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Post by crewsader on Jan 22, 2011 10:55:04 GMT -5
Coach Freeman's system and methods do work. It doesn't take more than an injury or two to one of your more experienced players to create a lot of problems. When you add in the fact that the team is very young overall, then the possibility of a trying season is very high. Things will get back to normal which will include 18 to 20 win seasons. Exactly what part of this system is working? Who on this team is improving with this method? Please let everyone know how the team is improving with this method/system. It would be nice to be able to support this method/system but what aspect of the game is getting better as this season progresses? He claims that 3 pointers are not a key to sucess - OK, and that defense is the answer. When will this system produce a better defense (And more points)?The answer is more than just one dimension of the game and Horizon League play requires effective play at both ends of the court. I would say the only improvement seen recently is... sorry, cant come up with anything and ranting in the press conference has not produced results on the floor. www.youtube.com/watch?v=wP5pRXmaY8Q&feature=related
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Post by indyvalpo on Jan 22, 2011 11:11:37 GMT -5
Not sure of the exact records but in 2001 7-22 and 2002 25-7. Largest turn around in the country in Division 1. 2002 post season NIT, 2003 and 2004 NCAA Tournaments, so it can be done! You are correct it can be done and I certainly hope it does. Evidence would not support that however. The bad year in 2001 was on the heels of 3 seasons with 18 or more victories. Next year we will have come off two bad seasons and four marginal ones. This from an earlier post.. As rlh mentioned here before, Keith Freeman is very stubborn about his coaching and who plays. The players have to earn time, and he was even like this about the 2000-2001 team that won 7 games, after almost making the NCAA tourney in 1999-2000. This was in Jeanette Gray's sophomore season, and when Suzie Hammel, Kathryn Knoester, and a couple other players got there. They didn't always see playing time, but they did earn their stripes leading to the consecutive years of postseason play in the WNIT and the two consecutive NCAA appearances. In reality that year Hammel and Knoester played in all 29 games starting 24 and 20 respectively. They were developed as freshman by playing not watching.
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Post by wayne on Jan 22, 2011 12:21:58 GMT -5
the difference from what happened in the past is that we are in a much more competitive league. to turn around a season in the mid -con is much easier and for once can freeman take some of the blame? is it always the student -athletes fault?
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Post by valpofan56 on Jan 22, 2011 16:01:57 GMT -5
Coach Freeman's system and methods do work. It doesn't take more than an injury or two to one of your more experienced players to create a lot of problems. When you add in the fact that the team is very young overall, then the possibility of a trying season is very high. Things will get back to normal which will include 18 to 20 win seasons. Exactly what part of this system is working? Who on this team is improving with this method? Please let everyone know how the team is improving with this method/system. It would be nice to be able to support this method/system but what aspect of the game is getting better as this season progresses? He claims that 3 pointers are not a key to sucess - OK, and that defense is the answer. When will this system produce a better defense (And more points)?The answer is more than just one dimension of the game and Horizon League play requires effective play at both ends of the court. I would say the only improvement seen recently is... sorry, cant come up with anything and ranting in the press conference has not produced results on the floor. www.youtube.com/watch?v=wP5pRXmaY8Q&feature=related I'm far from a Keith Freeman fan, but to be fair I think anybody would flip out if they had to sit and take questions from Neal Boyer every night. I know I would . . .
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Post by girlsbbfan on Jan 22, 2011 16:29:54 GMT -5
Ok, I guess I'd like to hear some suggestions about what game changes would you make with the current team of available players?
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Post by indyvalpo on Jan 22, 2011 18:40:22 GMT -5
Ok, I guess I'd like to hear some suggestions about what game changes would you make with the current team of available players? First off congrats to the ladies on today's victory. They needed one. Now on to suggested changes: 1. Consistent minutes for S Lang and Calloway. At least 10-15 minutes every game. 2. Play Gick at least 30 minutes in one game before she leaves so we can see if she might be able to play. 3. Limit Richards and Ray being on the floor at the same time. 4. Limit Richards to 25 minutes per game. 5. Play Horton a little every game. 6. Do not finish the game with starters when we are blown out like at UIC. 7. Try some different defenses, maybe a zone, a trap. 8. Try different starting combinations. 9. Try different player combinations. 10. Let the walk-on play when we are blown out at least a minute.
