66 Bradley vs. 55 Texas A&M:Kingsville

[Da Coach]

Kudos to the students who showed up in big numbers for a meaningless early season game against a lower level school.
Attendance was listed at 8014.

Did everyone else notice the 3 officials were all named O'Neill?
The first 2 are brothers, I think. They did a good job.
Tom O'Neill, Rick O'Neill, Thomas O'Neill


Links again-
BUBraves story-

http://www.bradleybraves.com/ViewArticle.dbml?DB_OEM_ID=3400&ATCLID=205030136

stats-

http://www.bradleybraves.com/ViewArticle.dbml?SPSID=25965&SPID=1498&DB_OEM_ID=3400&ATCLID=205029899

PJ Star story

http://www.bradleyhoops.com/news/x1270135347/Lemon-aide-stands-for-Braves

[BUfan14]

6. Where was Eastman?

The announcers said he rolled his ankle this week and they said he thinks he's about 60-70%, but in a game like this no reason to chance it. Sounds like it's not serious hopefully.

Also there is a lot of getting down on players for one game....geez give the season and the players a chance at least!! My goodness.

[tornado]

Did everyone else notice the 3 officials were all named O'Neill?
The first 2 are brothers, I think. They did a good job.
Tom O'Neill, Rick O'Neill, Thomas O'Neill.

Tom O'Neill has been around well over three decades, and is from Tinley Park, IL. He does mainly midwestern games, and runs referee camps in the off season.

http://statsheet.com/mcb/referees/tom-o-neill

Rick O'Neill and Thomas O'Neill (also known as Tom O'Neill, Jr.) I believe are Tom's sons

http://statsheet.com/mcb/referees/rick-o-neill/map

http://statsheet.com/mcb/referees/tom-o-neill-jr-

[AZ BU Fan]

A good thing the Hansen Bros didn't officiate the game last night with BU shorthanded...



Its too bad JL couldn't have used some of this game as a place to experiment with a bigger line up. If he couldn't do it last night, it aint gonna happen as the schedule only gets tougher from here.

Would have loved to see BU bust out a zone with AT in the center, WE at one forward and MK/JP at the other forward for a few minutes. Work high low post offense. Just to see if there is anything there.

The take away is that BU's bigs aren't quick enough or good enough, to make an impact in the MVC. Lets hope JL's latest crop of big recruits are a step up...

[Beninator]

Glad to get a win! Looking at the balanced scoring gives me hope that the players are buying into a team concept. We could see a lot of improvement throughout the year if that happens. My one question about last night is why didn't we give AT some time in the first half? If I remember correctly, he came into the game for the first time midway into the second half which I found to be a curious substitution pattern. Time for you (AT) to step up big guy! We could really use you this year!

[ph]

A good thing the Hansen Bros didn't officiate the game last night with BU shorthanded...



Its too bad JL couldn't have used some of this game as a place to experiment with a bigger line up. If he couldn't do it last night, it aint gonna happen as the schedule only gets tougher from here.

Would have loved to see BU bust out a zone with AT in the center, WE at one forward and MK/JP at the other forward for a few minutes. Work high low post offense. Just to see if there is anything there.

The take away is that BU's bigs aren't quick enough or good enough, to make an impact in the MVC. Lets hope JL's latest crop of big recruits are a step up...

I still hold out hope for playing big. In the pregame JL mentioned he has options for playing big or small. We just played a small team, and I don't think JL will ever match his big team against a small team.

[theBUer]

Congrats BU! Definitely a nice challenge from a D-II opponent (they led pretty early on, and kept the lead at no more than 10 until later in the second half).

[Beninator]

I still hold out hope for playing big. In the pregame JL mentioned he has options for playing big or small. We just played a small team, and I don't think JL will ever match his big team against a small team.

JL also made the comment in the pre-game show that he is going to retool the team a little bit since TB is out for the season.

[AZ BU Fan]

I still hold out hope for playing big. In the pregame JL mentioned he has options for playing big or small. We just played a small team, and I don't think JL will ever match his big team against a small team.

