@ Evansville Sat, Feb 2, 1PM CST- MVC TV Network

[VU2014]

Or sub out guys who aren't performing 🤷‍♂️

I wish we could but we're already pretty thin on the bench.

[M]

Missing one guy...not that thin. So you're good with Evelyn playing thehbway he did and getting 39 minutes?

[wh]

I don't ever do this, but I officially give up on this team this season, even when Fazekas comes back.  I just can't take extremely stupid passes on a consistent basis, constant ball watching, and other basketball fundamental lapses.  Similar to last season, this is one of our worst teams in the last 25 years. 

Can't give up on the team. Need to be patient for us to get healthy. Smits and Golder don't seem to be 100% and Fazekas is out. The MVC is pretty mediocre this year so anything can happen in Arch Madness. No one is great this year.

The slide the last few weeks has been frustrating but it's not like they're being completely outclassed in some of these games.

Some of you guys act like Fazekas is LeBron....he will help us no doubt but come on

He's pretty important at spacing the floor, which helps opening up driving lanes and allows the bigs more room to operate. He won't cure everything but he certainly will help. As will getting Smits and Golder closer to 100% healthy.

This team has deeper issues than just health. They need to start hitting their F'ing free throws for one. Wings should be hitting above 70% of their attempts. This team needs another shooter in the offseason, but so will many teams who dip into the grad-transfer market. TBH I'm not sure we'll even want to go that route because we'll already have 7 seniors (barring transfers).

This is the 2nd game Smits has been back since he sat out. He sat out 1 game, and that was a last minute game time decision. Why do you think he's playing hurt?  Did someone tell you that? He certainly doesn't look hurt. He's not favoring anything. Or doing stretching exercises on the sidelines that I can tell. Or getting any special attention from the training staff. Or asking to be pulled out. Or is it simply that you can't believe he's playing as poorly as he is and disappearing when his team needs him most unless he's suffering from an injury. Now, if he's suffering from some disease that makes you give a half-hearted effort in a basketball game, I would say he has a serious case.

[valpolaw]

Evelyn played 39 mins and only had 3 points? I didn't check how many turnovers he had but come on. I'm convinced I could come off the couch and put up better stats than that.

I'm getting real tired of lottich's repetitive and vague comments.

[VU2014]

Missing one guy...not that thin. So you're good with Evelyn playing thehbway he did and getting 39 minutes?

-Missing Fazekas (best shooter)
-Micah is gone for the year
-eron Gordon RS
-Nick Robinson RS
-Not 100% Smits
-Not 100% Golder
-Mileek just can't be trusted because he's a foul waiting to happen right now

[FieldGoodie05]

"This is the 2nd game Smits has been back since he sat out. He sat out 1 game, and that was a last minute game time decision. Why do you think he's playing hurt?  Did someone tell you that? He certainly doesn't look hurt. He's not favoring anything. Or doing stretching exercises on the sidelines that I can tell. Or getting any special attention from the training staff. Or asking to be pulled out. Or is it simply that you can't believe he's playing as poorly as he is and disappearing when his team needs him most unless he's suffering from an injury. Now, if he's suffering from some disease that makes you give a half-hearted effort in a basketball game, I would say he has a serious case."

WH, you made me smile with this comment.  Keep up the good work.

For players like Smits and Evelyn, it's all between the ears.  They have been weighed, measured and found (mentally) wanting.  IF there is a catchy phrase/word for the past two years....its certainly not "gritty" for the aforementioned players.  Let's get biblical...

Mene mene tekel upharsin

[VU2014]

https://twitter.com/MichaelOsipoff/status/1091856249342382081

[justducky]

This is the 2nd game Smits has been back since he sat out. He sat out 1 game, and that was a last minute game time decision. Why do you think he's playing hurt?  Did someone tell you that? He certainly doesn't look hurt. He's not favoring anything.

Smits drives me crazy. No upward trending consistency with any aspect of his game. My hope was for him to make the big show but instead we are seeing nothing but AAA level performances. Maybe it is time for him to come off the bench?

Observational instinct tells me that Evelyn might be the one furthest from 100% but that is purely guesswork. As I have said previously Bakari (as is) could contribute much better as a 3'rd or lower scoring option. Unfortunately for all of us we still have a shortage of healthy better choices.

