Todd Golden: DOWN IN THE VALLEY: Five takeaways from ISU's home loss to Valparaiso

Jan. 23—Indiana State is 1-5 in Missouri Valley Conference play, the worst MVC start since 2017 when the Sycamores were 1-9.

Normally, that kind of MVC record would be cause for recriminations for players and coaches alike.

However, I think there are few out there who would have much cause to object to.

Take away the fact that ISU has only had its full complement of players once in the MVC play. Take away the constant rotation churn. Take away the undersized roster.

Not much was expected of the Sycamores this year, but they're delivering the chance to win on a game-to-game basis. They aren't winning, but that doesn't mean the effort isn't appreciated.

ISU coach Josh Schertz said after the game that trying hard isn't enough, and of course, he's right. His job is to win games, not moral victories.

Still, even though ISU set itself back with it's own problems (foul trouble was the biggest one) it didn't give in. It hasn't all year.

Effort and want-to go a long ways when it comes to goodwill. Again, goodwill doesn't win games, but it does win respect, and I think this team still has the respect of the fans.

Eventually, a breakthrough will come if ISU doesn't let the weight of losing get to them.

Here's five takeaways from ISU's 75-73 loss to Valparaiso on Saturday.

1. Henry brilliance — An inspired Cam Henry is a sight to behold and he was at the height of inspiration during ISU's second-half comeback.

Sometimes I wonder if he over-complicates his game with his versatility? Henry can distribute and can shoot from the outside, but at heart, he's a driver, and when he puts his mind to it? Few can stop him.

Certainly, Valparaiso couldn't. He scored 14 straight points in straight-ahead attack mode in the game's waning moments. Few players can just will their way to points in the paint like Henry can.

The gameplan doesn't always for Henry to have to take over as he did, and sometimes, he can overdo it, but when he's inspired and his mind is right? It's really fun to watch.

2. Absence makes the heart grow fonder — It's sad truth that you can sometimes better appreciate players when they're not in the lineup to be appreciated. So it was for both Xavier Bledson and Zach Hobbs.

Both fouled out relatively early in the second half. Bledson was in foul trouble almost from the start.

Taking him out of ISU's attack robs the Sycamores of their highest energy presence as well as just, there's only one word for it, their best grifter. I mean that in the best sense of the word.

Bledson's basketball IQ is high and he knows every trick in the book to squeeze points from himself and his team. When he's not on the floor? ISU is far less dynamic.

Losing Hobbs means ISU can't spread the floor as well and Hobbs fights defensively. Where it really hurt ISU, though, was on the last inbounds play with the game on the line.

Hobbs certainly would have been on the floor in that situation which would have put one more shooter out there. Would Valpo have been able to double Henry on the catch if there's another shooter out there? We'll never know, but we have a good idea ISU would have been in much better shape in that scenario.

3. Thomas was unlucky — The box score will say that Micah Thomas was 1-for-8 from 3-point range. What it won't say is how unlucky that 1-for-8 was.

Thomas had at least three 3-point shots find the mark, only to find the iron unkind or that they swirled in and out. If those shots fall? Thomas is 4-for-8 and the game is different.

If — that common lament.

4. When will Neese return? — Schertz said after the game that Neese's neck injury occurred right at the end of Friday's practice. He said there was a whiplash element to the injury.

Neese hasn't yet been fully checked, apart from checking for serious issues like a break or something of that nature. Neese was in the clear on that, but Schertz said there was more evaluation to be made.

Neese is probably fairly listed as questionable for Tuesday's game against Missouri State.

5. Valparaiso has bodies, can it take maximum advantage? — Valparaiso has an almost entirely new roster. Those who were Crusaders in 2021 — Ben Krikke, Sheldon Edwards and Eron Gordon — are the only ones who continue on as Beacons in 2022.

Valpo's biggest player in 2021 was Krikke at 6-foot-9. Keep in mind, too, that Valpo was defined mainly by guards in recent seasons, including small ones like 5-9 Daniel Sackey.

So it was a bit jarring to see the size the Beacons bring to the table. Less height than bulk. Thomas Kithier, Kevion Taylor, even Kobe King to a degree, along with Krikke, gave the Beacons a look and a presence on the floor.

Question is? Is it a unified presence? There were moments, of course, where Valpo showed plenty of initiative, mostly notably when they build their peak 11-point lead by consistently driving the lane.

