Valpo at Evansville game thread, Sat., Jan. 4, 2020, 6p CT

[M]

Nah, he's had to have fouled out quicker then that....as for the percentage it can't go up if he stops shooting. Let it fly! Be a threat, bring their bigs out of the paint so our guys can attack (this really isn't that complicated). Keep shooting and keep hitting big fella!

[VUGrad1314]

He's only a threat and he only draws the opposing big out of the paint if he hits consistently which he hasn't done all season except for today. If it's a good shot in the flow of the offense sure take it but I don't want to see him forcing it until he proves more consistency.

[justducky]

Nah, he's had to have fouled out quicker then that....as for the percentage it can't go up if he stops shooting. Let it fly! Be a threat, bring their bigs out of the paint so our guys can attack (this really isn't that complicated). Keep shooting and keep hitting big fella!

As a stretch 5 Mileek needs to defend and hit some 3's. Going 3 of 4 will keep him closely covered at Carbondale but is there somebody in this league that he can defensively contain without fouling out?

[wh]

It's great that Mileek hit some 3's, and his points were much needed. That said, his defensive play was awful. He gave up several baskets, his man drove on him at will, and his constant fouling puts the opposition in the bonus much sooner than they otherwise would be. He still hasn't learned to overplay his man on his strong side, thus he has no ability to stop dribble penetration. IMO Ben played a much better all-around game with 10 points in 17 minutes and much better position defense (albeit he got schooled at times too).

[David81]

Remembering the tragic loss that the Purple Aces encountered when their plane crashed in Dec 1977. The entire team and coaches died in that tragedy. RIP

I was a VU freshman that year and serving on the student senate. That evening, we were in a meeting when one of the VU vice presidents interrupted to share news that the VU basketball team may have been in a plane crash. Thank goodness it turned out not to be so, but our relief meant that others were grieving.

[Pgmado]

https://www.nwitimes.com/blogs/sports/inside-vu-sports/valparaiso-s-connection-to-evansville-tragedy/article_d3513b52-522f-11e3-b622-0019bb2963f4.html

[bbtds]

Remembering the tragic loss that the Purple Aces encountered when their plane crashed in Dec 1977. The entire team and coaches died in that tragedy. RIP

I was a VU freshman that year and serving on the student senate. That evening, we were in a meeting when one of the VU vice presidents interrupted to share news that the VU basketball team may have been in a plane crash. Thank goodness it turned out not to be so, but our relief meant that others were grieving.

I work with a guy who was a freshman in 1977 at Evansville. It took me about a year after getting to know him to tell him that Valpo also had a scare that night and how I was in high school at the time. He later overheard me telling the story to another colleague and he said there is no way that could have been easy and I said "at least our team played out the rest of that season and lived out their lives." If any of you get down to Evansville and are driving down US41 by the Evansville Airport and look to the hills opposite the airport (I was told some have been leveled out for subdivisions since that time) and think of a real foggy night when you can't really see anything. Taking off in a doomed airplane because someone forgot to remove the aileron control locks. Going down for the last time ever.

[bbtds]

Here is intersection of US41 & St George Rd in Evansville just south of the airport. You can see some of the hills to the south and east of the airport.

https://www.google.com/maps/@38.0279892,-87.5385889,3a,75y,43.43h,96.83t/data=!3m6!1e1!3m4!1swfEVd0UniubcECT7yeugGA!2e0!7i16384!8i8192

The west side of Evansville Airport looking east. Runways in front of pic.

https://www.google.com/maps/@38.0426405,-87.5368728,3a,75y,90h,96.83t/data=!3m6!1e1!3m4!1spd0Wm3u72DBjHgTSL2Xg9g!2e0!7i13312!8i6656

NTSB Final Report on Air Indiana Flight 216 from Evansville to Nashville.

https://reports.aviation-safety.net/1977/19771213-0_DC3_N51071.pdf


Actual sight of the crash. Housing has been built around the sight since 1977. Twickingham Dr., O'Hara Dr. & Ward Rd. were the only drivable roads there at the time. Ossenburg Ln. was built since 1977.

https://www.google.com/maps/place/38%C2%B002'11.0%22N+87%C2%B031'08.7%22W/@38.036375,-87.5212587,17z/data=!3m1!4b1!4m14!1m7!3m6!1s0x0:0x0!2zMzjCsDAyJzAwLjAiTiA4N8KwMzEnMDAuMCJX!3b1!8m2!3d38.0333333!4d-87.5166667!3m5!1s0x0:0x0!7e2!8m2!3d38.0363755!4d-87.51907

