Valpo vs Ill St 1/2/22 1 pm at the ARC

[FWalum]

A well played game by two shorthanded teams. This really shows the upgraded quality of basketball that the glutted transfer and eligibility situation has created. This was fun to watch and fun to win and we should expect this from us and the Valley every time on the floor. 

Agreed. Redbirds are going to give people fits, crazy athleticism and shooting. Reeves and Strong are hard to contain, throw in Chatman and this team can compete against anyone in the MVC. I watched the Wisconsin game and it really reminded me of the 2007 game that we lost to Wisconsin after leading a good part of the game. The last 3-4 minutes of that game we got zero calls and Wisconsin could do no wrong. Illinois State had a really good chance to win that game.

[FWalum]

but we need to set up more cuts to the basket for easy layups to offset these scoring droughts we have when jump shots aren't falling. Trevor needs to be one of our focal guys on offense, he has done so much good for us on offense this year he should be taking more shots.

I watch Kobe King hiding in the corner on a lot of possessions and really wonder why we don't run something to have him cutting through the lane more often. Really love it when he and Krikke play a little two man game, it worked several times and puts pressure on the defense because you have to decide who you are going to potentially double. One time King entered the ball to Ben and ISU doubled, King cut to the basket and Ben had a nice pass for the score.

[wh]

5 players in double figures and Kevion with 8. It kept ILSU from keying on anyone.

Trevor keeps getting better and better. He drives and scores despite going against quicker, more athletic guards. He's amazingly physical and uses his body for leverage like few players his size can do. He also had 6 assists. FT's are automatic.

[valpotx]

Impressive win, when you consider that we were without Kithier.  It's odd, but during the game, I didn't even realize that he wasn't playing, even though he is one of our best players.  That is a good sign, as it means that other people were stepping up.  Hats off to Gordon's best game for Valpo in quite a long time. 

[valpopal]

Interesting postgame press conference, much of which focused on covid protocols and consequences. Odd to see the mixed messages in the mask wearing: Lottich wears his, Ben removes his during the discussion, while Trevor and Eron don't wear a mask (and one hears Trevor's innocent coughs and sniffles that would have gone unnoticed in the past). Also, Trevor's response about what it will be like when a mass of other students return to campus shows concerns about transmission. In any case, given the likelihood of players' absences due to the virus, as with Kithier and Woodyard today, the benefit of an additional year of eligibility and increased numbers of players this season should give some teams a buffer of experience and depth.

[valpotx]

With the facial hair, Trevor looks like a shorter Alec Peters with the way that his hair was styled, but has a voice/response style similar to Bryce Drew.  Interesting combination.  Both he and Sheldon can scare the crap out of me with how comfortable they are in dribbling while bodied up against a defender, and then splitting two defenders for a drive down the lane, but their Assist/Turnover ratios are fantastic, when you consider how aggressive both are on the court. 

[justducky]

as with Kithier and Woodyard today, the benefit of an additional year of eligibility and increased numbers of players this season should give some teams a buffer of experience and depth.

Hedstrom played pretty well in his nearly seven minutes and getting 7:23 from Ruedinger didn't really hurt us. I'm thinking Keyondre Young might also have gotten 5 minutes had he been healthy just because of defensive quickness matchups.

Trevor keeps getting better and better. He drives and scores despite going against quicker, more athletic guards. He's amazingly physical and uses his body for leverage like few players his size can do. He also had 6 assists. FT's are automatic.

For Valley fans who preseason dismissed our point guard potential (me included) Trevor now has 41 assists to 10 turn overs while Darius sits at 26-11. Ruedinger chips in at 5-1. Our team season number is 204-149 with King nearly our worst with 5-14. Just wait until he gets all the mental and physicall rust worn off!

[Chairback]

Big Joe seems to have some untapped potential on offense.  He just needs to get physical and rebound.

[AB]

6-8 less turnovers per game = 6-8 more possessions/shot attempts per game this season. Will make a difference when it comes down to two or three possessions to decide many league games. Good free throw shooting, better decisions with the ball, will keep us in most games this season. Kitheir would have erased some of those second chance points the Redbirds got in the first half. Mullen's teams have too many costly turnovers. His team will keep both teams in the games this year.

[justducky]

Mullen's teams have too many costly turnovers. His team will keep both teams in the games this year.

Their point guard was injured last game against Wisconsin or we likely would have lost today. Great league balance and the champ might have 5 or even 6 losses. 

[David81]

An overtime victory after losing a lead they'd kept until the final seconds of regulation is a good sign. And let's not forget that they've gone 8-3 since the Stanford loss.

As for the MVC, any team that stays relatively healthy, has some last season momentum, and avoids a Thursday tourney game has as good a chance as any to win the conference NCAA spot. VU can be among those teams.

[JD24]

Big Joe does not block out nor physical enough to grab a rebound. 

Yeah but he makes up for it by being slow afoot and unable to get off the ground.

[Retired One]

Th Beacons have been out rebounded in nearly every game and by a significant margin in several games.

[FWalum]

Their point guard was injured last game against Wisconsin or we likely would have lost today.

I'm sorry, did you forget that we were also down a starter, double digit scorer and leading rebounder???

[wh]

A well played game by two shorthanded teams. This really shows the upgraded quality of basketball that the glutted transfer and eligibility situation has created. This was fun to watch and fun to win and we should expect this from us and the Valley every time on the floor. 

