Game #18, MVC #7, At Evansville 7pm Wednesday The Streak Continuum

[talksalot]

ANOTHER Winnable game... Blah Blah Blah...

They have more wins than we do overall... but we are tied in the Valley

BUT, they have lost 5 straight...
@Cincinnati 76-58
Indiana State 87-73 at Hulman Center
Murray State 81-59 at Ford Center
Bradley 86-50 at Civic Center
Missouri State 74-64 at Ford Center

In their last game, they only had 14 points in the paint, 7 bench points and 8 fast break points.

They were 9 of 35 from 2-point range, 12 of 27 from 3pt range.  Rag's 5 starters all had over 30 minutes of playing time.

For the bad news, they have Joshua Hughes with 22 points, Antonio Thomas with 15 points... and Kenny Strawbridge and Yacine Toumi both with double-digit rebounds... both ended the game with 4 fouls.

Their statistical leading scorer, Ben Humrichous, 6'9 senior (16 ppg), has not played in their last 5 games.

They are averaging 4,768 at the Ford Center.

We are 25-72 against the Aces all time... despite that we have won the last 5 matches...

[covufan]

Well, why don't we make it six in a row against Evansville!

This team is learning how to win. Play well on both ends of the court, and for 40 minutes.

Valpo   72
E'ville   68


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[tiny707]

Hope I am wrong, but Aces are hungry for a win and will have a good crowd.

Evansville: 72
Valpo: 68

[VULB#62]

Won't this hinge on whether Humrichous plays?  He's been out for five games and they've lost all five.

[valpotx]

If their solid player is out, we win:

Valpo 72
Evansville 66

If he is playing:

Valpo 65
Evansville 72

[johnu1]

UE supporter, general basketball fan, lacking expertise or insight:

Aces are missing Ben Humrichous, an NAIA transfer who emerged as the team's best player. He has some form of undisclosed foot injury and has been "day to day" since the first of the year. The Aces truly miss his leadership.

UE is not an untalented team and any one of 4 or 5 guys can get hot and grab the reins. Of late, they have played teams that are either a lot better or a little better but playing over their heads. Murray is one.

What flaws the Aces have are similar to all rebuilding programs -- inconsistency at unpredictable points in a game. In a home game, the advantage is not obvious. UE's success early on was measured against weaker OVC teams and some really sloppy examples of MAC programs. The 10 wins is notable considering they won 5 last year and 6 the year before.

Watching VU, if they get into foul trouble, they will probably get bonked.

[78crusader]

I'm curious whether anyone else on this board attended the VU/Evansville game on January 8, 1966 - VU beat #1-ranked Evansville 83-73, ending UE's 25 game winning streak. I suppose anyone who did, and who can remember the game, would have to be close to my age (67).

It is hard to describe the atmosphere - Hilltop was completely jammed. There was even an extra set of bleachers set up along the south side. You could not find a seat anywhere. I sat in the second row from the top of the bleachers and they were shaking from the students down below who were swaying back and forth with arms held high in the final seconds as they chanted "Ding Dong! Ding Dong!" My brother was scared the bleachers would collapse. I was too.

At that time UE wore long satin warm up robes when they came out on the court (not sure what else to call them; sort of like what a boxer would wear when he enters the ring). They were different colors  - some were purple, some were blue - as well as orange, red, and white ones. Their attire was fitting, I suppose, since they were the kings of small college basketball, having won several national championships.

Tom Smith and Dick Jones were superb in that game.

When the game ended the UE players stood around for a few seconds as if they could not believe they lost.

My brother, dad and I did not miss a game at Hilltop for 10 years. I'm kinda proud of that. We saw some good ballgames, I can tell you that.

I was 10 years old and it was an unforgettable experience. I have been to several thrilling athletic events in my life, but nothing as memorable as this game.

Paul

[johnu1]

I was a frosh at UE that winter. We listened to all the Aces games on the radio. The robes were an Evansville trademark but the players never actually liked them. Most games, they were wadded up under the bench or flung off to the side.

The Aces were extremely difficult to beat at Roberts Stadium and the ICC games, which included Valpo, were usually quite a draw for the fans. I never saw a game in Hilltop, so that's kind of a memory I missed. I heard though that playing at St. Joe was even more difficult.

[VULB#62]

I'm curious whether anyone else on this board attended the VU/Evansville game on January 8, 1966 - VU beat #1-ranked Evansville 83-73, ending UE's 25 game winning streak. I suppose anyone who did, and who can remember the game, would have to be close to my age (67).

