Final: BU 63 UIC 62

[JMM28]

...but count me a bit cynical in thinking that with virtually everyone coming back
and numerous open scholarships to bring in whatever we needed to improve from last year --
That 100% of the BU fan base fully expected us to be better.

Actually virtually everyone coming back did not give me much confidence in BU being better. The guys leaving actually made me feel better about BU improvement than the guys coming back.

Older does not = better. However this team has well exceeded my expectations for the year in the W/L columns.

And they have an outside shot of one of those magical 20 win seasons!

[Rusty 54]

Did anyone notice that if TP had not gone to the floor and punched the ball out to Shayok, who kicked it back to Lemon in the final seconds, we never would have seen that ending?
Many heros at the end, including TP who was just fierce as ever snagging those offensive boards and determined to do something with it.

Pickett played like a man on fire when he came in at the end.

In the second half Walt missed a 3 early in the schot clock and then went off as well. Could tell he was not about to lose a game in Chicago.

[it's boogie time]

In my opinion, there are four guys on this team with talent to play well in the Valley. This roster needs an infusion of talent. Pickett is the only guy that can get a rebound in a crowd. I don't know how a college roster doesn't have a three point shooter.

[Bravesfan]

I am happy we are improved - and even if we weren't that wouldn't have affected my devotion - and Bradley is very fortunate to have fans that are loyal.....many schools' attendances (ISU, WIU, NIU, DePaul, etc..) see their home attendances drop by OVER 50% when they hit a bad losing stretch!!!

...but count me a bit cynical in thinking that with virtually everyone coming back
and numerous open scholarships to bring in whatever we needed to improve from last year --
That 100% of the BU fan base fully expected us to be better.
The issue isn't only that we are better - but are we enough better to satisfy two things...1) better on paper and stay out of Thursday & the proud and longtime Bradley fans' desires to be that also translates into more enthusiasm & better crowds...and yet aren't we setting all time low marks on tix sold for St. Louis??

then add to that we were bad enough last year trying to get going with an all new coaching staff that it would have been next to impossible to have done worse...and that our schedule it undeniably way, way weaker...
then I guess time will tell if we improved enough compared to expectations....
Given it looks strongly like we'll still be playing as a bottom-four seed and that we're setting records on low crowds - we may still have a ways to go...
The last thing any school would want to do under those circumstances would be to make moves that alienate even more fans..

I think I agree with you on most of these points Tornado, but I still don't get your point regarding how it would be impossible to be better this year, which I know you have posted numerous times before. Would it have been better if we didn't improve? Of course we improved somewhat "by default", but you have to start somewhere. And I think Bradley's total win count this year has exceeded what most people had expected, though by no means are most people satisfied as this being the ultimate goal. Of course everyone wants Valley championships in the near future, and everyone especially will not be happy if we end up playing on Thursday night again. But I am looking at the total number of wins over last year, and 17 or 18 certainly is a lot better than 7. And even if we end up playing on Thursday night again, we have a good shot of at least 8 wins, which may not be good enough to keep us out of Thursday night if for no other reason than the Valley is very deep this year with every team claiming at least one win over one of the top 4 teams. That may be the real reason why we don't climb above 7th place this year.

And I don't agree that our schedule is that much weaker this year. Sure we ended up playing a couple of more sub 300 teams, and Virginia Tech and especially South Florida did not pan out like a lot of people thought they would. But considering last year we were losing to 300 RPI teams at home like Loyola, at least we are beating these teams this year, Drake on the road notwithstanding. And besides, the Valley schedule more than offset a lot of the earlier weak competition we played. We also beat a top 100 team in Indiana St. along with a few 101 to 150 RPI teams at home. So I consider that a nice improvement over last year. Now will we improve over this season next year with all the new players coming in to replace some good seniors? I will definitely agree that I am a little concerned as to how well things will start off next season. But I can see this team in contention for an NCAA Tournament spot within two years, which considering where we just came from would be terrific!

[LittleBrave]

I think the general pattern has been that our short bench plus the adjustments THE OTHER TEAM makes in the 2nd half are what kills us.

Seriously?
We have made great adjustments in several games this season to come out on top, including the last game.

The home games vs. ISU-blue, Evansville, ISU-red are examples of half-time adjustments being made and resulted in wins.

Why do we need to make adjustments at halftime in games that we're winning? If it ain't broke, don't fix it.

[tornado]

.. but I still don't get your point regarding how it would be impossible to be better this year..

so if you look at Bradley when we're 7-25 or a game or two over .500, and conclude "it just isn't possible to have been any better"..
Thus you don't have a lot of hope we're going to win any key games and then you are stoked about finishing at the bottom of the league??

I am not - I look at this team, and firmly believe they are better than the record indicates...and that we can and should be competitive in every game that we should NOT accept or be happy with losses - especially double digit and 30pt losses - and I want to see them finish strong and win several games...

[Braves4Life]

so if you look at Bradley when we're 7-25 or a game or two over .500, and conclude "it just isn't possible to have been any better"..
Thus you don't have a lot of hope we're going to win any key games and then you are stoked about finishing at the bottom of the league??

