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Final score: Bradley 64 Washington State 60

Some other stats-
Washington State was averaging 80.4 points per game coming into tonight. The Bradley defense held them to 60 points, despite WSU shooting 43% overall (21-49), and 50% from three (8-16), and outrebounding Bradley 41-31.
It was Bradley's defense, and forcing 20 turnovers (12 of them steals) that won the game for the Braves. The offense struggled all game. The Braves were just 22-62 from the floor (35.5%), 7-30 from three (23.3%), and 13-22 from the FT line (59.1%).
Demarion Burch was 8-16 from the floor (50%), and Montana Wheeler was 6-11 from the floor (55%). Everyone else combined were just 8-35 (23%).
Jaquan Johnson had just 10 points, 8 below his average, but he played incredible defense, and had 5 steals.
A.J. Smith was just 2-11 shooting, but also played great defense, and had 6 rebounds, 2 blocks, and 2 steals.
Meta Jonovic didn't contribute much in the first half, but he played good defense and had 5 rebounds in the 2nd half.
And Corey Thomas contributed some nice defense and had 4 rebounds and a block in just 14 minutes.

Official box score- https://wsucougars.com/sports/mens-basketball/stats/2025-26/bradley/boxscore/21071
Attendance 4,919
 
If you checked shooting stats one would think the Braves lost by 20 in stead of winning by 4.
The defense was pretty good. The WS 20 turnovers was a difference maker.
The refs not having to call every foul was a big difference maker. They really let both teams play.
Nice win
 
Still trying to figure out how we won that game. Especially with allowing them to shoot 8-16 from 3 and outrebounded us 41-31 while we shot just 13-22 from 1, 7-30 from 3 and 22-62 overall. Even though we struggled at times on defense we did force 20 turnovers which led to the few easy baskets we had in the game. I do get the sense that the guys are building a belief in themselves. This was a game we would have lost at the beginning of the season. Keep on staking them boys!
 
The 20 turnovers were awesome, but the uncontested layups were unacceptable. Seemed like every other trip down the floor we stood aside and let them walk right up to the basket.
 
Look at these stats and tell me who won. How many would get THAT right without seeing it first hand?
IMG_3231.jpegIMG_3230.jpeg
 
Still an area we need to improve upon is rebounding. Lucky to come out of the game with a win being we shot the ball poorly and not so great at the free throw line. A win is a win, but need improvement primarily in the rebounding.
 
Da Coach said:
Horrible shooting stats, but thanks to forcing 20 turnovers (12 steals), and getting 23 points off turnovers, Bradley is a bit lucky to come away with the win.
Bradley 64 Washington State 60
Stats- https://bradleybraves.com/sidearmstats/mbball/media
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It was WSU's game to lose and they did. BU got lucky, but luck doesn't win many games. If BU continues to play like they did in this game, they will be playing Thursday in St. Louis.
 
That was perhaps the most ugly win I've seen in the Wardle era. We did NOT look good at all and fortunately WSU is NOT a good team. Their team last year was so much better - and so were we!
We got lucky.

I do like the fight and grit of guys like Ja'Quan, Montana, and Alex. Winning DOES seem to matter with this group.

A bit of regression from the Orlando tournament. Gotta get better, shoot better, rebound better!

I've said this several times, but this team's ability to take care of the ball is a great asset and was the reason we ended up winning the game.
 
64NIT said:
It was WSU's game to lose and they did. BU got lucky, but luck doesn't win many games. If BU continues to play like they did in this game, they will be playing Thursday in St. Louis.
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Agreed! We looked like a 7th or 8th place Valley team tonight. Maybe the guys had too much turkey in their bellies? I thought it was definitely the worst we looked in any game this season, but we found a way! I think some of Wardle's early year teams could have beaten us tonight. Washington State looked just as bad, but I think that is more the norm for them.
 
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Photo dedicated to Mr. O-Show's 23-pt performance last night! He is growing into a Valley stud - hope he keeps it up!
JJ_OShow_June 25_1.jpg
 
tomahawk chop said:
They are a big physical team so just winning this game by a few points would be great.
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Hate to say I told you so but I knew this was not going to be an easy win. It could have been a lot easier had we made our free throws. Not being able to practice at Carver all that much also does not help our team. We definitely need to clean up these areas if we expect to have any chance at beating good Valley teams. Rebounding, free throw shooting and overall shooting has to get better and more consistent. I believe free throw shooting is a mental thing as the players that have missed several of them in a game are normally good shooters,
 
64NIT said:
It was WSU's game to lose and they did. BU got lucky, but luck doesn't win many games. If BU continues to play like they did in this game, they will be playing Thursday in St. Louis.
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Luck? What is lucky about shooting 35% and 23% from 3?

What I saw was the opposite of luck. It was a team banging, being gritty, playing tough D, getting after loose balls on a night where they couldn't buy a bucket. It was a "sometimes you have to make your own luck" kind of night. And they won.

Forced 20 TOs on a team that is not turnover prone.
Grabbed 10 offensive rebounds to one of the best teams in the country at preventing offensive rebounds.
Lot of toughness - which had been missing in a few games early on.
 
JMM28 said:
Luck? What is lucky about shooting 35% and 23% from 3?

What I saw was the opposite of luck. It was a team banging, being gritty, playing tough D, getting after loose balls on a night where they couldn't buy a bucket. It was a "sometimes you have to make your own luck" kind of night. And they won.
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I feel we were lucky b/c we played a poor team on a night when we couldn't buy a basket. If we had been playing a Top half Valley team, no chance we win that game the way we had so many missed bunnies and open 3s. Other than a good % of 3-pointers made, WSU just isn't a very good team - probably on par with Central Mich. who we clobbered. Wash St. might not win more than 10 games this season...a bottom feeder in a league that's about the same as the MVC.

Did like our fight and grit - mentally we were as tough as any game this season.
 
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LittleBrave said:
Agreed! We looked like a 7th or 8th place Valley team tonight. Maybe the guys had too much turkey in their bellies? I thought it was definitely the worst we looked in any game this season, but we found a way! I think some of Wardle's early year teams could have beaten us tonight. Washington State looked just as bad, but I think that is more the norm for them.
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no disrespect, but I just can’t quite agree on the tough take after a P5 win that I saw in person last night. I think the 25+ win seasons of the past few years have spoiled us a bit…. With our youth, combined with the coaching staff comments early on that this year would be “a process” tells me to calm down a bit on early season expectations. I watched a gritty win against talented and athletic competition. I’m pretty happy with the progression right now.
 
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