1/15/12: Cleveland St. @ Valpo Game Thread

[covufan]

We need to continue putting one good half after another.  We can't relapse against CSU.  Any defensive miscues will swing things towards CSU.

Valpo  -  67
CSU    -  63

[valpopal]

Valpo is a 1-point underdog, and I don't have a good feeling about this game; however, there should be an enthusiastic home crowd and the team should be rested some by spreading the minutes so evenly in the Youngstown game. Maybe CSU will also have a Butler hangover. Therefore, I will be hopeful, and I will go against my better instincts by picking an upset:

CSU        66
VALPO     70

[vuweathernerd]

csu bangs and hammers at all five positions - it's how they're coached. kevin and kenney can handle it. pencil-stick guys like jay can't. if the refs let contact go, we're in trouble.

csu becomes the first team to go 2-0 on the indiana trip, 75-68.

[wh]

csu bangs and hammers at all five positions - it's how they're coached. kevin and kenney can handle it. pencil-stick guys like jay can't. if the refs let contact go, we're in trouble.

csu becomes the first team to go 2-0 on the indiana trip, 75-68.

Yeah, get ready for their usual stratagem of wearing opponents down and breaking their will by fouling so much the refs can't call them all.    In their first 6 conf. games, they have out fouled their opponents by an avg. of 7 fouls/game.  This is an incredible difference, especially considering 5 of the 6 games were wins.  Bryce needs to bend the refs ears before the game ever starts to watch for all the illegal hip checking, hand checking, extended knees, extended elbows, tripping and undercutting.  If the refs put a stop to all the borderline dirty play early on and they still win, so be it.  I just want them to have to earn it - not steal it.   

[cornonthe]

GO VU!!!

Valpo 84
CSU 77

[vu72]

This article says the first five minutes will tell us the game story.  Should be exciting!

http://www.cleveland.com/sports/csu/index.ssf/2012/01/cleveland_state_hoping_to_main.html

[dylanrocks]

Cleveland State doesn't plant a sledgehammer at midcourt before the games for nothing, folks.

I'm not going to say that the Vikings are dirty, but I've never seen a team foul with folding chairs before.

Here is CSU's modus operandi: sprint out to a commanding early lead and foul as many times as humanly possible, hoping they don't get caught.

How many of their 45 or more fouls will be called? That's a major question in the game today.

I've got a good feeling about you guys in a higher-scoring game than Cleveland State would like.

[valporun]

I read the article, and except for the foul physicality part of CSU's game, that's what I want to see Valpo do. I want to see them SET THE PACE. We spend more time on the catch up end of things in that first five minutes or so. We should be the ones doing the "run-and-gun" style to start. I don't know why we don't pace set, but if we did that, it might give our guys a little more green light confidence to put a team away early. I mean we're supposed to be a more uptempo team, but it seems like our uptempo play doesn't start until we're uncomfortably behind or too close on the scoreboard. This game against CSU would be a perfect game to break out of that comfort zone, and make it so that CSU's physical side leads to them committing more frustration fouls because they can't keep up, than us succumbing to their style of play because we want a good game.

Valpo 78
CSU 61

[dylanrocks]

I would only suggest that a big part of Cleveland State's opening blitzkrieg is its full-court press.

With lightning-quick senior guards Tre Harmon, Jeremy Montgomery and D'Aundray Brown, the Vikings are perfectly equipped to do that.

I'm just not sure Valpo has the personnel to achieve the effect you desire at this point in time.

The best idea for now is to weather the storm and beat them at the mental game and with free throws.

[mp91]

Check Out Our CSU Game Preview:
http://www.beyond-the-arc.com/index.html

[crusaderjoe]

Just not feeling it today boys.  79-70 CSU.

"I hope I'm wrong."

[sectionee]

Montgomery has been hot from outside lately and is their leading scorer during HL play.  They all have shot pretty well in conference play from the field (considering a lot of those attempts are 3's) and especially from the line.  If valpo gets the scoring balance they had Friday they should win.  But if Bogan and Harris don't show up (see WSU).....

Valpo wins 77-73

[Valpo89]

Remember last year when Cleveland State came here, also on a Sunday afternoon? Crusaders put on a pretty good beating.
Second leg of the Horizon road trips aren't good for visiting teams. Look at last week's results.

[dylanrocks]

This one is over.

It's those heinous black uniforms that CSU broke out last year against Butler.

Seriously, you've got to slow down and make your open 3-pointers in transition.

[swiftmutiny]

Valpo wins 72-66! 

[vu84v2]

Great win!  The team really stayed together and executed after CSU got up by 4. 

[KL31NY]

Kevin Van Wijk was the difference today. Without seeing any +/- numbers, it felt like Valpo played much better when he was in. CSU got a run in the 1st while he was taking breathers and really came on strong when Kevin was sitting in the 2nd due to foul trouble, but when Kevin was on the floor, we played like a great basketball team. Also a really good day for Ryan and Matt overall. BIG WIN VALPO!

