Women's Team

[IndyValpo]

Experience is great, and hopefully a couple wins will help things along. Especially after the Montana State loss, some positive results in the near future could build some great positive momentum.

Food for fought, two former Valpo forwards are doing very well at other schools. Tabithia Gerardot is a big part of the 8-0 Indiana Hoosiers (best start in about two decades). Mallory Ladd is the MVC's rebounding leader at Evansville and is in the top ten for scoring, free throw shooting. That led me to think of how our list of true post players has significantly dwindled...

2011-12 forwards/centers: So. Stefanie Lang, So. Tabitha Gerardot, So. Liz Horton, Jr. Gina Lange, So. Maegen Callaway, R-Sr. Ashley Varner, Fr. Mallory Ladd
2012-13 forwards/centers: Jr. Tabitha Gerardot, Jr. Liz Horton, Sr. Gina Lange, R-So. Maegen Callaway
2013-14 forwards/centers: Sr. Liz Horton, Jr. Sharon Karungi, So. Haylee Thompson (redshirt)

As I haven't really followed the women's team I may be way off, but I was friends with Keith Freeman.  It just seems like this situation is eerily similar to the football team.  We bring in a new coach because the old one wasn't performing sufficiently well.  The old one was burdened with injuries in his last year which didn't help.  So here comes the new one with what must be considered very solid talent left over by Keith.  What happens? Players leave, more injuries and in her second year people must start to be worried.  I am.

Keith was an excellent recruiter as he was consistently bringing in Indiana All Stars and out of state people from Minnesota and other states.  Wonder how much rope the new coach will be given.

the last three years of freeman were a disaster with an average of less than 9 wins. His recruiting had slowed way down and his player development was probably worse. There was not very solid talent leftover. Dorow's has struggled with recruiting but hopefully the four on board for next year plus the two transfers will lead to improvement.

[valporun]

Keith Freeman lost a lot in recruiting when Steve Bruce left for the IUSB coaching job. That took a lot of talent evaluation and coaching experience away from Freeman's bench. We just have to give Coach Dorow and her staff some time to develop D-I talent.

[historyman]

Keith Freeman lost a lot in recruiting when Steve Bruce left for the IUSB coaching job. That took a lot of talent evaluation and coaching experience away from Freeman's bench. We just have to give Coach Dorow and her staff some time to develop D-I talent.

Coach Dorow doesn't have a bad relationship with her players, I believe. I tend to think she is level headed. I just don't believe she has the players she needs to win. That doesn't mean Valpo doesn't have some pieces that could fit into the winning team puzzle. She just needs to find more pieces. And it also doesn't mean that the peices she has couldn't play to a higher level which would help their progression for next season.

[valpo4life]

I am really confused to how anyone on here can criticize Dorow's recruiting. There is a very small sample size to look at. She has really only had 2 of "her" players this season, Lexi and Sharon, and those two both average double figures accounting for over a third of the whole team's scoring. They both are actually the teams two leading rebounders as well. We can't really judge Hamlet or Issac yet because they have missed a lot of time due to injuries. Give her time and stop comparing this program to the football team. You can do that if in 2 and a half more seasons if there is no improvement at all. But I doubt that will be the case.

[VULB#62]

http://www.valpoathletics.com/wbasketball/news/2013-14/13221/balanced-attack-vaults-valpo-over-chicago-state/

Win #1

[talksalot]

 

[valpotx]

Watching these women's game recently, I forgot how aggravating it can be to watch your players leave the ball in the front of their face, and let people tie them up often.  That aspect, as well as plenty of missed lay-ups, and letting the ball go through your hands.

Edit: I forgot about all of the really dumb passes too.  I like watching in general, but these things really make it difficult in the women's game.

[valpotx]

Chance to win it on our last possession here, 61-61 with 10.5 seconds and the ball

[valpotx]

We win 63-61 on a basket by Karungi with 3 seconds left, on a missed lay-up by one of our players, putting it back from near the FT line.  Good to see us get a win, but there was a ton of turnovers in this game.

[valpopal]

Congrats to Sharon Karungi on selection of her as Horizon League Player of the Week!

[talksalot]

 

[IndyValpo]

Great to get a win over Toledo.....

Where is Richardson?  23 against Montana State then doesn't play the next two....injured? sick?  And these are the two games we won....

