How about a game thread that starts before the game starts?

bbtds · January 10, 2021, 10:26:21 AM

Valpo virtually at Missouri State AT THE ARC

Sunday January 10, 2021 1:00 p.m. Valpo time

ESPN3 plus. (I had to go through the Valpo Athletics website not my Xfinity tv service for Saturday's game)

justducky · January 10, 2021, 11:16:28 AM

I haven't even watched all the first game yet so I will not comment!

. Wait, I did see that 5 of 13 scholarship players did not participate and that says something.

I may not be able to watch much live today either. What a season? Many more ebbs than flows.

Quote from: bbtds on January 10, 2021, 10:26:21 AM
Valpo virtually at Missouri State AT THE ARC

This is a road game so I'll be much less optimistic.

NativeCheesehead · January 10, 2021, 12:14:57 PM

Yeah two possible contributors missing due to "personal" reasons. That's not good.

Edit: Just saw POs tweet on Nick. Best to him and his partner!

IndyEIT777 · January 10, 2021, 01:09:53 PM

Is Sackey ever going to learn how to drive to the basket without committing an offensive foul?

vok22 · January 10, 2021, 01:37:28 PM

Quote from: IndyEIT777 on January 10, 2021, 01:09:53 PM
Is Sackey ever going to learn how to drive to the basket without committing an offensive foul?

No.

This team sucks. Plain and simple. Sometime earlier this season I said we should judge Matt by his next four seasons instead of his first four. I was wrong. His offenses have always sucked, I have no reason to say that will change.Besides the fact the the entire offense is unimaginably awful, the players, mostly the veterans, suck at basketball. Eron just threw an uncontested pass into the stands. People are dropping the ball for no reason. Sackey, a junior, is fouling three point shooters. They take dumb shots. They aren't aggressive. I have a lot more to say but it's not even worth spending my time talking about this team anymore.

oklahomamick · January 10, 2021, 01:46:49 PM

Our uniforms look good though.

IndyEIT777 · January 10, 2021, 01:49:40 PM

Quote from: vok22 on January 10, 2021, 01:37:28 PM
Quote from: IndyEIT777 on January 10, 2021, 01:09:53 PM
Is Sackey ever going to learn how to drive to the basket without committing an offensive foul?

No.

This team sucks. Plain and simple. Sometime earlier this season I said we should judge Matt by his next four seasons instead of his first four. I was wrong. His offenses have always sucked, I have no reason to say that will change.Besides the fact the the entire offense is unimaginably awful, the players, mostly the veterans, suck at basketball. Eron just threw an uncontested pass into the stands. People are dropping the ball for no reason. Sackey, a junior, is fouling three point shooters. They take dumb shots. They aren't aggressive. I have a lot more to say but it's not even worth spending my time talking about this team anymore.

If Lottich didn't have two stud sophomores and potentially 3 promising freshman as well as a solid looking recruiting class next year, I would absolutely call for his firing. We just do not have any shooters on this team. We're taking a lot of threes, but we miss probably more than any team in the country.

The other big issue is we just don't have a point guard on this team. We need someone who can hold onto the ball and be able to pass as well as run the offense. Sackey is none of these things and it doesn't see like any of the backups are any better. I really am hopeful Palesse can come in and be that guy.

vok22 · January 10, 2021, 01:55:59 PM

Quote from: IndyEIT777 on January 10, 2021, 01:49:40 PM
Quote from: vok22 on January 10, 2021, 01:37:28 PM
Quote from: IndyEIT777 on January 10, 2021, 01:09:53 PM
Is Sackey ever going to learn how to drive to the basket without committing an offensive foul?

No.

This team sucks. Plain and simple. Sometime earlier this season I said we should judge Matt by his next four seasons instead of his first four. I was wrong. His offenses have always sucked, I have no reason to say that will change.Besides the fact the the entire offense is unimaginably awful, the players, mostly the veterans, suck at basketball. Eron just threw an uncontested pass into the stands. People are dropping the ball for no reason. Sackey, a junior, is fouling three point shooters. They take dumb shots. They aren't aggressive. I have a lot more to say but it's not even worth spending my time talking about this team anymore.

If Lottich didn't have two stud sophomores and potentially 3 promising freshman as well as a solid looking recruiting class next year, I would absolutely call for his firing. We just do not have any shooters on this team. We're taking a lot of threes, but we miss probably more than any team in the country.

The other big issue is we just don't have a point guard on this team. We need someone who can hold onto the ball and be able to pass as well as run the offense. Sackey is none of these things and it doesn't see like any of the backups are any better. I really am hopeful Palesse can come in and be that guy.

100% agree

Valpofamfan · January 10, 2021, 02:13:28 PM

We look so out of sorts. Can Shay Frederick play for the men too?

Chairback · January 10, 2021, 02:24:02 PM

Just not a fundamentally strong team.

We don't do the basics well. Too many times you see our offensive 35 feet out with 10 secs left on the the shot clock without being pressured. It's like they don't know what to do.

vok22 · January 10, 2021, 02:36:14 PM

Quote from: Chairback on January 10, 2021, 02:24:02 PM
Just not a fundamentally strong team.

We don't do the basics well. Too many times you see our offensive 35 feet out with 10 secs left on the the shot clock without being pressured. It's like they don't know what to do.

