Game 12 @ Texas A&M Wed-Dec 19 7:30 PM Judgement or Redemption?

justducky · December 18, 2018, 10:37:52 AM

Well I started the UNLV thread and got results. Lets try it again.

I always try to watch every future opponent but Texas A&M has eluded me. Did any of you catch one or more of their games? If so please comment.

IrishDawg · December 18, 2018, 01:56:20 PM

You guys may not believe this, but they're even worse on the defensive glass (338th) than Valpo (295th). The problem for the Crusaders is that they are really good at gathering their own misses. Their offense is mostly reliant on offensive rebounding and getting to the foul line.

Valpo should be able to pack things in defensively, as they're a really bad 3 point shooting team (26.6% as a team), and because of that they don't even attempt many of them. Offensively, Valpo is going to have to take care of the ball and try to take advantage of the Aggies' propensity to foul.

M · December 18, 2018, 02:01:47 PM

It is a road game. Valpo will play well and probably pull off the win. That win will buy the team and coaches a little breathing room which will either grow or come crashing down on them after they play PNW.

Trying to predict how this team will perform is like.....

valpopal · December 18, 2018, 03:33:57 PM

First Vegas odds show A&M as 9 point favorites.

vu72 · December 18, 2018, 04:23:45 PM

Just looked at their roster. Not packed with highly regarded guys. Plenty of size. My guess is the place will be half full, not intimidating at all. Folks in Texas are football people. Basketball is an after thought at most. Mid-week, non-big name opponent, small crowd. Great chance for a name win, if only we can hit the broad side of a barn.

VULB#62 · December 18, 2018, 04:48:29 PM

....and put back the misses.

valpopal · December 18, 2018, 05:58:47 PM

Quote from: vu72 on December 18, 2018, 04:23:45 PM
Mid-week, non-big name opponent, small crowd.

A&M is trying to boost their crowd with the students out of town for holidays. Our game with the Aggies is part of a doubleheader; their women play Southern Cal in the first game. All adults get admission to both games for $5 and kids get in for $3.

VUBBFan · December 18, 2018, 06:36:57 PM

https://twitter.com/valpoathletics/status/1075117246794612736

VU2014 · December 18, 2018, 09:24:39 PM

https://twitter.com/TheReal_MG3/status/1075226363303550981

VULB#62 · December 18, 2018, 10:10:37 PM

Uninformed Question: Why isn't Marcus startng and playing more minutes?

He can hit the three consistently

He rebounds with enthusiasm.

He is emotional and lives BB.

He can defend and has the blocked shots to show that.

His excitement is contagious.

I don't get the "he's better off the bench" arguement. You put the producers on the court as much as you can to secure wins.

Well, who should sit? How about Bakari coming off the bench? Nah, the lineup is set and that ain't gonna change.

VUGrad1314 · December 18, 2018, 10:14:18 PM

I actually think Bakari would do well off the bench right now.

VU2014 · December 18, 2018, 10:36:04 PM

https://twitter.com/aggiembk/status/1075120349853966338

VU2010 · December 18, 2018, 11:01:41 PM

Starting lineup is locked lolbut why?

Marcus for sure needs more PT. Hands down. Deserves to start.

tiny707 · December 19, 2018, 01:40:55 PM

Agree 100%. Start Marcus for Bakari. Enough said!

M · December 19, 2018, 02:32:14 PM

I was on the Markus off the bench team at the start of the season...he probably needs to start. Bakari hasn't put it together yet, with the exception of one game. Whether Bakari's poor play offensively (and dare I say defensively) is due to injury recovery or something else is kind've irrelevant.

We need Markus' energy, strength, and tenacity at the start of the game.

VULB#62 · December 19, 2018, 03:07:16 PM

At 6-6 with great leaping ability, Marcus, would be an additional asset on the boards big-time.

