Valpo hosts SIU Game Thread, Wed., Feb. 12th, 7:00p CT, ESPN+

tiny707 · February 06, 2020, 06:04:52 PM

They seem to able to win with a young team? Coach is younger than ML and this is his first year as a head coach. Opposite of MSU who recites great but can't win.

VUGrad1314 · February 06, 2020, 08:39:48 PM

It does beg the question why has Mullins been able to do so well at SIU while Matt has struggled at Valpo? I think the simple answer is experience. Mullins was an assistant for quite awhile before he took the reins in Carbondale and he was a lead assistant. Matt was not. Institutional commitment could be a factor as well.

valpo84 · February 07, 2020, 08:38:07 AM

There's also the belief that the past coach had the players but greatly underachieved and a better coach (granted) has aided in their recovery.

Matt's first year with the players that were still here (including a POY in an inferior league) did fine. The cupboard was then bare. How you rebuild from there determines your grade. So far, it's incomplete based on the factors that impacted him (discussed in multiple threads previously). How SIU's coach does going forward will be the real measuring stick as he recruits his players, how they perform, transferes, etc.

Most new coaches (checks a couple facts) have a 1st year bump/honeymoon period. New coaches also have to recreate the program over the next 3-4 years. Mid-majors have it more difficult because they are trading on P5 status to have better cupboards. Shoot even ol Roy is having a tough year bygumit.

tiny707 · February 09, 2020, 07:31:04 AM

Young team and first year coach just keep winning....

valpo84 · February 09, 2020, 08:01:32 AM

Top 6 scorers for SIU: Cook, sr; domask, FR (newcomer of year Mvc?); McGill, sr; benson, Grad sr; Jones, fr; Suggs, gr. Sr

VUGrad1314 · February 09, 2020, 11:03:31 AM

Domask has to be the newcomer of the year. He has been amazing. That buzzer beater he hit was absolutely cold blooded.

valpo64 · February 09, 2020, 08:05:47 PM

An inexperienced, first year head coach who inherits a veteran team and they win...sound familiar?

VUGrad1314 · February 09, 2020, 08:42:45 PM

Willing to bet that Mullins does better than Lottich going forward. He was seen as a rising star in the profession before taking the SIU job Lottich after taking the VU job was not.

justducky · February 10, 2020, 10:54:52 AM

Our thanks to tiny707 for opening this thread but for the moderators to acknowledge it as the official game thread you should amend it so that it includes the date, time, location etc. They are very picky about that.

My thanks to wh for opening the last 8 in a row!

I don't think that was what he wanted to do but when you get to 1 day before tipoff with no game thread then somebody needs to step up! Some of you newcomers who are not yet jinxed with losing streaks need to start taking your turns in the barrel.

As for SIU we are now overdue for a breakout performance! I will be at the ARC expecting this to happen.

GoldenCrusader87 · February 10, 2020, 07:50:01 PM

Over under on attendance this Wednesday?

+/- 2,500?

talksalot · February 10, 2020, 08:41:59 PM

why does the weather God hate us? 5-8" snow storm predicted for Wednesday night.

VALPO LI · February 11, 2020, 08:15:45 AM

Time to act fast VU! How will you respond to the Snow?
Time To Promote! Promote and Promote this game NOW!!!
Blow up social media!!!

Get the word out, shuttle the students to this game from their dorms, promote the campus shuttle and Crusader Transit Tracker! Have a snowball fight on the football field fraternity vs. fraternity.
Build a showman contest sorority vs. sorority!!! Winner gets free socks and bragging rights at halftime

It will be depressing for the players and fans alike if we had another 1,333 home conference game like last year. Players feed off the crowd and it's up to the University to promote and get people in those seats. Free give away, free corn dogs anything to get students to show up tomorrow! I'll bet if they offer a free victory bell Elephtheria will show up and a candlestick for Valpo84.

wh · February 11, 2020, 09:21:48 AM

Valpo to Attempt to Cool Off SIU on Wednesday

http://www.valpoathletics.com/mbasketball/news/2019-20/19694/valpo-to-attempt-to-cool-off-siu-on-wednesday/

Saluki · February 11, 2020, 03:27:35 PM

Quote from: valpo64 on February 09, 2020, 08:05:47 PMAn inexperienced, first year head coach who inherits a veteran team and they win...sound familiar?

Mullins did not inherit a veteran team. McGill (starter) is one of two holdovers on the active roster. One recruit (Jones) recommitted to Mullins. The other starters, including Domask, are Mullins recruits. Mullins signed 9 new players. There weren't enough left over to put together a team.

wh · February 11, 2020, 07:57:07 PM

Salukis hungry for more after last-second win over MSU
Todd Hefferman Feb 11, 2020 Updated 5 min ago

https://thesouthern.com/sports/college/salukimania/salukis-hungry-for-more-after-last-second-win-over-msu/article_c4bcee4e-ce57-59a4-a089-4867e5901aee.html

nkvu · February 11, 2020, 08:26:55 PM

I honestly don't know what to think about this game. They totally handled us last time at their place. Now we have them at home, yet we never seem to miss an opportunity to miss an opportunity, so I can't predict a win. At this point in the season we need to step up and beat a team no one thinks we can beat. We haven't had that since what, Toledo? Central Michigan? Cincinnati? Oh that's right we lost that game, didn't we. Come on team. Give me a reason to think you can do something going into the conference tournament other than losing close. Or will you leave me once again saying, "We should be better next year even though we lose our best three point shooter and our glue guy.

