Braves to play at Northern Illinois this season

[Da Coach]

This is posted elsewhere, but I though this deserved a separate thread for discussion-

http://bradleyfans.com/vb/showthread.php?p=135794#post135794

Many have known about this development for several weeks, but now it apparently is being publicized by Northern Illinois University. Bradley has arranged to play a road game at NIU this coming season.

NIU finished 10-20 last season in Ricardo Patton's second season at NIU.
They lost only one player from last year's roster, 4th leading scorer Sean Smith, who was the team's only senior. They return their other 12 rostered players, and add talented freshman Tony Nixon from Seton Academy. A couple other recruits committed to NIU, but they do not appear on their 2009-2010 roster.
Forwards David Wink (freshman from Bellvue, WA) appears to be headed to junior college, and Steve Walker (freshman from Chicago Simeon) recinded his commitment is not at NIU.

http://rivalshoops.rivals.com/commitlist.asp?Year=2009&School=164&Sport=2

NIU has a couple players that Bradley recruited a little, sophomores Tyler Storm and Mike Dinunno.

NIU stats from 2008-2009-

http://www.niuhuskies.com/sports/m-baskbl/stats/2008-2009/teamcume.html

NIU roster-

http://www.niuhuskies.com/sports/m-baskbl/mtt/niu-m-baskbl-mtt.html

[BradleyBrave]

Other than it being a close road game, this is an absolutely awful game that BU shouldn't be playing. I hate to sound like a BCS-er when saying this, but BU has nothing to gain and everything to lose playing a terrible team like this on the road. They finished with an RPI of 329 last year. Just awful.

[tornado]

disagree a little...ni this age of next-to-impossible scheduling for good mid-majors, you have to get the instate guys on the schedule...not necessarily all of them every year, but this gives us exposure in the Chicago area and a decent mid-major opponent in a winnable game...

[Da Coach]

I do think it is a sign of just how difficult it is to schedule as a midmajor.
It does provide a game near Chicago, which BU wants to have every year, and NIU will be better this year. There may also be recruiting reasons, since Bradley is involved in recruiting in the Dekalb area.

[BU RICK]

Looks like a good road game to me. NIU also plays at Illinois this season. And then we will get NIU at home next season? I don't think NIU can be called a cupcake, the winnable road games we've played the last few years..... well, we didn't win them all, so... this will give us an idea of how good we are. But, if we want to be ranked anytime during the season we have to do well at BYU and in Las Vegas, those are the three most important games for us early this year. The most important games are in the MVC.

[BradleyBrave]

disagree a little...ni this age of next-to-impossible scheduling for good mid-majors, you have to get the instate guys on the schedule...not necessarily all of them every year, but this gives us exposure in the Chicago area and a decent mid-major opponent in a winnable game...

How is 10-20 and an RPI of 329 decent? Aside from it being local, it's the equivalent of playing a road game at Maryland-Eastern Shore.

We all know scheduling is tough, but we can do better. I know people are sick of playing the Horizon League (I am one of them), but I would much rather go on the road to a local Horizon school like UW-M or UIC than play in a trap game against NIU.

And we haven't even touched on our home opener this year!

Fact of the matter is, we can do better.

Although with university leadership not having a plan in place to replace a deposed AD who usually handled most of the scheduling, I guess I shouldn't be surprised.

[BU RICK]

Would you rather start a season playing the pre-season top 15 picks and be 0-15 going into the MVC? The BCS schools don't even come close to that, so why should we?

[BradleyBrave]

Would you rather start a season palying the pre-season top 15 picks and be 0-15 going into the MVC? The BCS schools don't even come close to that, so why should we?

Would I rather go on the road to a Top 15 program than go on the road to 10-20/RPI 329 Northern Illinois? Yes. 100 times out of 100.

The BCS doesn't go on the road to RPI 329 teams, so I am not what you're inferring with the 'so why should we' comment.