Agreed. Redbirds are going to give people fits, crazy athleticism and shooting. Reeves and Strong are hard to contain, throw in Chatman and this team can compete against anyone in the MVC. I watched the Wisconsin game and it really reminded me of the 2007 game that we lost to Wisconsin after leading a good part of the game. The last 3-4 minutes of that game we got zero calls and Wisconsin could do no wrong. Illinois State had a really good chance to win that game.

The word frenetic comes to mind when thinking about ILSU's playing style:

Marked by fast and energetic, disordered, or anxiety-driven activity.

[justducky]

Their point guard was injured last game against Wisconsin or we likely would have lost today.

I'm sorry, did you forget that we were also down a starter, double digit scorer and leading rebounder???

Not at all which helps make my unquoted point about our great league balance. ISUr has already won at MSU and challenged at Wisconsin. They can beat anybody even while shorthanded and on the road. Meanwhile our shorthanded win just strengthens my confidence. My thinking has been that taking 3 of our next 5 will put us right where we need to be. Those 5 games are at UNI, home SIU, home MSU, at Loyola and home UNI. I love our depth and we may need to go even deeper into our bench to get through our next two weeks. Line them up and lets see what happens!

[wh]

I would be remiss if I failed to mention the professional halftime show featuring a 4-man trampoline dunk team. It was very entertaining.

[wh]

Excellent article from the visitor's local newspaper, the Pantagraph. The Pantagraph and the NWI Times newspapers are both owned by Lee Enterprises. The online appearance of the Pantagraph is a mirror image of the Times.

Included are ILSU's postgame news conference and action photos.

https://pantagraph.com/sports/college/illinois-state/watch-now-valparaiso-edges-illinois-state-in-overtime-as-poor-first-half-dooms-redbirds/article_dbf0018b-418b-5a49-9a37-29a8200c42f6.html

Daily Circulation
30,000 Pantagraph
53,000 NWI Times

Sunday Circulation
34,000 Pantagraph
67,000 NWI Times

[valpo95]

Great league balance and the champ might have 5 or even 6 losses. 

As to league balance, pretty remarkable to look at the standings so far: All the MVC teams that have played two games have at least one loss. Only Loyola and SIU are unbeaten at 1-0 in conference.

[vu84v2]

Great league balance and the champ might have 5 or even 6 losses. 

As to league balance, pretty remarkable to look at the standings so far: All the MVC teams that have played two games have at least one loss. Only Loyola and SIU are unbeaten at 1-0 in conference.

Valpo is in a seven-way tie for third!

[elephtheria47]

Came away impressed.

I really like the 1-2 punch of King and Krikke. As he continues to knock off some rust, King will  give us two players who can really put the ball in the bucket and maybe someone who should be double teamed.

Toss in Kithier, Anderson, and the others..we should be pretty good as we keep on finding our how to play with each other. Fantastic game by Gordon.

I know it's not allowed on here, but I'm excited for the rest of this season.

[wh]

Came away impressed.

I really like the 1-2 punch of King and Krikke. As he continues to knock off some rust, King will  give us two players who can really put the ball in the bucket and maybe someone who should be double teamed.

Toss in Kithier, Anderson, and the others..we should be pretty good as we keep on finding our how to play with each other. Fantastic game by Gordon.

I know it's not allowed on here, but I'm excited for the rest of this season.

A lot of people are hard wired to be adverse to emotional rollercoaster rides. My wife is like that. She tempers her enthusiasm about practically everything for fear of being disappointed somewhere down the road. In her case, I believe it stems from an unhappy childhood, alcoholic father killed in a car accident, and a host of other painful childhood memories. I thrive on emotional rollercoaster highs of all types, so much so that I'm willing to risk deep despair when something crashes and burns. I feel sorry for my wife, and she feels sorry for me. lol  Needless to say, I'm thinking a top 3 finish right now. 

[valpopal]

Valpo lost to the pre-season #1 team on their court, though with a decent second-half showing, and beat the pre-season #10 team at home, though in overtime with a 16-16 free throw performance where one missed foul shot in regulation could have meant a loss. Therefore, the conference record stands where we should reasonably expect it to be at this point. No surprises yet; so, I am still in wait-and-see mode.

[justducky]

Big Joe does not block out nor physical enough to grab a rebound. 

Yeah but he makes up for it by being slow afoot and unable to get off the ground.

Little by little I am starting to picture the player he might become and the upside is substantial. To justify any investment you need the promise of a future return. That is true for stocks, bonds, real estate, commodities and college basketball players. With various financial options you can partially hedge your risks in 4 of the 5 mentioned categories. If we figure out a hedge for raw center development I might go all in.

I feel sorry for my wife,

So do we. 

I'm thinking a top 3 finish right now. 

Would my 4'th place prediction burst your bubble?

[wh]

Big Joe does not block out nor physical enough to grab a rebound. 

Yeah but he makes up for it by being slow afoot and unable to get off the ground.

Little by little I am starting to picture the player he might become and the upside is substantial. To justify any investment you need the promise of a future return. That is true for stocks, bonds, real estate, commodities and college basketball players. With various financial options you can partially hedge your risks in 4 of the 5 mentioned categories. If we figure out a hedge for raw center development I might go all in.

I feel sorry for my wife,

So do we. 

I'm thinking a top 3 finish right now. 

Would my 4'th place prediction burst your bubble?

Anything from 6-10 is unacceptable. This group has talent, age and experience, and is unselfish almost to a fault. They're starting to look like a well oiled machine running our offense. They work the clock looking for the best shot, yet seldom have to throw up a bad shot with the shot clock running down. Plus, I don't think we're anywhere close to peaking yet. All encouraging stuff IMO.