Woman's Basketball 2023-2024

[valpotx]

We got the expected win against Evansville, so we will see how the next few go!

[usc4valpo]

Combined record of both teams is an astounding 5-33. The bottom feeders of the MVC are brutally awful. With the investment spent on scholarships and the like, I would hope the athletic program is taking a hard look at this program. It is unacceptable.

[vu72]

Combined record of both teams is an astounding 5-33. The bottom feeders of the MVC are brutally awful. With the investment spent on scholarships and the like, I would hope the athletic program is taking a hard look at this program. It is unacceptable.

The reality is Dr. Small came into a real athletic mess.  It's not just the basketball teams but baseball and softball and women's golf have all been bottom feeders. We've got a respectable volleyball team and very good soccer and men's golf team as well as bowling.  But, that's about it.

[valpotx]

Remember that we got rid of successful Men's Tennis and Soccer programs under the prior regime, as well.  The MVC does sponsor Soccer, but not Tennis, so I can somewhat understand that decision

[Valpo2015]

Mismanagement from prior administration and President put us in this mess
Baseball and Softball competed very well in Horizon now no chance

Mens basketball is young and we have a new lease with Powell
Womens team is abysmal-and seem to get worse

Would the Horizon take us back? Has any one ever done that? Gone back to a conference they left?

[IndyValpo]

Mismanagement from prior administration and President put us in this mess
Baseball and Softball competed very well in Horizon now no chance

Mens basketball is young and we have a new lease with Powell
Womens team is abysmal-and seem to get worse

Would the Horizon take us back? Has any one ever done that? Gone back to a conference they left?

Yes, UMKC and Oral Roberts came back to the Summit

[VULB#62]

FYI

Just an aside to how this string has recently skewed:  UWGB MBB, a team our youngsters beat earlier in the season, is now on top in the Horizon after beating Oakland. And, of course, the Lady Phoenix are also leading the league.

[usc4valpo]

Valpo can be successful in the MVC, it will take solid leadership and decision making on identify and carry out their strengths.  Valpo also has to acknowledge that continuous suckage is unacceptable and need to be stop being passive in decision making. Evans should have been dismissed weeks ago and this program is going through the motions to finish the season.

[valporun]

Women's basketball isn't known for replacing a head coach during the season, unless some transgression has been made that requires termination. I also believe that Evans wasn't replaced at the same time as Lottich because of buyouts. We couldn't pay two coaches to not work, while paying two coaches to work. I don't see any of our assistant coaches being strong interim choices, as the women's coaches have been rather inconsistent in staying for more than a season or two, and not having a lot of experience on their resumes.

The next 5 games favor Valpo, but then we get the brunt of the top of the standings to end the season, so while we look promising now, we have to get things together to make any surprises/upsets going into Hoops In The Heartland, and maybe get a chance to win a Thursday game against Evansville or Bradley, to face one of the top seeds.

I do see we'll have radio coverage today, probably because the team was bussing in today, or the university could have the radio group drive up this morning on their own, getting mileage and gas money/perdiem for the travel.

[valporun]

We control our record, but Illinois St. just beat our next opponent, Indiana St., 64-59 on the road. We're down 8, 32-24 at UIC right now, but the way the game has been going, we're looking tough defensively, but making mistakes all over the place, like normal. These 5 games will test our mindset about getting wins. We win these next 5, and we go to 6-7 in conference, and could move up a couple spots, plus the middle teams losing games to keep the middle of the pack tight, and giving us a chance to take out 1 or 2 of the games that finish out our conference schedule.

[SPEEDYPITCHER37]

Impressive comeback on the road to beat a 12-win UIC capped off by Leah Earnest's buzzer beater. This is a team that will live and die by the 3, and today shooting 14-29 from downtown combined with real leadership from the seniors made a huge win possible. There is a clear path now to at least the 8 seed in the MVC tournament, nothing overly impressive about that in itself but there does seem to be some improvement with Brown and Harris back, Earnest looking like one of the best players in the conference, and Nevaeh Jackson in particular getting comfortable in college basketball.

[valporun]

Yes, shooting a smidge over 50% from 3, with our 14-29, helped. We definitely needed Earnest to play a little smarter. She made some ball handling mistakes. Had the Harris 3 to end the half that didn't count because Earnest held on to the ball a little too long. The Jackson twins are definitely showing their growths. Just needed a few of the others to do things to help the women make some separation in the score. It is a good step, having a 2-game winning streak going. We have the next four games mostly in our favor. We just need to play with better control, and basketball IQ about moving the ball and moving without the ball.

[vu72]

Another loss, at home, that was in reach. Clearly better than the folding of our tent at their place. Nonetheless, it was a matter of make threes or lose, and, we lost.

