Game #30 @ Bradley Wednesday 2/27/19 7pm

[VUSL98]

Everyone will have to admit that the coach did one thing right tonight: he pulled Freeman when it was obvious that the game was out of reach.  No use risking injury.  He also left his necktie at home.  Or, they did the humane thing and took it away from him, like they do in jail.

I don't like blaming the coach when Sorolla misses 1 footers over and over, or the team shoots 2 for 20 from three point range.  The team is lousy atcommunication and passing.  The injury excuses are getting old for everyone, players included.  Can't lay Bakari's performance on an off season surgery.  The players lost this game.

[VU2014]

I think this season could be chalked up to a few things:

a) injuries. everyone is tired of hearing about it but it's a reality. This team is really beat up right now.

b) I think we may have overrated the talent on this roster. We have nice pieces but we don't have many "complete" or well rounded players, right now. ex: I love what Golder brings to the table but his handles and inability to use his left hand is just a glaring weakness. But he still brings a lot to the table and is nice player, but he probably isn't a Top 2-3 player on a great roster. That ankle has really limiting Golder. Our most well rounded (no glaring weakness other than 3pt shooting) player is probably Javon Freeman and he's only a freshman.

c) I have been hard on Lottich and maybe too hard at times with all the injuries this team as suffered, but I think he needs to improve on developing an offensive game plan. I'm not calling for his job, but I think it's a fair criticism at this point. He, just as everyone needs to keep evolving himself and striving to learn and improve. The man can coach defense and has some nice leadership qualities, but we need to see growth out of him as a coach as well.

[PlumStreetBum]

I know I've tried to find silver linings and I posted a defense of giving Lottich one more year... But after the turd this team just laid, I sincerely hope Javon Freeman is looking at transfer options. He deserves better than this organization. That was absolutely embarrassing.

Frankly I'll be shocked if we beat Evansville, and if I go to Arch Madness it won't be to watch this team. It's one thing to give 100% and get beat; it's another to play half-assed.

[oklahomamick]

I would love to hear from some of the players.  We wont and nor should the players publicly speak about the environment or whats happening behind closed doors.  I'm sure MLB will have meetings with several of the players at the end of the season.  I would love to be a fly on the wall during the meetings. 

[humbleopinion]

One or two decent shooters doesn't help you from getting blown out by a mediocre Bradley team.

If we just hit 9 out of 22 from the three (41%) we gain 21 points.  I believe that would indeed help us from getting blown out.

[vu72]

I have to admit that for the first time in maybe 20 years, I now expect to see Valpo lose and that is not a fun feeling.  The inept effort was appalling. The shooting?  Um, if you could call it that, was just sad.  The coaching? Well, Matt can't make shots for them but he brought these guys in, so there's that.

Here is a reality:  The second time around this league has not worked out very well. Part of that are coaches adjusting and learning and teaching, while we seem unable to do the same.

Painfully, the season will be over in two more games.  Anybody suggesting that we have the talent to win is just kidding themselves. Sad, just sad.

[SanityLost17]

I was not able to watch the game...

Were we at least getting open shots?  Or was Bradley locking us down? 

[VUBBFan]

I was not able to watch the game... Were we at least getting open shots?  Or was Bradley locking us down?

We had a decent amount of open shots. They just didn't go in.

[vu72]

I was not able to watch the game... Were we at least getting open shots?  Or was Bradley locking us down?

We had a decent amount of open shots. They just didn't go in.

[/b]

You could say that!  2-22 from the 3 and 26.8% overall.  Golder started and went 1 for 7 for 2 points, Bakari 1 for 9 (if he shoots one more floater in the lane I'm going to vomit) and Mileek, 1-7 for 2 points (in 7 minutes)!

So other than Jay, our starters last night are now shooting 28.1, 31.6, 26.5 and 23.8 from the 3.  We won't win any games with numbers like that.

[VULB#62]

Totally useless counterpoint.  Just saw on Twitter (cuz I'm following Bucknell a little, because, you know, the football link) the Bison recently hit 21 threes in defeating Laffayette.  A new school record.

[VULB#62]

Just checked the box score looking for something, anything to call a sliver lining.  I found one thing:  We out rebounded the Braves 36 -35 and, to my surprise, took down 13 ORBs to their 5.  That's atypical for this team.  We hardly ever go to the offensive boards.

[Valpo13]

Open Looks Created By The Offensive Game Plan (or lack thereof) + Player Skill/Development = Shooting Percentages....I'm not on the fire Lottich wagon yet but he is solely responsible for our inability to score the basketball...not a rough shooting night or injuries. 

[M]

20 missed threes probably had a few long rebounds kick out to Valpo I'd imagine. 

