Reached a new low? No game thread post for tonight's showdown v. Southern Ill.?

[Dr. T]

Am I missing something, or was there not even a post made for this game? Hopefully, I'm mistaken. If not, perhaps it's because people are ... over it? Or, are we satisfied with another close game ending in another defeat?

[AB]

Fourth or fifth game this year, the opponent has a mini quick run that proved to be the difference maker, in this case SIU's little run after Valpo took the lead late in the second half. The score was 48-47 for an eternity and Valpo couldn't extend the lead. Was given every opportunity. For whatever reason, this team is incapable of extending leads, rushed shots, getting away from our bread and butter, (Kobe King shooting a three pointer is as good as a turnover) careless turnover on an inbounds pass, terrible weak side rotations on the baseline, missed free throws, falling asleep on back door cuts, guarding for the full shot clock. All these things add up to L's. Team has no margin for error. Partial talent issue, but more mental than anything. If it's a close game Valpo can't seal the deal....So yes this leads to fan apathy after we see the same results over and over again.
  Nice adjustments and better execution on the offensive side of things, but see above. As Bill Parcells said, you are what your record says you are. Valentines Day, folks choose love or basketball tonight. Hah!

[wh]

One more post to say something positive on my way out the door for awhile. I was in attendance at tonight's game. While we made a lot of mistakes, the gritty, never quit attitude we displayed, especially in the 2nd half, lasting right to the final gun was amazing. You made us proud, guys!! Best wishes the rest of the way!

[Valpo89]

One more post to say something positive on my way out the door for awhile. I was in attendance at tonight's game. While we made a lot of mistakes, the gritty, never quit attitude we displayed, especially in the 2nd half, lasting right to the final gun was amazing. You made us proud, guys!! Best wishes the rest of the way!

Yes I agree, the guys don't give up. There are just a lot of bonehead plays throughout the game that leave me shaking my head.
I told my wife last night (yes, we did a Valentine's 'date' to watch the Beacons) two things: 1. I think if someone else was coaching these players, we would see something a lot different (hopefully better) on the court; 2. While walking out after a four-point loss, I could only shake my head and kind of say, "Whatever." In the old days, a four-point loss would have bothered me and Crusader fans, and the atmosphere at the game would have had an entirely different feel.
Obviously, those days are gone. Can anyone get that back?

[Dr. T]

When I was a child
I caught a fleeting glimpse
Out of the corner of my eye
I turned to look but it was gone
I cannot put my finger on it now
The child is grown
The dream is gone
And I have become
Comfortably numb.

PINK FLOYD

[historyman]

When both Barrett & Nelson can't handle passes under the basket or on the wing where they are our best shooters, except for maybe Green, this team has an awful problem that the coaches can't or don't consider important enough to fix immediately in a close game. That is why this head coach and his coaching staff are doomed for eventual dismissal from their current positions.

[wh]

One more post to say something positive on my way out the door for awhile. I was in attendance at tonight's game. While we made a lot of mistakes, the gritty, never quit attitude we displayed, especially in the 2nd half, lasting right to the final gun was amazing. You made us proud, guys!! Best wishes the rest of the way!

Yes I agree, the guys don't give up. There are just a lot of bonehead plays throughout the game that leave me shaking my head.
I told my wife last night (yes, we did a Valentine's 'date' to watch the Beacons) two things: 1. I think if someone else was coaching these players, we would see something a lot different (hopefully better) on the court; 2. While walking out after a four-point loss, I could only shake my head and kind of say, "Whatever." In the old days, a four-point loss would have bothered me and Crusader fans, and the atmosphere at the game would have had an entirely different feel.
Obviously, those days are gone. Can anyone get that back?

Don't misunderstand. I was complimenting player effort in one half of one game, and deservedly so. The program is a mess.

[David81]

I didn't follow the game live, either, but man oh man, the boxscore once again tells stories:

...Krikke scores 24 and plays 39 minutes;
...King scores 24 and plays 38 minutes;
...No one else scores more than 5;
...Barrett takes no shots and commits 4 fouls in 23 minutes;
...Beacs dent the rims with 2-14 3-point shooting.

