

[FieldGoodie05]

I doubt if Micah Bradford is the solution to any problems this team has.

Barring health issues everybody gets better over their 4 year careers. While Micah has always been a spotty shooter his rise in assists (68) and turn over decline (38) were rather dramatic vs his frosh performance. He also grabbed 507 of our 17-18 point guard minutes and knows his teammates well. No I am no longer certain he will ever be a full time starter but I do think that at full strength he is for now much less of a gamble than Sackey. If you look at the season stats you will see that Lavender and Evelyn are logging some big minutes that Matt might like to reduce. I just can't see how having Micah back in the mix can be anything but a positive.

Once he stopped throwing up 3 point bricks and started playing as a distributor he really helped the team last year. No reason he couldn't do the same this year. Question is can he get healthy and is he willing to play that role.

Micah would be an asset to this team, he's able to handle the offense and dribble drive which Sackey (inexperienced) has not shown to date (with low TO).

His freshmen year I was ready to say "next" but he showed a great deal in MVC play.  If he can shoot 68% FT he's a great asset.

[VU2014]

I doubt if Micah Bradford is the solution to any problems this team has.

Barring health issues everybody gets better over their 4 year careers. While Micah has always been a spotty shooter his rise in assists (68) and turn over decline (38) were rather dramatic vs his frosh performance. He also grabbed 507 of our 17-18 point guard minutes and knows his teammates well. No I am no longer certain he will ever be a full time starter but I do think that at full strength he is for now much less of a gamble than Sackey. If you look at the season stats you will see that Lavender and Evelyn are logging some big minutes that Matt might like to reduce. I just can't see how having Micah back in the mix can be anything but a positive.

Once he stopped throwing up 3 point bricks and started playing as a distributor he really helped the team last year. No reason he couldn't do the same this year. Question is can he get healthy and is he willing to play that role.

Micah would be an asset to this team, he's able to handle the offense and dribble drive which Sackey (inexperienced) has not shown to date (with low TO).

His freshmen year I was ready to say "next" but he showed a great deal in MVC play.  If he can shoot 68% FT he's a great asset.

Lavender is proving to be a really good pick up.

[SanityLost17]

Micah played pretty darn well the last 10 games of the season last year.  In our MVC tournament game against Missouri State he had a great game.  But yes, obviously a healthy Micah can't contribute at all and should transfer....   This board is brutal.   

Lavender is doing pretty well this year, but he wasn't exactly a superstar the last few years now was he.....?   

[vu72]

Micah played pretty darn well the last 10 games of the season last year.  In our MVC tournament game against Missouri State he had a great game.  But yes, obviously a healthy Micah can't contribute at all and should transfer....   This board is brutal.   

Lavender is doing pretty well this year, but he wasn't exactly a superstar the last few years now was he.....?   

The reality is that Deion may not be any better than Micah concerning assists to turnovers, but the overall play, somewhat dictated by the point guard and the coaches, is much better than last year.  Last year as a team, we had more turnovers (469) than assists (399).  This year to date we have 98 assists to 78 turnovers.  Deion and Bakari have 58 assists to 23 turnovers.  Last year Micah and Bakari had a combined 161 assists to 126 turnovers. Micah was 68 to 38.

[justducky]

But yes, obviously a healthy Micah can't contribute at all and should transfer....   This board is brutal.   

Well at least when we are beating on a dead horse we are not beating up on each other. Unfortunately for Micah he seems to be the dead horse  for the day. I've got this hunch that when Micah gets back up on all 4 hooves he might have a bit more thoroughbred in him than you think.

[valpopal]

Lavender has quietly been the most reliable, consistent, and productive member of the team overall. He has averaged 8.8 pts. and 5.5 rebs. while getting 35 assists to only 14 turnovers, adding 7 steals. His shooting percentages have been among the highest on the team (2-pts: .576, 3-pts: .400, FT: .733. Plus, he has played more minutes than anyone else, while only committing 9 fouls in 6 games, and he has admirably filled a position about which many had questions before the season began. He even seems to exhibit maturity on the court, and he serves as an example for the younger guys.

[SanityLost17]

Lavender has quietly been the most reliable, consistent, and productive member of the team overall. He has averaged 8.8 pts. and 5.5 rebs. while getting 35 assists to only 14 turnovers, adding 7 steals. His shooting percentages have been among the highest on the team (2-pts: .576, 3-pts: .400, FT: .733. Plus, he has played more minutes than anyone else, while only committing 9 fouls in 6 games, and he has admirably filled a position about which many had questions before the season began. He even seems to exhibit maturity on the court, and he serves as an example for the younger guys.

I am in total agreement with this.  All I am saying is that based on Lavender's body of work prior to coming to Valpo there is now way we could have expected he would play this well right away.    Based on the way Micah ended his season last year, IF and when he gets healthy we should give him the benefit of the doubt to see what he is capable of.   Perhaps with this injury we will never know, but I for one was thinking he was going to play really well this year.  Lots of people on here were REALLY hard on Smits in the offseason as well, but he has been playing better every single game. 

[VUGrad1314]

So much for the myth held by a few on this board that Lottich doesn't develop players

[bbtds]

So much for the myth held by a few on this board that Lottich doesn't develop players

So you would say those few on this board mythed on that statement about Lottich developing players.   

[tiny707]

WKU takes down #16Wisconsin 83-76.

[VALPO LI]

Played in front of 7,600 Big Red Fans in Bowling Green KY.  Great Home victory against a ranked team!!!
BTW..... The Sycamores (8-4) and Bears from Missouri St. (6-7) beat WKU late November early December! 

[bbtds]

Played in front of 7,600 Big Red Fans in Bowling Green KY.  Great Home victory against a ranked team!!!
BTW..... The Sycamores (8-4) and Bears from Missouri St. (6-7) beat WKU late November early December! 

E.A. Diddle Arena in Bowling Green, KY officially holds 7,368. How does a team like the Hilltoppers get a B1G team like Wisconsin to play in Bowling Green, KY (population 67,067)?

FYI, Belmont also beat Western KY in Nashville 10 days before the Hilltoppers beat Wisconsin.

[FieldGoodie05]

Played in front of 7,600 Big Red Fans in Bowling Green KY.  Great Home victory against a ranked team!!!
BTW..... The Sycamores (8-4) and Bears from Missouri St. (6-7) beat WKU late November early December! 

E.A. Diddle Arena in Bowling Green, KY officially holds 7,368. How does a team like the Hilltoppers get a B1G team like Wisconsin to play in Bowling Green, KY (population 67,067)?

FYI, Belmont also beat Western KY in Nashville 10 days before the Hilltoppers beat Wisconsin.

It appears WKU suffers from All-Star syndrome.  It's difficult to get top prospects to play a team game consistently.  We either got WKU's best or we just play horrible defense (or All of the Above).