Valpo at SIU 1/30 4:00 p.m. ESPN+

[valpotx]

There are no automatic wins without Anderson and Kithier.

[covufan]

There are no automatic wins without Anderson and Kithier.

There have been no automatic wins since Peters injury.


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[justducky]

Very little incentive to watch with Anderson finished and Kithier injured.

Preston, Trey, and Darius and not MVC level players.

I'll agree on Trey but give a pass to the others. Preston and Darius both need muscle and weight to defend in the Valley but their ball handling and judgements are very promising. Part of their recent problems have been the absence of Trevor who was often on the floor with them as a 2 while they were learning the 1. Now we have nobody I would really classify as a 2 and it starkly exposes their raw point defects while occasionally pushing one to play as an out of position 2. I'll repeat that I like the freshmen DeAveiro better than the freshman pre injury Eric Buggs. Preston is a very different player but Im liking most of what I see. Truth be known I don't think that we need to worry yet about their developments because who knows if anybody will return to this team for 2022-2023.   

[oklahomamick]

So now we just going to say Lottich had a lot of injuries and just unlucky

[usc4valpo]

SIU had 22 assists, Valpo had 7. Seriously.

[justducky]

So now we just going to say Lottich had a lot of injuries and just unlucky

I think he is a bit unlucky and maybe his fortunes will change at a new location. 

[valpopal]

I was looking hard for something to say about this game that wasn't negative, but even Taylor went 0-for-4 from the 3-point line to end his 84 consecutive games with a made 3-pointer. So, I got nothing! 

[valpopal]

After today's poor showing, if the current extended weather forecast of 10-15 inches of snow holds for Wednesday, good luck getting any crowd at the Evansville game.

[JD24]

70 minutes from Ruedinger and the entire bench yielded 8 shots and 2 points.

Two games in a row with single digit team fouls. That can be an indicator of poor defense...or at the very least a lack of aggression.

Getting the snot kicked out of you as often as it has the last few weeks should have the players looking in the mirror at what they are bringing to the floor every night and the coach thinking about what he's going to do next year.

[humbleopinion]

I suppose that I am as glass-half-full as anyone on this board, and even I feel discouraged after last night's game.  I've always expected the team to fulfill its potential by February, but now I wonder if the potential is wearing a uniform this year. As I look at the season stats, there are a couple bright spots (mostly in Kithier's row), but when I have looked on the floor (and Thomas wasn't on it) it's hard to be optimistic.

I keep on waiting for Kobe's shots around the basket to start falling in.  The number of eight foot shots that he takes should yield a higher percentage -- he's under 50% on 2 pt attempts for the year.  I expected him to be Valpo's Isiaih Mosley. He isn't.

Preston had an uneventful game last night.  In high school he was a scorer; he shot over 45% from 3 over his four years.  I really like him, but I'm disappointed that he is only shooting 3s at a 24% clip when we need to find some scoring.

I understand why Sheldon has to be relegated to the bench as often as he is.  With every burst of excitement he provides, he seems to follow it up with a move that makes me cringe.  Of the six players who average more than twenty minutes per game, he has taken the most shots and has the lowest percentage of made shots.

I really like Kevion, and he has been the workhorse for the team, but what has happened to his three point shot over the last couple games.  Is it just that he is getting more attention form the defense? He needs a lot of room to get his shot off, so it's hard to take advantage of his ability.  I like his taking it to the hoop lately.

Similarly, Ben has been steady, but he needs much more support from an outside game.

Overall, our shooting just hasn't come around this year, and the droughts each game put us in holes that are tough to overcome.  So many of our shots aren't contested, so it isn't because of an offensive scheme.

Just before Covid hit, I enjoyed watching Valpo win of Thursday, then Friday, then Saturday, and then fighting valiantly until their legs gave out on Sunday.  It appears that Thursday will be the starting point for this year's tournament.  If Thomas is back to health we have a chance to move forward. 

[vu72]

I was looking hard for something to say about this game that wasn't negative, but even Taylor went 0-for-4 from the 3-point line to end his 84 consecutive games with a made 3-pointer. So, I got nothing! 

Ben played pretty good!  Perhaps the biggest mistake was to redshirt Slim. We obviously need rebounding as well as the matchup problem he posed.  If Thomas is out again we will lose to a much better coached Evansville team.  And if we do--at home--there will be pitch forks and torches.

[VU2014]

So now we just going to say Lottich had a lot of injuries and just unlucky

EDIT:
*Mark LaBarbera will tell himself* I think he is a bit unlucky and maybe his fortunes will change at a new location. 