Just Sayin · February 11, 2020, 09:54:08 PM

Quote from: wh on February 11, 2020, 07:57:07 PM
Salukis hungry for more after last-second win over MSU
Todd Hefferman Feb 11, 2020 Updated 5 min ago

https://thesouthern.com/sports/college/salukimania/salukis-hungry-for-more-after-last-second-win-over-msu/article_c4bcee4e-ce57-59a4-a089-4867e5901aee.html

In conference SIU is 8th in offensive efficiency and 2nd in defensive efficiency so we match up fairly well with them. But they win close games. We are 3-pt. favorites only due to HCA.

valpotx · February 12, 2020, 04:11:35 AM

Valpo 74
SIU 66

vok22 · February 12, 2020, 08:06:10 AM

Quote from: Just Sayin on February 11, 2020, 09:54:08 PM
Quote from: wh on February 11, 2020, 07:57:07 PM
Salukis hungry for more after last-second win over MSU
Todd Hefferman Feb 11, 2020 Updated 5 min ago

https://thesouthern.com/sports/college/salukimania/salukis-hungry-for-more-after-last-second-win-over-msu/article_c4bcee4e-ce57-59a4-a089-4867e5901aee.html

In conference SIU is 8th in offensive efficiency and 2nd in defensive efficiency so we match up fairly well with them. But they win close games. We are 3-pt. favorites only due to HCA.

Doubt there'll be much of a HCA today besides the fact they have to travel and we don't. I would love to see a linear regression relating to forecasted snow impacts on attendance. For every half inch of snow we have to lose 500 fans.

SanityLost17 · February 12, 2020, 08:48:40 AM

For the love of god.... Please don't make THIS one of the games we miss all of our wide open shots and just can't find the rim.

I would have rather that happened at Loyola since it was a tall order to win there in the first place.

This is a game we have to win and it can't be a game we can't shoot.

wh · February 12, 2020, 10:02:24 AM

Quote from: vok22 on February 12, 2020, 08:06:10 AM
Quote from: Just Sayin on February 11, 2020, 09:54:08 PM
Quote from: wh on February 11, 2020, 07:57:07 PM
Salukis hungry for more after last-second win over MSU
Todd Hefferman Feb 11, 2020 Updated 5 min ago

https://thesouthern.com/sports/college/salukimania/salukis-hungry-for-more-after-last-second-win-over-msu/article_c4bcee4e-ce57-59a4-a089-4867e5901aee.html

In conference SIU is 8th in offensive efficiency and 2nd in defensive efficiency so we match up fairly well with them. But they win close games. We are 3-pt. favorites only due to HCA.

Doubt there'll be much of a HCA today besides the fact they have to travel and we don't. I would love to see a linear regression relating to forecasted snow impacts on attendance. For every half inch of snow we have to lose 500 fans.

lol

justducky · February 12, 2020, 12:14:44 PM

Quote from: talksalot on February 10, 2020, 08:41:59 PM
why does the weather God hate us? 5-8" snow storm predicted for Wednesday night.

The latest weather tea leaf reading showed 1" to 3" by morning (Portage) and none of it appears to be the unpredictable lake-effect stuff. I found a partner ~~stupid~~, brave enough to tag along so I may still show up.

elephtheria47 · February 12, 2020, 01:35:54 PM

Just don't see it happening. .We lose by the number of inches of snow we will get....5. It's starting off as rain this afternoon, , switching to ice and then snow, causing attendance to be 2100.

Valpo89 · February 12, 2020, 02:55:54 PM

I predict attendance will be worse than last Wednesday's game. And last Wednesday was awful.
Not just due to the weather. People are losing faith, and no one cares about Southern Illinois.

VUGrad1314 · February 12, 2020, 03:20:40 PM

They should. SIU is one of if not the most tradition rich program the Valley has to offer and they are in the midst of a renaissance that will likely bring them back to their glory of the early and mid 2000s. I see some tournament runs in the Salukis not too distant future. They are white hot right now and Domask is awesome. Also this one may go a long way toward determining whether we're a Thursday team this year. 4-2 gives us a shot to avoid it 5-1 makes it a near certainty 6-0 makes it a lock but that's unlikely to see us run the table so we don't have much margin for error. This is a big important game. Probably the most important game of our season so far. I understand not showing up for weather You gotta be safe but if the weather is okay I hope people turn out.