BU's record and where it will take them?

[georgethedog]

Before anyone lashes at me for looking ahead, I know, take them one game at a time, blah, blah, blah...

Ok, BU is 7-3 (can't count the DII game) and if they win Saturday, they will be 8-3. There are 18 conference games and a Bracketbuster game left. If BU goes 10-8 in the conference (a couple road wins and one home loss) and then wins the Bracketbuster, BU would be 19-11 going into the conference tourney. Let's say they go 1-1 in the tourney. Where would 20-12 put them? The RPI would probably be around 40-45 I would guess depending on who they beat and where. I think they would need to win 2 tourney games to get to the NCAA. This year could be a very similar to last year going into the conference tourney with a couple wins getting BU to the NCAA and an early exit earning an NIT bid. If either scenario comes true, I would have been entirely wrong about this year's team and be very happy that I was wrong! Go BU!

[Da Coach]

If your scernario plays out, then Bradley would have about a 50/50 chance of getting an NCAA at-large bid. Just like last year, and every year, for "bubble teams" it would depend on how many upsets occurred in conference tournaments, and thus how many "one-bid" conferences get more than 1 bid. There is no way to predict how it wil turn out. The only sure way to secure a bid, IMO, would be the obvious one of winning the Valley tournament, or having 20 wins and either finishing 1st or 2nd in the league, or making it to the Sunday championship game like last year.

[MacabreMob]

It's gonna depend on some other key factors:

Bad losses

Good wins

How we finish in the last 10 games.

Currently - (right now) we have a bad loss at TennTech - ranked 180 in the RPI. And we have a good win against Loyola, 32 in the RPI.

[thefish7]

I think one thing that helps us is last year. Seems to me like the NCAA likes to invite teams that played (well) in the previous season. I would think that a 20-12 record would get us a bid, especially with 1 or 2 wins in the tourney.

[tornado]

I agree, which I think is why UNI got one of the four MVC bids last year even though their play in the stretch run was bad, they lost a lot of games in the late season, their RPI was way worse than Missouri State's, and they also got bounced in the very first game of the MVC tourney, yet they
got an NCAA bid while Creighton and MSU didn't.
I agree it was their performance the past few years.
Basically their reputation preceded them, even though the NCAA Selection Committee would have you believe the selection process is as absolutely scientific as it can be.

[BradleyBrave]

I think one thing that helps us is last year. Seems to me like the NCAA likes to invite teams that played (well) in the previous season. I would think that a 20-12 record would get us a bid, especially with 1 or 2 wins in the tourney.

I think it's just as important, if not more important to look at losses than wins. I don't think a 12 loss BU team gets in unless it makes the final of the MVC Tournament again, and even then I think it's close. 10 or 11 losses, and I think we have a fantastic shot.

[dogsrus]

Hate to be a debbie downer but I see us losing a minimum of 3 games at home with 3 road wins putting us @ .500 which isn't to bad all things considered.

Big key is getting ZA back on track.....

[BradleyBrave]

Hate to be a debbie downer but I see us losing a minimum of 3 games at home with 3 road wins putting us @ .500 which isn't to bad all things considered.

Big key is getting ZA back on track.....

So far the only teams who have shown me they could come into Carver and win are WSU and SIU, and both of those teams aren't invinceable.

I would take .500 in the MVC. I think we can do a couple games better...and a couple games worse.

[Majik45]

I agree, which I think is why UNI got one of the four MVC bids last year even though their play in the stretch run was bad, they lost a lot of games in the late season, their RPI was way worse than Missouri State's, and they also got bounced in the very first game of the MVC tourney, yet they
got an NCAA bid while Creighton and MSU didn't.

UNI beat MSU in the quarterfinals of the Valley tourney last year. UNI then lost in OT to SIU in the semi's. I think UNI got in over MSU because of the win down in St. Louis. They took the 4 teams that advanced to the semi's from the Valley.

[BUBraves2006]

Hate to be a debbie downer but I see us losing a minimum of 3 games at home with 3 road wins putting us @ .500 which isn't to bad all things considered.

Big key is getting ZA back on track.....

So far the only teams who have shown me they could come into Carver and win are WSU and SIU, and both of those teams aren't invinceable.

I would take .500 in the MVC. I think we can do a couple games better...and a couple games worse.

So then who else is going to beat us here? I think we play incredibly well at Carver and I just don't see us losing many at home. It's a huge advantage and I don't think it should be underestimated. Except for SIU, I haven't seen anyone play as relentless defense as the Braves. When it comes down to selection time, winning at BU, WSU or SIU should be considered a "marquee win" even if the Big BCS bad boys don't wanna give that credit.

