NIT bound at best

[BI_Brave_alum]

well tonite, ran into a buzzsaw in Creighton, very bad game on our part though. our ft shooting is terrible by the way...

i think the best we can do at this point is NIT. unless we run the tables in st. louis, which doesn't seem possible after tonite's game.

[amckillip]

Ya know, I'm not a pessimist so maybe I don't see it that way, but seriously folks, were out already? Come on, we've still got two huge games left, the MVC tourney, and were out of it? Sorry, I guess the actual FAN in me isn't going to count us out after one loss, when people were saying we were in just before it. So buck up and have a little faith.

[BuBraves55]

gag me.

[BI_Brave_alum]

Ya know, I'm not a pessimist so maybe I don't see it that way, but seriously folks, were out already? Come on, we've still got two huge games left, the MVC tourney, and were out of it? Sorry, I guess the actual FAN in me isn't going to count us out after one loss, when people were saying we were in just before it. So buck up and have a little faith.

hey i'm as optimistic as any of them as i have faith in the perennial losing franchise known as the cubs. I guess I just know when each point of the season when you have to make that decision realistically. i mean would Bradley even have enough marquee wins even with victories in SIU and against VCU? assuming they win out at home...

[ser_solace]

Yeah, several times I was tempted to just shut the radio off. But the fan in me said to stick with them. Just means we've got to win the rest of them. And then the MVC tourney to seal the deal.

[amckillip]

Do we have a choice but to try to do that? I mean no matter what were no lock, but I definitely think an at large would be a possibility.

[MikeCash]

Think about what this team lost from a fifth place squad last year. Subtract Crouch from that in the first half of the Valley season...I still say postseason play of any kind would be a major overachievement.

[Braves4Life]

OVER?!

???‚¬?“'Over'? Did you say 'over'? Nothing is over until we decide it is! Was it over when the Germans bombed Pearl Harbor? Hell, no!???‚¬?? -- John Belushi (RIP)

[Lakeview Brave]

Think about what this team lost from a fifth place squad last year. Subtract Crouch from that in the first half of the Valley season...I still say postseason play of any kind would be a major overachievement.

I agree! We were picked 8th, so not playing on Thursday and making the NIT would be great. Know one thought we would go back to the NCAA this year. The team has overachieved all year and tonight they ran in the a better team. We havent had back to back NCAA berths in 50 + years and this was not the year it was going to happen. Next year my expectations will be much higher. I expect to win or finish in the top two of the Valley and make the tournament. For tonight, Im happy I didnt make the drive from Chicago.

[BI_Brave_alum]

Re: OVER?!

???‚¬?“'Over'? Did you say 'over'? Nothing is over until we decide it is! Was it over when the Germans bombed Pearl Harbor? Hell, no!???‚¬?? -- John Belushi (RIP)

i'm thinking of Airplane II "over under, under over, over, done! "

[thefish7]

I won't give up. But it DID get exponentially more difficult. It was a tough game.... nothing can be doubted... but if BU beats SIU at home, anything can happen. This team got beat tonight, but it is not done. And even if it is, I will watch every game.

[Bravesfan]

Think about what this team lost from a fifth place squad last year. Subtract Crouch from that in the first half of the Valley season...I still say postseason play of any kind would be a major overachievement.

I agree! We were picked 8th, so not playing on Thursday and making the NIT would be great. Know one thought we would go back to the NCAA this year. The team has overachieved all year and tonight they ran in the a better team. We havent had back to back NCAA berths in 50 + years and this was not the year it was going to happen. Next year my expectations will be much higher. I expect to win or finish in the top two of the Valley and make the tournament. For tonight, Im happy I didnt make the drive from Chicago.

I agree 100%. I think the NIT would be a great accomplishment. However, here's what needs to be done before that. We have to win Saturday night at ISU, no ifs, ands or buts about it. They have upset a few people, but we are infinately better than they are. So while this would not kill our postseason changes entirely, this would be an embarassing loss, even on the road.

Now, the next five games will be difficult since four of them are on the road. But we have to beat ISU and Drake at the very least during these next five, then take care of business at home against UNI and In St to finish with a 19-12 record, and more importantly, a good shot at a first round home game in the NIT. We would have a 10-8 conference record with an outside shot at an at-large NCAA bid, but not very likely since we don't have too many meaty Valley wins outside of SIU and WSU at home. A win at SIU would obviously change things drastically, but realistically will not likely happen. A win in the Valley tourney would clinch a first round home NIT game, which would be a very nice reward for a good year with a fairly depleted team.

Again, we'll shoot for the NCAA Tournament, even if we have to win the Valley tourney to get there. But if not, the above scenerio is something the fans of Peoria should be proud of, going into the next few seasons with the talent we have coming in.

[tornado]

Given most people's predictions of a team that would have trouble finding anyone who could score, and an 8th or 9th place Valley finish, I also could be happy with the NIT, however.

Does anyone recall where Bradley was on Feb. 1, 2006?

The Braves were just about to head to Missouri State and Indiana State where successive losses would give BU a conference record of 7-7, and an overall record of 13-9.
Bradley's 7-7 conference record gave us 6th place, but we were 3 full games out of 4th place, and four games out of 2nd place.

Presently, Bradley is 6-6, but only one game behind 3rd place MSU, and 3 games out of first. BU only has to play one road game the rest of the waty against a team with a winning record, and still has winnable road games at UE and ISU.
I am still not jumping ship on my hopes that BU can finish as one of the top 3 teams in the Valley and go into the MVC Tournament on a roll.

[it's boogie time]

After the Illinois loss, I basically thought this was an NIT team. Defensive rebounding has kept this team from being an at large team. They've had peaks and valleys during the season. Last night was a valley and if BU loses on Saturday I think it is safe to say that would be rock bottom.

Bradley is only a game up on the race to stay out of Thursday. Those threes better be falling in Redbird Arena.

[Guinness]

When it comes to UNI, Missouri, and Creighton we dont have a chance.