Game #8 @ Toledo ESPN3 1:00 PM WVUR 95.1

[vok22]

Toledo recently moved into the top 100. Their three losses come against Michigan (by 20), Xavier (by 3), and Bradley (by 2). Have 4 wins including a solid one over Marshall. Would be nice to see our guys come out with energy and get the upset!

[NativeCheesehead]

Hot take of the day: I like the coaches not wearing suits and think they should all agree to only do it for postseason play going forward.

[valporun]

Hot take of the day: I like the coaches not wearing suits and think they should all agree to only do it for postseason play going forward.

So you want the coaches basically being a marketing device for Nike wear during games, like you see in MLB or NFL, instead of looking professional, and like they are in charge?

[NativeCheesehead]

Stop. Shooting. Threes.

[valporun]

Not only stop shooting threes, but get Krikke setting up for some post shots, not shooting from 15+ feet out. Get him inside getting some hard dribble layups and free throws opps. Tired of 26 3's a game with 15-21 of them clanking worse than a pick up line used to get a date.

[valpo64]

E Gordon...very disappointing this year so far.  I guess this pre-conference season is the time to find out who can contribute and get the play time.  N. Robinson also has not shown much this far.  I realize I may be in the minority but we need a CONSISTENT point guard and it is not Sackey.  I wish I had a suggestion but I don't.

[Pgmado]

Hot take of the day: I like the coaches not wearing suits and think they should all agree to only do it for postseason play going forward.

So you want the coaches basically being a marketing device for Nike wear during games, like you see in MLB or NFL, instead of looking professional, and like they are in charge?

Did Mike Straubel wear suits to cross-country meets? Baseball coaches wear uniforms. Give me Lottich in a jersey on the sidelines.

[valporun]

Hot take of the day: I like the coaches not wearing suits and think they should all agree to only do it for postseason play going forward.

So you want the coaches basically being a marketing device for Nike wear during games, like you see in MLB or NFL, instead of looking professional, and like they are in charge?

Did Mike Straubel wear suits to cross-country meets? Baseball coaches wear uniforms. Give me Lottich in a jersey on the sidelines.

Depending on where Conference was for cross country, he might have a tie on for the meet, since it was usually cold for those, so a polo and khakis didn't work.

[valpotx]

I don't mind bad shooting nights, but I can't stand dumb basketball plays.  Bad/half-effort passes, fouling on the rebound after you miss a shot, stopping your dribble when you don't have a defender on you, etc.  This was an ugly game.

[a3uge]

I don't mind bad shooting nights, but I can't stand dumb basketball plays.  Bad/half-effort passes, fouling on the rebound after you miss a shot, stopping your dribble when you don't have a defender on you, etc.  This was an ugly game.

Bad shooting night? It's been a bad shooting year for 4 years now.

[bbtds]

Hot take of the day: I like the coaches not wearing suits and think they should all agree to only do it for postseason play going forward.

So you want the coaches basically being a marketing device for Nike wear during games, like you see in MLB or NFL, instead of looking professional, and like they are in charge?

I don't think it is necessary for a coach who is very active on the sideline to wear a suit coach and tie. I do think a coach should look sharp in possibly dress slacks and a golf shirt or something similar.

[bbtds]

E Gordon...very disappointing this year so far.  I guess this pre-conference season is the time to find out who can contribute and get the play time.  N. Robinson also has not shown much this far.  I realize I may be in the minority but we need a CONSISTENT point guard and it is not Sackey.  I wish I had a suggestion but I don't.

It always frustrates me that Sackey misses so many uncontested layups.

[nkvu]

About what I've come to expect. Only thing that kept us in this game at all was that Toledo played down to our level in the first half. They come out hitting three's in the second half, we don't. We come back a bit, they answer, we fall apart. One thing is clear. If we don't hit threes, we don't win, period. We haven't shown any ability as a team to do that, so.....

[a3uge]

Why are fans asking about the amount of threes taken and not why they're only hitting a few of them a game? Is it really a viable strategy in 2020 to not take 3s and have putrid outside shooters on the court?