It is hard to describe the atmosphere - Hilltop was completely jammed. There was even an extra set of bleachers set up along the south side. You could not find a seat anywhere. I sat in the second row from the top of the bleachers and they were shaking from the students down below who were swaying back and forth with arms held high in the final seconds as they chanted "Ding Dong! Ding Dong!" My brother was scared the bleachers would collapse. I was too.

At that time UE wore long satin warm up robes when they came out on the court (not sure what else to call them; sort of like what a boxer would wear when he enters the ring). They were different colors  - some were purple, some were blue - as well as orange, red, and white ones. Their attire was fitting, I suppose, since they were the kings of small college basketball, having won several national championships.

Tom Smith and Dick Jones were superb in that game.

When the game ended the UE players stood around for a few seconds as if they could not believe they lost.

My brother, dad and I did not miss a game at Hilltop for 10 years. I'm kinda proud of that. We saw some good ballgames, I can tell you that.

I was 10 years old and it was an unforgettable experience. I have been to several thrilling athletic events in my life, but nothing as memorable as this game.

Paul

Paul, I was there. Sitting with my fraternity bros (Phi Delt) and some Phi Psis across from Gene Bartow and the bench.  Starting lineup Rakow 6'6", Cook 6'2", Eynon 6'3, Smitty 5'9"ish, Jones 5'11".  Vern Curtis and John Hinkey off the bench. No shot clock, no 3pt arc, but not uncommon for that team to score in the high 80s and low 90s. Yes, the pace would make Roger envious.

EU had two legit All -Americans: Jerry Sloan and Larry Humes.

Electric is an understatement. Favorite memory:  With the Aces down late in the game (maybe 6 or so minutes to go).  Legendary coach Arad McCutcheon figures he'd just press and get control of the game and win it going away. For the remainder of the game the laughs and giggles from the stands were clear and loud as the two AAs were left time and again with their jocks around their ankles as they clumsily tried to stop Smitty as he single-handedly dribbled around, under and through them.  It's imprinted on my brain forever.

But one other memory I also had was of why Jerry Sloan was an AA and why he was such a great pro and afterward a great coach. Without fail, after every jumper he took, he aggressively followed it to the hoop (something few shooters do today). Can't remember how many rebounds or followup baskets he got off a seldomly missed shot, but it was something that stuck with me.

[valpotx]

I am glad that I am not the only one who has noticed how little most players follow their shots nowadays.  It irks the hell out of me to see our jump shooters immediately start the opposite direction of our basket after the ball leaves their hands, as if their job is done.  This is all while the ball eventually lands about 2 feet from where they were previously standing. 

[VULB#62]

I am glad that I am not the only one who has noticed how little most players follow their shots nowadays.  It irks the hell out of me to see our jump shooters immediately start the opposite direction of our basket after the ball leaves their hands, as if their job is done.  This is all while the ball eventually lands about 2 feet from where they were previously standing.

⬆️⬆️⬆️
THIS!

My old BB coach, Elmer Doberstein, at Concordia Prep drilled us on following our shots all the time. We'd get yelled at if we didn't. His mantra was "the shooter knows better than the other 9 on the floor what the ball is gonna do after it leaves his hand."  Elmer was a math teacher and he also explained that by having a followup mindset the shooter naturally aligns on better angle toward the basket and it forces better follow-through mechanics.

[usc4valpo]

At Valpo, Smith was a better player than a coach. His teams were not successful and not exciting to watch. I also understand that Valpo was taking the Kmart approach during his era. But he was a legend at Missouri Western, until they faced ... you know.

[VULB#62]

A MUCH better player.

[wh]

I am glad that I am not the only one who has noticed how little most players follow their shots nowadays.  It irks the hell out of me to see our jump shooters immediately start the opposite direction of our basket after the ball leaves their hands, as if their job is done.  This is all while the ball eventually lands about 2 feet from where they were previously standing. 

Some fairly insightful comments on Readit about present day philosophy on following your shot.

https://www.reddit.com/r/Basketball/comments/5y5ah3/are_coaches_no_longer_teaching_basketball_players/

[tiny707]

Paul, did that Evansville game at Hilltop have Jerry Sloan playing for the Aces? I was a Phi Delt with Dick Jones son Doug. Heard stories that Dick was quite the athlete back in the day. The Rev should
reach out to Dick and bring him back
for a game.

[VULB#62]

Tiny,

Yes. See my reply below. Paul is referring to the 65-66 season. Smitty graduated in 66. Dick then was the point guard for the 66-67 season.

