at Valparaiso - 02/11/2023 - 6:00 PM - ESPN3

[DaveBird10]

The culture is the most important thing with this group, they were challenged and they responded and played hard. on Saturday. The comments Pedon said after the game were great "I saw leadership and growth and some connectiveness and them taking the wheel, which is what I want. I want our teams to be very player driven." Coach G is in her 6th season with the women and she just said she's seeing the same with her women for the first time. Pedon said he knew they didn't have many leaders coming in and getting the leadership, buy-in and culture is important.
Krikke gives us problems the same as Mast because we don't have a big who can stop them and control the paint. The last 2 games of 12 and 9 turnovers shows improvement in that area but we still lack a big who can control the paint. Depth has hurt this team this year but for next year with Mal, DB, Luke and then 2 of the freshman who I think will give minutes in the backcourt. You then take Liam and Kendall and put them at the 4 you can then go get a post in the route of a juco big. Imo with a proper juco big it allows for a guys to fit properly in certain spots and you are a lot deeper, same goes with the backcourt. Suddenly that gives us 8-10 guys for minutes next year.
Sandage being out hurts this team currently but Mal, DB and Luke you can really grow and get the experience and we really only lose Seneca. With the off-season and growing this team can get better in the next year or 2 the same way that the Trees have gotten better this year.

 

[Popsto4]

Murray State coming into town on Wednesday has lost 3 straight games by an average of 34 points. There last 3 games have been
Loss @ Inidiana State 99-56
Loss vs Drake 92-68
Loss @ Bradley 83-48

We most certainly can beat Murray State on Wednesday.

And I believe they will get this one too. I expect a huge game from one of our guys this time around

 

[Baltimore Bird]

We need to win this game. If so, I see a good chance of ISU playing them again in the 8/9 game in STL.

 

[Popsto4]

The culture is the most important thing with this group, they were challenged and they responded and played hard. on Saturday. The comments Pedon said after the game were great "I saw leadership and growth and some connectiveness and them taking the wheel, which is what I want. I want our teams to be very player driven." Coach G is in her 6th season with the women and she just said she's seeing the same with her women for the first time. Pedon said he knew they didn't have many leaders coming in and getting the leadership, buy-in and culture is important.
Krikke gives us problems the same as Mast because we don't have a big who can stop them and control the paint. The last 2 games of 12 and 9 turnovers shows improvement in that area but we still lack a big who can control the paint. Depth has hurt this team this year but for next year with Mal, DB, Luke and then 2 of the freshman who I think will give minutes in the backcourt. You then take Liam and Kendall and put them at the 4 you can then go get a post in the route of a juco big. Imo with a proper juco big it allows for a guys to fit properly in certain spots and you are a lot deeper, same goes with the backcourt. Suddenly that gives us 8-10 guys for minutes next year.
Sandage being out hurts this team currently but Mal, DB and Luke you can really grow and get the experience and we really only lose Seneca. With the off-season and growing this team can get better in the next year or 2 the same way that the Trees have gotten better this year.

Hey that was well stated. Obviously I’m onboard with your thoughts. That’s why I say the turnaround is quicker nowadays because of the portal. If that big was found this year the season would have a completely different feel to it. It would t surprise me if the Birds make a push for a top half team next year in the conference. I see this off-season as being huge for the returning players as a huge one. They need to be spending so much time in the gym to work on the areas they need to be working on. Combine that with their experience from this year and you definitely can have their game jump pairing them with any new kids joining the program. Like you referred to the key is to allow kids to play at their more natural positions.

 

[DaveBird10]

Hey that was well stated. Obviously I’m onboard with your thoughts. That’s why I say the turnaround is quicker nowadays because of the portal. If that big was found this year the season would have a completely different feel to it. It would t surprise me if the Birds make a push for a top half team next year in the conference. I see this off-season as being huge for the returning players as a huge one. They need to be spending so much time in the gym to work on the areas they need to be working on. Combine that with their experience from this year and you definitely can have their game jump pairing them with any new kids joining the program. Like you referred to the key is to allow kids to play at their more natural positions.

Thanks, Its easy for me to see. With 2 of the freshman who I think will give minutes and I do like Kendall and Liam at the 4 but they are undersized so I think true post who can post up, run the pick and command the paint the way Krikke and Mast do would do wonders for us especially with the depth for next year all the way around and we really could only lose Seneca who's playing major minutes.. Playing together with a true off-season and growth is certainly possible for next year.