[humbleopinion]

Just checked the box score looking for something, anything to call a sliver lining.  I found one thing:  We out rebounded the Braves 36 -35 and, to my surprise, took down 13 ORBs to their 5.  That's atypical for this team.  We hardly ever go to the offensive boards.

I wish that we wouldn't have had so many opportunities for offensive rebounds!

[Valpo89]

I'm glad I went to see the good Valpo team play last night, and paid little attention to the VU-Bradley "game."

[wh]

I remember reading that during the off-season Steph Curry shoots every day until he MAKES 500 baskets and 200 baskets during the season. In the summer between HS and college he elevated his release point from his chest to above his head so he could shoot over bigger people. He said for the first week and a half, he couldn't hit the broad side of a barn, but he refused to give up on it, and eventually things started to click.

If someone were to do a Pareto on every returning player to identify their biggest deficiencies, shooting would run the gamut.  The bottom line - shutdown this season ASAP and begin an off-season shooting development program, complete with daily requirements, personal goals, tracking for accountability, etc. Buy as many of those rebounding machines as necessary to stop wasting time retrieving balls. Carry this forward for the next 6 months with all due diligence.

[valpo84]

This is my rambling old fan rant.  I would hope people on this board would critique about specific things the team is doing wrong on O or D.  Break it down with analytics and play analysis.  We are bordering on becoming hyper-critical of specific people.  This isn't talk radio.  These are college students and coaches.  They are at least to my trained eye still working, hustling and coaching hard.  Trying to nitpick their body language and fit your narratives and agendas (the fire Matt crowd) does not help.  As someone on here once said, Mums, Dads, relatives, recruits and the players see this stuff.  We, including the team, are frustrated by this season.  It has been a roller coaster and the precipitous fall has clearly made my stomach rumble, but would suggest we take some deep breaths.  Notwithstanding, here are some specific thoughts:

Not sure what offensive set you all think is going to fix players who can't shoot.  The warning bells on our offensive ineptitude were rung last year, and I said it a few times on this board early in the year.  This is the team that can't shoot straight. If you can't hit an open look 3 (and there were plenty last night), teams will sag the lane and you will have no inside game available, no backdoors, no layups, no driving the lane without 3-4 players there to collapse on you. Then what, kick it to an open Bakari, Kiser, Golder for the missed 3?[insert 3 shooting %s].

Ok, feed the post, and watch the double team collapse on Smits and Jay.  Amazing Smits had 12.  Jay had open looks.  He really needs to work on the 3 Cs (Catch, Collect, Convert) and continuing to build strength like Vashil did so you go up through defenders and dunk.  But, when they double, then what? Kick to an open Bakari, Sackey, Golder, Lavender?  See previous stats.  It's amazing how we have no pure shooters.  Skara and Burton would have helped.  It is clear that the injuries to Bakari and Golder are dramatically affecting their shooting.  Golder had one move last night that showed the old Golder, reverse layup.  But, his corner 3s had no legs in them. Appreciate his willingness to go back in.  When he left, the air was taken out of the team.  Then we are relying on Kiser, who wasn't even lined u, shoulders square to the basket to take 2 of his 3s. 

The only thing that occasionally works is a 15 ft J from Freeman and Lavender, but per today's analytic focused game those are bad shots.  Bradley did what we have seen second half of season once Fazekas and Golder were essentially done, clog the lane and make us hit shots.  Go back before the start of the conference season and we were saying the same thing.  The difference is in the first four conference wins, Fazekas found his stroke (and having watched him in practice he can shoot), Smits was then in more man-to-man situations and could score, or if they doubled, then he could kick and defenders were then scrambling, the extra pass could be made and boom the offense looked a whole lot better.  Ask yourself, instead of constant ripping of Matt, what changed?  Fazekas, Golder, Smits, Bakari (apparently all season hampered), Micah (all season), Fazekas again, Golder again (re-aggravated ankle last night).  Add to this, a thin roster with 2 transfer redshirts, and 2 guys out injured and there are no more answers down the bench. 

Matt should be commended that this team is still playing hard nosed defense.  It's frustrating for all, but I feel for this coaching staff.  When Matt has to run scout team, we are out of answers.  When Matt's on the court, he's probably the best shooter, too.  These guys have not quit and have grit.  They have not spit the bit.  That should tell you what kind of players they are and what type of coaches we have. 