[Grassman]

BU REcord and where it will take them

I have the Direct TV sports package and have seen games many posters do not get.
Observations:
1.While SIU has a tremendous defense, at least at this point in the season they CANNOT score. Except for 1 game, Tony Young has all but disppeared, Mullins never could score, Falker is traveling all over the place and getting into foul trouble. They have to look at the erratic Shaw and dependable Tatum for points!
Also, their bench except for that 1 guard, (Creason?) is really weak, especially Boyle and Foster.
Get Falker in foul trouble, as was the case at Arkansas and Indiana, and they are TOAST.I would be suprised if they beat us here.
2. Without Dotzler at 100% Creighton is really weak at the point. Isaac Miles is not getting it done. As a result their offense lacks continuity. At this point they are beatable.
3. Missouti State is good, but does not Barry always screw them up?
4. Wichita State is the real deal and the ONLY school that has a legitimate shot at Brooming us.

[MacabreMob]

Re: BU REcord and where it will take them

I have the Direct TV sports package and have seen games many posters do not get.
Observations:
1.While SIU has a tremendous defense, at least at this point in the season they CANNOT score. Except for 1 game, Tony Young has all but disppeared, Mullins never could score, Falker is traveling all over the place and getting into foul trouble. They have to look at the erratic Shaw and dependable Tatum for points!
Also, their bench except for that 1 guard, (Creason?) is really weak, especially Boyle and Foster.
Get Falker in foul trouble, as was the case at Arkansas and Indiana, and they are TOAST.I would be suprised if they beat us here.
2. Without Dotzler at 100% Creighton is really weak at the point. Isaac Miles is not getting it done. As a result their offense lacks continuity. At this point they are beatable.
3. Missouti State is good, but does not Barry always screw them up?
4. Wichita State is the real deal and the ONLY school that has a legitimate shot at Brooming us.

Agree with #1 and #2.

#3 Barry may screw them up each year but then he seems to get them in gear late making a big surge at the end. Thankfully, we host them early on.

Totally agree with #4.

[Bravesfan]

Re: BU REcord and where it will take them

I have the Direct TV sports package and have seen games many posters do not get.
Observations:
1.While SIU has a tremendous defense, at least at this point in the season they CANNOT score. Except for 1 game, Tony Young has all but disppeared, Mullins never could score, Falker is traveling all over the place and getting into foul trouble. They have to look at the erratic Shaw and dependable Tatum for points!
Also, their bench except for that 1 guard, (Creason?) is really weak, especially Boyle and Foster.
Get Falker in foul trouble, as was the case at Arkansas and Indiana, and they are TOAST.I would be suprised if they beat us here.
2. Without Dotzler at 100% Creighton is really weak at the point. Isaac Miles is not getting it done. As a result their offense lacks continuity. At this point they are beatable.
3. Missouti State is good, but does not Barry always screw them up?
4. Wichita State is the real deal and the ONLY school that has a legitimate shot at Brooming us.

Agree with #1 and #2.

#3 Barry may screw them up each year but then he seems to get them in gear late making a big surge at the end. Thankfully, we host them early on.

Totally agree with #4.

I was going to say that maybe MSU would be a second team with the potential to beat us at Carver. But getting them early in the season does help our chances!

Now I'm more concerned where we get these three road wins. I think winning at UNI is a possibility with a new coach and that being the first conference game for both teams. I still like our chances at either Evansville or Indiana St, though I don't think we win both. Illinois St is as close to a gimme road win as we have. And you can't count out wins at one or more of SIU, Creighton or Drake, if we play the tenacious defense we are capable of, and if the three's go down.

Based on these observations then, I could see us theoretically winning anywhere from one to five road games, depending on our confidence and play. Of course as I said last year, Bradley should realize the basket and the court are the same size on the road as they are at home, so if they remember how they won at the Valley tournament and the NCAA tournament, they may win more road games than we think!

[dogsrus]

Last nite we were cold early and everytime I looked at the scorebaord we were up 8-10. As Whitsell pointed out they were "lucky" to be so close.

Our defense kept us in it and the guys just kept attacking on offense.

Loyola is a lower middle pack (6-7) MVC team IMO. Beats 5-10 at home and picks up 3-4 roadies.

Not convinced our D is THAT good that we can afford to start that slow in the Valley. I wish ZA was improving at the same rate MS was/is....I would feel much better.

The crowds could be the X factor and should grow come Valley season. I wish they would do another paint it Red for the opening game.

Hmmmmmm.....

[BradleyBrave]

Last nite we were cold early and everytime I looked at the scorebaord we were up 8-10. As Whitsell pointed out they were "lucky" to be so close.

Our defense kept us in it and the guys just kept attacking on offense.

Loyola is a lower middle pack (6-7) MVC team IMO. Beats 5-10 at home and picks up 3-4 roadies.

Not convinced our D is THAT good that we can afford to start that slow in the Valley. I wish ZA was improving at the same rate MS was/is....I would feel much better.

The crowds could be the X factor and should grow come Valley season. I wish they would do another paint it Red for the opening game.

Hmmmmmm.....

I'd rather they save the 'red out' for a game where we'll really need the crowd, say Wichita St on January 20. We shouldn't need a 'red out' to beat Evansville.