Game #24 Valpo @ Illinois State 2/5/19 @ 7pm espn+

[SanityLost17]

Would really really like to have that Smits block not called and the redbird 3 that moved them from 18 to 21 points called for the illegal screen.   Both huge calls.  Thought it was an obvious clean block and a no brainer illegal screen call. 

[VUSL98]

Just my thoughts at the half:
1. Good perimeter passing.
2. The first 5 minutes proves this team needs to run.
3. McMillan looks like he still hasn't grown into his frame.  He looks like a newborn deer.
4. Freeman!!
5. Freeman!!!

[SanityLost17]

COACH!!!

DON'T PUT THE BALL IN BAKARI'S HANDS TO END HALVES!!!! DON'T PUT THE BALL IN BAKARI'S HANDS TO END HALVES!!!!DON'T PUT THE BALL IN BAKARI'S HANDS TO END HALVES!!!!DON'T PUT THE BALL IN BAKARI'S HANDS TO END HALVES!!!!DON'T PUT THE BALL IN BAKARI'S HANDS TO END HALVES!!!!DON'T PUT THE BALL IN BAKARI'S HANDS TO END HALVES!!!!DON'T PUT THE BALL IN BAKARI'S HANDS TO END HALVES!!!!DON'T PUT THE BALL IN BAKARI'S HANDS TO END HALVES!!!!DON'T PUT THE BALL IN BAKARI'S HANDS TO END HALVES!!!!DON'T PUT THE BALL IN BAKARI'S HANDS TO END HALVES!!!!DON'T PUT THE BALL IN BAKARI'S HANDS TO END HALVES!!!!DON'T PUT THE BALL IN BAKARI'S HANDS TO END HALVES!!!!DON'T PUT THE BALL IN BAKARI'S HANDS TO END HALVES!!!!DON'T PUT THE BALL IN BAKARI'S HANDS TO END HALVES!!!!DON'T PUT THE BALL IN BAKARI'S HANDS TO END HALVES!!!!DON'T PUT THE BALL IN BAKARI'S HANDS TO END HALVES!!!!DON'T PUT THE BALL IN BAKARI'S HANDS TO END HALVES!!!!DON'T PUT THE BALL IN BAKARI'S HANDS TO END HALVES!!!!DON'T PUT THE BALL IN BAKARI'S HANDS TO END HALVES!!!!DON'T PUT THE BALL IN BAKARI'S HANDS TO END HALVES!!!!DON'T PUT THE BALL IN BAKARI'S HANDS TO END HALVES!!!!DON'T PUT THE BALL IN BAKARI'S HANDS TO END HALVES!!!!DON'T PUT THE BALL IN BAKARI'S HANDS TO END HALVES!!!!DON'T PUT THE BALL IN BAKARI'S HANDS TO END HALVES!!!!DON'T PUT THE BALL IN BAKARI'S HANDS TO END HALVES!!!!DON'T PUT THE BALL IN BAKARI'S HANDS TO END HALVES!!!!DON'T PUT THE BALL IN BAKARI'S HANDS TO END HALVES!!!!DON'T PUT THE BALL IN BAKARI'S HANDS TO END HALVES!!!!DON'T PUT THE BALL IN BAKARI'S HANDS TO END HALVES!!!!DON'T PUT THE BALL IN BAKARI'S HANDS TO END HALVES!!!!DON'T PUT THE BALL IN BAKARI'S HANDS TO END HALVES!!!!DON'T PUT THE BALL IN BAKARI'S HANDS TO END HALVES!!!!DON'T PUT THE BALL IN BAKARI'S HANDS TO END HALVES!!!!DON'T PUT THE BALL IN BAKARI'S HANDS TO END HALVES!!!!DON'T PUT THE BALL IN BAKARI'S HANDS TO END HALVES!!!!DON'T PUT THE BALL IN BAKARI'S HANDS TO END HALVES!!!!

[mj]

Javon Freeman is now the leader of this team.

[FieldGoodie05]

COACH!!!