[valpotx]

I think people need to realize that Toldeo was a very solid win, a team that was 29-4 last year!  Also, they had 3,000+ fans at the game!

[jack]

Good luck tonight ladies. Show the Bulldogs who's porch they came to play on! 

[IndyValpo]

Good luck tonight ladies. Show the Bulldogs who's porch they came to play on! 

Butler expected to be pretty good but is off to a tough start. Now might be the time to get them.

[valpotx]

Any win over Butler will make Crusader Nation happy 

[jack]

From what I've seen of Butler this season, and our efforts in the last two games, this one is certainly winable.

[ARCInsider]

As I haven't really followed the women's team I may be way off, but I was friends with Keith Freeman.  It just seems like this situation is eerily similar to the football team.  We bring in a new coach because the old one wasn't performing sufficiently well.  The old one was burdened with injuries in his last year which didn't help.  So here comes the new one with what must be considered very solid talent left over by Keith.  What happens? Players leave, more injuries and in her second year people must start to be worried.  I am.

Keith was an excellent recruiter as he was consistently bringing in Indiana All Stars and out of state people from Minnesota and other states.  Wonder how much rope the new coach will be given.

I'm glad someone else said what I have been thinking.  Instead of always thinking the grass is greener elsewhere, maybe we need to water our own grass.  Keith's hands were tied in his last two years and "his" lack of success got him ousted.  Will the same treatment be given to Dorow, or will the Title 9'ers be sure to fight for a free pass?  Time will tell.  ml, can you chime in on this?

[IndyValpo]

I'm glad someone else said what I have been thinking.  Instead of always thinking the grass is greener elsewhere, maybe we need to water our own grass.  Keith's hands were tied in his last two years and "his" lack of success got him ousted.  Will the same treatment be given to Dorow, or will the Title 9'ers be sure to fight for a free pass?  Time will tell.  ml, can you chime in on this?

I love a little revisionist history.....since he was the head coach he is measured by "his" success.  In his 5 years in the HL we won at a 36% clip, under 30% in the last three years.  His hands were tied with a program all his doing.  If you throw out the last year which had all the injuries he still won at under 40% in the remaining 4 years. 

If we continue at a similar W/L rate, this coach will get the "same treatment".

[IndyValpo]

Winnable game Sunday at home vs. 3-7 Western Michigan, hopefully we come to play at the start.

[KL31NY]

Then a quick turnaround to play 7-6 South Dakota on New Year's Eve. The "KI-yoats" will be tough to handle defensively

[valpotx]

This team is bad, losing by 29 with 11 minutes left to a 3-7 WMU team.  We are being outscored 21-2 in the second half so far!!

[KL31NY]

Meanwhile at the Hall of Doom at Cincinnati, Ohio, former Crusader Tabitha Gerardot and the Indiana Hoosiers improved to a program-best start of 13-0 by defeating Xavier 62-55. Gerardot led IU in the game with 19 points and is leading for the season in rebounding (6.8 RPG, 44/44 offensive/defensive split).

Also found this feature on Gerardot recently - http://www.news-sentinel.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20131225/SPORTS/131229925/1002 Knew she was a double language major at VU, but she can speak five languages!

[valpotx]

She was a big loss for us, but it truly did sound like the reason for her move was education-based, not basketball.  It's amazing to see their turnaround, as that is a team that lost to us last year...

[jack]

This team is bad, losing by 29 with 11 minutes left to a 3-7 WMU team.  We are being outscored 21-2 in the second half so far!!

Unfortunately, we only have 2 bigs, and neither appear to know how to get possition and block out underneath. WMUs guards were out-rebounding them. Teaching ladies how to block out seems to be a lost art at Valpo.
It didn't help that our shooters weren't taking smart shots either. Richardson had a nice scoring output, but then gave up 8 or 9 turnovers which negated that. They need to work with Weideman on her inside game. I know it isn't her strong suite, but with only 2 bigs, we need the help inside. We have to be able to bring Horton in off the bench and not start her inside. Both her and Karungi have to stop the silly fouls. Ticky tacky reach in fouls drive coaches nuts!
The only bright spot was seeing Carr come in and contribute, knocking down a 3 for her first shot of the season. I hope she is healthy enough to give us the minutes we need from her.
We need a better effort from everyone or tomorrow will be just more of the same.