Next game: Jackson State at Bradley, Mon. 12/20 at 7:05 pm

[MacabreMob]

I guess we'd better be scared?

This Bradley team better be scared every time it takes the floor.

[Bravesfan]

No doubt real fan.

I would be happy with BU finishing the season at .500 amidst the unfavorable circumstances. Though Coach Les may have been partially responsible for a couple of our losses already, finishing .500 would be a great job IMO.

You see, that's what continues to grate me. We lost to EIU and WCU not because we were shorthanded, but because we failed to make easy shots and committed too many turnovers with no pressure on us. We should have won at least those two games even without our best players. For sure 6-3 would look A LOT better than 4-5 at this point.

Les needs to teach this team to shoot, rebound and hang on to the ball better. The injuries are beyond his control and I don't expect this team to finish that much above .500. But the least I can expect from this team is for them to win the games that they should win. EIU and WCU should have been wins, even at WCU where we had a double digit lead with about 6 minutes left. Les and his staff have to do everything within their power to drive these points home with this team because no matter how shorthanded we are, beatable teams should turn into wins, especially at home.

[Future Walk-On]

This Bradley team better be scared every time it takes the floor.

[Braves4Life]

Les needs to teach this team to shoot, rebound and hang on to the ball better.

I disagree. If a kid hasn't learned to shoot by age 18,19,20+ he just cannot be taught to shoot. Period! Now, if a kid has demonstrated an ability to shoot but suddenly is unable to then it could be practice related or it could be that the offensive scheme is not providing the necessary time and open looks.

I believe the real problem here is in the recruiting (or lack of) of quality shooters.

[thefish7]

I disagree. If a kid hasn't learned to shoot by age 18,19,20+ he just cannot be taught to shoot. Period! Now, if a kid has demonstrated an ability to shoot but suddenly is unable to then it could be practice related or it could be that the offensive scheme is not providing the necessary time and open looks.

I believe the real problem here is in the recruiting (or lack of) of quality shooters.

Isn't Daniel Ruffin an example of a guy who figured out how to shoot while he was at Bradley?

[Buesch N Chips]

I would be happy with BU finishing the season at .500 amidst the unfavorable circumstances. Though Coach Les may have been partially responsible for a couple of our losses already, finishing .500 would be a great job IMO.

In my opinion, .500 would be amazing. Since Sammy went down we haven't shown an ability to win anything. Hopefully we come out tonight and figure out how to win.

[AZ BU Fan]

Good luck tonight BU! Show us what you got!

Time to start a different streak, or two (W's & Home Court W's)!

[Braves4Life]

Isn't Daniel Ruffin an example of a guy who figured out how to shoot while he was at Bradley?

You tell me. Here are his shooting percentages by year --

Year #1 -- .374
Year #2 -- .396
Year #3 -- .414
Year #4 -- .394

[romar]

Isn't Daniel Ruffin an example of a guy who figured out how to shoot while he was at Bradley?

Another issue to me is whether the person has the eye for the long shot. JC is a prime example. He was a good shot in HS but had a push shot with a low release point in front of his face and needed loads of space to get it off his Fr year against bigger defenders. By his senior year he had changed the point of release and the speed of his shot and the only thing that remained was his eye or ability to know what force to use to put the ball in the rim from a distance, no matter the mechanics of the actual shot.

So I think the mechanics of a good shot can be taught and a poor shooter can be improved with coaching and a ton of repetition, but for great shooters it comes inately. Much like golf, any duffer can be improved with some coaching, but the elite players have an inate ability or touch that can't be coached which makes them elite.

[ph]

You tell me. Here are his shooting percentages by year --

Year #1 -- .374
Year #2 -- .396
Year #3 -- .414
Year #4 -- .394

But his sports hernia really slowed him down that 4th year..