The official "Beat the Shockers" thread

[BUSongwriter]

OK, what has to happen for BU to shock the Shockers, and the nation?

I'll offer two thoughts:

1) We have to shoot lights out on 3s....60 percent at least. It hasn't happened, it shouldn't happen against this team, but it has to happen Tuesday night.

2) The crowd has to inspire and carry the team, and maybe get us some homer calls. It was so good to see the students last night. Even though I suspect they were given them, I liked the signs -- the lemon with 25, the giant X, the Swop sign, even the KaBoom gargoyle signs. Make more for Tuesday, Bradley marketing! I recommend one with ESPN large that spells out End Shockers' Perfection NOW!

What do other optimists and dreamers on this board think?

[bula-bloom]

Two things we can do

Here's my two:

1) Residual Smoke from Gargoyle Introduction -- we wear gas masks

2) Some nasty food poisoning outbreak at WSU Hotel

But Seriously, how close is it to a sellout and do you think it will sellout -- hard for me to believe with their record and publicity that it won't sell out.

[LittleBrave]

Would be a shame not to get 10,000 in the seats for this one, especially since we are gonna have a legit shot to beat these guys.
I am believing it more and more.

[LittleBrave]

And I don't think it's gonna take a near perfect game to beat the Shox. We need to exceed their intensity and take smart shots. Rebound well like we have most of season, and not allow them to go on 1 or 2 big runs.

[battlebasset]

Need to play with the attitude of "Nothing to lose" We are expected to lose this one. There will be no shame in losing. Let's go crazy, and give ourselves a chance to make some history! This is not the game to play conservatively!

[Rick LeHew]

Would be a shame not to get 10,000 in the seats for this one, especially since we are gonna have a legit shot to beat these guys.
I am believing it more and more.

We have a 0% to 1% chance of beating this team (So you say we have a chance), but how does that Kool-Aid taste? Marshall hates us and will not let up. He will have WSU fired up to stay undefeated and get a #1 seed. Line should open at WSU a 20-point favorite.

[bigjimmy]

I am really trying to see if we have any chance of beating Wichita. Really trying. Hard. Wichita averages 76 and gives up 61. BU scores 64 and gives up 66. Wichita averages 74% from 1, 45% from 2 and 34% from 3. A 3rd of their shots, 541, come from 3 point land. We shoot 69% from 1, 42% from 2 and 32% from 3. Wichita has made 566 FT's. We have shot 576 FT's. Wichita has 376 assists and 292 turnovers. WE have 284 assists and 359 turnovers. The one category we do lead them in is steals as we have 202 to their 199. Wichita's core 4, Cleanthony Early, Fred Van Fleet, Tekele Cotten and Ron Baker, are as good as any starting 4 in the country. I have said it all year, when your 4 best players are also your hardest workers it makes you hard to handle. If you go by the statistics Wichita should blow us out. But as Mike Ditka once said, "Statistics are for *****s". It will take our best defensive effort of the year to have a chance. Just can't put them on the FT line. And we can't commit the unforced, stupid turnovers that we're so fond of. In the few close games they have had Wichita hasn't panicked or lost their composure. They realize that they have a chance to make some history. It's time for our guys to make some history too.

[Da Coach]

The Las Vegas betting sites have not yet posted an official line for the game.
However, other sites do list the favorites

One lists Wichita State is a 14 point favorite
Another lists them as 15 point favorites.

This betting site currently has the line at 18.5 points (down from an opening spread of 19.5 points)-

http://www.oddsshark.com/ncaab/bradley-wichita-state-odds-january-14-2014

Here is another one that sets the line at 19.5 points-

http://sportschatplace.com/college-basketball-picks/2014/01/14/wichita-state-shockers-vs-bradley-braves

And another one that started at 20 points, and is now down to 18.5 points-

http://linemakers.sportingnews.com/matchup/college-basketball/201401140648/bradley-braves--wichita-state-shockers

Another 20 point line-

http://www.capperspicks.com/blog/ncaa-basketball/bradley-vs-wichita-st-basketball-betting-predictions-preview-14114/

[AZ BU Fan]

I guess BU should just forfeit vs WSU then. Why risk injuries before winnable game in Des Moines vs Drake?

If BU players (seniors/JC trsfrs) try to win going one on one, and, abandon team play, it could get ugly.

All BU has to do is continue to run the old picket fence play..



A team having no chance, tell that to TCU fans....

1. @ TCU 62, No. 5 Kansas 55 – 2/6/13
Records at the time: TCU (9-12, 0-8 ), Kansas (19-2, 7-1)
KenPom Ranking differential: 265 (TCU 278, Kansas 13)
Spread differntial: -24 (Kansas -17 favorites)

You don’t need to look at the stats to know that this was the ugliest, most shocking upset of the 2013 season. TCU, a school with almost zero basketball pulse or identity, defeated one of the nation’s top teams and most legendary programs.