[squirrelgotdead]

I agree with you BradleyBrave, that in general, we can do better in our scheduling.

But this game at NIU may surprise some people. Patton is building something good there.

It's not saying much because the MAC West is so terrible right now, but they should win their division.

Even though they probably lose Anderson after this year, they should be threatening to take the league's NCAA bid next year.

But I have a feeling this game was scheduled to get the Chicago game, which I continue to state, is pathetic.

[Beninator]

How is 10-20 and an RPI of 329 decent? Aside from it being local, it's the equivalent of playing a road game at Maryland-Eastern Shore.

We all know scheduling is tough, but we can do better. I know people are sick of playing the Horizon League (I am one of them), but I would much rather go on the road to a local Horizon school like UW-M or UIC than play in a trap game against NIU.

And we haven't even touched on our home opener this year!

Fact of the matter is, we can do better.

Although with university leadership not having a plan in place to replace a deposed AD who usually handled most of the scheduling, I guess I shouldn't be surprised.

I agree with you Bradleybrave. I am not asking for a BCS school with this game, but I would like us to schedule at least a quality mid-major with this slot regardless of location. We can and must do better.

[squirrelgotdead]

Would I rather go on the road to a Top 15 program than go on the road to 10-20/RPI 329 Northern Illinois? Yes. 100 times out of 100.

The BCS doesn't go on the road to RPI 329 teams, so I am not what you're inferring with the 'so why should we' comment.

I'd rather play an NCAA caliber mid, such as ODU in an in-season home-and-home than go on the road to a Top 15 team countered by a home game against IPFW.

[BradleyBrave]

I agree with you BradleyBrave, that in general, we can do better in our scheduling.

But this game at NIU may surprise some people. Patton is building something good there.

It's not saying much because the MAC West is so terrible right now, but they should win their division.

Even though they probably lose Anderson after this year, they should be threatening to take the league's NCAA bid next year.

But I have a feeling this game was scheduled to get the Chicago game, which I continue to state, is pathetic.

Believe me, I hope that NIU is a lot better than they have been. Nonetheless, it's an opponent that we should never travel to until they become a respectable mid-major. Until proven otherwise they're a DI bottom-feeder, and the only way we should be scheduling them is if the game is played at Carver Arena.

[it's boogie time]

I enjoyed my last trip there. I showed up a couple hours before gametime and got front row tickets under the basket. It was good to see so many Bradley fans there.

I don't mind this kind of road game to start the season where you have to travel, but it is far from a raucous environment. You gotta go on the road at some point, might as well ease into it.

[squirrelgotdead]

Believe me, I hope that NIU is a lot better than they have been. Nonetheless, it's an opponent that we should never travel to until they become a respectable mid-major. Until proven otherwise they're a DI bottom-feeder, and the only way we should be scheduling them is if the game is played at Carver Arena.

I agree. . .but as I said, I think this is where our fans demands for a game in the Chicago area gets us in trouble. It should NEVER be a priority, despite how much some people may like it.

[tornado]

The BCS doesn't go on the road to RPI 329 teams, so I am not what you're inferring with the 'so why should we' comment.

maybe not 329, but it is quite the emerging trend for the BIG BOYS to go on the road and play some lesser teams and get some early road experience under their belts.......

UNC is reportedly coming to Evansville this year, and they played at Nevada & UC Santa Barbara last season.
UConn played AT Buffalo, Michigan State played at IUPU-FW, Xavier plays at Cincy, Iowa and Iowa State go to Drake, and on rare occasions Wisconsin plays at Green Bay!
Tennessee played on the road at Middle Tennesse this past seaosn and Villanova played AT near-300 RPI Penn.

Do we wish it was a home game with Duke or a road game at Georgetown?? Sure, but I'd be far less enthused if it was a road game at Central Michigan, Eastern Michigan, or Cal-State Northridge as some of our conference mates have been doing!