Game #27 Valpo @ Drake 2/16 2:00pm CST on ESPN3

[oklahomamick]

Agree Plumstreetbum.  We are not going to win this game.  Not with this game plan....Let Maleek play. 

[crusadermoe]

We lacked urgency when we closed to 9 after four minutes.   Likely would not have mattered.  But you have to guard tough and take risks at that point in the game, right?

[Valpo2013]

And Wilkins from Merrilville with a dagger

[mj]

Lottich is like a chef with good ingredients but no idea how to make a meal. He's just throwing everything in a bowl, stirring it together, and hoping for the best.

[VU2014]

This team deserves to play on Thursday. Pathetic.

[valpotx]

How is it not traveling if you slide on the ground for 3 feet?

[PlumStreetBum]

Another missed opportunity for Lottich to get fiery. That was a travel before he even went out of bounds.

[VU2014]

Lottich is like a chef with good ingredients but no idea how to make a meal. He's just throwing everything in a bowl, stirring it together, and hoping for the best.

It's going to be interesting to hear the fan-bases reaction when he eventually signs an extension. Not much goodwill has been built in his time here as the HC.

[NativeCheesehead]

This team is not buying what Lottich is selling. Could easily see a mass exodus this offseason.

Homer and Bryce both had their schematic shortcomings as coaches. But their players would run through hell and back for them. This team will not do that for this coach. 

[bbtds]

Nice come back but too little too late!

[VU2014]

This team is not buying what Lottich is selling. Could easily see a mass exodus this offseason.

Homer and Bryce both had their schematic shortcomings as coaches. But their players would run through hell and back for them. This team will not do that for this coach. 

Not sure I buy that. This team isn't giving up on him. They just aren't executing under his watch. Completely inconsistent.

[nkvu]

Got thoroughly beaten by a very well coached team. 

I can't even get all that upset because we weren't ever really in the game until it was too late.

[valpotx]

Never said this about a Valpo coach until now, but we need a change.  No discipline on this team, and the fundamentals are just laughable.

[PlumStreetBum]

Man, inconsistency is even worse than being flat-out bad.

But, as someone predicted we'd be saying... This team has real potential to string together 3 wins when it counts.

Unfortunately it's looking like they might need four, not three.

[justducky]

Haven't seen or heard the boxscore stats but I think our play was far worse than the numbers will indicate.

Lottich is like a chef with good ingredients but no idea how to make a meal. He's just throwing everything in a bowl, stirring it together, and hoping for the best.

My mother cooked just like that. She wasn't much of a coach either. 

[VU2014]

One thing I'm noticing is that the fans keep bringing up the hot-seat for Lottich but the beat reporters aren't going there yet. I know it's a little more uncomfortable for them because they have to interview him every week and interact with him and the athletics department but I think it's starting to get closer to the point where it's appropriate to bring it up. I'm personally for giving him 4 years but if I'm the AD (thank God I'm not) it would be in the back of my mind. What's so tricky is that Valpo can't not extend him if it's a 4 year deal because it would leave Valpo empty handed with that huge 2020 recruit class. If they didn't resign him all that recruiting would go to waste and would leave the next head coach in a tough spot.

[VUBBFan]

Just as a reminder look at Drake's record. This season the only losses on their home court were to Loyola and Ill State. I know we all wanted a win but winning there is hard for everyone.

[wh]

Man, inconsistency is even worse than being flat-out bad.

But, as someone predicted we'd be saying... This team has real potential to string together 3 wins when it counts.

Unfortunately it's looking like they might need four, not three.

Speaking of inconsistency, the 1 area I thought we had buttoned down was team defense. So what happens, we give up 87 and 84 points in the last 2 games, respectively - the highest opponent scores in the last 21 games.

So overnight we have a brand new "what we need to do to give ourselves a chance to win" narrative. Instead of "we need to score more than 55," the new narrative is we need to keep opponents under 80." 

We are so lost.

[VU2014]

Just as a reminder look at Drake's record. This season the only losses on their home court were to Loyola and Ill State. I know we all wanted a win but winning there is hard for everyone.

It's not about not winning as much as it was about how we played for much of this game. I'll give them credit for not giving up but the way we played for long stretches in this game needs to stop. It can't continue to be a pattern.

[NativeCheesehead]

Drake also is on their third coach in three years and has lost their best player to a season ending injury.

[justducky]

So overnight we have a brand new "what we need to do to give ourselves a chance to win" narrative. Instead of "we need to score more than 55," the new narrative is we need to keep opponents under 80." 

We are so lost.

If I charged the whole team with not playing defense could any of them plead "not guilty"?

[vu72]

One thing I'm noticing is that the fans keep bringing up the hot-seat for Lottich but the beat reporters aren't going there yet. I know it's a little more uncomfortable for them because they have to interview him every week and interact with him and the athletics department but I think it's starting to get closer to the point where it's appropriate to bring it up. I'm personally for giving him 4 years but if I'm the AD (thank God I'm not) it would be in the back of my mind. What's so tricky is that Valpo can't not extend him if it's a 4 year deal because it would leave Valpo empty handed with that huge 2020 recruit class. If they didn't resign him all that recruiting would go to waste and would leave the next head coach in a tough spot.

and would leave the next head coach in a tough spot.

[/quote]

You mean like the Drake Coach?  That guy IS the COY.

[VU2014]

  Offensive execution? excuse me?


https://twitter.com/NWIOren/status/1096911670780284928

[usc4valpo]

First of all, Lottich is not on the hot seat. Valpo athletics tend to be very patient with their hires.

Second, being st the game, I can tell you that Drake was better coached and showed significantly more passion that Valpo. There was really nothing there for Valpo until they got desperate in the final minute. I thought Evelyn was out of control and sloppy. Smits does some nice things, but then you cringe on other stuff he does. Also, the team really needs to quit whining over every call.

Not many alums at the game - kind of disappointing

[78crusader]

At the game. Counted 104 in their student section.

Paul