Game #3 Valpo @ SIU-Edwardsville Cougars 11/12 7:00 ESPN+

[talksalot]

Since the game is tomorrow, thought I'd start this one.  Wish me luck.

SIUE was handled by Iowa 87-60 in their D1-opener.  They beat Quincy College by 9.  Their RealTimeWorthlessRPI is 299.

Here's the link to Valpo's Game notes:
http://cdn.streamlinetechnologies.com/valpoathletics/E7D8985D-530B-464F-8824-9002F2447573/MBBGameNotes_111219_SIUE.pdf


Here's the SIUE box score with Iowa.   10-player rotation.  Free Throws were a bit of a conundrum... Iowa 27 of 32.  SIUE 4 of 4.
https://www.siuecougars.com/sports/m-baskbl/2019-20/boxscores/20191108_2qxd.xml?view=boxscore

and here's their recap:
https://www.siuecougars.com/sports/m-baskbl/2019-20/releases/2019110913fm9l

This marks the third consecutive year these two teams have faced off after Valpo's appearance at the Valdabene Center on Nov. 15, 2017 marked the first all-time meeting. The Brown & Gold prevailed 94-69 in that trip to Edwardsville, before escaping with a 75-70 overtime victory on Nov. 21, 2018. All three Valpo games so far this season have come in all-time series where the most recent meeting either went to overtime or ended on a buzzer-beater. Last year's game with the Cougars saw all five Valpo starters finish the evening in double figures after the hosts outscored the guests 7-2 in the extra session.

Our cracker-jack SID office has dug up this:

Cam Williams (6'2" SO Guard) is the team's top scorer through two games at 13.5 per contest, while Anselm Uzuegbunem (6'7" SR Fwd) has a team-best rebounding average of 6.0.

Went 10-21 last season including a 6-12 mark in the Ohio Valley Conference and a 7-8 home record.

Picked to finish 11th of 12 in the OVC Preseason Media Poll and 10th by the SIDs and head coaches.

Under the direction of first-year head coach Brian Barone, who was an assistant on staff for the last two seasons. Barone has worked against Valpo in the past as an assistant, including his five-year stint on Brian Wardle's staff at Green Bay. He was on the opposing bench for Ryan Broekhoff's buzzer-beater in the 2013 Horizon League semifinals at the ARC.

Hometown Tour: A homecoming weekend of sorts continues for Valpo freshman Donovan Clay with Tuesday's matchup. The Alton, Ill. native played in front of about 20 friends and family members on Saturday night at Saint Louiswhich is located approximately 25 miles from his hometown.  Edwardsville is even closer at approximately 15 miles from Alton.  Clay saw 18 minutes of action and accrued three points, three rebounds and two steals in the game against the Billikens. 

===============
and the 800lb gorilla in the room... What about Fazekas?

[rustnvrsleeps@yahoo.com]

Since the game is tomorrow, thought I'd start this one.  Wish me luck.

SIUE was handled by Iowa 87-60 in their D1-opener.  They beat Quincy College by 9.  Their RealTimeWorthlessRPI is 299.

Here's the link to Valpo's Game notes:
http://cdn.streamlinetechnologies.com/valpoathletics/E7D8985D-530B-464F-8824-9002F2447573/MBBGameNotes_111219_SIUE.pdf


Here's the SIUE box score with Iowa.   10-player rotation.  Free Throws were a bit of a conundrum... Iowa 27 of 32.  SIUE 4 of 4.
https://www.siuecougars.com/sports/m-baskbl/2019-20/boxscores/20191108_2qxd.xml?view=boxscore

and here's their recap:
https://www.siuecougars.com/sports/m-baskbl/2019-20/releases/2019110913fm9l

This marks the third consecutive year these two teams have faced off after Valpo's appearance at the Valdabene Center on Nov. 15, 2017 marked the first all-time meeting. The Brown & Gold prevailed 94-69 in that trip to Edwardsville, before escaping with a 75-70 overtime victory on Nov. 21, 2018. All three Valpo games so far this season have come in all-time series where the most recent meeting either went to overtime or ended on a buzzer-beater. Last year's game with the Cougars saw all five Valpo starters finish the evening in double figures after the hosts outscored the guests 7-2 in the extra session.

Our cracker-jack SID office has dug up this:

Cam Williams (6'2" SO Guard) is the team's top scorer through two games at 13.5 per contest, while Anselm Uzuegbunem (6'7" SR Fwd) has a team-best rebounding average of 6.0.

Went 10-21 last season including a 6-12 mark in the Ohio Valley Conference and a 7-8 home record.

Picked to finish 11th of 12 in the OVC Preseason Media Poll and 10th by the SIDs and head coaches.

Under the direction of first-year head coach Brian Barone, who was an assistant on staff for the last two seasons. Barone has worked against Valpo in the past as an assistant, including his five-year stint on Brian Wardle's staff at Green Bay. He was on the opposing bench for Ryan Broekhoff's buzzer-beater in the 2013 Horizon League semifinals at the ARC.

Hometown Tour: A homecoming weekend of sorts continues for Valpo freshman Donovan Clay with Tuesday's matchup. The Alton, Ill. native played in front of about 20 friends and family members on Saturday night at Saint Louiswhich is located approximately 25 miles from his hometown.  Edwardsville is even closer at approximately 15 miles from Alton.  Clay saw 18 minutes of action and accrued three points, three rebounds and two steals in the game against the Billikens. 

===============
and the 800lb gorilla in the room... What about Fazekas?

I got a feeling that this is NOT a "No news is good news" situation.



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[bbtds]

Under the direction of first-year head coach Brian Barone, who was an assistant on staff for the last two seasons. Barone has worked against Valpo in the past as an assistant, including his five-year stint on Brian Wardle's staff at Green Bay. He was on the opposing bench for Ryan Broekhoff's buzzer-beater in the 2013 Horizon League semifinals at the ARC.