[valpotx]

I think that it was already a foregone conclusion after this season, but today's loss against Evansville has to cement a new coach moving forward.  You can't lose to Evansville and their program over the last few seasons.  They are just so bad, it should not happen.  Living and dying by the 3 has not worked for Valpo over the last few seasons.

[usc4valpo]

valpotx - agreed, I would presume a change will be made after the tournament and a Remax sign will be placed at her house, if not already. Their preparation is unacceptable

[SPEEDYPITCHER37]

Disappointing weekend to say the least. Especially considering that there had been signs of progress recently and these two winnable games just flopped. Have to rebound this week or else we'll just be limping to the conference tournament.

As for Evans, it doesn't look good, which is a real shame because she does at least seem to have built a decent culture in the team. Perhaps it's a different story if we have consistent 3 point shooting but this weekend showed we don't. The only thing I worry about if Evans is fired is if that makes Leah Earnest leave for her last year of eligibility. I'd hope Earnest stays to mentor the younger players, but I'm not sure about that.

[vu72]

Disappointing weekend to say the least. Especially considering that there had been signs of progress recently and these two winnable games just flopped. Have to rebound this week or else we'll just be limping to the conference tournament.

As for Evans, it doesn't look good, which is a real shame because she does at least seem to have built a decent culture in the team. Perhaps it's a different story if we have consistent 3 point shooting but this weekend showed we don't. The only thing I worry about if Evans is fired is if that makes Leah Earnest leave for her last year of eligibility. I'd hope Earnest stays to mentor the younger players, but I'm not sure about that.

I think the larger risk, and one I think needs to be taken, is that her departure will lead to several of our promising freshman to hit the portal as well.  The good news here is that women don't seem to hit the portal like the men and, although it was six years ago, prior to all the portal stuff, when Dorrow left she had a simliar situation, with seven players either as red-shirt freshman or true freshman.  Six of those plyers stayed to play for Evans.

[IndyValpo]

Disappointing weekend to say the least. Especially considering that there had been signs of progress recently and these two winnable games just flopped. Have to rebound this week or else we'll just be limping to the conference tournament.

As for Evans, it doesn't look good, which is a real shame because she does at least seem to have built a decent culture in the team. Perhaps it's a different story if we have consistent 3 point shooting but this weekend showed we don't. The only thing I worry about if Evans is fired is if that makes Leah Earnest leave for her last year of eligibility. I'd hope Earnest stays to mentor the younger players, but I'm not sure about that.

I think the larger risk, and one I think needs to be taken, is that her departure will lead to several of our promising freshman to hit the portal as well.  The good news here is that women don't seem to hit the portal like the men and, although it was six years ago, prior to all the portal stuff, when Dorrow left she had a simliar situation, with seven players either as red-shirt freshman or true freshman.  Six of those plyers stayed to play for Evans.

We do not keep Evans under any circumstances.

[usc4valpo]

Look at the record.

[valpotx]

This is Earnest's final year, I believe.  The extra COVID year was for 2019-2020, I believe, and she didn't start until 2020-2021. 

[Pgmado]

This is Earnest's final year, I believe.  The extra COVID year was for 2019-2020, I believe, and she didn't start until 2020-2021. 

The extra COVID year was for 2020-21. She has an additional year of eligibility and I believe she will be taking it. She is the only senior without a banner up in the arena.

2020-21 was the season where players competed without fans. Valley schools played a strange schedule.

[valpotx]

Fair enough.  I would assume that if she graduates, she would take a GT elsewhere.  She is too good to experience another year of what we are seeing.

[valpotx]

After the men's choke job today, our women decide to say, 'hold our beers,' as they led by 5 with 5:00 left, and summarily let ISUr go on a 20-0 run to take a commanding lead.  This was after Valpo led for all but around 2 minutes of today's game, until this point in the 4th...

Of note, Evans decided to take a technical when we were down by 2 during this run by ISUr, probably thinking that it would drive her team, but her team continued to let the Redbirds run with another 10+ points before we scored again.

[valpopal]

This is Earnest's final year, I believe.  The extra COVID year was for 2019-2020, I believe, and she didn't start until 2020-2021. 

The extra COVID year was for 2020-21. She has an additional year of eligibility and I believe she will be taking it. She is the only senior without a banner up in the arena.

2020-21 was the season where players competed without fans. Valley schools played a strange schedule.

I am pleased to say Leah plans to return and play at Valpo next year as a graduate student. I was lucky to get to know Leah starting with her first semester on campus, and I realized even then that she was the kind of student/athlete who would make Valparaiso proud. 

[valpotx]

That would be a pleasant surprise, especially if/when a coaching change occurs.  She can definitely play at a higher level, similar to Shay Frederick