Next game: BU at ISU- Sat. 1/30, game time 4:35 pm

[chitown fanatic]

Prediction: Bradley leads at the half 33-32, after getting an early 10 point advantage. ISU comes out with 8-0 run to start the 2nd half to assume control of the game. Lead balloons to 13, BU cuts it to 5 with 4 to play, has 2 possessions to cut it to one possession and commits a turnover and takes a terrible 3. Eldridge drains a backbreaking 3, BU starts fouling, defense falls by the wayside, and final is 72-60. Eldridge leads the way with 24. Some unknown bench player for ISU who has yet to be identified kills BU the most with a career-high 15.

What's eerie about this post is that I see this as an almost certainty tomorrow, especially the 2nd half part.

[Da Coach]

One other certainty- if Bradley loses, there will be at least a dozen threads demanding we fire Jim Les.

[BradleyBrave]

One other certainty- if Bradley loses, there will be at least a dozen threads demanding we fire Jim Les.

Perhaps, but I don't think there will be as many as there are for when we lose home games to beatable opponents. When the season started I had this one penciled in as a loss, so I won't be too upset if we lose, and pleasantly surprised if we win. My guess is that many folks probably entered the season feeling the same way.

[chitown fanatic]

Me too, I'm more concerned with sweeping the drake and getting the roadie next Saturday to get us back to +1 home/road for a traditional 10-8 Jim Les finish, though 9-9 is more likely as we will lose at least one between WSU and UNI. getting the sweep over Drake is huge to avoiding Thursday, especially when three team round robins are used for tiebreakers. Getting to 3-1(meaning we split with other tied teams) greatly enhances our seeding chances. ISU can be beaten, they barely beat St. bonaventure for crying out loud. we just have to play defensively like we did at UNI and get a little better shooting with single digit turnovers. It's not likely, but not impossible either.

[LittleBrave]

24 hours to game time.

I would be happier with a win in Normal tomorrow and a loss at Evansville in a week. That way, we get a better BB opponent and maybe a T.V. slot.
Besides, that would give us a chance to sweep ISU for the season.
Man, I hope WE don't get swept.

[AE Braves Fan]

Any word on a pre-game party at one of the many fine Bloomington/Normal establishments?

[peoriakid]

Any word on a pre-game party at one of the many fine Bloomington/Normal establishments?

And by "fine" he must mean mediocre, and by "establishments" he means chain restaurants.

This is B/N we're talking about.

[MacabreMob]

... we get a better BB opponent and maybe a T.V. slot. ...

Honestly - I really don't think a win at ISU is gonna get us a TV slot.

The loss at home to Creighton took us "off the board", IMO. That loss dropped us 20 spots in the RPI. We have an undesirable overall record, undesirable conference record, undesirable position in the standings, and now an undesirable RPI. That was the ONLY thing keeping us in it... if we had won over Creighton, we'd be in the 70's - then a win at ISU woulda definitely put us in a good tv game. Had we beat Creighton and then lose at ISU - it would be iffy, but we'd be in the discussion.

[Chucky T's]

I'll be sitting a few rows behind the ISU bench giving Jank some coaching "tips".

BU wins a close one 66-64.

GO BRAVES!!!

[Da Coach]

Pregame article from the Bloomington Pantagraph-

http://www.pantagraph.com/sports/college/illinois-state/article_cd919818-0d39-11df-989c-001cc4c002e0.html

Both coaches will wear sneakers in a Coaches for Cancer promotion.

[dogsrus]

One other certainty- if Bradley loses, there will be at least a dozen threads demanding we fire Jim Les.

And a dozen more telling us "we are back", "all is well" , and asking "where are all the JL haterzzzz now", etc.,.....



And alls we have to do is ignore those we don't agree with, not respond and all will be fine......

[Out of Balance]

Need a BIG game inside from WE, TB and SS! Need to shoot for a good % and MAKE our FT's! Need to push their 3 point shooting out another 2 to 3 feet. Do this and BU will win! GO BRAVES

[BradleyBrave]

BU is an 8.5 point underdog today. I think I will be taking the points...that's a lot!

[Braves4Life]

BU is an 8.5 point underdog today. I think I will be taking the points...that's a lot!

Ditto!

[peoriaspitfire]

BU is an 8.5 point underdog today. I think I will be taking the points...that's a lot!

I'll even take BU and give 5 points! For some reason I'm feeling good about this game. This never happens...