2021-2022 Valpo Women's Basketball

justducky · July 18, 2021, 02:01:53 PM

Time for a new thread where we can talk about our same old familiar faces. Some quick calculations showed that our guys will return about 45% of their 20-21 minutes (higher than I thought). Meanwhile the girls (subject to last minute change) look to return over 90%. If you followed last year there shouldn't be much confusion on who is who. Just remove Ellenson while adding freshmen Lovie Malone and Ella Van Weelden plus transfer Olivia Brown from St Bonaventure.
Looks like an even better 3 point (32% conference) shooting team but inside play will still be our vulnerability.

It is way too early but for the purpose of debate only, I'll ask which team (boys or girls) will end with the higher NET ranking? I'd say flip a coin and both could be near 100. Intelligent

and ignorant

guesswork will both be welcomed.

DuneHwx · August 28, 2021, 02:54:30 PM

There's been a lot of talk about the starting five for the men, how about the ladies? Who are you seeing for the starting five?

IndyValpo · August 28, 2021, 07:38:26 PM

Quote from: DuneHwx on August 28, 2021, 02:54:30 PM
There's been a lot of talk about the starting five for the men, how about the ladies? Who are you seeing for the starting five?

I expect we will play really small
Frederick
Brown
Weinman
White
Morrison

justducky · August 28, 2021, 08:59:55 PM

Frederick, Weinman, White and Morrison started every game they appeared in for our #122 NET 2020-21 team. I don't see that changing. That narrows it down to Van Kempen or Dunson if we need size; Sheehan, Gunn or Pitts if we need speed; Brown if we need shooting; and Earnest if we want versatility.

That is 11 players who could start for a coach who likes to play with 9. I don't see our big freshmen getting large minutes early but that remains as an open opportunity and who knows how this could evolve.

valpotx · August 31, 2021, 03:01:11 AM

Maybe I just forgot that it was announced, but Morrison came back for a 6th year? Wow! This will be a solid team again.

justducky · September 16, 2021, 10:21:54 AM

We have a schedule! Trips to Michigan St (34 NET), South Dakota (35 NET), and Bowling Green at 65. Hosting Notre Dame 56 NET and Central Michigan 90. 11 OOC

Piledriver · October 26, 2021, 11:29:25 AM

The girls beat UW-Milwaukee 59-54 in an exhibition game Sunday in Milwaukee.

Morrison and Weinman with 12 each. Earnest with 10.

Five girls hit multiple 3's. They have another scrimmage this weekend. Not sure who it's against.

VUGrad1314 · October 26, 2021, 03:59:20 PM

Quote from: justducky on September 16, 2021, 10:21:54 AMWe have a schedule! Trips to Michigan St (34 NET), South Dakota (35 NET), and Bowling Green at 65. Hosting Notre Dame 56 NET and Central Michigan 90. 11 OOC

That is a GOOD schedule. Really good. Should get us very well prepared for Valley play!

IndyValpo · November 10, 2021, 09:18:21 PM

We better stop scheduling Miami, they stomped us last year in Oxford one of four wins they had all season.

Tonight they beat us even worse. We had to rally to lose by 25.

Same problem of complete domination on the boards.

I will never understand not playing everyone at least a little when you are down 33 after 3.

vu72 · November 11, 2021, 08:48:33 AM

That was really ugly. We got boat raced from the very beginning. Miami was just way to big for us.

justducky · November 11, 2021, 10:37:35 AM

Quote from: vu72 on November 11, 2021, 08:48:33 AMThat was really ugly.

Painful to watch!

Quote from: vu72 on November 11, 2021, 08:48:33 AMMiami was just way to big for us.

We couldn't compete inside and the 3 point line has been moved further out so we couldn't hit from there either.

Quote from: IndyValpo on November 10, 2021, 09:18:21 PMI will never understand not playing everyone at least a little when you are down 33 after 3.

Agree but some redshirts might be in the cards???

DuneHwx · November 11, 2021, 05:30:53 PM

Definitely appeared to be some redshirts.

valpopal · November 14, 2021, 03:15:51 PM

Gutsy play by the women today as they almost pulled off the upset of CMU; however, it is going to be a long season without any rebounding. In the first two games VU has been out-rebounded by the opponents 92-48 (38-11 on the offensive boards)!

justducky · November 14, 2021, 03:17:24 PM

Much better performance but another loss 65-61 to Central Michigan. Didn't catch all of it but Earnest has made major improvements.