Exactly. This team is hardly even a Thursday night team, they should be forced to play on Wednesday night.

valpo64 · January 10, 2021, 02:51:39 PM

I'll say it again...point guard, point guard, point guard. Sackey cannot guard well, cannot shoot well, cannot go the the basket strong and convert if pressured, has trouble with free throws, absolutely cannot shoot threes, often times is prone to turnovers, doesn't appear to have a good knowledge of the offense or what to do with the ball consequently does not contribute to running the offense. It all starts out front. He does have speed but it does him no good with no other offensive and defensive skills. The team's offense is not the problem, the problem is that we have no one to run it. After 2 and one half years, Sackey has not progressed one bit. It is time for him to sit and we work on finding someone to play the point in order to finish out his season with at least some respectable play from the point position.

VU2014 · January 10, 2021, 02:54:36 PM

I'm becoming numb to Lottich's teams...

I understand their first practice back was only on Thursday but I'm so tired of watching mediocre play from Valpo Basketball.

PlumStreetBum · January 10, 2021, 02:54:53 PM

I really want to complain about how bad we are, but we had 8 players and haven't played or even practiced much for weeks. What a weird year.

IndyEIT777 · January 10, 2021, 02:55:51 PM

Quote from: Chairback on January 10, 2021, 02:24:02 PM
Just not a fundamentally strong team.

We don't do the basics well. Too many times you see our offensive 35 feet out with 10 secs left on the the shot clock without being pressured. It's like they don't know what to do.

Not only do we get into that position late in the shot clock, but this team doesn't shoot free throws well, rebound well, or handle the ball well. You're absolutely right, basics are not a strong-suit of this team and that's going to lead to a long conference season for us.

valpopal · January 10, 2021, 03:01:24 PM

Quote from: VU2014 on January 10, 2021, 02:54:36 PM
I'm becoming numb to Lottich's teams...

I understand their first practice back was only on Thursday but I'm so tired of watching mediocre play from Valpo Basketball.

At this point, mediocrity might be an aspiration.

VU2014 · January 10, 2021, 03:19:23 PM

Losing sucks and isn't fun but nobody on the team looks to have joy on the court

Valpo89 · January 10, 2021, 03:19:46 PM

Download a Draft Kings account. Put money on VU's opponent every time. Will make the losses easier to stomach.

Chairback · January 10, 2021, 03:38:17 PM

I had faith in Daniel (and I still do a little), certainly with his speed he can change a game. We've seen him do it a few games in the past. But one thing that I did not realize until these last two games is how far teams are sagging off of them. He will be at the 3 line and they are 3-5 feet away from him, if not further at times. It clogs the middle so bad that we can not get a pass to Ben. Certainly If they move to a zone on us.

They did on Buggs back in the day but he could finish really well driving the lane which made up for it. We also had shooters.

VU2014 · January 10, 2021, 04:13:03 PM

Post game press conference

https://youtu.be/HsGPe-lcgqs

vu72 · January 10, 2021, 04:26:27 PM

Well, Daniel is 1 for 17 from the 3 for the season. If he is the "engine" then we may have a blown a head gasket. I liked the play of Jacob today. 13 points in 11 minutes on 2 of 4 from the 3. I also like what Sheldon brings in athleticism. Mileek seems to be a little better but isn't the answer. We've got WAY to many scholarship players who are giving us ZERO! Zion? (zero minutes all season) Sigurd? (34 minutes all season) Emil? (zero minutes) Goodnews? (80 minutes) So we are playing with 9 scholarship players and today Nick was gone so we played one of the best teams in the Valley with eight scholarship players. If we need to rely on Helms we are in deep stuff and I think Matt is realizing that as he only got 1 minute playing time today even short handed as we were.

I'm not throwing in the towel on the season. IF, and it is a BIG IF, we can get any amount of guys healthy, we have a chance. We battled back even with Donovan AWOL.

JBC1824 · January 10, 2021, 05:06:46 PM

Hot take: Sackey is the worst player Valpo basketball has relied upon over the past 25 years.

Maleek is second.

Also, not to beat a dead horse, but this "team" is truly terrible. I may stop watching.

Fire Lottich.

valpolaw · January 10, 2021, 05:13:07 PM

Aside from the short hot streak in arch madness last year to get to the championship game, Lottichs teams have done nothing and have been bad. It's so hard to watch and a constant disappointment.

Every time we think we are turning a corner, it doesn't happen, and it's always "we have a great group coming in next year"

Chairback · January 10, 2021, 05:33:32 PM

I love to listen to Todd on the ESPN stream (he is Valpo basketball to me) but kudos to PO on the radio these last two games. He did a great job and made it fun to listen to. I was switching back and forth. Thanks PO!

justducky · January 10, 2021, 05:53:35 PM

Quote from: vu72 on January 10, 2021, 04:26:27 PMDaniel is 1 for 17 from the 3 for the season.

Quote from: Chairback on January 10, 2021, 03:38:17 PMBut one thing that I did not realize until these last two games is how far teams are sagging off of them. He will be at the 3 line and they are 3-5 feet away from him, if not further at times. It clogs the middle so bad that we can not get a pass to Ben.

Sackey shot 31% from 3 last year and that was good enough to keep a defender out on him. This year I think I could lay back 10 or 12 feet and cover him pretty well.

He is only a handful of decades younger!

Buggs was a reliably consistent 17% from 3. Maybe we should bring him up so he can give Daniel some distance shooting pointers.