Why do some always look at the hole vs the doughnut?

The flip side of worrying about a Big BU line up matching against a smaller team, is the small team can't match up against our big team...

Isn't the objective to outmatch your opponent?

Or is it, a successful small player always thinking a small team can stop a big team on the defensive end of the floor, while capitalizing on their smallness on the offensive side?

If this is true, wouldn't this suggest a team of good guards can take on Boston or Miami in the NBA and win the Eastern Conference with ease?

[amckillip]

Why do some always look at the hole vs the doughnut?

The flip side of worrying about a Big BU line up matching against a smaller team, is the small team can't match up against our big team...

Isn't the objective to outmatch your opponent?

Or is it, a successful small player always thinking a small team can stop a big team on the defensive end of the floor, while capitalizing on their smallness on the offensive side?

If this is true, wouldn't this suggest a team of good guards can take on Boston or Miami in the NBA and win the Eastern Conference with ease?

How many times do I have to say it. The MVC isn't the NBA. We don't get to draft players. We now have only 2 legitimate post players, one of whom with NO D-1 experience. We are probably going to be forced into a 4-guard lineup unless AD, AT, or MK REALLY step up. This will have the biggest negative on Andrew Warren who might be called upon to guard some big dudes. You saw the Walt is great. SO proven/High-Po players we have: Guards: 6 (SM, AW, DD, DSE, JSE, WL) Bigs: 2(WE,JP). I don't like the 4-guard, but when you lose your second best player, and most irreplaceable player, you're going to have to do some tough stuff. On Miami, what would happen if they lost LBJ? And they get to DRAFT players, we have to recruit when there are 50+ teams with more name recognition and better TV deals.

BTW, anyone missing MO or JW(less because he didn't want to come here) right now? Ugh.

[BU RICK]

Its too bad JL couldn't have used some of this game as a place to experiment with a bigger line up.......

Would have loved to see BU bust out a zone with AT in the center, WE at one forward and MK/JP at the other forward for a few minutes. Work high low post offense.......

I agree, especially about the zone and playing bigger. AT got only a few minutes and looked good. He had no points or rebounds but that's understandable when you're asked to guard guards and set screens for guards both outside the 3 point circle. He also had no fouls and no turnovers, I thought he played well and was quick.

I've always liked the idea of a zone to keep someone home near the basket rather than having a big running around back and forth from past the three point line to the basket while guarding guards and setting screens, when do they have time to rebound in a system like that.

But anyway, JL is keeping it all under-wraps. We'll see a little bit more by the USC game but we don't want to put too much on video prior to the Duke game. We're keeping it a secret until then. Come the Duke game we'll bust out our big zone rebound getting offense/defense game plan with good things to come the rest of the season, we'll be the talk of the Nation. We just have to win the ones prior and wait for that game.

Big game this afternoon, Butler at our new place. Go Braves

[TNel]

Finish

Nice to see the ball go inside once in a while, but disappointing the number of times the Bigs weren't able to finish. Jump-hook airballs against a smaller team? That's got to improve or we're back to a primarily perimeter offense.

[romar]

Nice to see the ball go inside once in a while, but disappointing the number of times the Bigs weren't able to finish. Jump-hook airballs against a smaller team? That's got to improve or we're back to a primarily perimeter offense.

I will say in WE's defense on one of the airballs the replay clearly showed the defensive player hit his forearm in the middle of his release and there was no call, probably because WE initiated contact prior to going to the hook.

[mrcoachdude]

I will say in WE's defense on one of the airballs the replay clearly showed the defensive player hit his forearm in the middle of his release and there was no call, probably because WE initiated contact prior to going to the hook.

yeh Romar...saw that and was suprised at the no-call

[Buesch N Chips]

Isn't the objective to outmatch your opponent?

I would say our first goal is to stop our opponent. We had a much better chance last night with 4 guards than putting WE at the 4.