Valpo (8-6; but 1-4 on the road) is the kind of team that we have trouble with – big (a front court rotation that includes guys 6’10” 245, 6’10” 235, 7’0” 270 and 6’8” 225) and physical (outrebounding opponents 39.2 to 32.5).

Worse – they couple a strong inside game with excellent outside shooting (.398 from 3, averaging 8 made 3’s a game). As everybody knows, we are at our worst when caught between bigs inside and shooters on the perimeter (Belmont, Mercer in recent years). Overcommit to the inside game, and they'll kill you outside. And vice versa.

Valpo has dropped road games to Ohio U, Evansville and Illinois, and got their only road win at Ball State. Their most significant home loss was in triple overtime to Mercer. This game will tell us a little about how we might fare at this point in time against teams like Mercer, FGCU and USCU.

They have won at home over Murray State, Robert Morris and JMU, while losing at home to Saint Louis (67-65) and, as mentioned, to Mercer. They have a neutral site rout over Southeastern (89-46) and a neutral site thumping by UCF (62-92).

One weakness – lots of turnovers: 210, a third more than their opposition (160). Vulnerable to pressure defense???

Four guys get 23 minutes or more – one is big: 6’8” 225 FR Alex Peters with 29 minutes. A fifth gets 20 minutes: 6’10 235 5th yr Sr Bobby Capobianco. And four more get 16 to 18 minutes, including 7’0” 270 5-Sr Moussa Gueye and 6’10” 245 Vashil Fernandez. And we struggled to stop Tusculum's slim 6'10 freshman.

Front Court is 6’8” 225 FR Peters (29.4 min., 14.4 pts on .471 from 3, 5.1 rpg), 6’10” 235 5th-Sr Bobby Capobianco (20.4 min., 9 pts on .538 from 3, 4.6 rpg), 7’0” 270 5-Sr Moussa Gueye (18.4 min., 5.3 pts, 5.2 rpg, 2.3 blocks, 2.1 t.o.), 6’7” 224 FR Jubril Adekoya (16.6 min., 6.4 pts, 2.8 rpg) and 6’10” 245 JR Vashil Fernandez, (15.8 min., 4.1 pts., 4.6 rpg, 1.0 blocks). Rebounds are spread among several players. Big guys Peters and Capobianco are deadly from 3.

Back Court is 6’1” 200 SR Lavonte Dorrity (28.2 min., 15.6 on .418 from 30, 2.7 assists and 2.4 t.o.s); 6’5” 190 SR Jordan Coleman (25.8 min., 10.9 pts .194 from 3, 4.2 rpg); 5’11” 155 FR Lexus Williams (24.5 min., 6.8 pts, .323 from 2.3 assists 1.7 t.o.) and 6’5” 180 FR Clay Yeo (16.6 min, 5.1 pts on .385 from 3, 1.7 rpg).

Thus far this year we have struggled mightily against teams like this. They allow a lot of points (70 per game), so we should be able to score. We need to have the fiery pressure defense that we showed the last 5 minutes or so against Austin Peay, to take advantage of their turnovers, and get the crowd involved to take advantage of their difficulties in road games.

I’d feel a lot better going into ASun play against Mercer, FGCU and USCU if we could play these guys tough.

ROSTER: http://www.valpoathletics.com/mbasketball/roster/
SCHEDULE/RESULTS: http://www.valpoathletics.com/mbasketball/schedule/
STATS: http://www.valpoathletics.com/media/bask...M#TEAM.IND