I am not - I look at this team, and firmly believe they are better than the record indicates...and that we can and should be competitive in every game that we should NOT accept or be happy with losses - especially double digit and 30pt losses - and I want to see them finish strong and win several games...

Huge difference...

2012-13

Missouri Valley W-L GB PCT W-L PCT STRK
Wichita State 12-4 -- .750 24-5 .828 W5
Creighton 11-5 1 .688 22-7 .759 L1
Northern Iowa 10-6 2 .625 17-12 .586 L1
Indiana State 9-7 3 .563 17-11 .607 W1
Evansville 8-8 4 .500 16-13 .552 W2
Illinois State 7-9 5 .438 16-13 .552 L3
Bradley 7-9 5 .438 16-13 .552 W1
Missouri State 6-10 6 .375 9-20 .310 W1
Drake 6-10 6 .375 13-15 .464 W2
Southern Illinois 4-12 8 .250 12-16 .429 W1



2011-12

Missouri Valley W-L GB PCT W-L PCT STRK
Wichita State 16-2 -- .889 27-5 .844 L1
Creighton 14-4 2 .778 28-5 .848 W7
Illinois State 9-9 7 .500 20-13 .606 L1
Evansville 9-9 7 .500 16-15 .516 L1
Northern Iowa 9-9 7 .500 19-13 .594 L1
Drake 9-9 7 .500 17-15 .531 L1
Missouri State 9-9 7 .500 16-16 .500 L5
Indiana State 8-10 8 .444 18-14 .563 L1
Southern Illinois 5-13 11 .278 8-23 .258 L7
Bradley 2-16 14 .111 7-25 .219 L6

[BorntobeBrave04]

so if you look at Bradley when we're 7-25 or a game or two over .500, and conclude "it just isn't possible to have been any better"..
Thus you don't have a lot of hope we're going to win any key games and then you are stoked about finishing at the bottom of the league??

I am not - I look at this team, and firmly believe they are better than the record indicates...and that we can and should be competitive in every game that we should NOT accept or be happy with losses - especially double digit and 30pt losses - and I want to see them finish strong and win several games...

I dont quite understand why such high expectations are being leveled on this year. We esssentially added some serviceable frontcourt depth with TP and WE back from injury and have seen our two best guards mature and carry us for much of the season. Going from 7-25 to where we are now seems reasonable given those two circumstances.

As the saying goes Rome wasnt built in a day...I prefer to give it more than one true year with a new coach and system to assess where we really are. I am enjoying being more competitive and how hard this team plays - especially compared to last year. It is certainly progress and justifies some faith that Geno knows what he is doing.

I am all for high expectations, but I think most would agree this year has definitely been refreshing and stands as solid progress.

[lefty]

I dont quite understand why such high expectations are being leveled on this year. We esssentially added some serviceable frontcourt depth with TP and WE back from injury and have seen our two best guards mature and carry us for much of the season. Going from 7-25 to where we are now seems reasonable given those two circumstances.

As the saying goes Rome wasnt built in a day...I prefer to give it more than one true year with a new coach and system to assess where we really are. I am enjoying being more competitive and how hard this team plays - especially compared to last year. It is certainly progress and justifies some faith that Geno knows what he is doing.

I am all for high expectations, but I think most would agree this year has definitely been refreshing and stands as solid progress.

It's a way of blaming the current coaching staff...nothing more

[tornado]

Lefty - don't be so harsh - it's his job - he's only stirring the pot...

Kirk Wessler on Geno's coaching...
"Last summer, shortly after he was hired to fix this mess, Ford told me that if the team sucked
and I wrote that the team sucked, he would have no problem with that
... it??™s time to take him up on that....Bradley sucked...."

[lefty]

Lefty - don't be so harsh - it's his job - he's only stirring the pot...

Kirk Wessler on Geno's coaching...
"Last summer, shortly after he was hired to fix this mess, Ford told me that if the team sucked
and I wrote that the team sucked, he would have no problem with that
... it??™s time to take him up on that....Bradley sucked...."

Well I wasn't really talking about KW....

[Braves4Life]

Kirk Wessler on Geno's coaching...
"Last summer, shortly after he was hired to fix this mess, Ford told me that if the team sucked
and I wrote that the team sucked, he would have no problem with that
... it??™s time to take him up on that....Bradley sucked...."

I love the way you interpret words and assign your own meaning t?

[Old Coach]

Seriously?
We have made great adjustments in several games this season to come out on top, including the last game.

The home games vs. ISU-blue, Evansville, ISU-red are examples of half-time adjustments being made and resulted in wins.

Why do we need to make adjustments at halftime in games that we're winning? If it ain't broke, don't fix it.

"Halftime adjustments" is the most over-used expression uttered by fans. Ask any coach (including Geno Ford), and they'll tell you that the coaching staff is constantly making adjustments throughout the entire game.

[wily coyote]

It's a way of blaming the current coaching staff...nothing more

Couldn't agree more . Most of us know what he was getting at but you hit the nail on the head for those who didn't get it.

[JMM28]

It's a way of blaming the current coaching staff...nothing more

Exactly.