Postgame thread: ODU 66, Bradley 62

[Braves4Life]

BU did not deserve to win, but the fans deserved a better coached game. At some point BU deserves more...I'm not calling for JL to be ousted, but would like to see a better coached game.

Coaching DID NOT cost BU this game!

1). Les could not influence his outside shooters to hit the open 3;
2). Coaching did not cause lazy, tipped passes at the point by McCain and others;
3). Les didn't tell Singh to play matador defense and give up bunnies, nor did he cause SS to have one of his worst games in awhile.
4) Wilson just didn't step up in his final game. Roberts showed me something though tonight. I was not a CR believer but he showed me that he can definately replace Wilson next year.

Overall, I thought BU played their best game in awhile and were beat by a good ODU team.. Frankly, I thought ODU had the potential to run away with this game.... and they didn't.

[peoriaspitfire]

Why are some of you so upset?

Goals for this team coming into this tournament:

1) Get more PT for young guys...check
2) Get postseason experience for young guys...check
3) Get more team practices in...check

I for one would have liked to see even more time for the youngsters. I kept hoping we would see AT somewhere, but it never panned out in the tournament or all year for that matter. I just get a bad feeling about that.

I wish DC could have gotten a few more minutes in the 2nd half and while I'm wishing, I wish AW was cleared to play for the tournament!

Congratulations to ODU. It's got to be tough for the BU players to see them celebrate with the trophy after the game in your own house...

[ifarania]

Coaching DID NOT cost BU this game!

1). Les could not influence his outside shooters to hit the open 3;
2). Coaching did not cause lazy, tipped passes at the point by McCain and others;
3). Les didn't tell Singh to play matador defense and give up bunnies, nor did he cause SS to have one of his worst games in awhile.
4) Wilson just didn't step up in his final game. Roberts showed me something though tonight. I was not a CR believer but he showed me that he can definately replace Wilson next year.

Overall, I thought BU played their best game in awhile and were beat by a good ODU team.. Frankly, I thought ODU had the potential to run away with this game.... and they didn't.

I couldn't disagree more. Les did play SS for a ridiculously extended period in the second half, not pulling him for a shot-altering 7' center after repeated blown defensive assignments and botched attempts at defensive rebounds. Coaching can prevent additional mistakes when it comes to passing and poor shot selection (e.g. Edge)... Coaching can get on a senior leader and tell him to take the ball to the hole as he has in every other game in the postseason.. Coaching CAN improvise new schemes and shake things up so that we get defensive rebounds... How many second chance points did ODU get??? They weren't that good! They just got repeated chances after THEY missed bunny after bunny.. I love the kool-aid like crazy; everyone knows that.. But that was absurd.

[MacabreMob]

Sounds like somebody is a little upset. (ifarania)

Cheer up Grumpy Gills. Enjoy your west coast action... hope you enjoy PAC10 ball. And let me know if you find a good pizzaria. If you are near Portland ever, head over to Corbett and get a big old greasy breakfast at Big Bears. Then hang out near the Sandy River later in the day... and be sure to stop at the Tippy Canoe for a jar.

[ifarania]

Sounds like somebody is a little upset. (ifarania)

Cheer up Grumpy Gills. Enjoy your west coast action... hope you enjoy PAC10 ball. And let me know if you find a good pizzaria. If you are near Portland ever, head over to Corbett and get a big old greasy breakfast at Big Bears. Then hang out near the Sandy River later in the day... and be sure to stop at the Tippy Canoe for a jar.

I'll be about an hour and a half from Portland, so I'll be sure to make the trip (University of Oregon). Too bad they're awful at basketball right now...

[VeveJones007]

I couldn't disagree more. Les did play SS for a ridiculously extended period in the second half, not pulling him for a shot-altering 7' center after repeated blown defensive assignments and botched attempts at defensive rebounds. Coaching can prevent additional mistakes when it comes to passing and poor shot selection (e.g. Edge)... Coaching can get on a senior leader and tell him to take the ball to the hole as he has in every other game in the postseason.. Coaching CAN improvise new schemes and shake things up so that we get defensive rebounds... How many second chance points did ODU get??? They weren't that good! They just got repeated chances after THEY missed bunny after bunny.. I love the kool-aid like crazy; everyone knows that.. But that was absurd.

What bearing does this game have on the future of the program?

[ifarania]

What bearing does this game have on the future of the program?

Um... Poor coaching transfers across time and space....

[egib52]

Why are some of you so upset?

Goals for this team coming into this tournament:

1) Get more PT for young guys...check
2) Get postseason experience for young guys...check
3) Get more team practices in...check

....and way down the importance on the list...