[JD24]

I didn't follow the game live, either, but man oh man, the boxscore once again tells stories: ...Krikke scores 24 and plays 39 minutes; ...King scores 24 and plays 38 minutes; ...No one else scores more than 5; ...Barrett takes no shots and commits 4 fouls in 23 minutes; ...Beacs dent the rims with 2-14 3-point shooting.

Same thing all year. Nothing much offensively out of the point. 2 points in 40 mins. Green goes from 25 to 5 and this isn't the first time this season we've seen this act.

Barrett and Nelson are jump shooters on a team with no one to concern the defense getting to the hoop and open things up for them....aka...the point guards. Neither seem capable of getting their own shot.
The roster, despite what some think, is full of flawed pieces throughout the roster. That, of course, is also on the coaching staff.

[Dr. T]

Watch the post-game presser ... notice what ML says about his choices for not subbing guys in the second half. "I was going to rotate all those guys ..."

In particular, notice what he says about Bayu ... after giving the team that boost down the stretch to close out the first half ... no opportunities in the second half?

https://youtu.be/KMYUGlvgOO8

[VU2014]

The count down is on until Lottich puts his house up for sale...

https://twitter.com/valpo_hoops/status/1625890779490131968?s=46&t=kk8aszAkQ0yvFv-FtpMJKQ

[tiny707]

VU2014, no post for this game is definitely apathy for the fan base. A new low. No one cares anymore.

[David81]

So......is the prevailing attitude one of apathy & truly "not caring," or one of resignation that the foreseeable future of the MBB program may well be decided after the season ends?

[VU2014]

So......is the prevailing attitude one of apathy & truly "not caring," or one of resignation that the foreseeable future of the MBB program may well be decided after the season ends?

Honestly I don't see the university buying him out. The University is cash strapped.

If can get out of the contract without paying anything they probably will. Just speculation on my part

[usc4valpo]

For the love of God, please make a change Valpo! I have a feeling Lottich may have had enough.

[David81]

Again, I'm hoping that if Lottich realizes that bowing out with a negotiated severance is a fair way to pave the way for future opportunities (which I hope he gets), then VU won't be holding the bag for his full contract.

[AlaskaCrusader19]

So......is the prevailing attitude one of apathy & truly "not caring," or one of resignation that the foreseeable future of the MBB program may well be decided after the season ends?

Whether Valpo fires Matt Lottich or not, we will learn quite a bit about Valpo's investment level in the men's basketball program after the season ends. If they elect to move on, it provides some reason to believe that they're serious about competing in the Missouri Valley Conference. While it would be just the first of a multi-step process, it would be a good start. If they elect to retain Lottich for the 2023-24 season, then the message will be loud and clear: putting a decent product on the court is not important to Valparaiso University.

[AB]

Enrollment has dropped by a thousand students since pre covid, no law school, selling art work. They have let go many faculty. If they eat the contract of one of the highest paid employees by the university, that will likely rub some people the wrong way. So yes.....Eating the contract and making the correct hire is a calculated Gamble. If the team wins with a new dude and the ARC fills up again, then the revenue comes back in. The Trees made a great hire and even their fan base has not come back instantly. Comparing Terre Heute fan base to Valpo maybe not a fair comp. Valpo has had the better fan support over the last 20 years up until recently.

[vu72]

From a player retention standpoint, this might also be a good time to change.  We lose four starters (almost certainly), with no one else being a game changer, or anywhere near to a D1 starter.  A new coach could bring players along with him (like at indiana State) and be able to recruit a fair amount from the portal, based on his reputation.  There isn't an Alec Peters to worry about retaining.

[VULB#62]

From a player retention standpoint, this might also be a good time to change.  We lose four starters (almost certainly), with no one else being a game changer, or anywhere near to a D1 starter.  A new coach could bring players along with him (like at indiana State) and be able to recruit a fair amount from the portal, based on his reputation.  There isn't an Alec Peters to worry about retaining.

