Final: Missouri State 66 Bradley 69

[Bravesfan]

Wow! Hard to describe what I just saw, especially after 4 minutes of the worst basketball of the season! But thank God for Walt, and it made for a fun ending to the game. That said, absolutely NO reason for the game to have gotten out of hand like this, especially at home! NO way we win at Evansville or even in Springfield playing like this.

[Braves2006]

Wow! Hard to describe what I just saw, especially after 4 minutes of the worst basketball of the season! But thank God for Walt, and it made for a fun ending to the game. That said, absolutely NO reason for the game to have gotten out of hand like this, especially at home! NO way we win at Evansville or even in Springfield playing like this.

Agree on every point!

[Bravesfan]

Walt on the postgame show said the team relaxed with the big lead during the last part of the game. Just wondering why it seems to be taking this team so long to learn that you CANNOT relax with a big lead! No coach is going to say to play soft with the game not in hand. So I don't know how many more close losses or lucky wins it will take for the players to get this.

But that said, I'll take the win any day over the alternative. It's the type of win where a team can learn some big lessons from.

[sportsnut2]

This performance is completely unacceptable.

Would you have preferred a performance in which we lost?

To me losing games we aren't supposed to us unacceptable. Winning is acceptable. You think Michigan is talking about how unacceptable their game in Peoria was?

[Bravesfan]

Would you have preferred a performance in which we lost?

I don't think anyone here would prefer we lost. I think it's just the way this team conducted themselves toward the end, and Geno is saying the same thing right now on the postgame show.

[Braves2006]

Agree on every point!

I don't think anyone here would prefer we lost. I think it's just the way this team conducted themselves toward the end, and Geno is saying the same thing right now on the postgame show.

Absolutely. I always want a win! Well said Bravesfan.

[Da Coach]

What a great ending- not quite in the same category as Chris Roberts' amazing 75 foot basket that snatched victory from defeat against Oakland U. in the CIT back in 2009, but Water's heavily guarded 27 footer at the buzzer gave the fans a similar euphoria today! I agree that the Bradley defense disappeared for the last 5 minutes of the game allowing a double digit lead to disappear quickly. Missouri State is not a very good team, and they should have never been that close at the end on our home court. But a win is a win.
Dyricus also had a great game, though he only had 1 steal. He defended Downing extremely well all game. And Shayok had a good game.
Our bigs did not play well today, except for Will's 11 first half points (he was scoreless in the 2nd half), and Shayok's efforts.


Box score-

http://scores.espn.go.com/ncb/boxscore?gameId=330190071

[sportsnut2]

Look up the flu virus. It mutates quickly and last years vaccine is ineffective for each new season
Thus the need for a new vaccine each year. That what makes it work. Its always possible for new strains to emerge and someone who had a shot could still get sick. But that doesn't happen often.
Millions died of flu in the first half of the 20th century.

Can't believe there was actually a conversation on the flu shot DURING THE GAME.

[sportsnut2]

Absolutely. I always want a win! Well said Bravesfan.

Yes, we didn't play our best basketball down the stretch but winning is not unacceptable. Geno just said he's not apologizing to anyone for winning....ugly or not

[tornado]

I thoroughly enjoyed the game - the kids played hard and played well most of the game..
...and to win it on a game winning shot - very fun......and I am happy for the guys & especially for Walt.

..the final 3-4 minutes seemed to be a really bad game plan - one possession we shot a long three from the corner with plenty of time on the shot clock
(at 3:31)...
then we must not have known Thurman can shoot threes - and gave up a bunch of open looks as if we wanted him to shoot them
..and using Jalen Crawford as PG is risky - maybe we're looking for some experience for him so it'll pay off down the road - but where Walt's turnovers are on aggressive offensive moves, Jalen's are very untimely bad passes against the defense.

But - can't worry too much when we pulled it out....I just wish that tremendous defensive intensity would have carried over into the 2nd half -- those early fouls the refs called - especially on will Egolf - really hurt and the guys seemed more timid on defense...



OK - and FWIW - here are a few facts being stated about the FLU and the FLU SHOT - if you disagree - take it up with the CDC's figures that are quoted in all those links

-the flu shot is only 62% effective - nowhere close to 100% effective
-as many as 40% of those who get the flu shot would still be vulnerable if they get exposed
-of the areas seeing a LOT OF FLU CASES - as many as 80% of those getting sick and being diagnosed with the flu - GOT THEIR FLU SHOTS and it obviously did not help them
-and since most who get the vaccine weren't going to get the flu anyway or won't be exposed - and some who get the shot get the flu anyway --
that means that 95% or more (as much as 98%) who get the shot - for them it wouldn't have mattered whether they got it or not the outcome was not changed
-although numbers are up from last year - which was a historically LOW year for flu - they are not really excessive when copmpared to past averages...and most people under 80 who are reasonably healthy are at very low risk of severe sequelae from the flu

http://www.king5.com/health/Early-reports-show-2012-flu-vaccine-is-effective-187336941.html

http://www.motherjones.com/environment/2013/01/flu-explained

[Bravesfan]

Absolutely. I always want a win! Well said Bravesfan.

Thanks. And Geno just said that even though we can learn from this game, he'll never apologize for a win. Well said Geno!

[Bravesfan]

Can't believe there was actually a conversation on the flu shot DURING THE GAME.

Well, that's when we all thought Bradley had the game in hand.

[lefty]

I thoroughly enjoyed the game - the kids played hard and played well most of the game..
...and to win it on a game winning shot - very fun......and I am happy for the guys & especially for Walt.

..the final 3-4 minutes seemed to be a really bad game plan - one possession we shot a long three from the corner with plenty of time on the shot clock
(at 3:31)...
then we must not have known Thurman can shoot threes - and gave up a bunch of open looks as if we wanted him to shoot them
..and using Jalen Crawford as PG is risky - maybe we're looking for some experience for him so it'll pay off down the road - but where Walt's turnovers are on aggressive offensive moves, Jalen's are very untimely bad passes against the defense.

But - can't worry too much when we pulled it out....I just wish that tremendous defensive intensity would have carried over into the 2nd half -- those early fouls the refs called - especially on will Egolf - really hurt and the guys seemed more timid on defense...

giving up 46 points in the 2nd half bothers me the most...no reason for that...

I kind of feel bad for JC...he's less of a PG than Walt and gets put into a bad situation...personally I wish we would figure out how to score on the press to get teams out of it...if there aren't any consequences they will keep pressing.

Walt gets turnovers by being aggressive but everyone knows when he's "going in" too....but I'm happy he hit the game winner...

No sign of Bell...hmmmmm

not much of a sign of JP either

SS played really well.....Will did in the first half but really got out of sync in the 2nd....he's got to quit those over the back fouls

DSE was steady all game and played well too

Jake did ok and I'm not sure what happened with TP.....

[lefty]

Well, that's when we all thought Bradley had the game in hand.

you would think we would know better

[Chico]

Would you have preferred a performance in which we lost?

To me losing games we aren't supposed to us unacceptable. Winning is acceptable. You think Michigan is talking about how unacceptable their game in Peoria was?

Just facing facts. Didn't see or hear the game, but when I saw the halftime score I decided to enjoy the Arizona sunshine instead if listening to Dave and Chad. When I got the phone call telling me the final and what transpired I was glad I didn't tune in. I'm sure Michigan was happy with their win at Carver, but I'm also sure they weren't happy with their overall performance against a team they obviously were far superior to.