Valparaiso Preview and Game Thread -- 2-17-2021

[01grad]

Get ready to drop to 18 or 20 in KenPom. That was a feeakin' disaster. That might have dropped us a seed. Three points more and we'd be on the bubble.

Looks like we fell all the way from 9 to .... 10. We were a lot closer in the numbers to top 5 than 20 heading into tonight. We’ll be fine as long as we win. Our seed was never going to be top 5 anyway.

[kato669]

Still 10 on KenPom is still a positive, we kept them in under 55, of course they pretty much did the same

[brot4britu]

Enough!! of the crepe-hanging !! WE WON THE GAME !! WE have a one game lead with 2 to play We are the best team--Nice rest coming up Only one thing needs work====FREEBIES

[01grad]

Enough!! of the crepe-hanging !! WE WON THE GAME !! WE have a one game lead with 2 to play We are the best team--Nice rest coming up Only one thing needs work====FREEBIES

Agreed, Brot, on all counts. Free throws definitely didn’t help tonight, but thankfully we’ve been ok with them this year, so hopefully tonight is just a blip on the radar.

[goramblers2011]

Big props to Kaifes for some really clutch shots off the bench. Hope he finds his stroke down the stretch. Could be a great spark for some quick 3's. His defense is still a bit of a liability, but he was not the only one getting beat off the dribble by Valpo's big guards tonight...

[LU Rambler12]

Offense the last two games was atrocious. The long road game stretch has definitely had a negative effect on the guys, but I think we may have still been a bit shell-shocked from the 1 point OT loss to Drake.

Also, I don't think Porter managed the line-up and rotations very well this game. Valpo was playing their big men today, but Krut shouldn't have been out there for 35 minutes. The big fella needed a breather and it was obvious. Welch only played 5 minutes...what gives? He's been great off the bench.

The foul on Valpo at the end was a bit soft, but it was still a clear rebounding foul. I don't feel bad about it, especially when you consider that the refs missed an obvious goaltending on Valpo earlier in the game.

[LU Rambler12]

Big props to Kaifes for some really clutch shots off the bench. Hope he finds his stroke down the stretch. Could be a great spark for some quick 3's. His defense is still a bit of a liability, but he was not the only one getting beat off the dribble by Valpo's big guards tonight...

Hopefully this lights a spark and gives Coop some confidence. We need him, especially with Tate continuing to have trouble finding his shot.

[JCT]

Dropped from 38 to 48 in KenPom's ofensive efficiency. That's worrying. We were at 28 on offensive efficiency two games ago. We really need this break.

[01grad]

Big props to Kaifes for some really clutch shots off the bench. Hope he finds his stroke down the stretch. Could be a great spark for some quick 3's. His defense is still a bit of a liability, but he was not the only one getting beat off the dribble by Valpo's big guards tonight...

Hopefully this lights a spark and gives Coop some confidence. We need him, especially with Tate continuing to have trouble finding his shot.

If I had to guess, his defense might have been limiting his minutes. If he can get back to shooting like he did pre-injury, though, he should see more minutes down the stretch

[440Rambler]

0-3 in 5 point or less games heading into this, very easily could've been 0-4 without a questionable call.

Tournament play isn't going to be kind to a team that can't manage in tight contests. The end game needs some work.

With that being said, this win sews up another in season week in top 25. Hard to be anything but pumped up about that.