DON'T PUT THE BALL IN BAKARI'S HANDS TO END HALVES!!!! DON'T PUT THE BALL IN BAKARI'S HANDS TO END HALVES!!!!DON'T PUT THE BALL IN BAKARI'S HANDS TO END HALVES!!!!DON'T PUT THE BALL IN BAKARI'S HANDS TO END HALVES!!!!DON'T PUT THE BALL IN BAKARI'S HANDS TO END HALVES!!!!DON'T PUT THE BALL IN BAKARI'S HANDS TO END HALVES!!!!DON'T PUT THE BALL IN BAKARI'S HANDS TO END HALVES!!!!DON'T PUT THE BALL IN BAKARI'S HANDS TO END HALVES!!!!DON'T PUT THE BALL IN BAKARI'S HANDS TO END HALVES!!!!DON'T PUT THE BALL IN BAKARI'S HANDS TO END HALVES!!!!DON'T PUT THE BALL IN BAKARI'S HANDS TO END HALVES!!!!DON'T PUT THE BALL IN BAKARI'S HANDS TO END HALVES!!!!DON'T PUT THE BALL IN BAKARI'S HANDS TO END HALVES!!!!DON'T PUT THE BALL IN BAKARI'S HANDS TO END HALVES!!!!DON'T PUT THE BALL IN BAKARI'S HANDS TO END HALVES!!!!DON'T PUT THE BALL IN BAKARI'S HANDS TO END HALVES!!!!DON'T PUT THE BALL IN BAKARI'S HANDS TO END HALVES!!!!DON'T PUT THE BALL IN BAKARI'S HANDS TO END HALVES!!!!DON'T PUT THE BALL IN BAKARI'S HANDS TO END HALVES!!!!DON'T PUT THE BALL IN BAKARI'S HANDS TO END HALVES!!!!DON'T PUT THE BALL IN BAKARI'S HANDS TO END HALVES!!!!DON'T PUT THE BALL IN BAKARI'S HANDS TO END HALVES!!!!DON'T PUT THE BALL IN BAKARI'S HANDS TO END HALVES!!!!DON'T PUT THE BALL IN BAKARI'S HANDS TO END HALVES!!!!DON'T PUT THE BALL IN BAKARI'S HANDS TO END HALVES!!!!DON'T PUT THE BALL IN BAKARI'S HANDS TO END HALVES!!!!DON'T PUT THE BALL IN BAKARI'S HANDS TO END HALVES!!!!DON'T PUT THE BALL IN BAKARI'S HANDS TO END HALVES!!!!DON'T PUT THE BALL IN BAKARI'S HANDS TO END HALVES!!!!DON'T PUT THE BALL IN BAKARI'S HANDS TO END HALVES!!!!DON'T PUT THE BALL IN BAKARI'S HANDS TO END HALVES!!!!DON'T PUT THE BALL IN BAKARI'S HANDS TO END HALVES!!!!DON'T PUT THE BALL IN BAKARI'S HANDS TO END HALVES!!!!DON'T PUT THE BALL IN BAKARI'S HANDS TO END HALVES!!!!DON'T PUT THE BALL IN BAKARI'S HANDS TO END HALVES!!!!DON'T PUT THE BALL IN BAKARI'S HANDS TO END HALVES!!!!

Have we EVER actually scored on an Evelyn iso at the end of a half?

[bbtds]

Javon Freeman is now the leader of this team.

My question is, you may have noticed that it was Bakari that was given the ball at the end of the half, and I think SanityLost has an opinion on that :-), why?

[vu72]

Matt keeps trying to have Bakari be a leader. As a result his sub pattern puts us at a disadvantage.

Great first half. Let's bury these 1st place guys!!!

[FieldGoodie05]

Would really really like to have that Smits block not called and the redbird 3 that moved them from 18 to 21 points called for the illegal screen.   Both huge calls.  Thought it was an obvious clean block and a no brainer illegal screen call.

Smits got a ton of body on the block.  He was REALLY out of position and had to jump/lunge into the guy which is why it was called I believe.  I can't speak to the moving screen, I was texting fellow alumni back and forth with glee!