McMillan is my biggest disappointment. I am pretty sure that he is not among the walking wounded. Thus I am gradually reaching the conclusion that a backup 4 could be our greatest need for 2019-20.

[M]

So we are good with our two 7'ers playing 38 minutes and grabbing a combined 6 boards and scoring 12 points? We are sure that Mileek couldn't contribute to that at all?

We are happy with Evelyn playing 39 minutes and getting 3 points (0-4 from range)? We are good with a 4 guard lineup with no shooters?? Why not have a more traditional lineup with Leek at the 4. He can shoot, he is capable of rebounding, would've been a match up problem for Evansville, could play zone if you don't think he can defend man to man, though I think his offense would offset any defensive flaws. Even if he commits a few goody fouls, why not get what you can from him?

Either he isnt practicing well or Lottich has just given up on him to not give him any significant run with the way this team has played.

[mj]

What happened to Bradford this season? Is he even on the team?

[justducky]

So we are good with our two 7'ers playing 38 minutes and grabbing a combined 6 boards and scoring 12 points? We are sure that Mileek couldn't contribute to that at all?

We are happy with Evelyn playing 39 minutes and getting 3 points (0-4 from range)? We are good with a 4 guard lineup with no shooters?? Why not have a more traditional lineup with Leek at the 4. He can shoot, he is capable of rebounding, would've been a match up problem for Evansville, could play zone if you don't think he can defend man to man, though I think his offense would offset any defensive flaws. Even if he commits a few goody fouls, why not get what you can from him?

Either he isnt practicing well or Lottich has just given up on him to not give him any significant run with the way this team has played.

Good questions and observations.

Winning at Illinois St will be difficult even if Fazekas returns. At best Yarbrough will be covered by a less than 100% Golder and Smirolla will struggle to contain Phil Fayne. Maybe Mileek gets big minutes and a path towards future playing?

[JD24]

I don't ever do this, but I officially give up on this team this season, even when Fazekas comes back.  I just can't take extremely stupid passes on a consistent basis, constant ball watching, and other basketball fundamental lapses.  Similar to last season, this is one of our worst teams in the last 25 years.

Can't give up on the team. Need to be patient for us to get healthy. Smits and Golder don't seem to be 100% and Fazekas is out. The MVC is pretty mediocre this year so anything can happen in Arch Madness. No one is great this year. The slide the last few weeks has been frustrating but it's not like they're being completely outclassed in some of these games.

Some of you guys act like Fazekas is LeBron....he will help us no doubt but come on

An opinion such as this would indicate a lack of understanding of what a shooter can bring to the rest of the offense and how it affects the defense.

[JD24]

Evelyn played 39 mins and only had 3 points? I didn't check how many turnovers he had but come on. I'm convinced I could come off the couch and put up better stats than that. I'm getting real tired of lottich's repetitive and vague comments.

How's your hops?

[JD24]

So we are good with our two 7'ers playing 38 minutes and grabbing a combined 6 boards and scoring 12 points? We are sure that Mileek couldn't contribute to that at all? We are happy with Evelyn playing 39 minutes and getting 3 points (0-4 from range)? We are good with a 4 guard lineup with no shooters?? Why not have a more traditional lineup with Leek at the 4. He can shoot, he is capable of rebounding, would've been a match up problem for Evansville, could play zone if you don't think he can defend man to man, though I think his offense would offset any defensive flaws. Even if he commits a few goody fouls, why not get what you can from him? Either he isnt practicing well or Lottich has just given up on him to not give him any significant run with the way this team has played.

My opinion would be that playing McMillan over Evelyn wouldn't help because unless Evelyn comes around the team isn't going anywhere. McMillan isn't going to help there. So basically Evelyn has to play through it.

It is disturbing that the roster has no other reliable shooters on the team other than Fazekas. It just kills the entire offense.

The best rebounder on the team is a guard and not a particularly big one at that. Rebounding is less about size than it is quickness and an innate sense of where the ball is going to be and when. The ability to establish and maintain position helps as well. Rik Smits was not a very good rebounder in his day either and Derrik has a lot of the same traits (with less ability) that his father did.

If anyone wishes to blame the staff, blame the recruiting over the strategy because I think that's the problem at the moment.

[M]

Bakari is shooting 33% from the field and 31% from 3...waiting on him is resulting in the losses piling up. Time to try something new.