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Post by crewsader on Jan 22, 2011 19:04:35 GMT -5
All good suggestions. Questions about 3 pointers that Neal asked - well, almost half the shots today were three pointers - it IS an important aspect of the way this team plays and without them, they lose this game and would not have been in the YSU game at half time. And was more than half their shots at UIC - 15 of the 22 points in the first half - I think Neal or anybody else can ask all the questions they want about 3 pointers. He HAS to find who can make those shots and play them until their arm falls off to have any chance of winning if you run this offense in the manner that we have seen. Thank goodness that Timmerman is finally seeing some minutes - particularly with Adams not getting as many 3's as earlier in the year. Inside out? - more like outside in.
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Post by kl31ny on Jan 22, 2011 21:42:02 GMT -5
Now on to suggested changes: 1. Consistent minutes for S Lang and Calloway. At least 10-15 minutes every game. 2. Play Gick at least 30 minutes in one game before she leaves so we can see if she might be able to play. 3. Limit Richards and Ray being on the floor at the same time. 4. Limit Richards to 25 minutes per game. 5. Play Horton a little every game. 6. Do not finish the game with starters when we are blown out like at UIC. 7. Try some different defenses, maybe a zone, a trap. 8. Try different starting combinations. 9. Try different player combinations. 10. Let the walk-on play when we are blown out at least a minute. I don't want to address every single suggestion, so I'll stick to a few. First off, love No. 10. Also wouldn't mind seeing Stephanie Thomas more often as well with her career winding down. I like No. 7 and 8 as well. There have been plenty of times this year, Chicago State and Wright State especially, where Valpo's zone D led to a lot of 3's, but I would like to see them vary up their looks and keep the opposition off balance. Also, a great choice teaming Gerardot and Watts down low against Loyola. Just keep shifting players around and find the lineups that do the most damage on both ends. In terms of most of the early suggestions, they'd be interesting to try, but I don't see Freeman putting most of them into action. His MO is defense, which is a big reason why S. Lang doesn't play too often and Richards and Ray get so many minutes. Laura and Rashida might not score a lot, but they are still key defenders with good basketball IQs. I do want to see how Callaway is utilized after a career day vs. the Ramblers. She made some great plays today and earned some big numbers for it. Overall, a nice list and a great start for some debate.
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jack
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Post by jack on Jan 24, 2011 7:36:55 GMT -5
Some interesting suggestions. I have to believe it's time to try something different. It's not like we're gearing up to make a post season run, of any kind. Of all of these suggestions, in light of how the season has gone, I think #6 would have been a good choice, to get looks at some of the players you're going to be counting on in the future. Giving Richards and Ray so many minutes for their "D", doesn't make much sense if you're not producing any "O". It still comes down to ball handling, agressive play inside, and someone to take charge on the floor. We don't have a true leader with this group.
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jack
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Post by jack on Jan 24, 2011 15:58:04 GMT -5
One bright spot: Not that it'll make a difference this season, but it adds some promise for next year - I Read where Mallory Ladd, a Lady Crusader next season, pulled down her 1000th rebound last week. Anyone who hasn't seen this young lady play yet, is in for a treat.
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Post by girlsbbfan on Jan 26, 2011 0:52:17 GMT -5
There are a few things we forget as members of a forum/board such as this. We don't have all the answers because we don't always have all the information. I wonder how many of us have watched a practice, sat through game film, observed individual workouts, or listened in on individual/team player and coaches meetings, with this particular group? Do we actually know who is working their tail off and who is sluffing to get by? Seems pretty simple just watching the games and then have the ability to make all the correct changes and decisions. Which girls are in the best physical shape they could possibly be in? Which girls follow instructions and which girls refuse to do what their told in practices and in games. Which girls are afraid to touch somebody? Would you take a girl that busts her butt at every practice and dominates the other girls in her position and then sit her during games so the girls that don't give the same level of effort get rewarded? There is no question this is a very frustrating time for the women's basketball team, but just watching or listening to games does not provide enough information to have a clear understanding of why things are the way they are. I'm sure the coaches take their share of the blame, but they don't deserve all of it. With that being said and with the limited knowledge I have of the situation, I believe Varner's return, another year's experience for the current players, the arrival of next year's imcoming freshmen, and the solidification of a leader in the point guard position will turn the program back in the direction that we all expect.