Also, guys need to learn how to be better when we have an occasional steal and break.  They are rebounding better, and Kiser was everywhere last night, but if we are relying on him for 35 mins, we are in trouble. And as Mrs. Valpo84 said last night during the game, "hard to win when you can't score 50, and it seems like they haven't hit 50 for a few games."  If Matt doesn't go find 2 guys who can hit some 3s at 40% clip, then I'm probably resigned that he can't recruit to win in this league.  Next year, it's all his team and players.  I've been through the worst and leanest years.  But. at least when we had losing records in the early 90s, those teams were fun -- Casey, Lance, David, Tracy, Rob could flat out shoot the ball.  What's most frustrating is we probably were on our way to the season we thought we should have until the injuries started and continued.  That has nothing to do with coaching.   

In the end, it's college basketball so we should all take a deep yoga cleansing breath and wait til next year.  Then again, maybe we should skip STL, Kris Bryant says it's so boring anyway (probably because it's filled with Lutherans) .   I found this clip of some of the folks on the board, at least they'd have a close parking spot....

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xAZU6DYwTDM

[mj]

These guys have not quit and have grit.  They have not spit the bit.  That should tell you what kind of players they are and what type of coaches we have. 

I'll have some of whatever you're smoking.

[justducky]

I remember reading that during the off-season Steph Curry shoots every day until he MAKES 500 baskets and 200 baskets during the season. In the summer between HS and college he elevated his release point from his chest to above his head so he could shoot over bigger people. He said for the first week and a half, he couldn't hit the broad side of a barn, but he refused to give up on it, and eventually things started to click.

Sackey will never reach his full potential without learning the 3 point shot. Wide open he is bad, loosely guarded he is hideous, and tightly covered he will not connect for 1 in 20. Freeman can make vast improvements also. We have 3 more years to cultivate and harvest their talents so lets get started with something.

[VULB#62]

I remember reading that during the off-season Steph Curry shoots every day until he MAKES 500 baskets and 200 baskets during the season. In the summer between HS and college he elevated his release point from his chest to above his head so he could shoot over bigger people. He said for the first week and a half, he couldn't hit the broad side of a barn, but he refused to give up on it, and eventually things started to click.

If someone were to do a Pareto on every returning player to identify their biggest deficiencies, shooting would run the gamut.  The bottom line - shutdown this season ASAP and begin an off-season shooting development program, complete with daily requirements, personal goals, tracking for accountability, etc. Buy as many of those rebounding machines as necessary to stop wasting time retrieving balls. Carry this forward for the next 6 months with all due diligence.

Important to that is proper shooting mechanics. If you shoot 200 balls but with faulty mechanics it's not very productive — maybe even reinforcing bad habits. There are experts out there who specialize in shooting mechanics. Back in the day in Valpo there was such an expert (but it was mainly free throws, I believe), Virgil Sweet. Heck, Tom Brady, a surefire HOFer, always goes back to his private throwing coach to fine tune his mechanics every off season (and sometimes mid-season when he suspects something amiss). Apparently, there is no shooting expert currently on staff. Makes sense to bring one in and retain his services.

[crusadermoe]

Thanks for the patience and the precision in your comments, Valpo84.  I had wanted to speak up for Matt, but I would not have said it as eloquently.   

The negativity on the coach and some of the players has gone over the top. The fast start raised our expectations when we saw the ceiling this team had.  But late games exposed a lot of the holes. 

As I ask so often, is the glass half empty or half full?  I think we definitely dropped in our play in the last 10 games, but you can't deny the big wins on the road vs. MoState, Illinois State, and So. Illinois and the impressive game vs. Loyola.  All of the teams (except maybe Drake) have been blown out by 15 points or more on some nights.....Loyola twice did that.

[VUGrad1314]

Why do so many people keep calling the Loyola game impressive. We lost. That's not impressive and that game broke our backs this year. We weren't the same after that one. No one should think that close losses are impressive. That debate was settled once and for all in 15-16 when our narrow loss to #1 seed Oregon gave us no help towards an at large bid. Close losses mean nothing and don't get you anywhere.

[crusadermoe]

Interesting take on the Loyola ESPNU loss at home.   I do agree they don't earn you anything in terms of achievement.  But I did see good ball movement against a sticky defense.

You would think that loss could have turned us sour. But they went on the road and beat Illinois State soundly after that game. However, that did prove to be a big exception to our overall performance after that Loyola game.  Who knows?

[GoldenCrusader87]

1314

Agree. I refuse to believe that we're such a joke of a program that we chalk up a loss to Loyola as a positive indication of growth/performance. Especially when they've lost 6 conference games, 12 total games, and are 5-6 on the road lol. Give me a break.

[valpo64]

Talk about production!  Against Bradley, our 2 7-footers, combined, played a total of 39 minutes and had 4 rebounds and 14 points.  Wow!  Then I wonder where we stand in all of Div 1 B-ball regarding 3-point shooting....attempts, made, and %-age.  Let's hope we got it all out of our system in Peoria.