Even Oklahomamick was positive, this is truly uncharted territory!!!

[crusader05]

As I was unable to watch the entire first half and didn't realize what was happening until five minutes ago I am going to remove myself from the situation and hope that my lack of attention is spurring them on to greatness and that dominate the second half as well.  Good Luck Men!

[VU2010]

lol this is comical to watch at this point. We can put that orange thing inside of that red round thing with white things hanging off of it. Who knew?

I'm hoping this is really happening and not a dream!

[bbtds]

It's a good thing nobody is doing a plus/minus calculation on this game because Evelyn's calculation would be very negative while Freeman's would be very positive.

[crusadermoe]

This is crazy.  Up 56-33.    Huge point of the game when they came back to 25-18 and then we pulled away again.  Shooting is awesome but so is defensive hustle.  This is impressive.

Freeman having the break out game a lot of us envisioned.   If he begins shooting well, he will be a very dynamic go-to scorer because he can get to the rim quickly.

[mj]

Uh...are we gonna be able to finish this game. Where did the offense go??

[VU2014]

Valpo playing tight in the last 10 minutes of the game. They let them get back in the game...

[SanityLost17]

Game getting closer and Bakari is in the game.   Time to put Sackey back in to run the offense?

[valpotx]

I don't care what the result is, but we are terrible for much of each game.  How can you lose a 23 point lead with 8-9 minutes left?  You make a bunch of bone-headed plays, which is basically our calling card.  Golder needs to learn how to pass when taking on 2-3 defenders, especially when the guy is wide open next to him.

[VUSL98]

We knew he would be a star and he is.  Javon!

[crusader05]

sorry it was me. I started peeking at the twitter feed and then we went cold so I walked away and and they recovered.

I'm no longer allowed to watch Valpo games which is going to make Feb 10th difficult as I told my son we were going to watch Valpo play that day. If you see someone standing with their face in the corner that's me, come say hi

[crusadermoe]

Just....Wow!!    They let them back within 7 at the 5-6 minute mark but then we methodically pulled away.    Very impressive.

Down the stretch Smits was the player we all wanted to see.  Got his own rebound and scored at times.  Got into position and attacked the hoop. 

Everyone played well.  Smits and Freeman have so much upside.  This is a big turning point. 

To give up a big lead on the road two different times and regain the margin!!

[govalpogo]

Doctor Jekyll, please don't Hyde. 

[SanityLost17]

I have said it 100 times but I will say it again.   I don't care about injuries.  Anything less than 11-7 in league play this year would be ridiculously disappointing.   

We should have won the Missouri State game NO MATTER WHAT... No excuses. 

I am ok with the Drake game.  Top 3 scorers out and we kept it close. 

It is disappointing because we should either be in sole possession of 2nd place now having beat ILLSt twice or tied for 1st with Loyola coming to town in another 1st place showdown at the Arc.   Bad luck against Drake.  Bad effort against MSU.   

[crusader05]

They need to come out hot and fast because that's been the secret to them surviving their cold spells. When they come out slow and timid they keep it too close and when the yips sneak in which they seem to every game they can't recover. Easy to maintain a 21 point lead than a 5 point one when you have stretches like this.

[nkvu]

Thought we were going to blow it when they got it down to 7, but kudos to the team for not folding. Great game by Freeman and clutch play by Smits when we had to to have it. Nice unexpected (by me at least) win.

[valpo64]

Much credit is due after on  two occasions the lead melted to 4 points but we then turned it around and built the lead back up.  Great performance by Freeman and Smits.  This is what we have been waiting for, more effort and coming strong out of the gates and MUCH better 3-point shooting.  You can see they are playing with more confidence now that the revised lineup has played more minutes together.  I hope we see a great crowd Sunday vs. Loyola.  GO VALPO!

[craftyrighthander]

Enjoy the ride!  I would not have predicted that we would be 2-0 against Illinois State after the High Point debacle.  Conference wins on the road in any conference should be relished.