How many more years will he give Lottich before we hit rock bottom? Probably the same number of years he signed the extension to.

[usc4valpo]

I hope the right people at Valpo care about what's going on.

[humbleopinion]

Perhaps the biggest mistake was to redshirt Slim.

It doesn't seem that there was much choice in this regard.  He is expected to get surgery soon.

[vu72]

So is Matt unlucky?

So. Illinois shot 52.4% from the 3!  Sounds unlucky but...that is the 8th time this season that our opponents have shot 40% or higher from the 3 and if you take out the 1 for 11 effort from Eastern Michigan, our opponents--for the season, are shooting 36.7% from the 3.  Might want to make some adjustments...

[JD24]

So is Matt unlucky? So. Illinois shot 52.4% from the 3!  Sounds unlucky but...that is the 8th time this season that our opponents have shot 40% or higher from the 3 and if you take out the 1 for 11 effort from Eastern Michigan, our opponents--for the season, are shooting 36.7% from the 3.  Might want to make some adjustments...

There was a point, midway through the 2nd half, which the numbers were something such as 68% overall and 60% from 3. There is no "well they were just hot tonight" explaining that away. That's just bad defense and effort. Some simple non coach necessary concepts just not followed such as stop the ball from advancing not taken up by the players.

[Just Sayin]

So now we just going to say Lottich had a lot of injuries and just unlucky

EDIT:
*Mark LaBarbera will tell himself* I think he is a bit unlucky and maybe his fortunes will change at a new location. 

How many more years will he give Lottich before we hit rock bottom? Probably the same number of years he signed the extension to.

Will we see Matt in September?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iu-7DXBiVsA

[crusadermoe]

The ability to let Matt go is probably the key, assuming that is actually a good idea. I think he has another year left?   

If so, the faculty will show up at Padillas house with pitchforks if he releases Matt and also spends the money required to get a strong new coach.

Not gonna happen.

[oklahomamick]

I think I will post one of these every time we lose by a lot and are feeling down.  Remember this guy? 

[usc4valpo]

I disagree Moe if we are truly committed to Division 1 basketball. Managing your flagship sports program is different than how you manage your overall faculty.  The basketball head coach is recognzed  to the school nationally, more so than the math professor or the head of the business college.

Also, many faculty member have the opportunity for tenure, for which I doubt is available for the basketball head coach.

A $370K hit should not put Valpo in the poor farm... at least I would hope not. Valpo may be at more of a longterm loss sustaining this.

[VU2014]

[humbleopinion]

From Matt's comments, it sounds like we shouldn't expect to see Kithier suiting up anytime soon.

[vu84v2]

I am not offering an opinion of whether Matt Lottich should be dismissed, but I will point out that most schools who dismiss their coach and pay the early termination fee often do so using "special" donations from "friends of the program". I am not aware of Valpo's basketball program having donors who would, beyond their normal donations, be willing to make this amount of additional donations. Whether you agree or disagree, I think that there would be tremendous push back from faculty if Valpo pays $370K out of its current operating budget after recent pay cuts and temporary freezing of retirement contributions. Remember, even before the pandemic faculty at Valpo were taking less than the market rate for their services because they identify with Valpo's mission. In addition, if this pushes them to feel that Valpo has "lost its way" and more choose to leave (via early retirement or otherwise), Valpo will need to replace many of them with salaries that are closer to the market rate.

On the other hand, there is a long term negative financial impact from not having a winning basketball program. The basketball program at the university where I work has had a significant turnaround this year (so far). Our Dean, who is a tremendous fundraiser, recently said "alumni are happy when the basketball team wins and, whether you like it or not, they donate more money when they are happy with the team."

President Padilla has a tough needle to thread.

[Just Sayin]

The faculty should read the parable of the workers and Valpo should find a good basketball coach or it is likely to wither on the vine.

[vu84v2]

The faculty should read the parable of the workers and Valpo should find a good basketball coach or it is likely to wither on the vine.

Parable is not applicable. The "last" are not very wealthy and the "first" did not have their pay recently reduced.

Again, I am not saying whether Valpo should or should not dismiss Matt Lottich. I am saying that if they choose to do so, President Padilla will need to very carefully manage the messaging and feelings among all employees. You may say that you don't care about their feelings, but if professors with important and unique skills (primarily in the professional schools) get angry and decide to leave - the university will likely have to pay more than the salaries of departing professors to get replacements.