Valpo at Drake 12/2 on ESPNU @ 8pm CST

[VUSWIM08-12]

I think we're headed in the right direction but can we take down Drake? I watched Drake against North Texas which was a great game and Drake lost by 3, UNT out hustled them but idk if our guys have that for 40 minutes. Two very competitive games against them last year one of which we dominated. Line started at Valpo +14.5 and has moved to +13.5, little to no respect from Vegas but I think we'll cover.  +625 on the money line. Eron Gordon gets back at it and hits 4 3s(Why is he shooting soooo badly) and we keep it close!

Drake 72
Valpo 64

[justducky]

I can't imagine any pressure being on us so a loose and nearly healthy and complete team could easily outperform the home bunch. That doesn't guarantee a win but I expect us to play well!   

[Just Sayin]

KenPom Rank
Valpo offensive efficiency 249
Drake offensive efficiency 59

Valpo defensive efficiency 193
Drake defensive efficiency 73

Other Stats
Drake Eff FG% better
Valpo turns ball over slightly less than Drake
Drake kills us in offensive rebounding Valpo 355 of 358 teams. Drake 92
Drake gets to the line better than Valpo
Drake is a better shot blocking team
We are slightly better ball thiefs than Drake

[VALPO LI]

Valpo Prime Time
Game is on ESPNU!!!!!
Finally I get to see the Beacons play on the big screen!!!

[justducky]

Valpo offensive efficiency 249
Drake offensive efficiency 59

Valpo defensive efficiency 193
Drake defensive efficiency 73

Obviously we have no chance so obviously we do.

A few weeks ago a3uge and I touched on the question of how much (in minutes) and how well Kithier and Krikke can perform on the floor together. It is already apparent that either 4 guard and or good 3 point shooting stretch 4's could be a defense or foul problem for keeping both on the floor for extended minutes. Drake fits that same Tulane mold only better. If they can both defend and rebound well while avoiding big foul trouble then we have a chance. Even when King is ready Thomas and Ben will have to shine as a unit for this team to reach our preseason expectations.

[NativeCheesehead]

As a 43 year old with 3 kids under 14 I believe 8:00pm starts are against my Constitutional rights to life, liberty, and the pursuit of sleep.

[mj]

As a 43 year old with 3 kids under 14 I believe 8:00pm starts are against my Constitutional rights to life, liberty, and the pursuit of sleep.

It's a 9pm start on the East Coast! 

[Just Sayin]

Announcer: Brodie put Krikke in the spin cycle. 

[VUSWIM08-12]

These first 4 minutes are the best we've looked all season IMO. Moving the ball , Solid D! 36 more minutes of this and it'll be competitive!

[Just Sayin]

Giving up offensive rebounds

[VUSWIM08-12]

Bad subs by Lottich

[NativeCheesehead]

End of game / End of half execution very poor again. A staple of the Lottich era.

[mj]

The good: we're putting up a fight! We're switching up defenses.

The bad: Rebounding.


The ugly: defending the 3 point shot.

[SanityLost17]

The good: we're putting up a fight! We're switching up defenses.

The bad: Rebounding.


The ugly: defending the 3 point shot.

Very Good:   We are not chuckin up 1 million 3's.   We are actually for the most part trying to get to the basket and shooting a good % because of it. 

The word "Ugly" doesn't describe it well enough:   "Defending" the 3 point line.   We are sooooo bad at it.   I put "defending" in quotes because I'm not sure you can call what we do defense.   The weird part, I think we are doing pretty good at the other areas of our defense.   Very strange.   

[NativeCheesehead]

Taylor and Gordon have to have their minutes reduced. Both nice role players but not guys you can count on down the stretch.

[VUSWIM08-12]

Gordon definitely should have minutes reduced  , Taylor is a different player and I like him
In the game , much mor athletic

[Just Sayin]

Taylor is not a go to guy. Inconsistent shooting and sometimes out of control.

[valpotx]

Good lord, what is up with Gordon this year?  Get them to miss another 1-and-1, down by 4 with 30 seconds left, and then you throw a pansy pass from midcourt that even a guy with average speed would steal?  WTF...

[nkvu]

Well we gagged that one up.  Every time we had a chance to make it close in the second half we either blew the shot, missed the front end of a one and one or turned it over. As well as we played at times that half when it counted we didn't have it. I hope King is a clutch player cause we sure need one.

[mj]

Should have won tonight. Anderson missed the 3 that would have cut it to 3. Missing the front end of a 1 and 1 (twice).

I'll give kudos to Lottich for switching up the defense. Nice to see some coaching for a change.

[IndyEIT777]

I'm really getting frustrated that some of  our older players don't know how to properly pass as basketball. Until we panacked in the last 5 minutes, our handling of the ball was pretty good, but we literally handed Drake the victory at the end with turnovers and missed free throws.

I don't know how to process this game. Obviously I'm pissed we lost, but there were some really good offensive and defensive sets tonight. I will say this, if Sheldon isn't frontrunner right now for MVC defensive player of the year, I don't know who is. He just makes stops and locks guys down.

[AB]

Drake is a very good team. Not like we lost to a chump team. Talent level edge to Valpo. Execution Drake. This is a game that came down to little things, a few decisions in closing out the first and second half, closing out on shooters better. Our turnovers will be way down this year with the ball in Anderson's hands a lot. The key will be getting production from Connor and Young/developing bench. looks like a 7 man rotation tonight. I think Valpo's execution/mistakes are correctable this season. As we saw in night one of the valley. Anyone is beatable!

[SanityLost17]

Coaching was actually really good tonight.  We were hurt by player execution.   Only real complaint i have is that Gordon continues to receive minutes.   I hope Kobe King changes all that.   

"we should have won" is not an accurate statement.    It should have been a nailbiter though.

The stretch that changed everything (between the 3 and 5 minute marks) :
2 missed front ends of 1 and 1's
Gordon drives to the basket for offensive foul
Krikke wide wide wide open 3 misses 

With 3 minutes to go we should have been leading by 2, tied, or down by 2 depending on how those 4 things played out.  Instead I think we were down by 6.  We simply did not execute.   

Even then we still got back into it at the end of the game and we proceeded to miss more shots and another careless turnover.   

Progress is being made, but we need to execute.   Defense was really good inside the arc for the most part, need to extend that beyond the arc.   

This was on the road at the pre-season favortie playing with their backs against the wall after 3 dissapointing games in a row.  Drake is DEEP and talented.   We were supposed to lose this game.   

[justducky]

Taylor and Gordon have to have their minutes reduced.

About 1/3 of the minutes King gets will come from Taylor and most of the rest (nearly 2/3) from Gordon. This should improve the defense.

Taylor is not a go to guy. Inconsistent shooting and sometimes out of control.

Agree! I don't want Talyor handling the ball with the game on the line unless he is the wide open shot. Krikke aside I'm thinking that every crunch time will have King, Anderson and Edwards as our go to players and quite possibly in that nearly interchangeable order.

[Just Sayin]

Isn't it a shame we can't afford to put a 7-footer in a game against a team that is good at getting offensive rebounds?