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Post by kl31ny on Jan 26, 2011 1:34:41 GMT -5
There are a few things we forget as members of a forum/board such as this. We don't have all the answers because we don't always have all the information. I wonder how many of us have watched a practice, sat through game film, observed individual workouts, or listened in on individual/team player and coaches meetings, with this particular group? Do we actually know who is working their tail off and who is sluffing to get by? Seems pretty simple just watching the games and then have the ability to make all the correct changes and decisions. Which girls are in the best physical shape they could possibly be in? Which girls follow instructions and which girls refuse to do what their told in practices and in games. Which girls are afraid to touch somebody? Would you take a girl that busts her butt at every practice and dominates the other girls in her position and then sit her during games so the girls that don't give the same level of effort get rewarded? There is no question this is a very frustrating time for the women's basketball team, but just watching or listening to games does not provide enough information to have a clear understanding of why things are the way they are. I'm sure the coaches take their share of the blame, but they don't deserve all of it. With that being said and with the limited knowledge I have of the situation, I believe Varner's return, another year's experience for the current players, the arrival of next year's imcoming freshmen, and the solidification of a leader in the point guard position will turn the program back in the direction that we all expect. Great post. In reference to your earliest points, I will not claim to be an expert on this team because I am not following their progress day in, day out. However, I've had the luxury of following nearly every game this year as a college sports broadcaster/writer, watching a few practice and joining the team on most of its road trips. No doubt, the season has been frustrating. It feels like there's a lot of talent that isn't translating into great results. They are still a fun group with the chance to turn things around as early as right now. Not a full 180 by any means, but they can get a few more wins, see where March takes them, and start finding the group that will fill the open slots and lead the way next November onward.
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Post by bbtds on Jan 26, 2011 1:58:59 GMT -5
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jack
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Post by jack on Jan 26, 2011 9:17:00 GMT -5
There are a few things we forget as members of a forum/board such as this. We don't have all the answers because we don't always have all the information. I wonder how many of us have watched a practice, sat through game film, observed individual workouts, or listened in on individual/team player and coaches meetings, with this particular group? Do we actually know who is working their tail off and who is sluffing to get by? Seems pretty simple just watching the games and then have the ability to make all the correct changes and decisions. Which girls are in the best physical shape they could possibly be in? Which girls follow instructions and which girls refuse to do what their told in practices and in games. Which girls are afraid to touch somebody? Would you take a girl that busts her butt at every practice and dominates the other girls in her position and then sit her during games so the girls that don't give the same level of effort get rewarded? There is no question this is a very frustrating time for the women's basketball team, but just watching or listening to games does not provide enough information to have a clear understanding of why things are the way they are. I'm sure the coaches take their share of the blame, but they don't deserve all of it. With that being said and with the limited knowledge I have of the situation, I believe Varner's return, another year's experience for the current players, the arrival of next year's imcoming freshmen, and the solidification of a leader in the point guard position will turn the program back in the direction that we all expect. You are correct, we don't have insight to all the workings of this team as the coaches and players do. I will say, if you have players not giving it 100% during practice, or not doing as they are told, they need to be warming the pines and making room for players that do, regardless of who they are. let's not forget, this university has vested quite a financial interest in each and every one of these players, and in return for a quality edjucation, which is first and formost, they owe it to the coaches, teammates, and university to give the 100% they ask for. If they aren't capable, or unwilling, then maybe the university needs to rethink their scholarships. You are correct, the 3 things needed to turn the corner are, more experience for the young players - this can only be addressed with playing time NOW; arrival of the incomming freshmen - I think this group will make an emmediate impact if allowed to get some possitive minutes; solidification of a leader in the point guard possition; I've followed the progress, and read the right ups on the guard we have coming in next season, and though, it may take a season for her to get acclamated to the system, this young lady is the real deal, a 4 year starter, broke almost all of her schools records, and in the words of her coach, is the coach on the floor he needs for his team to be successful. I'm looking forward to seeing if she can bring the same attributes here and help to turn things around. She certainly has the supporting cast to work with, with all of the talent we have. I'm guessing her arrival may force some of our other guards to step up their game a bit too.
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Post by girlsbbfan on Jan 27, 2011 14:33:05 GMT -5
Just to explain further- solidifying the point guard position is not a bad reflection on Richards. She works as hard or harder than any other girl on the team. She is probably playing out of position on the offensive side of the game due to the circumstance that there appears to be no other viable candidate on the team. The transition from high school to college is significant and there is really no way to know for sure what level a girl is going to be when she arrives or after she has been there a while. The point guard position is vital in completing and rounding out the team. The team has some talented girls they just need someone to hold them together and guide the boat. Hopefully next year that situation can be rectified. I've seen first hand how a true point guard can have an immediate impact on the improvement of a team.
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