Minutes FG% 3PT% FT% ORB DRB TRBs BLK STL PTS
Bakari 345 .353 .302 .792 5 23 28 1 8 10.9/g
Marcus 251 .545 .429 .727 17 22 39 4 8 10.2/g

Marcus has played 94 fewer minutes (2.25 full games) than Bakari yet matches Bakari's production.

VU2010 · December 19, 2018, 03:37:20 PM

Nope - can't mix it up. No way. Gotta trust the process 😂

vu72 · December 19, 2018, 03:46:25 PM

Quote from: VU2010 on December 19, 2018, 03:37:20 PM
Nope - can't mix it up. No way. Gotta trust the process 😂

Except when it comes to Mileek!

a3uge · December 19, 2018, 05:05:26 PM

Quote from: VULB#62 on December 18, 2018, 10:10:37 PM
Uninformed Question: Why isn't Marcus startng and playing more minutes?

He can hit the three consistently

He rebounds with enthusiasm.

He is emotional and lives BB.

He can defend and has the blocked shots to show that.

His excitement is contagious.

I don't get the "he's better off the bench" arguement. You put the producers on the court as much as you can to secure wins.

Well, who should sit? How about Bakari coming off the bench? Nah, the lineup is set and that ain't gonna change.

I've been asking this since last year. I don't think he's ever going to be a primary facilitator on offense, but getting stuck with the 2nd unit hides his skills. Without a decent facilitators, he's often stuck standing around on offense. I wish they'd feature him more on offense, with more backdoor cuts and movement. I think many of us were looking for him to have a breakout year, but it doesn't seem like he's been given the opportunity.

FieldGoodie05 · December 19, 2018, 05:22:06 PM

Quote from: VULB#62 on December 19, 2018, 03:07:16 PM
At 6-6 with great leaping ability, Marcus, would be an additional asset on the boards big-time.

Minutes FG% 3PT% FT% ORB DRB TRBs BLK STL PTS
Bakari 345 .353 .302 .792 5 23 28 1 8 10.9/g
Marcus 251 .545 .429 .727 17 22 39 4 8 10.2/g

Marcus has played 94 fewer minutes (2.25 full games) than Bakari yet matches Bakari's production.

We all love Golder, but he can't dribble and facilitate. To compare Bakari to Golder doesn't work in my view. Two total different "asks" but interesting stats at the least.

VULB#62 · December 19, 2018, 06:13:49 PM

Facillitator? This kid is one of the players you should be FACILITATING! A3uge said it. Find ways to use his motor and his unique skill set. He doesn't have be a dribbler to make a cut off a screen and take an alley oop to the hole.

wh · December 19, 2018, 06:44:20 PM

We have lost 2 or 3 games already because Bakari couldn't hit the broad side of a barn, yet continued to shoot and shoot. Moreover, if he were really a distributor, he wouldn't be taking more shots than anyone else on the team in most games. He isn't a PG this year; he's a SHOOTING guard.

VU2014 · December 19, 2018, 06:52:06 PM

Quote from: wh on December 19, 2018, 06:44:20 PM
We have lost 2 or 3 games already because Bakari couldn't hit the broad side of a barn, yet continued to shoot and shoot. Moreover, if he were really a distributor, he wouldn't be taking more shots than anyone else on the team in most games. He isn't a PG this year; he's a SHOOTING guard.

I'm not sure what is up with his shot this season. Maybe the offseason surgery has affected his shot mechanics. It's been a very disappointing season from Bakari thus far.

VU2014 · December 19, 2018, 07:28:16 PM

The first 5-10 minutes will prove to me if this team has "it" tonight. If they don't bring the effort we have some very real issues...

VULB#62 · December 19, 2018, 07:33:51 PM

Guess who are the starters. Yup, same old, same old.

The OOC schedule is set up to do two things that might onflict, but are essential.

1) Experiment with line up combinations.
2) Find the best core unit for the MVC schedule.

Experiment 1: Result - Mileek is not ready
Experiment 2: Result - Wait. Is there a #2?

In my mind #2 should have been try starting Marcus dammit.