 

[Adunk33]

I would love to hear Pedon/Judson defensive philosophy on switching all ball screens. Too many times in the last two games did we see Mal or DB on Mast or Krikke, leading to an easy bucket. Bradley is a better 3pt shooting team, so switching those makes a bit more sense but just flashing out and getting home to your guy against Valpo would've made a difference IMO.

I've said it before. I'm not putting much stake in Ws/Ls this season. I just want to see fight and competitive spirit which would establish (everyone's favorite buzzword) culture, that can be established and carried to next year and beyond. Unfortunately, I really didn't see it against BU at all and very little against Valpo.

It takes very little for the squad to unravel. The last two games, missing a couple bunnies or midrange shots in a row, and they get in their heads and seem afraid to take the next shot. I saw it more in the BU game than Valpo but the issue remained in both.

I don't know the rules around it, but what would it take to have some open practices or something at RBA next year? Especially at home, it feels like they are so nervous and want to perform well for the fans that they press so hard as opposed to letting the game come to them. There has to be a way to get them comfortable playing in the friendly confines, that twice this year...has felt like a road game.

 

[Redbird222]

I would love to hear Pedon/Judson defensive philosophy on switching all ball screens. Too many times in the last two games did we see Mal or DB on Mast or Krikke, leading to an easy bucket. Bradley is a better 3pt shooting team, so switching those makes a bit more sense but just flashing out and getting home to your guy against Valpo would've made a difference IMO.

I've said it before. I'm not putting much stake in Ws/Ls this season. I just want to see fight and competitive spirit which would establish (everyone's favorite buzzword) culture, that can be established and carried to next year and beyond. Unfortunately, I really didn't see it against BU at all and very little against Valpo.

Agree 100% on the switching of ball screens. I didn't get why we would be doing that against Valpo and it burnt us. It use to drive me crazy when Dan's teams switched everything game on and game out.

I didn't see the competitive sprit against Bradley but I actually thought the players competed hard against Valpo (second game). I thought the bigger issue was the defensive game plan.

I think the buzz word I keep hearing now is Connectedness. That word seems to surface pretty regularly as the explanation for whenever we don't do well in a facet of the game.

 

[Scipio]

Murray State coming into town on Wednesday has lost 3 straight games by an average of 34 points. There last 3 games have been
Loss @ Inidiana State 99-56
Loss vs Drake 92-68
Loss @ Bradley 83-48

We most certainly can beat Murray State on Wednesday.

Indiana State, Drake and Bradley are all top MVC teams. I wouldn’t be surprised to see either Drake or PU as tournament champs. In the MVC it’s a ‘any given night’ scenario. But I don’t see us getting a win against Murray State this week.

 

[Popsto4]

Indiana State, Drake and Bradley are all top MVC teams. I wouldn’t be surprised to see either Drake or PU as tournament champs. In the MVC it’s a ‘any given night’ scenario. But I don’t see us getting a win against Murray State this week.

Idk I feel pretty good about this one actually. I believe DB will be the 1 in this game more especially in stretches.

 

[Redbird222]

Indiana State, Drake and Bradley are all top MVC teams. I wouldn’t be surprised to see either Drake or PU as tournament champs. In the MVC it’s a ‘any given night’ scenario. But I don’t see us getting a win against Murray State this week.

I believe we have a realistic chance of winning this game. Murray has not played well on the road, their defensive stats are worse than ours, and they don't shoot the 3 very well. Stop the guard penetration, keep them off the FT line, and don't let Burns dominate inside. He is not mobile and a good passes like Krikke. I think we can pack the lane and control this.

We will see what will happen. Both teams defenses have looked inept the past 3 games. I'm taking the Birds because I think we can take away their strengths. If they burn us from 3 than tip your hat and so be it.

 

[Bird Friend]

I believe we have a realistic chance of winning this game. Murray has not played well on the road, their defensive stats are worse than ours, and they don't shoot the 3 very well. Stop the guard penetration, keep them off the FT line, and don't let Burns dominate inside. He is not mobile and a good passes like Krikke. I think we can pack the lane and control this.

We will see what will happen. Both teams defenses have looked inept the past 3 games. I'm taking the Birds because I think we can take away their strengths. If they burn us from 3 than tip your hat and so be it.

Things we don't do very well . . .

 

[DaveBird10]

Indiana State, Drake and Bradley are all top MVC teams. I wouldn’t be surprised to see either Drake or PU as tournament champs. In the MVC it’s a ‘any given night’ scenario. But I don’t see us getting a win against Murray State this week.

I believe we have a realistic chance of winning this game. Murray has not played well on the road,

As Redbird222 points out on the road, Murray is 2-10 in road games this year. This is a game we can win, will idk but this is a game we can win. Last I saw on the spread was that it was EVEN.