Final BU 69 - MS 77

[BradleyBrave]

Valiant effort in a place we've always had trouble winning. I had this one marked as a loss before the injuries, so this game exceeded my expectations tremendously. We're clearly playing our best basketball at the end of the year, including our 4-0 start. Just wish we could have played like this earlier in the year. There were at least 4-6 wins to be had (EIU, @ WCU, SIU, @ Drake, ISU Blue, ISU Red). The way we are playing right now, we win all of those, and we're talking about having a real chance in St. Louis.

[squirrelgotdead]

Valiant effort in a place we've always had trouble winning. I had this one marked as a loss before the injuries, so this game exceeded my expectations tremendously. We're clearly playing our best basketball at the end of the year, including our 4-0 start. Just wish we could have played like this earlier in the year. There were at least 4-6 wins to be had (EIU, @ WCU, SIU, @ Drake, ISU Blue, ISU Red). The way we are playing right now, we win all of those, and we're talking about having a real chance in St. Louis.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V1djpqeA3j8

[BradleyBrave]

Prosser continues to get better and better. Get him some help up front!

[squirrelgotdead]

Good game by BU. Just a great game by Weems.
I know the guys aren't into moral victories, but this game should be a confidence booster.

Paraphrasing Mark Macon (Binghamton Interim Head Coach): Every game in the regular season is an opportunity to improve. That's not a moral victory, that's an opportunity to get better.

[Da Coach]

I think Macon signed a new contract and is no longer interim.

[Bravesfan]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V1djpqeA3j8

So we're going to keep bringing this song up everytime we lose, squirrel?

[squirrelgotdead]

I think Macon signed a new contract and is no longer interim.

You are correct. I knew it was likely to happen. Today it became officially official.

[squirrelgotdead]

So we're going to keep bringing this song up everytime we lose, squirrel?

No. I'm already enough of a "broken record"

[Bravesfan]

Valiant effort in a place we've always had trouble winning. I had this one marked as a loss before the injuries, so this game exceeded my expectations tremendously. We're clearly playing our best basketball at the end of the year, including our 4-0 start. Just wish we could have played like this earlier in the year. There were at least 4-6 wins to be had (EIU, @ WCU, SIU, @ Drake, ISU Blue, ISU Red). The way we are playing right now, we win all of those, and we're talking about having a real chance in St. Louis.

I agree about the close loses we had to average to bad teams earlier in the year. But this is what separates bad teams from good teams. Close loses, mental mistakes and poor shooting and rebounding. But the fact that we haven't been blown out too many times shows us we may not be as far off as some believe, IF we can stay healthy for a change one of these years.

Agreed though that we are playing our best basketball of the year now, and tonight was more of just getting beaten by a better team. A couple mistakes toward the end hurt us, but for the most part you can't play much better from a losing standpoint against these guys like we did tonight. I think we are playing with much better effort, but we still will have our hands full with a surging Evansville on Saturday night. The good news is we only lost by 3 at their place, so we do have a shot at winning this game. I think first things first. We have to at least try to reestablish somewhat of a home court advantage, if nothing else for the rest of the year.

[Bravesfan]

No. I'm already enough of a "broken record"

Lol! Well hopefully our team is playing well enough now that we won't have to sing this song too many more times this year. LD

[Big Mike]

Reynolds: on MS game

http://www.bradleyhoops.com/news/x1111634154/BU-falls-late-at-Missouri-State

[dogsrus]

Encouraged with their play lately.....would have liked to see this earlier. DSE healthy makes a difference...JP settling in. Warren just continues to become the complete player many thought he could be.

Didn't like the end of game decisions but when you lose the choices never seem correct....

Just keep building and see what happens.

No let down at home...bring last nights intensity and good things will happen.

Man...where has the play been?

[Buesch N Chips]

Good to see some positivity. Improvements have been made, everyone is working hard. In a related note, I just cracked the seal open on my "ignore list."

[Da Coach]

Game article from the Springfield News-Leader

http://www.news-leader.com/article/20110210/SPORTS040101/102100386/1002/SPORTS/?odyssey=nav%7Chead

Some good photos.

Cuonzo Martin give some credit to JL's coaching-
"We found a way," Martin said. "Offensively, we knew it would be tough because of the success we had at their place. We had trouble getting the ball inside.
"But give Bradley credit. They played well and they spread you out."
Bradley coach Jim Les was intent on not allowing the Bears to repeat their inside dominance from last month's game when MSU had 48 points in the lane.

One other article from the News-Leader-
Race for MVC's top player a tight one

http://www.news-leader.com/article/20110129/SPORTS040101/101290355/Race-MVC-s-top-player-tight-one?odyssey=obinsite

The writer does not even consider Bradley's Andrew Warren for POY, which he believes is between Kyle Weems and Kwadzo Ahelegbe with Weems winning. I don't think it will be as close as the writer seems to think. AW does make his 1st team All-MVC picks.

[AZ BU Fan]

Wilkins is bad vs. everyone EXCEPT Bradley.

On the bright side, at least JW didn't end up at BU as another big "prospect" who struggles to produce!