Everybody Loves Brian

Was he around for the Pullman relative's sickness/defication incident under Wardle?

Let's get him a tape of a Dallas Maverick's game with Rowdy hitting some late 3's.

[vu84v2]

There is no reason why Valpo should have agreed (again) to a home and home with one of the perennially weakest teams in D1.

[valpo64]

It must be remembered that mid-majors  are not always able to schedule who they want to play in non-conference games.  The options are not always there as all the better mid-major teams are looking for the same type of competition that we  look to schedule.  What we would like to do often differs from what we are able to do.

[valpo64]

Did anyone notice that Oakland beat Southern Illinois by 9?  I didn't think OU was that good this year although I know SIU doesn't have a powerhouse this year.

[VUBBFan]

According to the all powerful and all knowing KenPom rankings. Oakland is rated 165, and SIU is 214.

[VALPO LI]

I am not opposed to SIU-e being on our schedule.  This game will allow us to see if our Crusaders will play above our competition or do we collapse and play at our competitors level, even though we are the more talented team.
We could be playing another non D1 opponent. Or we could be playing Chicago St., Western Illinois, SE Missouri St, Coppin St, Norfolk St, NC A&T, Alabama St, or Mississippi Valley St.
Ohhh by the way all these schools are on our MVC opponents schedules.  We just need to take care of business, play hard, win and win BIG!!!

[VULB#62]

Good post, LI.

[valpotx]

Good game to have scheduled after 2 tough games against Toledo and SLU.  Need a confidence builder.

Valpo 76
SIU-E 67

[VUSWIM08-12]

Line open with Valpo -6, I took Valpo all day. I would think if this team wants to finish above .500 in MVC play we need take SIU-E to the cleaners. Try to get out in transition and score early and often.

Valpo-78
SUI-E- 62

[govalpogo]

Even more than in last year's preseason game, I thought that the SIUe game was a sign for how the rest of the year was going to go.  It took overtime to get by them at home last year and the energy and execution were...not there.  I think a big sign of growth for this year will be to take care of business against who you need to and avoid unexplicable debacles like Riverside and High Point (though they turned out to be okay last year).  Get it done!

[M]

Even without Fazekas...will they be without him...I think Valpo wins this by at least the 6 Vegas is predicting.

I put some action on Valpo -2.5 in the second half.

Valpo 82-66 winner (maybe play the over too)

[NativeCheesehead]

I dunno, this team has broke my heart the last couple of years, not sure I'm going to let them break my wallet too.

[wh]

2019-20 Media OVC Preseason Men's Predicted Order of Finish
1. Belmont (11 first-place votes) - 176 points
2. Murray State (3) - 165
3. Austin Peay (1) - 138
4. Jacksonville State - 126
5. UT Martin - 125
6. Eastern Illinois - 90
   Morehead State - 90
8. Tennessee State - 74
9. Eastern Kentucky - 63
10. Tennessee Tech - 53
11. SIUE - 37
12. Southeast Missouri - 33

[vu84v2]

I am not opposed to SIU-e being on our schedule.  This game will allow us to see if our Crusaders will play above our competition or do we collapse and play at our competitors level, even though we are the more talented team.
We could be playing another non D1 opponent. Or we could be playing Chicago St., Western Illinois, SE Missouri St, Coppin St, Norfolk St, NC A&T, Alabama St, or Mississippi Valley St.
Ohhh by the way all these schools are on our MVC opponents schedules.  We just need to take care of business, play hard, win and win BIG!!!

I am not opposed to playing SIU-E at home, as long at a majority of the home schedule is reasonably strong. But Valpo for the second time agreed to play a home and home with SIU-E. Most of those MVC non-conference opponents that you listed only play at the MVC team. Valpo does not send a very good message to the market (i.e. teams who might consider a home and home with Valpo) about the quality and prestige of its program when it agrees to a home and home (for the second time!) with a program as low as SIU-E.

I have little or no problem with scheduling home and home series with teams like Toledo, Central Michigan and North Dakota.

[talksalot]

Vegas Insider...
777 Valparaiso -6.5  ou 138
778 SIU Edwardsville   

So they're predicting something like a 73-66 game...  I hope running them out of the gym is a possibility.   I'm feeling a 78-60 game...

[covufan]

We need to focus on our defense, especially defensive rebounding.

Valpo  -  79
SIUE   -   66


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[rustnvrsleeps@yahoo.com]

Nothing on Fazekas yet?


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[bbtds]

Nothing on Fazekas yet?

A. Progressing nicely
B. Out for Year
C. Out for Year
D. Out for Year
E. Out for Year

4 of the 5 answers are correct. 1 of the answers will be given for the remainder of the season.

[rustnvrsleeps@yahoo.com]

Nothing on Fazekas yet?

A. Progressing nicely
B. Out for Year
C. Out for Year
D. Out for Year
E. Out for Year

4 of the 5 answers are correct. 1 of the answers will be given for the remainder of the season.

You're saying that as if this is not Valpos first rodeo as far as hiding injuries??


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[EddieCabot]

KenPom has it 72-68 Valpo.

[VU2014]

One random thought. I don't think Lottich trusts Zion Morgan being out there in close games. Can't trust his ball handling. He's a risk out there and could kill momentum for a young squad on the court. From the limited minutes we've seen so far, he plays hard and good D but if you can't take care of the ball it's tough to put a guy out there in pivotal stretches of the game.

Hopefully he figures it out takes care of the ball more. Would love to have his energy and defensive presence out there more.

[VALPO LI]

Canadian Camara crew at this game???

[FWalum]

Thank God we didn't play this defense against Toledo and St. Louis or we would've been down 30 at halftime.