Kansas had not lost back-to-back games in 264 contests dating back to the 2005-2006 season. On the flip side, the Horned Frogs have mustered just two winning seasons in the past decade.

Kansas scored just 13 points in the first half, their lowest single half total of the season, and finished with 55 points, another team low for the season.

Prior to Wednesday night’s game, TCU had lost eight consecutive games and had not won since beating 3-18 SWAC bottom-feeder Mississippi Valley State by just three points on the same court.

This was not just the biggest, ugliest and most shocking upset of the season, but one of historic proportions.

That's why they play the games...

Just what makes that little old ant,
think he can move that rubber tree plant
Anyone knows an ant can't
Move a rubber tree plant..

But he's got high hopes
He's got high hopes.
High apple pie in the sky hopes....

[LittleBrave]

Thank you AZ for not dampening hopes of winning. I am pretty realistic about a team's chances to win.
That's why I do well in Valley Pick 'em from year to year.
And I watch less league games than most on this site, and still know this conference...maybe not as well as some.
Anyone who doesn't think...or believe..we have a slim chance to win ANY home game in any given year, sorry you feel that way
And have fun sitting at home knitting socks that say "Shockers rock my Socks!" instead of watching a potentially great college hoops game on Tuesday night! Yiou think ANY of the Braves believe we can't win this game? Seriously don't even bother watching it if there's 0 to 1% chance! These seniors deserve for faithful Braves fans to back 'em up 100% and I'm choosing to believe we have just as good a chance as WSU to win this one. Crush the stats! This one's all about heart, and deep down inside, our guys who have worked hard in their basketball careers to get a chance to play in a game of this magnitude -to make history - just might will this team to win.
Walt, Tyshon, and Auston are not guys that are gonna back down in a fight...and it is rumored even JP.
I firmly believed before conference play that Shockers would be undefeated to this point (and that has happened), so staying firm in my belief that Tuesday night is Bradley's time!

[LittleBrave]

Yeah, I have a chance to eat crow after the game, and I'm not gonna stew for hours after the game if my feeling was nothing more than that, but I just can't doubt this feeling of an upset coming...not based on logic of any sort, but all it takes is 1 night where the better team has an off night and the underdog rises up out of nowhere and stays determined until they get the knock out punch.
I'm not saying to go out and bet the farm on BU on Tuesday night, but just wanted to share my personal hope for our team to have that moment we wait patiently for as faithful fans who stick with this team year after year, longing for better.

[Tulsa Brave]

The Las Vegas betting sites have not yet posted an official line for the game.
However, other sites do list the favorites

One lists Wichita State is a 14 point favorite
Another lists them as 15 point favorites.

This betting site currently has the line at 18.5 points (down from an opening spread of 19.5 points)-

http://www.oddsshark.com/ncaab/bradley-wichita-state-odds-january-14-2014

Here is another one that sets the line at 19.5 points-

http://sportschatplace.com/college-basketball-picks/2014/01/14/wichita-state-shockers-vs-bradley-braves

And another one that started at 20 points, and is now down to 18.5 points-

http://linemakers.sportingnews.com/matchup/college-basketball/201401140648/bradley-braves--wichita-state-shockers

Another 20 point line-
http://www.capperspicks.com/blog/nca...preview-14114/

Most of those links are from the January game in Wichita. The Shockers already covered that spread. All the smart money in the world will be on Bradley if the official line is greater than 13 for the game in Peoria.

[Da Coach]

Oops, sorry. Yes, all the links are from the January 14 game in Wichita.
The other 2 lines, the 14 and 15 point spread, are for tomorrow's game. That explains why there is such a difference.

[Rick LeHew]

...... Seriously don't even bother watching it if there's 0 to 1% chance!....

REALLY.... I went to the Duke game when there was a 0% to 1% chance of winning? I have a chance to watch last year's final four team and undefeated /#2 in country this year and you want me to work on filling my sock drawer??? I will be there watching a great team show Bradley what they should try and be in 3-4 years!!

[LittleBrave]

REALLY.... I went to the Duke game when there was a 0% to 1% chance of winning? I have a chance to watch last year's final four team and undefeated /#2 in country this year and you want me to work on filling my sock drawer??? I will be there watching a great team show Bradley what they should try and be in 3-4 years!!

Good for you man. I will look for you behind Marshall wearing yellow and black. I will stick behind the Braves 100%, and have at least a glimmer of hope that our team can do something special despite an overall disappointing season. I surely wouldn't want to watch the game if I'm expecting a pasting, but hope you enjoy the Shockers beatdown tomorrow night. It's not like I expected Bradley to win at their place. In fact, I did a write-up in which I thought the Shox would cover the 20 point spread, which they did pretty handily until the last part of the game.