[sectionee]

http://sectionee.blogspot.com/2012/01/game-wrap-up-too-big-too-strong.html

KVW was definately the difference maker.  I still want to see Rowdy take more shots, 14 points on 8 shots today.  VU controls their own destiny for one of those coveted double byes now!

[wh]

Kevin Van Wijk was the difference today. Without seeing any +/- numbers, it felt like Valpo played much better when he was in. CSU got a run in the 1st while he was taking breathers and really came on strong when Kevin was sitting in the 2nd due to foul trouble, but when Kevin was on the floor, we played like a great basketball team. Also a really good day for Ryan and Matt overall. BIG WIN VALPO!

No question we were a completely different team when Kevin was out - especially on the defensive end.  Richie has a long way to go in learning to play interior defense, although he seems to be making a better effort.  The worst situation was the short period that both Kevin and Ryan were out at the same time.  That is a formula for disaster on both ends against a good team like CSU.  Coach Gore said in the post game that CSU played two different gimmick defenses - a diamond and one with the chaser constantly on Ryan and a triangle and two with the two on Ryan and Will.  He said that the excellent play of Matt and Jay forced them to abandon it at some point and play straight up man.  Who knows what is going to happen from here on, but if we continue to play with this level of intensity and continue to hit some outside shots, we should be in every game. 

[vuweathernerd]

this is very welcome news! i'm pumped! way to go guys! no question a huge win, preventing csu from becoming the first team to sweep the indiana trip. let's keep rolling!

Horizon League Standings
team                        conf w-l  overall w-l
Milwaukee                     6-1        13-6
Valparaiso                     5-2        12-7
Cleveland State              5-2        15-4
Butler                           4-3        10-9
Youngstown State          4-3         9-8
Wright State                 4-4         9-11
Green Bay                     3-4         7-10
Detroit                         3-5         9-11
Illinois-Chicago              2-5         6-11
Loyola (IL)                    0-7        5-12

[govalpogo]

Much like watching my beloved 49ers last night, I figured, "if we lose this lead, we lose this game."  In both games I was wonderfully surprised by the fight and resilience shown by the home team to not panic and to throw up a counter punch!  Nicely done today, and a good crowd on a Sunday to boot! 

[valpopal]

As everyone else has noted, Kevin's play was essential. When he was out, CSU took over the game and the lead. When he returned, Valpo got back command of the game. Once again, the formula of consistent scoring from Ryan and Kevin plus a third and fourth scorer with a decent 3-point percentage gave us a win. This time the third and fourth scorers were Jay (12) and Matt (10). When Ryan and Kevin don't get that help scoring, Valpo usually loses.

Valpo's defense was pretty good, though I was surprised and disappointed to see CSU won on the boards, especially since they are not known as a good rebounding team and we shot 14 fewer field goal attempts, which usually would mean we'd have more rebounds.

I still wonder why Boggs starts and gets as many minutes as he does since he is unbelievably shooting less than 20%, the lowest on the team, including the walk-on players. I also can't understand how Bogan can play an entire game, get as many minutes as he did (more than Kevin) and not even attempt a single shot, especially after the recent shooting exhibition we saw in Detroit. In fact, he played 26 minutes, but he had 0 points, 0 rebounds, 0 steals, and 0 blocks, plus 1 assist and 2 turnovers. I don't know, maybe he was playing good defense; but I'd like to see him take a couple of shots at least to signal he could be a threat on the offense, which might free up Ryan for even more good shots.

I don't usually like to look ahead too much, but Valpo should sweep the Chicago trip and have a 7-2 record (5 away games) at the halfway point of conference play, something I think we all would have been happy to accept when the season began.

[chipper955]

This article says the first five minutes will tell us the game story.  Should be exciting!

http://www.cleveland.com/sports/csu/index.ssf/2012/01/cleveland_state_hoping_to_main.html

I guess that article wasn't lying.  Valpo came out on fire.  Reminded me of how they came out last year against Missouri State.  Kevin had a great game and I though Ryan played great too.  Many of Kevin's points were passes from Ryan for layups.  We sure do need some work against the press though.  Buggs and Harris both struggled against it.

[Valpo89]

I did the math and studied the play-by-play.
First half with Kevin in - 20-6 VU. Kevin out 19-9 CSU.
Second half with Kevin in - 37-24 VU. Kevin out 17-6 CSU.
Total with Kevin in 57-30 for a plus 27. Minus-21 (36-15) when he was out.

[valpotx]

Good solid play by KVW with 8 minutes to go and 4 fouls!  I was very scared he would foul out quickly when put back in, but it did not happen this time.  Just like I said on the chat during the game, I absolutely hate teams that play the way CSU does.  It makes it easier to dislike a team when 1/2 of their fouls are called, but they still get 23...