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 Post subject: Re: Valley 20/21
PostPosted: Tue Mar 17, 2020 9:40 pm 
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Posts: 999
natetheskate wrote:
PRE PRE PREVIEW DRAKE

Drake,
Drake will be returning 8 of their top 9 scorers with only Anthony Murphy leaving…while his brother Trammel Murphy is likely to return from a season ending injury. They have one interesting incoming freshman, Jordan Kwiecinski 6”8 out of Loyola Academy. Coach must know him fairly well as his son is on the LA team as well. Drake has 3 open spots left to fill…but they are a lot like us with a veteran team with lots of parts coming back, They are also like us, a guard dominate roster with a very dominate center, Liam Robbins….his back up Ernst will be leaving and at this time they do not have anyone to come off the bench for him…unless it will be Pilipovic at 6”7 or the freshman Kwiecinski.
I thought the key to the season for Drake was the emergence of Robbins,,,and I thought his break out game was their home victory over us , I thought Krutwig adapted well the 2nd time we played them.
I am just going to do a running rank as I go through these teams….just based on who is leaving and who is coming…I am going to put Drake ahead of Bradley…and unless things change ( and Bradley also has a 7 “) they should be at an advantage at the post and the point.

Obviously, the conference tournament is such a crapshoot that it goes without saying obviously Drake could make the NCAA Tournament next year as the autobid. That said, IMHO Drake is probably one player away from being a major threat for the conference regular season title. It'll be interesting to see if they can find that player.


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 Post subject: Re: Valley 20/21
PostPosted: Wed Mar 18, 2020 3:36 am 
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Posts: 675
Nice to see Drake on the rise and ISU on the downgrade.
Drake has a great gym and friendly fans.
Unlike Valpo, Drake has easy access parking and easy access concessions.
Unlike ISU they do not have idiots at the "will call" window.
It a long drive and I 80 can be very dicey in the winter.
Went there about four years ago and the last 100 miles was through a blizzard.
The next morning on the drive home saw about ten 18 wheelers in the ditch.
I remember the team chartered and Porter and the team went to the airport and flew home that night.


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 Post subject: Re: Valley 20/21
PostPosted: Wed Mar 18, 2020 7:57 am 
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Posts: 2281
I will be interested to see if Robbins continues to improve.....He has the potential to be dominate....


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 Post subject: Re: Valley 20/21
PostPosted: Thu Mar 19, 2020 11:18 am 
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Posts: 2281
Having played on the Sauganash Park 6 and under team,,,,all compliments...
Here is EVANSVILLE
Okay ,,,Here goes Evansville….the team I thought was going to be really solid this year and then,,,they hit the crapper when their coach got involved in some not so good stuff. This team went 9-4 in the non-con with a huge win over Kentucky a couple of MAC teams, and an over all decent schedule….and then they ran the table.going winless in the Valley…How much the coaching disruption effected them is hard to evaluate. But this team came in with a lot of highly ranked talent and defeated Kentucky at Kentucky and then…..Part of this is due to the injury to DeAndre Williams , the 6’8 3 star forward who was leading the Aces in almost every category. He missed 12 games , returned for a few but was not the same.
K.J Riley who has been a very solid player in the Valley will be the only loss for the Aces next year. It is significant. Returning will be everyone else….which includes 8 players who averaged 20 minutes a game. However only two of those 8 were significant scores…Williams and Sam Cunliffe the 4 star transfer from Kansas. Some of these guys are significant role players like Artur Lubinowicz the transfer from Coastal Carolina. Also interesting is Peace Ilegomah the 6’9 center from Pittsburg with the 7’4 wingspan….Saw little time this year.
The deal maker for the Aces might be their new coach Todd Lickliter of past Bultler reknown. With a veteran coach, a year under their belt for all the transfers, the return of DeAndre Williams,,,,,,the addition of 3star Nebraska transfer Sami Curtis and incoming freshman Trey Hall (6’7). They may feel like they have a lot to prove as well…..I see Evansville making a major turn around next year and I am now going to rank…it like this…Evansville, Drake, Bradley.
Like other teams they have 13 scholarship players, no spots left but 3 offers out.?


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 Post subject: Re: Valley 20/21
PostPosted: Thu Mar 19, 2020 11:43 am 
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Nate:
Great insight! Thanks for the review. Keep them coming. A nice distraction in the off season and while hunkering down.


