RE: Valpo Preview

[Adam Berner]

I hate to say it, but my prediction for tomorrow night is:  Valpo 68   UC 61

This year's team is just going to really take some time to start playing
well together as a team.  When you are counting on freshmen to contribute
and they're all sitting on the bench because they're not practicing hard,
you know it can get ugly.  But also, remember that this was very much the
case two seasons ago.  IMac was largely ineffective early in the season,
Donald and BJ were being rotated in and out so quickly because neither one
was playing well, Jamal had good games and bad games, and Field and Rod were
logging basically no minutes off the bench.  But everything worked out in
the end that season, as we made it further in the tournament than we did
this past season.  Two years ago, though, they had Steve Logan on their
team.  This year's team does not.

I look for this year's team to make it through their nonconference portion
of the schedule with a 5-5 record.  In C-USA play, I look for us to go 11-5,
with a non-conference win over Okla. St.  That would give us a record of
17-10 heading into the tournament.  This year's team will really start
playing well in the tournament, and I think a trip to the tournament final
will get us into the tournament with a 19-11 record.

As you all have stated already, the key for this year's team is for the
freshmen to play hard in practice to get some minutes before conference
play.  We won't make the NCAA tournament without help from Hicks, Moore, and
Kirkland.


-----Original Message-----
From: address@hidden [mailto:address@hidden
Sent: Sunday, December 01, 2002 5:43 PM
To: address@hidden
Subject: Re: [UC Basketball] Valpo Preview


In a message dated 12/1/02 8:16:39 PM Eastern Standard Time,
address@hidden writes:


> UC 67  Valpo 64

I 'think' I won the last pick ;-) albeit with my second pick.


UC  : 79        Valpo  : 62
            or
Valpo : 81  UC : 64
** I have a feeling the second one will happen,  hope it doesn't though.
Like you said Jon,  the three you mentioned have to start going hard in
practice.  I feel if things don't don't turn around that Bob will do
something to grab their attention.  This is simply a battle of wills,  the
players against Huggs,  and 'we' know who always wins.  They just don't 'get
it' ........yet.  They will though. :-)

When he makes them practice with the girls team or start wearing pink
practice jersies,  they'll understand.  Huggins won't let them embarass the
previous Bearcat squads.  Maybe a few former players need to have a pow wow
with them.


Gregg