I think we are all high on the current freshmen...the staff best not miss on the 2020 class.

[VU2010]

Valpo2014, man ... you've just got a list of excuses there bud

[valpopal]

Not that it is any consolation, but it appears that in their loss to Illinois State Loyola had just as bad of a shooting night as Valpo. They were 5-25 (20%) from the 3-point line, and Custer went 1-12!

[VU2014]

Valpo2014, man ... you've just got a list of excuses there bud

It's more realities when it comes to injuries, in my book.

[EddieCabot]

Missing one guy...not that thin. So you're good with Evelyn playing thehbway he did and getting 39 minutes?

-Missing Fazekas (best shooter)
-Micah is gone for the year
-eron Gordon RS
-Nick Robinson RS
-Not 100% Smits
-Not 100% Golder
-Mileek just can't be trusted because he's a foul waiting to happen right now

When did Lottich become aware that Gordon and Robinson would be sitting out this year?

[M]

As soon as they transferred everyone knew they'd have to sit out a year. He probably didn't plan on Bradford getting in a car wreck though.

[vu72]

Back home after the road trip and ready to make some observations.

1.  The Ford Center is fantastic!  First class, beer and booze flowing!  At 11,000 seat capacity it didn't look over-sized even with the crowd being at 5805.  In terms of crowd size, remember is was about 55 degrees, bright sunshine and no football on the air.  The game day atmosphere was great.  The cheerleaders met the crowd in  the lobby, and there was some sort of crowd involvement at every timeout.  With suites and all it is simply apples and oranges to the ARC. But, remember, Evansville is a LOT bigger than Valpo.  Nonetheless, their student section was pathetic.  Probable 15 or 20 kids staring at their phones.

2. Matt was out-coached.  You don't lead by 3 at half and then lose by 11.

3. Having said that, the guys just could make anything, including about half a dozen in the lane floaters that just fell out.  Now, in addition to missing the shots, again, we were out rebounded 35-28.  The knew how to box out--clearly.

4. Bakari is a head case.  39 minutes, 3 points and 1 of 6 from the 3?  He was suppose to be one of our leaders!

5. Free throw shooting probably cost us the game, having missed 8 of them. Terrible.

6. Marcus is a FAST healer!  He looked fine.

7. Without Ryan, teams are just packing it in and, although we used our athleticism to drive the lane and get shots off, they weren't falling.  Everything changes when and if we get Ryan back.

[VU2014]

https://twitter.com/rwweinstein/status/1091857330550046720?s=21

[wh]

So, we run our entire offense through our center, possession after possession, all game long, and what do we get out of it from the center position - 3 baskets from Derrick and 1 from Jay in probably 60 or 70 possessions. THAT ABSOLUTELY CANNOT HAPPEN IF WE EVER HOPE TO SCORE 60 POINTS AGAIN.

To make things even harder on ourselves, we practically walk the ball up the court, leaving no more than 15-20 seconds to feed the ball into the low post, and swing the ball because the first attempt doesn't work. When we finally get an entry pass in there, Jay and Derrick fumble it around, throw it back out, and now whoever happens to have the ball in their hands tries to get a shot up before the clock expires. Our perimeter players almost never get the benefit of plays designed to get them open looks earlier in the shot clock. Let's stop talking about our poor perimeter shooting when nothing in our offense is designed to get open perimeter looks.

[VU2010]

OH. It's about time somebody calls it like it is. You are 100% correct. And most people continue to make excuse after excise after excuse. Don't need a super high IQ score to see what's wrong with our offense. And, the same crap has been going on the last 2 years. Here's the thing - we saw the writing on the wall when Peters went out his first year at the helm. Remember Milwaukee? Remember Illinois in the NIT? Same offensive philosophy. People who blame it on Ryan being out and the offense running thru him - no it's not that simple. Why not mix it up? Let them run. Can't rely on the defense when you get 2 offensive rebounds in a game and shoot THAT BAD consistently. Limit yourself to possessions and waste half the shot clock and force a turnover trying to get the ball inside or a forced shot with the shot clock ticking away.


Sorry to be a Sunday evening QB but my goodness.

[M]

This team is built to run and I'm so glad you mentioned walking it up the court. That drives me crazy we aren't crossing half court until there are 22 seconds on the clock. Get it out of the hoop, get it in and let's push the pace.