Well.....Creighton 73 BU 64

[real fan]

SFP is correct in that the mid-range jumper around the freethrow line is open and we need someone to start pulling up and make that shot. That should be one of the easiest shots to make as it is only around 12-15 ft out.

[bigjimmy]

I have said this before but it bears repeating. We are a team that has a very small margin for error. We need to do a better job of taking care of the ball. We have a bad tendency to drive down the baseline and eiher step out of bound or leave our feet and force a pass inside that gets stolen. Because we seem like we're taking more time on offense when you're turning the ball over like we do it limits your number of possessions. Then throw in missing free throws and passing up wide open in the lane shots for forced shots and then if your defense isn't close to perfect your small margin for error goes out the window. However having said all of that 4-1 in the MVC is still pretty good. Be a little smarter with the ball on offense and along with the way we're playing defense I look for us to be at least 6-2 when we play at home next time.

[pfunk880]

Honestly, we didn't look that much worse on the offensive end than the last couple games, but we just couldn't stop them and when we needed possessions the most, we turned the ball over and missed open shots.

That about sums it up. I've got to give Creighton (and Altman) credit. Coming off two losses, they came in here and really played a good game. Their defense was very good, we had a real tough time adjusting to it.

I think the way the game was called really ended up hurting us too. Now, I'm not going to complain about the officials, because I think they were consistent. But they did call things very tight, especially in the second half. This hurt us for two reasons:

1) Losing TW to foul trouble. He was plagued by fouls all game long. He scored 15, but was limited to 24 minutes. He wasn't really ever able to get into the flow of the game after halftime. There was one play around the ten minute mark where they went down to him in the block and he had a nice finish, and it looked like we might try and shift our strategy to getting it down to him. However, he picked up his fourth foul soon after and wasn't able to do much for the remainder of the game.

2) Free throws. We reverted to our pre-conference struggles at the line. In a tightly officiated game, making your free throws is key. Creighton made theirs and we did not. I think that, more than anything, was the key reason we lost. We didn't play our best game of the year by any stretch, but if we hit our throws we are still right there at the end.

Big stretch coming up now... we're still 4-1 and in tremendous shape right now, let's see how this team bounces back. I think JL will have them ready to go.

[BradleyBrave]

I write this without reading anything else - The better team with the better players won the game. We can complain about cheap fouls or missed shots or whatever, but the best team won. Maybe we'll be better than them on another night, but not tonight. Losing this game doesn't lessen our 4-0 start. Not at all.

[ser_solace]

Didn't see the game due to other commitments, but that's too bad we lost. Oh well. Now, we'll see how the team responds. Hopefully hungry on the road.

[Da Coach]

Story from BradleyBraves.com-

http://www.bradleybraves.com/ViewArticle.dbml?SPSID=25965&SPID=1498&DB_OEM_ID=3400&ATCLID=3643414

Stats-

http://www.bradleybraves.com/ViewArticle.dbml?SPSID=25965&SPID=1498&DB_OEM_ID=3400&ATCLID=3643681

PJ Star story-

http://www.pjstar.com/sports/x743979399/Bradley-suffers-first-Valley-loss

Omaha World Herald-

http://www.omaha.com/index.php?u_page=3924&u_sid=10534920

WMBD-

http://centralillinoisproud.com/content/fulltext/?cid=40961

[doug shank's crossover]

We are what we thought we were

Is it safe to say that this BU team will need to win with intense defense and free throws? We lack a consistent scorer from the low post, and without a guard who can effectively and consistently score from the perimeter (3's), this team will get exposed by teams like Creighton.

On a brighter note, it's nice to see EM's development. He doesn't play scared like frosh. tend to do.

It's too early (and Cub Fan-like) to say wait till next year, because we're still very much in the hunt, but you have to admit it's tempting to let your mind wander to next year when we WILL have both lost post scoring AND perimeter shooting!

[bigdaddystuck]

A little upset, disappointed, etc... last night to comment. But after sleeping on it...

Good defensive teams are going to be able to expose our weakness of no low post scoring and limited (at best) outside shooting. I agree we are going to have to pull this off with defense and ft shooting.

I felt that our defense was pretty good last night but we could not hit the fts and our offense was horrible. Also what was up with the 3 t.o.s in 45 seconds?!?

Came crashing back down to earth and reality last night! Time to refocus and get back at it.

[dogsrus]

After reading a few posts I agree with a few things....we DO indeed have a VERY small margin for error. If we are not getting rebounds and we don't hit our free throws...we are in trouble.

The better team with the better players won last nite. They kinda did to us what we did to ISU. Made it tough for us to get tot the hole and when we did...lots of blocks and turnovers.

Forced to shoot to many threes and not hit em.

4-0 is a great start.....next 4 need to be 2-2 minimum with 3-1 the goal. Allready off to 0-1 so LOTS of work to do.

CU is good and had their collective backs against the wall. Thye responded well. Would have beat anyone in the MVC home OR away with that performance.

Lets see how we bounce back. This loss doesn't kill us but NO more at home.

[dogsrus]

[QUOTE=bigdaddystuck;110690]. Also what was up with the 3 t.o.s in 45 seconds?!?

Yes...we had ample opportunities to get back in the game.....a HUGE turning point IMO was when DC had a great block then we failed to get the rebound and they scored. That really took the wind outta MY sails and we quickly went from possibly 2-3 down to 10 just like that WITH those TO's you speak of.

[MacabreMob]

The dunk by Roberts was awesome. He was so high up he appeared to be looking waaaayyyy down at the basket.

[Big Mike]

I hope we can come up with a better O' against the zone....or every team we play will just stay in it! Free throws.....free throws...and more free throws! Conrats to CU.....they were the better team last night.

[AE Braves Fan]

I didn't like our use of timeouts. JL called a TO after we scored a bucket to bring us back to 3 down with 5:45 remaining. It was a McCain layup - nice shot - right hand on the left side of the basket. Great balance and finishing around the rim.

Then JL called the timeout. He didn't sub anyone in - and IMO it allowed CU to regroup and it seemed to calm the crowd when we were about to pop. A blink of the eye later and we were down 10.

I'll admit that complaining about the use of timeouts is usually a reach. Otherwise I think Creighton was just the better team tonight.

Let's win 2 of 3 on this road trip.

[BU_EMT128]

I didn't like our use of timeouts. JL called a TO after we scored a bucket to bring us back to 3 down with 5:45 remaining. It was a McCain layup - nice shot - right hand on the left side of the basket. Great balance and finishing around the rim.

Then JL called the timeout. He didn't sub anyone in - and IMO it allowed CU to regroup and it seemed to calm the crowd when we were about to pop. A blink of the eye later and we were down 10.

I'll admit that complaining about the use of timeouts is usually a reach. Otherwise I think Creighton was just the better team tonight.

Let's win 2 of 3 on this road trip.

I was about to say the same thing. I am not a coach, and I dont know if we had some glaring defensive matchup problem we had to address or what, but talk about a momentum killing timeout. the crowd was starting to get into the game (finally) and the tiemout killed us. Would have been nice to not use 3 in 45 seconds so we had a few incase we needed them...

[bluedevils1]

I was about to say the same thing. I am not a coach, and I dont know if we had some glaring defensive matchup problem we had to address or what, but talk about a momentum killing timeout. the crowd was starting to get into the game (finally) and the tiemout killed us. Would have been nice to not use 3 in 45 seconds so we had a few incase we needed them...

McCain called the last timeout because he couldn't get the ball in, and that was with over 4:00 remaining. You could tell he tried to stop himself because he knew that was the last one. It was bad enough with one left, but that just killed us.