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 Post subject: Re: Valley 20/21
PostPosted: Fri Mar 20, 2020 9:13 am 
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Agreed with streak; awesome posts Nate.

I still think there's going to be an exodus of 3-5 players from Evansville, it is still early in the transfer process. Plus who knows how much contact Lickliter has had with his team. I'm sure he'll encourage some to transfer if only for locker room unity sake.


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 Post subject: Re: Valley 20/21
PostPosted: Fri Mar 20, 2020 11:45 am 
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Posts: 2281
Illinois State...
I remember 3 years ago sitting at Redbird arena watching Ben Richardsons half court attempt rim out at the buzzer. It was a tough, physical. Missouri Valley game…The Redbirds of this year seemed the polar opposite, not very tough or competitive. Their two games against Norther Kentucky, which they lost by 15 points and UIC which they won by 1 best describes them this year. They were a top tier Horizon League team. They did have some injury issues with Sophomore guard Derric Boyd missing. games and Taylor Buninga who LU recruited missed a ton of time for the 2nd year in a row with a foot injury.
They will be losing 3 of their top 5 scorers including Couple good young guards coming back in Boyd and Antonio Reeves from Simeon who had a good freshman year,.
An unknown is 5 new players ( they are currently 1 over the scholarship limit) None of the 3 incoming freshman scare me based upon their offer sheets….Josh Strong who is a JUCO from Iowa Western was their leading scorer and shot 45% from 3..He originally signed with Navy…..They also have a 6”10 guy from Russia via Dayton Community where he was injured…so he really is an unknown.
I think they will be competitive at the guard position and the key to their season will be the development of Keith Fishcer….their 6”8 transfer from San Jose State and the development of their young centers.
Bottom line for me though is that I have never thought of Muller as that good of a coach. So know I have Evansville, Drake, Illinois State, Bradley
https://www.pantagraph.com/sports/colle ... 54b1a.html


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 Post subject: Re: Valley 20/21
PostPosted: Fri Mar 20, 2020 12:05 pm 
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Joined: Wed May 08, 2013 6:16 pm
Posts: 675
Nate:
You are a machine. Just keep cranking the overviews out. Really appreciate it. Introduces a sense of a former reality which is much needed in these times.

On a sidebar: did that couple take their cruise or did they cancel? (I did not want to name names). Wanted to send them a thank you for their hospitality.


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 Post subject: Re: Valley 20/21
PostPosted: Fri Mar 20, 2020 1:15 pm 
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Posts: 2281
They are home bound...two cruises cancelled......and a correction that should be Copeland and not Couple.


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 Post subject: Re: Valley 20/21
PostPosted: Sat Mar 21, 2020 2:55 pm 
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Indiana St.
Indiana St was streaky all year…but managed to finish 4th in the Valley. Basically lost the non-con games they should have lost and won the non-con games they should have won…. They beat LU 123-114….in two split games that were not close….They will be returning their top scorer and rebounder in sr. Tryeke Key(1st team MVC) and so. Jake Laravia who just pounded us in our loss with 15 pts and 12 rebounds. In total the Trees will be returning 6 of the top 9 minute players on their squad…a big loss however will be Christian Williams and Jordan Barnes who reminded me a lot of Brown from Bradley …He was the captain of the ship..will be interesting to see how he is replaced. They have a ton of guards coming back including Key and Cooper Neese(Butler), Cam Bacote (Maryland E.S) and Cobie Barnes who had a decent freshman year.
As of now they have 3 incoming players, 2 freshman and a juco. Kailex Stephens I think will see some role player time as a 6’7 Juco with decent shooting skills and a lack of inside players with not only the departure of the senior Kessinger but leaving the program are two centers Brinkmeyer and Agbo…both 6’9. Which means one of the freshman 6”10 Nick Hittle may see some time…and they have one spot left.

Statistically they had no real deficiencies but had no real dominant strengths. 3rd in 3pt% and 3pt defense and they took care of the ball finishing 3rd in assist to turnover ratio. It looks like next year will depend on whether their two freshman bigs continue to develop and if they can get any depth inside. I think they will continue to be a perimeter dominated team with an exceptional player in Key. But someone else will need to step up so teams can not focus on Key.
So now here I am with Evansville, Drake, Illinois State, Indiana St, Bradley. As of now I have top and bottom switching !
https://www.tribstar.com/sports/todd-aa ... 013dd.html


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