Win the tournament. The team got the most out of this tournament by just making it to the finals.

Edit: BTW, I agree that it was a poorly coached game. I just don't think it's that big of a deal for the reasons that I list above.

This is the attitude that will keep the Braves in the middle of the MVC. Every year we should push for top of the MVC not settle because we are young or inexperienced. Memphis and Kansas were young but did not settle. I understand we are not these teams, but I hate that attitude. We should expect excellence. We should expect to win the CIT or the CBI. Not be content we are the first team to lose in the finals of each. I am just as frustrated as ifarania. Coaching matters just as much as the players do, if players aren't performing they do not deserve to stay on the floor...we had no future hall of famers out there...let DC or AT play...let DD see the floor when Edge was struggling. Just as players should improve with more games...so should coaching.

[VeveJones007]

Um... Poor coaching transfers across time and space....

Is it a recurring problem? A one-game sample size doesn't prove that JL is a bad coach.

[mrcoachdude]

Felt like we could use some size tonight....Collins and SS at the same time? ODU had so much size on us it was bad....

Why on earth does TB not play a second in the 2nd half when I thought he played decent in the 1st? He did not play great, but who did?

Theron was not healthy tonight.or at least appeared that way...its a shame he could not get it going like I am sure he wanted to....THANK YOU THERON for your hard work......

[Bravesfan]

Great season to you guys.... way to come out and support your team.
I think we stayed on the bus for the first 5 minutes... and your fans were very loud.
Hassell really stepped up toward the end of the year when our capt. (Lee) got hurt. Lee still doesn't seem back to normal to me. Hassell actually has been playing the last month with a stress fracture in his leg.
We're very happy. And we would love to schedule you guys... it's a heck of a road trip though.
Lets talk up a MCV/ACC tournament for the future. You guys are young and the future looks bright. It's been nice surfing your board. Good luck with the recruits and hopefully we'll see you soon.

I'd love to play ODU in the regular season in the near future. These are the type of games that would help like minded mid-majors strengthen their schedules.

Good luck to your team next year too! Feel free to stop by once in awhile.

[ifarania]

Is it a recurring problem? A one-game sample size doesn't prove that JL is a bad coach.

Errr.... I'm an economist, so don't give me "sample size".... I would think the data shows a positive correlation with a number of negative basketball statistics... And I personally think it is due to some seriously weak coaching. I didn't say anything about recruiting, although I would probably do a little bit differently...

If I had the data in front of me, I would love to crunch a number of things, though I'd also love to be proved wrong. It should be noted that I LOVE Bradley, I have generally given Les the benefit of the doubt, and I do nothing but support the team on the floor.. But... How much have we been out rebounded during Les' tenure? Does anyone have a correlation between being out rebounded and losing games? Any data on playing a certain number of under-sized players simultaneously and losing games? Any data on the +/- of SS and DC? What about if we play a 5 and 4 simultaneously? This is a COACHING philosophy that is institutionalized and doesn't lead to MVC championships. Tonight was a microcosm of a larger phenomenon, sir.

[VeveJones007]

This is the attitude that will keep the Braves in the middle of the MVC. Every year we should push for top of the MVC not settle because we are young or inexperienced. Memphis and Kansas were young but did not settle. I understand we are not these teams, but I hate that attitude. We should expect excellence. We should expect to win the CIT or the CBI. Not be content we are the first team to lose in the finals of each. I am just as frustrated as ifrania. Coaching matters just as much as the players do, if players aren't performing they do not deserve to stay on the floor...we had no future hall of famers out there...let DC or AT play...let DD see the floor when Edge was struggling.

This tournament was about next year because in the scheme of things, winning this tournament doesn't matter. The goal of this tournament should not be to win it. The goal of this tournament should be to give the team more experience so that next season it can be better prepared to do exactly what you say: push for the top of the MVC and the NCAA's.

The tournament should be judged in these terms:
1) Does the team have a better chance of contending for the MVC crown next year with the added experience? (I believe so)

[mrcoachdude]

oh and our best lineup in the game was

SamM
Dodie
Norris
Theron
DC or SS I am not remembering which....

We were up by 8 or 9 with this group and then JL subbed in three guys and our lead was gone in a couple minutes....

[Bravesfan]

I really am angry right now. I usually am not angry after losses, but we really should have beat that team... I feel like I could have directed a biddy basketball team to a better performance... Seriously...

Interesting that some of the same people who didn't much care for our participation in these "second hand" tournaments are now upset that we did not win the CIT championship.

Sure, I would have liked to have seen them win this game, but it's not like we lost in the NCAA Tournament or the Valley championship game.