NativeCheesehead · November 15, 2021, 08:29:28 AM

The Dorow Debacle is still too fresh in my head to not feel optimistic by close losses to good teams. That being said, the women really need to begin to take that next step this season under Mary Evans.

justducky · November 15, 2021, 10:45:51 AM

I finally looked up the details of the 3 point line change. From 20' 9" it has been moved to the WNBA and International Line distance of 22' 1.75". That is an additional 16 3/4". Coach Evens had stockpiled a lineup suited to the old distance with not much post play and now will have to make some adjustments or fall in the MVC and NET standings. Maybe some of our freshman centers will get an unexpected chance to contribute?

valpopal · November 16, 2021, 08:12:35 PM

The women played a decent game losing 73-62 to Michigan State today, White especially as she led the team in both points (22) and rebounds (6), and except for a basket at the end would have kept the margin under 10. However, once again they are playing with a distinct disadvantage in their lack of rebounding. In three games they have now been out-rebounded 133-70, 49-13 on the offensive end. This may be equivalent to spotting the opponent 10 points or more in each game.

VUSupport · November 17, 2021, 10:22:59 AM

Maybe Coach Evans doesn't stress good defense and wants to play chuck and run. Maybe that's her style. She has the players to win, but I don't see her being too great of a coach to lead Valpo to the upper echelon of the Valley.

Piledriver · November 24, 2021, 01:27:47 PM

Ugly loss last night for the women. UIC is terrible. They remain winless and look lost.

Hard to understand the coach's philosophy. Nobody crashes the the boards -- they all run back on defense without a thought of offensive rebounding. They don't even line players up on the foul line when they shoot FTs. They scramble and switch way too much on defense, allowing way too many breakdowns (it's way too confusing to switch that much IMO), and their substitution and playing time decisions are baffling.

Gunn hardly plays the first 4 games after being a key contributor last year? Earnest is their leading scorer and rebounder coming into last night and plays 4 minutes? Your LEADING SCORER plays 4 minutes? None of the other young girls (4 sophomores, 4 freshmen) really play or contribute?

Going back to last year, they were 5-4 going into the holiday break with Power 5 wins over Purdue, Illinois and Xavier and an OT loss at Wisconsin. Things looked very promising. Then they add Dunson as a midyear transfer and they are 7-16 since, and a very ugly 0-5 this year with her as a starter.

They try do a lot of things that good teams just don't do (no post players, never play zone, outlaw midrange shots, don't rebound FTs, crazy playing time swings that wreck kids' confidence). And the results have been predictable. If these were all good strategies, the best coaches would be using them.

justducky · November 24, 2021, 03:47:55 PM

Quote from: Piledriver on November 24, 2021, 01:27:47 PMThey try do a lot of things that good teams just don't do (no post players, never play zone, outlaw midrange shots, don't rebound FTs, crazy playing time swings that wreck kids' confidence). And the results have been predictable. If these were all good strategies, the best coaches would be using them.

I think the 3 point line change turned out to be a mountain instead of a molehill.

Quote from: justducky on November 15, 2021, 10:45:51 AMI finally looked up the details of the 3 point line change. From 20' 9" it has been moved to the WNBA and International Line distance of 22' 1.75". That is an additional 16 3/4". Coach Evens had stockpiled a lineup suited to the old distance with not much post play and now will have to make some adjustments or fall in the MVC and NET standings. Maybe some of our freshman centers will get an unexpected chance to contribute?

I think the change announcement came after her entire roster had been established? Maybe she had gambled that it wouldn't happen or that the distance increase would be less or that the girls could adjust? Obviously they aren't adjusting so the game has changed and their only solution is to adapt.
I don't care if her system worked last year and everybody returned! IT ISN'T WORKING NOW!

IndyValpo · November 26, 2021, 07:44:34 AM

Too early to give up the season but the signs are not encouraging considering we start 5 seniors with 4 returning starters. At least 3 are 5th or 6th year.

As bad as we have started next year almost has to be worse given the above and limited bench development.

Piledriver · November 26, 2021, 09:17:40 AM

Evans is in her 4th season. By my count she has 9 of her own high school recruits on the roster. None of them start, and only 3 of them ever see the floor at all.

9 recruits in 3 recruiting classes, and zero starters.

They lucked out when Weinman and White both wanted out of Denver and came together as transfers. That was a big score, but it was luck more than anything. If you can't recruit and develop kids, you have no chance.

Next year they have only 1 recruit coming in. Another point guard. They already have 3 point guards sitting on the bench behind Shay Frederick (Sheehan, Interrante and Pitts, who is hurt).

valpotx · November 26, 2021, 05:21:06 PM

Once we get used to the distance difference, the season will get on track.

FWalum · November 26, 2021, 06:25:30 PM

Last year Mary Evans was Women's Basketball's messiah. This year not so much. Last year's hero is this year's scapegoat. I hope she can turn it around. Coaching is a fickle profession.

valpotx · December 05, 2021, 02:57:16 PM

We were down to BGSU by 17 in the 3rd quarter, only to get it to 1 with 9 minutes left in the 4th. We then get blown out in that quarter by 12, to lose by 16. This team is just too hot and cold, and it is so unfortunate, as there were a lot of positives coming into this season. You wouldn't think that this team would be 0-7 to start the season, with all of the veterans that returned from a pretty solid team.