[johnu1]

Sloan was a member of the 1964-65 title teams but not a member of the 1966 team. The 1966 team included Larry Humes, Herb Williams, Sam Watkins, Ron Johnson, Rick Kingston, and a bevy of players who tried to replace Sloan. That team won the ICC and was defeated in the Regionals by SIU, which I believe lost to Ky. Wesleyan in the NCAA finals.
Evansville had won 35 straight going into the 65-66 season and lost its home opener to Iowa. It was a good but not great team. With the home stadium as its 6th man, the Aces were always highly ranked in an era when 10,000 fans was appealing to even Big 10 teams that would go there. Most College Division "gyms" were not much better than high school courts.

[VULB#62]

John — I went back to our all time results. The game in question involved our "1965 team" , which today we refer to as the 65-66 team because the season covers the winter of 65-66. The win at Hilltop was on January 8, 1966. Jerry and Humes played in that game.  Sloan graduated that June leaving only Larry to lead your "1966 team" which finished the season in  March of 1967. Does that make sense?

[johnu1]

Sloan did not play 65-66 but Humes did. Either way, we have the same game. But my reference to 1966 means 1965-66. The 66-67 Aces team was brutally awful.

I have the box from the game (I hope I can insert it somehow) from the Evansville paper.

https://scontent-ord5-2.xx.fbcdn.net/v/t39.30808-6/420122637_7688130317881699_6989921024278117194_n.jpg?_nc_cat=100&ccb=1-7&_nc_sid=3635dc&_nc_ohc=cHlqByyLLzgAX98XWfj&_nc_ht=scontent-ord5-2.xx&oh=00_AfDgC2fxndFrOi5SLFnmCAY1ABVynFIXQNvEgzZ1oxZ04g&oe=65ACAA4C

[JD24]

I am glad that I am not the only one who has noticed how little most players follow their shots nowadays.  It irks the hell out of me to see our jump shooters immediately start the opposite direction of our basket after the ball leaves their hands, as if their job is done.  This is all while the ball eventually lands about 2 feet from where they were previously standing.

The player is doing his job. The proliferation of 3 point shooting means many long rebounds. Long rebounds lead to run outs for the opponent. The 3 point shooter, assuming it's not from the corner, is often the first line of defense vs. a runout and his responsibility is to stop the ball if he can get into position to do so. Shots that get followed are typically 15 feet and in.

[valpopal]

Valpo 68
Evan  74

[VULB#62]

Sloan did not play 65-66 but Humes did. Either way, we have the same game. But my reference to 1966 means 1965-66. The 66-67 Aces team was brutally awful.

I have the box from the game (I hope I can insert it somehow) from the Evansville paper.

https://scontent-ord5-2.xx.fbcdn.net/v/t39.30808-6/420122637_7688130317881699_6989921024278117194_n.jpg?_nc_cat=100&ccb=1-7&_nc_sid=3635dc&_nc_ohc=cHlqByyLLzgAX98XWfj&_nc_ht=scontent-ord5-2.xx&oh=00_AfDgC2fxndFrOi5SLFnmCAY1ABVynFIXQNvEgzZ1oxZ04g&oe=65ACAA4C

I guess ya got me with that clip, John. It still doesn't square with my recollection of a home win with Sloan on the floor. Maybe I am conflating two home games and projecting the previous year's home loss into the win game in Jan 1966. 

[historyman]

I don't remember the game in 1966 at Hilltop because I was only 4 years & 10 months old. But I have a feeling I was at the game. Unfortunately my older brother doesn't remember it either and he was 7 years old. He thinks he might have had practice for a 2nd grade Easter program.




My prediction for the 2024 game is


E-ville  61
Valpo   60 

[AB]

71-64 Aces

[valpotx]

I am glad that I am not the only one who has noticed how little most players follow their shots nowadays.  It irks the hell out of me to see our jump shooters immediately start the opposite direction of our basket after the ball leaves their hands, as if their job is done.  This is all while the ball eventually lands about 2 feet from where they were previously standing.

The player is doing his job. The proliferation of 3 point shooting means many long rebounds. Long rebounds lead to run outs for the opponent. The 3 point shooter, assuming it's not from the corner, is often the first line of defense vs. a runout and his responsibility is to stop the ball if he can get into position to do so. Shots that get followed are typically 15 feet and in.

The jump shots that I am speaking about, are still within the 3 point line.  They start fading away without any attempt at rebounding the area near where they shot.  These are often still within the 15 feet that you are speaking about.