Watch Tramique Sutherland live - Hill College vs. Western Texas

[Toyota12]

recruiting

There is truth in what you say, but the bottom line is other schools that have a lot less going for them than BU get it done, and there is simply no excuse that is acceptable for failure.

Who has a lot less going than us? I think every school in the valley other than Wichita are on an even playing field based on a few things. You can talk about facilities everyone but Loyola have good facilities, education everyone can provide that depending on what the student is looking for. So now what do kids look for playing style and playing time a family atmosphere etc. I think we are all the same it is the MVC they are hopefully looking to play in. IMO nobody is less than us in this league.

[Da Coach]

Really? Have you ever visited Evansville? I have talked to Steve Merfeld, and he told me he had to have recruits arrive at night, and he picked them up at the airport in a car with tinted windows, drove them to campus, then drove them back at night to avoid having them see the horrendous condition and poverty that exists in that city around their campus. The campus itself is no gem either.

No school has better facilities, and offers a better education than Bradley. Sure you can find some things, but overall, Bradley should be able to recruit the same players anyone else gets.
It seems we now have changed the ground rules. People used to say the coach is responsible and excuses like this and injuries, etc, could not be accepted. Now it appears we allow excuses for failure.

[tornado]

Bradley is coming off a stretch where we invested $100 million in athletic facilities....we built championship teams & NCAA teams in the 90's & 2000's with crummy facilities - then we move to the big time where the very recruits themselves were saying they were wowed on their trips to BU and had never seen better facilities...

BTW - as you might recall - lots of people found ammo for criticism that we didn't "cash in" on our Sweet Sixteen run like every other school does...
(but then a lot of changes were forced upon the basketball program right afterwards like Athletic Director fired and assistant coaching staff revamped..)

well, guess what - after nearly a decade of being one of the MVC's frontrunners - UNI capped it in 2010 with a Sweet Sixteen run...
but their facilities and frostbite location pale in comparison to ours and they have immediately followed their Sweet 16 run with FOUR straight mediocre seasons with no NCAA bid.
Indeed their own fans are discouraged and their Athletic Director supposedly has already said if they get called by the CBI, CIT they will say no.

[Toyota12]

Really? Have you ever visited Evansville? I have talked to Steve Merfeld, and he told me he had to have recruits arrive at night, and he picked them up at the airport in a car with tinted windows, drove them to campus, then drove them back at night to avoid having them see the horrendous condition and poverty that exists in that city around their campus. The campus itself is no gem either.

No school has better facilities, and offers a better education than Bradley. Sure you can find some things, but overall, Bradley should be able to recruit the same players anyone else gets.
It seems we now have changed the ground rules. People used to say the coach is responsible and excuses like this and injuries, etc, could not be accepted. Now it appears we allow excuses for failure.

Have you drove within 2 blocks of our campus? Face the fact it is a ghetto! I was making excuses for the staff. I know JL had the same problems recruiting admin. etc. All schools are offering a quality education depending on what the student athlete is looking for and it will be free!IMO it is more level of a playing field than you want to admit when it comes to facilities and education. These kids are looking for playing time and style to fit their game.I know you love BU and so do i, but we are not we think we are any longer based on a few things i heard this weekend from an AD in this league in his opinion. We are in for a tough long ride in his view. He said he liked GF thought he was a good coach and also really liked JL. All he would say is tough spot for both of them to be in!

[Da Coach]

I have spent plenty of time on Bradley's campus, and I have toured the new facilties. I can attest they are as good or better than any other MVC team. And the biggest factor that disputes your idea is that none of the other MVC schools have been getting recruits that are rated significantly better than Bradley's. The problem is that the ones we are getting never develop into the players our staff projects them to be.
Somehow other schools appear to be evaluating their recruits better so they fit and perform in their systems better, and they develop them better than we appear to do. Hopefully that will change.

I am not saying this applies to you, but the apologists can't have it both ways- they can't keep telling us how we are a "light or two" better, or keep telling us what great recruits we are getting ("stellar" recruiting class), what great, unprecedented athleticism and depth we are developing (see the entire Nov. 2013 HOOPS section filled with articles of praise by DR and KW), or that we have multiple transfers that are "difference makers", and then the same people complain that we don't have any talent.
Just one of many such recent articles-

http://www.pjstar.com/article/20140307/SPORTS/140309149/10962/SPORTS

[tornado]

Lots of schools are close to "ghettos" - go look at SLU and a couple of the Chicago schools....

But.....BU isn't even close to any "ghetto" part of the city - in fact, with Campustown, the development of the soccer field, Bradley Park, and Moss Avenue homes surrounding the Bradley campus - it's not nearly as bad as some urban campuses.

[tornado]

The schedule on the NJCAA Nationals does not start 'til next Monday...and Hill College plays next Wednesday 3/19

[bradleyfan124]

DePaul is not in the greatest of neighborhoods

[cpacmel]

DePaul is not in the greatest of neighborhoods

Isn't DePaul in the middle of Lincoln Park?

[cpacmel]

There is no reason for the President to meet with a recruit until they are signed if you know what I mean!! That is ridiculous. Let people do their jobs!

Actually this happens more than you might think. I know our last President, Al Bowman, would often meet with recruits on visits. I have also heard that some recruits appreciate this, as it makes them me special that the most powerful person at the college is making time to spend with them.

[molar50]

I thought this post was about Tramique Sutherland. By the way, the campus of Bradley has vastly improved in appearance the last 10 years and the neighborhood is safe enough that I frequently walk the area from Campus Town to Western to Moss Ave. The area north of Main by Bradley Park is relatively safe, but the area north of Main east of University has had a history of crime, esp McDonald's. Slowly this area is getting better, east of University along Main St.

[Chico]

As an ex West Peorian, I can tell you the neighborhood has changed and not for the better. Walking from Campstown to McDonalds after the sun goes down by yourself isn't the safest thing to do.

[tornado]

The NJCAA Nationals are under way..
in the first game #16 seed New Mexico Junior College beat #17 seed NE Oklahoma A&M 79-62

Currently playing: #9 seed South Plains (who Tramique's team beat to get to the Nationals) leads Cape Fear 30-19 midway through the 1st half.

Tramique's Hill College does not play until Wednesday, but here's a good article about their team

http://hillsbororeporter.com/rebels-break-year-drought-reach-tourney-p17508-54.htm

edit - update - South Plains leads 35-27 with 6 min to go 1st half

[Da Coach]

BU recruit Roderick Lawrence is having a big game for South Plains. There are lots of D1 coaches scouting the NJCAA Nationals.

[tornado]

high scoring 1st half...still 3 min to go and South Plains up 45-38