Trees were struck near O'Hara & Twickingham

https://www.google.com/maps/@38.0350181,-87.5231314,3a,75y,320.78h,105.65t/data=!3m7!1e1!3m5!1sMnVWzs730RQOYfv3frMdTQ!2e0!6s%2F%2Fgeo0.ggpht.com%2Fcbk%3Fpanoid%3DMnVWzs730RQOYfv3frMdTQ%26output%3Dthumbnail%26cb_client%3Dmaps_sv.tactile.gps%26thumb%3D2%26w%3D203%26h%3D100%26yaw%3D254.01897%26pitch%3D0%26thumbfov%3D100!7i13312!8i6656

Ward Rd. no longer goes all the way to the railroad tracks. The crash sight is just beyond the trees.

https://www.google.com/maps/@38.0353288,-87.5190875,3a,75y,2.89h,80.22t/data=!3m7!1e1!3m5!1sYTFjD43m3h9VWf7EF-MUuQ!2e0!6s%2F%2Fgeo0.ggpht.com%2Fcbk%3Fpanoid%3DYTFjD43m3h9VWf7EF-MUuQ%26output%3Dthumbnail%26cb_client%3Dmaps_sv.tactile.gps%26thumb%3D2%26w%3D203%26h%3D100%26yaw%3D76.99349%26pitch%3D0%26thumbfov%3D100!7i13312!8i6656

[bbtds]

The Evansville Courier from December 14, 1977

https://www.ebay.com/itm/Evansville-Courier-Dec-14-1977-UE-Basketball-Team-Dies-In-Plane-Crash-Newspaper/273093469800?_trkparms=aid%3D555018%26algo%3DPL.SIM%26ao%3D1%26asc%3D20131003132420%26meid%3Dea26676d732341aaa315d24768c7dc40%26pid%3D100005%26rk%3D1%26rkt%3D12%26mehot%3Dpf%26sd%3D113735126696%26itm%3D273093469800%26pmt%3D1%26noa%3D0%26pg%3D2047675&_trksid=p2047675.c100005.m1851

You can't read the stories but you can see the pics. Scroll down and click on the Evansville paper.

You might notice a story about SIU filling in for Evansville in a tournament.

[bbtds]

I have a bad feeling now about this game. Both teams need the confidence building win and Valpo has pretty much been screwed by the refs in Evansville. I think it will be a close one with the refs making a blown call in the last minute to give the Aces the game.

Valpo   71
Evansville 74

Refs must be seeing us a fairly legit and more regular MVC team. We got some calls at the end of that game. O.T. on the road against a team battling outside distractions is a fair result too. Every game in the MVC seems to be close.

[vu72]

Mileek 3/4 from 3 and we won....sounds familiar.

Great prediction but that still only gets him to 26.4%.  .   

5 fouls in only 12 minutes! Is that his new record? 

Did you watch the game?  He was guarding a guy who could be the conference player of the year. How about a different spin: 9 points in only 12 minutes!  Is that a new record?

[FieldGoodie05]

Mileek 3/4 from 3 and we won....sounds familiar.

Great prediction but that still only gets him to 26.4%.  .   

5 fouls in only 12 minutes! Is that his new record? 

Did you watch the game?  He was guarding a guy who could be the conference player of the year. How about a different spin: 9 points in only 12 minutes!  Is that a new record?

30+ game season so consistency is all that matters out of Mileek.  I'm counting the days until coach "consistently" starts a freshman Krikke over inconsistent Mileek.

[Valpo89]

I had the end of the Texans-Bills game on my TV, the video of the VU game on my laptop and Todd on my phone for the audio.
So, I didn't pay 100 percent attention particularly in the first half.
It was a gritty, much-needed comeback victory in a place that is notorious for favoring the home team (see the free throw disparity).
However, remember folks - it is JUST EVANSVILLE. Sure, I know they beat Kentucky, but come on.
I won't be sold on this team until a legitimate win streak is put together and each game isn't a struggle.

