Crouch return?

[bradley09jdubs]

First off I want to say that it was nice seeing JC warm up with the team again...means that he's making progress. But the thing I noticed about JC during warm-ups was how he couldn't really jump as high as usual. He was hitting most of his shots, but I wouldn't count on him playing Wednesday agains Ill. State. I know that they will keep him from playing until he is at least about 90% good to go at full speed. I would hate to see him go down w/ another injury because he wasn't healed all the way!!!

Also one of the better first halves I've seen Bradley play! Great game and a great comeback by ZA from the last game!

Go Braves!

[Big Mike]

While we're handing out Kudos......I think MS needs to get some pub for playing very solid the last few games.....he is becoming everything I wanted from a post player !

[Da Coach]

Matt is very unselfish. He could have looked to get his own points tonight, but he saw that Zach and others were hot, and did not try to score. He got a bunch of rebounds in the first half (8 I think?), and then played great defense and a limited role on offense in the second half. To win consistently, you need guys like Matt and JJ who are not concerned about their stats.

[shaunguth]

More Kudos......let's not forget about DA!

28 minutes...5/9 from the field (all 3-point attempts)...15 points

[Big Jim]

So when will Jeremy return?

[Big Mike]

Rumor is JC is cleared to play but is not 100% yet.....if he plays too-soon he could be lost for the season....so he might dress for the WED isu game but more likely play next week-end to give the knee enough time to rest.......by the way he did complete a full-workout with a little tenderness afterwood!

[Big Jim]

Do not rush it.

[IlliBraves]

I think we can school ISU without JC anyway !

[Big Mike]

You are right JB....and welcome to the board! I also worry that bringing JC back too-soon would be like Phillip Gilbert or Anthony Parker when they came back! Both player's struggle with their game and never fully recovered for those seasons! Losing JC for the year would spell disaster IMO and set up the Braves for a tough go @ the Valley tourney with a short bench! 3 bench players right now and as the season wears on will not be enough and JC back enables the Braves 1 more player to use as needed! The better we play the longer he should sit IMO....let him come back as close to 100% as possible!

[BTID]

I think we can school ISU without JC anyway !

We already did--in Terre Haute! Actually, the only certainty about Wednseday's game is that a team in red and white will win. If the Redbirds handle Drake today, especially with ease, they will come into Peoria brimming with confidence. It's too bad FSN or ESPN don't latch onto this series--it's as intense as any in college basketball.

Also, not to throw cold water on Jeremy's pending return to the lineup, but we lost at Northern Iowa, Tennessee Tech, and Michigan State badly with him in those games . I've been amazed with Bradley's ability to play pretty decent stuff with him on the bench. I too hope we can improve on our performances whenever he returns. For as well as he can shoot the ball at times, I'm impressed with his defensive intensity.

[That Guy]

[quote=BTID][quote="IlliBraves"

We already did--in Terre Haute! Actually, the only certainty about Wednseday's game is that a team in red and white will win. If the Redbirds handle Drake today, especially with ease, they will come into Peoria brimming with confidence. It's too bad FSN or ESPN don't latch onto this series--it's as intense as any in college basketball.[/quote]

I wouldn't say that the rivaly is as intense as any in the nation. For this to be the case, it actually has to be competitive, a la Duke -UNC...

[BTID]

[quote=That Guy][quote=BTID]

I wouldn't say that the rivaly is as intense as any in the nation. For this to be the case, it actually has to be competitive, a la Duke -UNC...

I'll just counter that with a stat mentioned during yesterday's Washington State blowout of Washington. Last year, the Cougars only won 4 Pac-10 games, but two of them were against Washington! I think that had to make their students and alums feel pretty good knowing that they had a lousy team which happened to beat their biggest rivals twice, and those rivals ended up in the Sweet 16 and just an overtime away from an Elite 8 appearance.

[Big Mike]

Maybe I'm alone on this but.......the team I want to beat the most has gone from isu to Siu. .....cannot stand them......I want to beat them more than anything...to me these 2 games should be on ESPN.........because you know it will get physical!

[dogsrus]

Maybe I'm alone on this but.......the team I want to beat the most has gone from isu to Siu. .....cannot stand them......I want to beat them more than anything...to me these 2 games should be on ESPN.........because you know it will get physical!

The team I always want to beat badly is the next one....in this case its ISU.

[MacabreMob]

Maybe I'm alone on this but.......the team I want to beat the most has gone from isu to Siu. .....cannot stand them......I want to beat them more than anything...to me these 2 games should be on ESPN.........because you know it will get physical!

I NEVER want SIU to be on ESPN because they make the MVC look so offensively challenged.