72, there is the tiniest, smallest, almost minuscule chance that, with a Covid year in his future, Ben might decide to stay an extra year — IF a new guy impresses him enough to want to stay. I mentioned that in a previous post. It's a l-o-n-g reach, but can't be totally dismissed. And, as I mentioned before, any such new guy has to charm the heck out of him and back it up with great coaching chops.

[David81]

From a player retention standpoint, this might also be a good time to change.  We lose four starters (almost certainly), with no one else being a game changer, or anywhere near to a D1 starter.  A new coach could bring players along with him (like at indiana State) and be able to recruit a fair amount from the portal, based on his reputation.  There isn't an Alec Peters to worry about retaining.

72, there is the tiniest, smallest, almost minuscule chance that, with a Covid year in his future, Ben might decide to stay an extra year — IF a new guy impresses him enough to want to stay. I mentioned that in a previous post. It's a l-o-n-g reach, but can't be totally dismissed. And, as I mentioned before, any such new guy has to charm the heck out of him and back it up with great coaching chops.

Krikke could have a sound, performance-related reason to stay at VU an extra year: To hopefully develop a 3-pt shot that he had hoped to do this season. A better outside game probably wouldn't turn him into an NBA prospect, but it would make him a much more valuable international commodity. And he's not going to get that opportunity at a P5 school.

Recall that Alec Peters stayed for a final year in part because he got feedback that he needed to work on aspects of his game to become draft-worthy.

[VULB#62]

And part of that will be Ben listening to the next coach to find out how their "system" frees players up for good, open threes, along with a lot of just basic improvements. When you hear players wonder in pressers why things aren't working you know they know.

The current system is chaotic and catch as catch can. A disciplined offense with set screens and organized movement would correct that. Granted AP was one of a kind in making his own offense, but, under Bryce you could see how the O was organized to get Alec good looks and options. Matt inherited that offense and, as far as I could tell, kept it rolling in his first year. AP's late injury was the killer.

But once Alec departed, suddenly the proven alignments, patterns and set plays dissolved and for the following years we've had what we have. Why fix what was successful?  Build on it. Why change a proven concept? Refine it  Why not recruit to that proven scheme instead of dumping it? And why did the aggressive defense that marked our good years decline over the last few seasons? Get even more defense dedicated.

These are things I have continually wondered about over the last few years and I'm not a BB expert. 

My conclusion FWIW:  Essentially, Bryce left to whomever would be his successor a solid foundation and good players. And year one post-departure proved that.  So then the new guy, with only maybe 3 years of bench coaching experience discards that and goes a different direction? Huh?

This was the first in an ongoing series of errant strategic decisions and tactical practices that have marked this program.   I know he's a great guy, but so far there has been little accountability for those decisions.

[usc4valpo]

Alaska point was to the point. If they care about the flagship sports program and want to be viable in Division 1 basketball, a change needs to be made and they need to deal with eating some cash out of Matt's contract, which in the grand scheme of $20M paintings small potatoes.

Again, although it won't be out in the open, I feel Matt wants to move on.

[valpo95]

Rather than learning about Valpo's investment level in the men's basketball program with a possible coaching change, we will learn more about the donor base.

In most of the D-1 world, there would be a deep pocketed donor (or donors) who are very much involved in calling for a coaching change. The donors contribute or promise to contribute enough for the athletic department to make a large buyout, as well as the funds to hire a new coach who also might have to pay an exit fee to his present employer.

[crusader05]

This is key for donors. When other schools need a coach gone a donor helps, when other schools cut programs donors step in to help bring them back. Valpo's struggle to get donors to step up for what the school needs vs what the donors want is part of why were are in this position with the paintings. What if a donor offered to "buy" the paintings from VU for an amount and than let the University maintain them with the understanding they could never be sold?

Social Work Alums saved their program through a whole lot of organized advocacy (not just writing petitions or talking to the newspapers) and that strengthened their program and is leading the way to a new combined education/social work college. Athletic maybe doesn't have the deep pocketed donors. Although I wonder if we are getting to a poitn where maybe the Drews would feel open to being lead donors especially if it means an athletics facility basically named and dedicated to them.