There were other moments where the Beacons needed a guiding light. Good as ISU was in the final minutes, they did get plenty of help from the Beacons. Whether it was weak ball-handling, or especially, questionable shot selection, there was very little that seemed secure with the game on the line.

Like most MVC teams, Valpo had the look of being capable of beating or losing to anyone. There's only a couple of teams in the league who have that go-to stabilizer/producer to carry the day. Valpo is among the teams who have a good group, but not a carry-the-game star.

—ISU Player of the Game — For a while, I thought Kailex Stephens might take these honors, given his solid first half and given that he was the only 3-point shooter who was connecting.

But you simply can't ignore the holy terror Henry went on in the final eight minutes. Players don't often score 14 straight points for their team, much less going against the trees that Valparaiso had in the middle.

—Opposing Player of the Game — Ben Krikke hit the winning shot, but I think he was a calming influence for the Beacons throughout the game. While the other Beacons waxed and waned, he was pretty steady and it showed through in the end.

An underrated contribution came from Eron Gordon, who only played 11 minutes, but did some impactful things, such as drawing the fifth foul on Bledson.

—Around the MVC — We have a race on our hands. Missouri State made it so with an impressive 79-69 win at No. 22 Loyola.

It was Loyola's first home loss in 30 games and first home MVC loss since 2019, but that's not the main story.

I haven't written too much about Missouri State swingman Isiaih Mosley much this year, but he cannot be ignored, especially with the Bears rolling into Terre Haute on Tuesday.

Mosley dropped 40 points on the Ramblers. That has to rate as one of the best MVC performances of the last decade. Loyola occasionally holds teams to near-40, as they did when Evansville only scored 48 against the Ramblers in Loyola's previous contest.

Mosley's 40 isn't even a season-high. He scored 43 against Northern Iowa, part of an incredible run of scoring the junior has been on.

Mosley's scoring from the last five games: 43, 33, 32, 24 and 40. With his success, the Bears have risen to a tie with Loyola atop the league. The rest of the league's stars have a lot of work to do to make the Player of the Year vote anything more than a rubber stamp for Mosley at this point.

Elsewhere, Drake overcame an 11-point second-half deficit to knock off Northern Iowa 82-74 in Cedar Falls. Southern Illinois followed up its Wednesday win over ISU with a 70-62 loss at Bradley.

In a rare Friday game, Illinois State became the latest to send Evansville to oblivion with a dominant 94-56 win in Normal.

Still a lot of parity in the league. Loyola (5-1) and Missouri State (6-2) are in a virtual tie atop the league.

Drake (5-2), Northern Iowa (5-3), Bradley (4-4), Illinois State (3-3), Southern Illinois (3-4) and Valparaiso (3-5) are jockeying for position in the middle of the pack.

Is ISU (1-5) likely headed for the Thursday play-in? Probably, though it's not assured. Keep in mind, ISU has played Loyola twice and hasn't played Evansville at all. That makes its MVC record worse than it likely should be.

However, the home loss to Valpo means ISU has to make up for it with an unexpected road win somewhere other than Evansville. The Sycamores are capable, but of course, it's never easy.

(I'm going on the principle that most teams will get swept by Loyola and sweep Evansville.)

—Random — Football, association or gridiron variety, was a big bag of steaming vomit for me on Saturday. The Green Bay Packers lost to San Francisco in the NFC playoffs (bangs head on wall) and Leeds United lost at home to a garbage Newcastle squad.

Still, it wasn't all bad. Former Indiana State and current Denver Broncos linebacker Jonas Griffith was visiting and it was really nice to catch up with him.

At first, though, I was taken aback. He was up on the radio riser with ISU PBP man Luke Martin. Though I was 90% sure it was Jonas, I didn't think he'd be doing commentary for a basketball game, so I wasn't completely sure, until I asked at halftime.

Turns out Griffith was just keeping stats for Martin. He was his usual affable self and was genuinely pleased to be back in the Haute.

He broke through as a starter for the Broncos this season, after being activated mid-season, and appears to have a bright future ahead of him.

Denver is in the midst of a coaching change, and Griffith is a free agent, but Griffith said he really liked it with the Broncos and wants to stick around.

I've been fortunate to cover a lot of good people over the years and Griffith is right there at the top. Good people are the easiest ones to root for. I wish Griffith nothing but success.