Valpo at InSU 1/22 at 12m (noon) ESPN+

[humbleopinion]

The Sycamores have dropped their last three games, losing to UNI, SIU, and Loyola.

We will need to control Neese and Henry.  If our intensity matches last game's I feel good about this one. Kithier needs to stay out of foul trouble -- his value was on full display against UNI.

Will Trevor come off of the bench again?  For having a bad back, he performed admirably in his last outing.

[justducky]

I will avoid predicting anything for the rest of the season. I just want to see this group avoid injury and continue to mature as a working unit. Looks like Matt will continue command so let's hope he starts earning his money.

[AB]

Intensity will be the key from the opening tip and defending for 40 minutes? Let's see if the win carries over from NIU.?  Kithier needs to avoid foul trouble and look for Sheldon or king to erupt. This will be a favorable matchup in the Hulman Center Library today.

[VUGrad1314]

Hopefully we can build on the UNI win and get a win here against Indiana State. The conference slate has been tough to start maybe with it starting to even out a bit we can see a few more wins. Go Valpo!

[valpopal]

I noticed the following in the Athletics department game notes: "Valpo may hold a 2-5 mark in conference play, but five of the team's seven games have come against the programs picked to finish in the top four in the MVC preseason poll. All five of Valpo's league losses have come against teams projected to finish in the top half of the Valley standings." This seems to fit the definition of "mediocre" (VU can't be expected to beat teams in the top half of the conference), and it serves as official confirmation that even the Athletics folks regard the team as such.

[vok22]

I noticed the following in the Athletics department game notes: "Valpo may hold a 2-5 mark in conference play, but five of the team's seven games have come against the programs picked to finish in the top four in the MVC preseason poll. All five of Valpo's league losses have come against teams projected to finish in the top half of the Valley standings." This seems to fit the definition of "mediocre" (VU can't be expected to beat teams in the top half of the conference), and it serves as official confirmation that even the Athletics folks regard the team as such.

Exactly. It's a pathetic excuse. I have never understood it. A lot of people were expecting a team that would finish 5th or maybe even 4th in the conference. Now that the season has started and we are 1-5 against those teams, people are almost excusing it as "well they were losses to top teams". Uhhhhh, we are supposed to be competing with those top teams this year. It is one thing for a fan to point it out, but it is concerning that the athletic department seems to have adopted that mentality.

[Chairback]

Valpo by 9 today.  Kobe and TK are going to have a big day today.

[VUGrad1314]

I noticed the following in the Athletics department game notes: "Valpo may hold a 2-5 mark in conference play, but five of the team's seven games have come against the programs picked to finish in the top four in the MVC preseason poll. All five of Valpo's league losses have come against teams projected to finish in the top half of the Valley standings." This seems to fit the definition of "mediocre" (VU can't be expected to beat teams in the top half of the conference), and it serves as official confirmation that even the Athletics folks regard the team as such.

Exactly. It's a pathetic excuse. I have never understood it. A lot of people were expecting a team that would finish 5th or maybe even 4th in the conference. Now that the season has started and we are 1-5 against those teams, people are almost excusing it as "well they were losses to top teams". Uhhhhh, we are supposed to be competing with those top teams this year. It is one thing for a fan to point it out, but it is concerning that the athletic department seems to have adopted that mentality.

I know almosts don't count but if we had held on and won that Loyola game we'd be 3-4 with wins over Loyola and UNI and two really bad losses to Missouri State and @UNI where we got blown out and things wouldn't be quite so bad. The deep hole we dug agains SIU really stings too because that game was winnable. If we can get this one today get to 3-5 with a two game winning streak who knows what could happen with some confidence and momentum on our side for a change?

[vok22]

I noticed the following in the Athletics department game notes: "Valpo may hold a 2-5 mark in conference play, but five of the team's seven games have come against the programs picked to finish in the top four in the MVC preseason poll. All five of Valpo's league losses have come against teams projected to finish in the top half of the Valley standings." This seems to fit the definition of "mediocre" (VU can't be expected to beat teams in the top half of the conference), and it serves as official confirmation that even the Athletics folks regard the team as such.

Exactly. It's a pathetic excuse. I have never understood it. A lot of people were expecting a team that would finish 5th or maybe even 4th in the conference. Now that the season has started and we are 1-5 against those teams, people are almost excusing it as "well they were losses to top teams". Uhhhhh, we are supposed to be competing with those top teams this year. It is one thing for a fan to point it out, but it is concerning that the athletic department seems to have adopted that mentality.