[vu72]

I think we played a much better, different game then we have all season.  First, we drove on the basket A LOT.  We played good defense and had they not hit 7 threes in the second half (many from NBA range) we would have been right in there.

For those who don't think we have a "go to guy" I would suggest you look at the box score.  If 17 and 13 isn't a go to guy, not sure what is.  Look, we were on the road and got hosed by the refs. 23 foul shots to our 8?  We have got to find a way to get Conner and Jacob looks at the basket. They had rough games.

Much better but could be a long season.

[vok22]

I don't mind bad shooting nights, but I can't stand dumb basketball plays.  Bad/half-effort passes, fouling on the rebound after you miss a shot, stopping your dribble when you don't have a defender on you, etc.  This was an ugly game.

Exactly. I don't even mind if they are a bad shooting team (to a point), but this team is just so sloppy/carless/unorganized from top to bottom. They routinely step out of bounds, travel unprompted, throw the ball away, and foul. It's like watching a group of really tall athletic middle schoolers play basketball. People are running into each other on offense. There was one time today where there was a dribbler and two other people standing together at the top of the key. They weren't screening or do anything. It was like they were all just converging 2 feet away from each other at the ball cause they didn't know what they were doing. I don't see anybody making a smart play down the stretch to switch momentum. They don't even look like they want to be out there; I never see any fire out of anyone. They honestly don't look like they are having fun together. It's a weird contrast from last year, where even when the team struggled they were fun to watch and really fought. I will concede that it was promising to see a combined 33 from Krikke and Clay. That would have been great if it wasn't for this: our freshman scored zero points combined. They came in accounting for 31% of our scoring. They are freshmen, so that will happen. Also, what is up with Edwards, is he injured?

[valpopal]

Why so many 3-pt shots? The last two weeks Lottich has commented about this team being near the top in the nation in 2-pt shooting percent and near the bottom in 3-pt shooting percent. Yet, Valpo comes in and shoots 20 3-pointers (only 1 from our two best outside shooters), making only 4 (20%) while they shoot 53% on 2-pointers. Plus, if they drive more for inside baskets, the disparity in free throws (8-23) might not be as great and the offensive rebound margin (4-12) might improve as well. Doesn't the coach listen to his own statements?

[IndyEIT777]

I think basically through the non-conference season, I have come to the conclusion we have 2 MVC caliber players on this team with a bunch of low D1 to non D1 players. I will reserve any judgement on the freshman til at least after the conference season but I at least think Ognocivic is at least one year away from being a solid contributor. I only listened to today on the radio, but how did it take this long for Donovan to break out on the boards? He is our best chance at a defensive board now and he needs to chase every board down when he's out there. I would honestly be ok starting Donovan, Krikke and the 3 freshman the rest of the year, I've seen all I've needed to see from the remainder of the team.

[JD24]

Sackey has never been a favorite of mine and he did not enhance my opinion of him today.

[oklahomamick]

man....another loss.  Just be patient and positive.  We are young.  Next year I can't wait. 

[truth219]

1-5 against D1 teams...that's bad.

[VUGrad1314]

There are no two ways around it... We suck...

[bbtds]

There are no two ways around it... We suck...

Come on, you did this last year and it didn't turn out all that bad, did it? This team needs to turn the momentum in their direction and cut out so many of the mistakes but there is talent enough to go on a winning streak.

[truth219]

I don't know if this team can win 3 games in a row.

[JBC1824]

But through eight games last season, we were 5-3, with a win over Toledo and an overtime loss to Cincinatti.

We also beat CMU by 20 points in our tenth game.

This year we have a single D1 victory, over SIUE...

Last year's team appears to have been a lot better than this group. I dont think it's wise to make predictions based on what happened last year anymore.

Things dont always turn themselves around, either. Don't forget about the team's first two seasons in the MVC. I believe we had a last place and second to last place conference finish for the regular season and no postseason success.

Time for some to adjust expectations.