[Valpower]

I had the end of the Texans-Bills game on my TV, the video of the VU game on my laptop and Todd on my phone for the audio.
So, I didn't pay 100 percent attention particularly in the first half.
It was a gritty, much-needed comeback victory in a place that is notorious for favoring the home team (see the free throw disparity).
However, remember folks - it is JUST EVANSVILLE. Sure, I know they beat Kentucky, but come on.
I won't be sold on this team until a legitimate win streak is put together and each game isn't a struggle.

If anything characterizes the MVC it's that each game will be a struggle (for every team) and, while it was just Evansville, I'll say that few teams have represented kryptonite so thoroughly in my mind as they, especially on the road. As for being sold on the team? Well, if we wait until they already proven themselves, we won't be saying much, so I'll say that I'm at least sold on their potential. The key element for me is the improvement from Clay and Krikke, which will continue to put pressure on McMillan and Kiser to up their game or force Lottich to shake the lineup a bit more.

[JD24]

I realize Kiser has his role when he's in the game but he played 20 mins and took 2 shots, had one steal, one turnover and a PF. That's hard to do.

[justducky]

I realize Kiser has his role when he's in the game but he played 20 mins and took 2 shots, had one steal, one turnover and a PF. That's hard to do.

Probably by design he would have been our last option on offense. I didn't watch the replay yet but his defense looked acceptable (without major error).

Many of the Sackey turnovers come when he is out front leading the fast break. His judgements and execution on passing opportunities is shockingly  bad. He almost never pulls up or pulls the ball out resulting in a 50% assist, 50% turnover rate. He has to fix this part of his game!

[valpo64]

Kiser:  20 minutes, no points, no rebounds.....that is what we call no contribution on offense!!  At least he didn't start.  We are waiting for you,  Ryan Fazekas.  Although Ryan has only played 20 minutes of so in that first game, I can't wait to see how he will eventually fit in to our offense and open up the floor.  His play could and should make J V-L even better and improve our inside/outside game(including perhaps Maleek?)

[justducky]

We are waiting for you,  Ryan Fazekas.  Although Ryan has only played 20 minutes of so in that first game, I can't wait to see how he will eventually fit in to our offense and open up the floor.  His play could and should make J V-L even better and improve our inside/outside game(including perhaps Maleek?)

Clay, Gordon, Robinson, Kiser and Fazekas all fit under the broad classification of shooting guard or small forward. Upon Ryan returning I'd expect expanded minutes of what could be called a 5 guard offense. McMillan and Krikke will need to step up their games to maintain their minutes at the 5 and Sackey could easily see his role shrinking at the point. Our offensive strategy already looks to be changing and Ryan returning could speed this along. The process should be fun to watch!   

[NativeCheesehead]

Ryan seems like a good kid, and I always love the region players coming home. But let's be honest. The odds of him remaining healthy for the rest of the season are not very good. Even Derrick Rose thinks he's injury prone.

[bbtds]

Kiser:  20 minutes, no points, no rebounds.....that is what we call no contribution on offense!!  At least he didn't start.  We are waiting for you,  Ryan Fazekas.  Although Ryan has only played 20 minutes of so in that first game, I can't wait to see how he will eventually fit in to our offense and open up the floor.  His play could and should make J V-L even better and improve our inside/outside game(including perhaps Maleek?)

It will be like waiting to open presents on Christmas Eve/Christmas Day. You wait till the day happens & then it's all over.

[justducky]

Ryan seems like a good kid, and I always love the region players coming home. But let's be honest. The odds of him remaining healthy for the rest of the season are not very good.

It will be like waiting to open presents on Christmas Eve/Christmas Day. You wait till the day happens & then it's all over.

Too much negative thinking around here! If some of you choose to focus your attentions on the inevitability of Javon transferring and Ryan finishing his career on a stretcher then have at it. Most on this board have optimistically planned and executed our lives while rolling with the punches and taking advantage of the brakes we get. With that in mind if Fazekas can give us a stellar Feb-March then I am happy as a lark. Its not like we need to peak before St. Louis. 

[valpo64]

Amen!, justducky.  And the beat goes on.

[bbtds]

With that in mind if Fazekas can give us a stellar Feb-March then I am happy as a lark. Its not like we need to peak before St. Louis.

That's the thing. Ryan has never really had a stretch of maybe 8-10 games in his whole college career when he stayed healthy. There is just no history of his being able to withstand the rigors of the physicality of Div I college basketball. Sad for Ryan but very true. If he comes through that will be a pleasant surprise but I'm not falling for it. We have had too much hope in players not having good a good history coming through.