I know almosts don't count but if we had held on and won that Loyola game we'd be 3-4 with wins over Loyola and UNI and two really bad losses to Missouri State and @UNI where we got blown out and things wouldn't be quite so bad. The deep hole we dug agains SIU really stings too because that game was winnable. If we can get this one today get to 3-5 with a two game winning streak who knows what could happen with some confidence and momentum on our side for a change?

I hear you and I see that, but you could say the same thing about every one of our seasons under Lottich and it hasn't changed.

[VUGrad1314]

I noticed the following in the Athletics department game notes: "Valpo may hold a 2-5 mark in conference play, but five of the team's seven games have come against the programs picked to finish in the top four in the MVC preseason poll. All five of Valpo's league losses have come against teams projected to finish in the top half of the Valley standings." This seems to fit the definition of "mediocre" (VU can't be expected to beat teams in the top half of the conference), and it serves as official confirmation that even the Athletics folks regard the team as such.

Exactly. It's a pathetic excuse. I have never understood it. A lot of people were expecting a team that would finish 5th or maybe even 4th in the conference. Now that the season has started and we are 1-5 against those teams, people are almost excusing it as "well they were losses to top teams". Uhhhhh, we are supposed to be competing with those top teams this year. It is one thing for a fan to point it out, but it is concerning that the athletic department seems to have adopted that mentality.

I know almosts don't count but if we had held on and won that Loyola game we'd be 3-4 with wins over Loyola and UNI and two really bad losses to Missouri State and @UNI where we got blown out and things wouldn't be quite so bad. The deep hole we dug agains SIU really stings too because that game was winnable. If we can get this one today get to 3-5 with a two game winning streak who knows what could happen with some confidence and momentum on our side for a change?

I hear you and I see that, but you could say the same thing about every one of our seasons under Lottich and it hasn't changed.

I know. I'm just trying to be optimistic coming off a win and with a winnable game here today. I'm doing the best I can not to come to this board CONSTANTLY negative. Hopefully Lottich gives me more than just the occasional surprising win to work with. For the sake of the program I have WANTED things to work out with him for years and that hasn't changed and will not change as long as he is the coach but as I said he needs to give me something to work with here.

[VU2014]

Both Teams looking sluggish to start the game.

[vok22]

Did gravity increase overnight? What is with all the airballs.

[mj]

If we could finish at the rim we'd be up big....

[vu72]

That was ugly. 35% overall and air balls.  We should beat these guys absent Neese and we are on a path to make it either look hard or fail miserably.

[hailcrusaders]

Need more ball movement on offense and better perimeter defense if we want to win this one!

I wonder why ISU rebranded their main athletics logo the other year....I liked the one they used to have.

90% of graphics and logo rebrands are a waste of time and money imo

[tjjvalpo]

We were up 2 at the last media time out. ISU finished the half on 13-6 run. Same old, same old. Frustrating!

[vok22]

I don't want to knitpick turnovers because we are actually a pretty decent turnover team, but I have never seen a team catch the ball out of bounds so much. Isn't the basketball court the same size at every arena???

[VUSWIM08-12]

Up 7 with 7:59 To go , let's get to 3-5 and on our way out of the Thursday game ! The talent  is there, let's go PO'

[mj]

This is the least clutch team ever. My goodness.

[valpotx]

Krikke with an absolutely bone-headed pass.  Seriously, do these players think that the opposing team is always going to let them do the same thing every time?  Fake the pass to your teammate, if you have been automatically throwing it back to him every single time you touch it on that inbounds play!  Good lord...

[valpotx]

Krikke redeems his crappy pass with a bail out basket.  Tough and good win.  I will take solid FT shooting and limited turnovers, regardless of how we shoot overall, every single game.

[nkvu]

Almost gave this one away, but amazingly we didn't. Good defense on that last possession. Good to pull another one out.

[VUGrad1314]

Yay! Krikke delivers the win! That's two in a row! Hopefully we can continue to build on this but that's three strong showings (and two wins) in the last four games most of them were against upper tier MVC teams and this was a road win. Things might be looking up! We'll see. The next couple of games are going to tell us a lot but we have GOT to finish better than that. We've had teams on the ropes now several times only to choke away the Loyola game salvage the win against UNI in OT and hang on to beat ISU by the skin of our teeth. We need to learn how to close out games but we'll take the results and the overall trend they are showing. Good to see.

[justducky]

Should have been easier. Hope that Anderson and Kithier will be ok for next time out.

[valpopal]

Credit to Ruedinger, Deaveiro, and Anderson as the trio combined for 52 minutes of play and 0 turnovers. Thus far, Ruedinger has played 165 minutes for Valpo and committed only 2 turnovers. Also, another excellent game at the free throw line (16-17). Together, these proved the difference in a nearly blown 2-point game.