How good are we?

[BUBalum05]

My opinion has not changed at all. I believe we'll struggle because we do not have a true 5 and our shooting is horrendous. We should be improved because we are in the 2nd year of GF's system and hopefully the guys are grasping it. My two biggest surprises are JE and what he's giving to the team and 2nd we could not find a true PG to run this team. I predict we will not finish last but will play on on Thursday. Right now we have a bunch of pretty good role players but not one who would be starting on any of the top Valley teams.

When was the last time BU had a true 5? Probably POB, no? There aren't many Valley teams with outstanding centers either, so as long as we have some solid PF's, shouldn't we be able to get by?

It does appear that GF does need to find some shooters.

[Da Coach]

Zach Andrews who was the starter in 2006-07, the year after POB left, was also a pretty typical solid 5 player.
But then Matt Salley played the 5 in 2007-08, and he was more of a 4 type.
In 2008-09 our starter at the 5 was David Collins. He was probably a true 5, but just not someone who should have been starting at that position in the MVC.
In 2009-10, it was Egolf starting 30 of the 31 games at the 5, with Sam Singh backing him up.
In 2010-11 again it was Egolf starting 31 of the 32 games, with Prosser and Thompson backing him up.
And in 2011-2012 it was Prosser starting 31 of the 32 games at the 5, with AT off the bench.

[BUBalum05]

Zach Andrews who was the starter in 2006-07, the year after POB left, was also a pretty typical solid 5 player.
But then Matt Salley played the 5 in 2007-08, and he was more of a 4 type.
In 2008-09 our starter at the 5 was David Collins. He was probably a true 5, but just not someone who should have been starting at that position in the MVC.
In 2009-10, it was Egolf starting 30 of the 31 games at the 5, with Sam Singh backing him up.
In 2010-11 again it was Egolf starting 31 of the 32 games, with Prosser and Thompson backing him up.
And in 2011-2012 it was Prosser starting 31 of the 32 games at the 5, with AT off the bench.

Thanks DC. I did overlook Zach who was a solid 5 man. Stating who else started at 5 man, more just proves the point. From what I saw of WE a few years ago, he did come off as more of a 4 man. Hopefully with the size on this team, we can find some sort of respectable 5 by committee.

[amckillip]

When was the last time BU had a true 5? Probably POB, no? There aren't many Valley teams with outstanding centers either, so as long as we have some solid PF's, shouldn't we be able to get by?

It does appear that GF does need to find some shooters.

My concern - If we don't have a 5, a shooter, or a point guard, what DO we have? A bunch of athletic wings does not a team make...

[tornado]

Wed. night will help serve to define if we are better than the average mid-major...
we need to win and win convincingly against a team like this on the road...

[Gary the Gargoyle]

Wed. night will help serve to define if we are better than the average mid-major...
we need to win and win convincingly against a team like this on the road...

I don't need to win convincingly on the road. I'm of the belief that you go up to Mt. Pleasant and survive with a win. If the Braves should happen to win by double digits, great. If they only win by 3, good enough. If they lose, I'll be disappointed but not surprised and won't think any more or less of the season.

[Dub]

I feel SS will be just fine....maybe even better than that.
The team looks reasonably well organized and would actually be considered in the "pretty good" category at this point with even a decent FG%.

They are in my opinion marginally better this year, but with more potential for improvement than at this point last season.

Amazing how a low FG% can make you look so inept offensively, when you may be doing EVERYTHING ELSE CORRECT on a given set.

In the end, the ball has to go through the rim...we should be recruiting in that direction.

[Gary the Gargoyle]

Amazing how a low FG% can make you look so inept offensively, when you may be doing EVERYTHING ELSE CORRECT on a given set.

In the end, the ball has to go through the rim...we should be recruiting in that direction.

This is a great point Dub. We as fans do seem to critique all other elements of the process to a higher degree when the ball doesn't fall through the rim.

[Da Coach]

I agree. I'd be happy with any kind of win, especially after the last road game at USF. But I think we should win this game. From everything I can see about CMU, their talent level is a notch below any MVC team, their 3-point shooting is as bad as Bradley's, they don't have much size or depth, and they have turned the ball over quite a bit. But nonetheless, they are 3-2, and played Iowa tough in Iowa City. So it will take a better effort than the one we had on Saturday against Tenn.-Martin, and especially the one at USF.

[Braves4Life]

... we need to win and win convincingly against a team like this on the road...

I don't need to win convincingly on the road. I'm of the belief that you go up to Mt. Pleasant and survive with a win.

Exactly Gary. A win on the road is a win on the road. Period. By the way tornado, when did a Bradley team last win convincingly on the road?

[Chico]

All depends on what you call convincingly. Back in the NCAA season I remember they went to UNI and beat a pretty good team by more than 20. They beat a good VCU team the following year in the bracket buster game by a good margin and I think the following year they beat Virginia by double figures I believe. Have to find my press guide and check the scores.

[LittleBrave]

I don't need to win convincingly on the road. I'm of the belief that you go up to Mt. Pleasant and survive with a win. If the Braves should happen to win by double digits, great. If they only win by 3, good enough. If they lose, I'll be disappointed but not surprised and won't think any more or less of the season.

Yes, a win is a win. I'll take a 1-point buzzer beater bank shot if that's what it takes. Of course, I prefer not to hyperventalate and enjoy a 10-point win!
This is a very winnable game, and very loseable one as well if we don't come out fired to play. If we play like we did in Indy, we'll be extrememly tough to beat.

LB's Keys to game:
Commit 12 turnovers or less
Outrebound CMU
Don't get caught up in a 3-point showdown

[LittleBrave]

If they lose, I'll be disappointed but not surprised and won't think any more or less of the season.

I feel a bit different.
Implications of winning this game:
1) We take every game seriously (especially before the big game on Sat.) unlike previous years when we don't come ready to play or didn't play as hard as the other team for half of the games.
2) I think we'll be a bit deflated going into the Michigan game after a loss that is very winnable.
3) A 5-1 start could mean we win more games before we enter Valley play than we did ALL of last season!
4) More confidence when it comes to playing on the road in the Valley

[Gary the Gargoyle]

I feel a bit different.
Implications of winning this game:
1) We take every game seriously (especially before the big game on Sat.) unlike previous years when we don't come ready to play or didn't play as hard as the other team for half of the games.
2) I think we'll be a bit deflated going into the Michigan game after a loss that is very winnable.
3) A 5-1 start could mean we win more games before we enter Valley play than we did ALL of last season!
4) More confidence when it comes to playing on the road in the Valley

Fair enough. I certainly don't disagree with your points.

[SFP]

Gary - are you in the camp that this year to you has less to do with W-Ls then on seeing improvements and picking up a few great recruits. That's the camp I'm in. I want to see each player improve and also see if the team is building some sort of identity that will take the team concept to the next level. I know one thing when this team passes the ball unselfishly and bears down on D it is much more enjoyable to watch.