Wow... feel like I got punched in the stomach.

[Bravesfan]

I think if we finish 2 or 3 in the MVC then we will likely be invited to the NIT.

It's definately doable. I just hope we can get another conference road win or two.

[thefish7]

We need 12-6 and a win or 2 in St. Louis to be a serious NIT candidate.

I still think the combo of finishing 2nd or 3rd in the "8th best conference" plus our big home crowds would make us a good NIT candidate... But to finish 2nd or 3rd we'll need the record you put up there anyway.

[MacabreMob]

Backing up a little...

Feeling punched in the gut... we were up 54-46 and missed a 3 that woulda brought the roof down. Instead we missed and they hit a 3 and took a fast time out.

Seemed like they went into final minutes after that very rallied/determined.

They played full court pressure that we kinda sat back on our heels with. I thought we shoulda attacked it with our quickness and stole some easy baskets. Instead... held back to "control damage"... yet damage was done. They made their shots and we didn't. I think DD hit a tuff basket and missed a ft and SM hit a couple ft's and that was it.

[thefish7]

Yeah MMob, there was another posession in there where we took a couple of nice looks at the basket with neither falling. The ball squirted around in the paint and they came away with it. Seemed like BU deflated a bit at that point, and we got on our heels.

[it's boogie time]

Bradley took the air out of the ball with three minutes left and played not to lose. This team doesn't have the offensive playmakers to dribble and pass 30 feet from the hoop and then attack in the last ten seconds of the shot clock.

It certainly was a punch to the gut for all the reasons listed in the first post. It was tough to sleep last night.

[squirrel]

Ironically, our biggest offensive threat last night (Collins) spent too much time on the bench hampered with fouls.

Also, Singh needs to put the mask back on. He was good with it. He has been terrible without it.

[numbr_9]

playing not to lose is the problem. Up by 8 with 3 minutes to go is not enough of a cushion to try to take the air out of the ball... playing the basketball equivalent of the "prevent defense" is what lost us the game.

[Murph]

We need 12-6 and a win or 2 in St. Louis to be a serious NIT candidate.

Great, another year in a losers tournament.

[Murph]

would you prefer if BU were invited, to decline?

Post season looks good on the resume.

[J Money]

It just gets so hard to take. I guess we'll see how the rest of the season plays out but I can't handle being in the 4-5 game anymore. Jim Les has been the definition of mediocre. How long until he stops getting a free pass?

[MacabreMob]

It just gets so hard to take. I guess we'll see how the rest of the season plays out but I can't handle being in the 4-5 game anymore. Jim Les has been the definition of mediocre. How long until he stops getting a free pass?

Here we go again... the Fire Jim Les crowd coming out of the woodwork.

[lake Camelot]

Throw in the towel on the 08-09 season. On paper we should be the league favorite next year though.

I thought that also, but we lose Theron and a couple centers. UNI returns everyone who starts.

[J Money]

Here we go again... the Fire Jim Les crowd coming out of the woodwork.

Do you not think it's a valid question with these conference results year after year?

[squirrel]

Do you not think it's a valid question with these conference results year after year?

Nope. Although we are about to enter phase two of transition on the Hilltop.

[ER3]

Throw in the towel on the 08-09 season. On paper we should be the league favorite next year though.

We will not be the league favorite on paper heading into next year. Not a chance.
UNI returns everyone and they are lapping the field this year...they will be picked ahead of us next year...
Creighton loses Woodfox and Dotzler, but returns 4 of their top 5 scorers (Stinnett, Witter, Carter, and Lawson)...so they will be picked ahead of us...without a doubt.
ISU loses Oguchi and Holloway, but they still return Eldridge, Phillips, and Odiakosa. This is a tougher call, but it would not surprise me and I don't know that I could really put up much of an argument if they were picked ahead of us next year...I would expect that they will...

We get Warren back which will be a huge boost, but we lose Theron and don't have a real clear picture of what to expect from any of our big guys next year (Egolf coming off major surgery, Thompson getting no playing time this year, and Prosser as a freshman big...)...so on paper, I would guess that we will be picked 4th in the Valley to start the year next year (behind UNI, Creighton, and ISU)...but we will have a real chance to do much, much better if Egolf and Warren return at close to 100% and the freshmen from this year (McCain, Norris, and Brown) all take nice steps forward in their progress...

The future is bright for BU, but not "preseason conference favorite" bright quite yet...