Poll: What is wrong with this Valpo Basketball team?

[VU2014]

I'm tired of watching this team play so poorly. Watching them is exhausting and aggravating. Maybe this roster and coaching staff isn't as talented as we thought they were.

I've never seen so much public grumbling about the coaching in my time as a fan. Coach Lottich might not be on the hot seat with his boss but he's starting to get on the hot seat with the fan-base.

[valpotx]

Lack of effort, by far.  They just don't give a sh!t right now.  I've seen more hustle at my gym open court sessions.

[RS]

I can't really say it was any of the above. I think VU is still flawed in its make up.  Rebounding is the number one issue with me and offensive play sets the second. The team in my mind is still a work in progress but looking into next year I don't see much help in the rebounding coming in. Defense at times looks good but Ball State certainly showed a weakness in that part of VU's game with the number of uncontested layups that were made. We win or stay close only when our 3 point shooting is decent. Coaching .... not sure yet and don't want to go there until after the MVC games are done. But as I've said the team is still a work in progress with too many guards and not enough rebounding and defense.

[VUGrad1314]

Coaching lack of effort bad luck and just a lack of gumption. Nobody's willing to take the bull by the horns. I can't wait until we're successful again so that all of this talk will go away (I hate being so negative) but that feels so far off right now.

[VU2010]

Can we please put an end to the excuses resulting from the travel schedule?

[VU2010]

If ML takes responsibility as head coaches should do, I'll feel better... for what that's worth.

[M]

Coaching - the rest are aftershocks of poor coaching.

Not even sure he can turn it around, guessing he's got this season and next. I'm pulling for him.

[VUGrad1314]

Can we please put an end to the excuses resulting from the travel schedule?

Yes conference play will tighten up travel considerably. Won't be an issue anymore.

[justducky]

I don't know what is wrong with them but I'll watch the replay to see if I can find anything that is right.

[VULB#62]

KI voted coaching. As much as I admire Matt personally, he has significant deficiencies at this point in his career.

+ stagnant, unflexible attack scheme — no adjustments
+ few special plays to free up clean shots
+ no guts in defending or rebounding
+ failure to see who could make things change  — Marcus?)
+ complacent on the sideline
+ excuses, excuses

Sorry Matt but this is what I see and I am not even there game after game.

[VU2014]

https://twitter.com/NWIOren/status/1075594240644780032

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=weTmdGoN_SQ

[oklahomamick]

And rightfully so

[mj]

Valpo had a hell of a lucky streak that started the 09-10 season and ran until the 16-17 season. We had two NBA caliber players come to Valpo and stay all four years.

Our luck has run out. We are an average Joe mid-major program. Thankfully, we made the jump to the MVC so our floor is higher than it would have been if we stayed in the Horizon League.

Time to adjust to the new normal.

[may know]

Not naming names because these are college kids, but selfish play not being corrected is an underrated factor.

[bbtds]

You forgot to add an obvious option to the poll.........................too much laundry to do.

[VU2014]

Valpo had a hell of a lucky streak that started the 09-10 season and ran until the 16-17 season. We had two NBA caliber players come to Valpo and stay all four years.

Our luck has run out. We are an average Joe mid-major program. Thankfully, we made the jump to the MVC so our floor is higher than it would have been if we stayed in the Horizon League.

Time to adjust to the new normal.

That was NOT luck. That was excellent coaching, recruiting and roster construction. You don't just luck into two NBA caliber players. Those teams weren't just successful because of Broekhoff and Peters. Those teams had a ton of pro players during those years and they were very well coached.

[VULB#62]

I'm sorry and I hate that I am doing this, but I am putting on my retroglasses.

Hiring from within is comfortable and can have its advantages (continuity if done right — Homer to Scott to Homer to Bryce). Going outside requires making big changes to ensure that the target  candidate has his demands ($ for salary, increased $ for recruiting, increased $ for ARC improvements) met.  With Matt we weren't pressured to do any of the that. Very comfortable. As a matter of fact we probably saved some bucks in the process.

Faith on his sleve aside, Tonagle, IMO, would have these kids kicking butt from day one. Point guards are  just that way .  He demands control. He demands performance. He demands execution. And it appears he can do in-game adjustments.

We cannot afford to train a HBBC so that we can compete in the MVC by 2024.

[valpospartan]

I can't really say it was any of the above. I think VU is still flawed in its make up.  Rebounding is the number one issue with me and offensive play sets the second. The team in my mind is still a work in progress but looking into next year I don't see much help in the rebounding coming in. Defense at times looks good but Ball State certainly showed a weakness in that part of VU's game with the number of uncontested layups that were made. We win or stay close only when our 3 point shooting is decent. Coaching .... not sure yet and don't want to go there until after the MVC games are done. But as I've said the team is still a work in progress with too many guards and not enough rebounding and defense.

I can't count the number of times that a VU player shoots a 3, and the other 4 turn and run back on defense as soon as the ball leaves the shooter's hands. Do they think that every shot is going in ( FG %=47, 3Pt %=33)? Don't good rebounding teams "crash the boards"?   

[VULB#62]

Freakin yes.

[justducky]

When is Matt going to introduce or install the rest of the offense?

[VU2010]

Crickets ...

[usc4valpo]

62 - great point on ramifications on hiring within. USC has been doing this with the football program and their athletic administration and it is backfiring. Alums and fans are upset and Helton is on the hot seat.

Regarding Valpo, do they want to be great or do they want to stay mediocre and go with the flow? Right now, the overall attitude is going toward mediocrity. Fans are apathetic when it should be higher when moving to a more competitive conference. Facilities are mediocre with no upgrades. The game experience appears bland. No excitement and they are living on great happenings 20 years ago. ML and Valpo need to evaluate this or they will be in a situation similar to DePaul and Jean Lenti Ponsetto, which is the laughing stock of Chicago sports.

[Valpo89]

Matt keeps using the line, "Our shots aren't falling."
Figure out why.
Here's two thoughts: 1. The players aren't good shooters; 2. They aren't running an offense that produces good shots.
And obviously, they can't rely on the defense to create fast-break opportunities. It seems like the only sure-fire way for this team to put the ball in the basket is an open dunk.

[elephtheria47]

Remember when the schedule was announced and it was a   schedule but people defended it? Were seeing the ramifications of that now. Playing D2, D3, NAIA etc does NOTHING to help you adjust and get ready for playing quality division 1 programs (and its debatable if texas a+m even qualifies for a quality D1 team). It makes you think that you can do stuff that you actually cant do or arent good at, but you're playing an inferior opponent and it works so you dont know you're not any good at it...shot selections,offense, rotations/lineups, in game adjustments, etc. Just like last year and what were seeing now, it takes us awhile to figure it out and eventually around conference season, when were playing actual legit division 1 teams consistently, we will be able to adequately/hopefully adjust.

[NativeCheesehead]

Honest Question here:

If you're AD, and this team once again plays, and loses on Thursday in St. Louis, do you make a change?

(Not asking if ml will make a change, would you?)