Final score: UNI 86 Bradley 71

[Da Coach]

Bradley's next game is at home against Northern Iowa, Saturday, 5:00 pm at Carver Arena.
Bradley is now 13-5 overall, and 4-1 in the MVC. Northern Iowa is 15-2 overall, and 4-1 in the MVC. They are tied for 1st place.
MVC Standings: https://www.espn.com/mens-college-ba...ngs/_/group/18

The game will be televised on ESPN2, so fans do not need to stream the game to watch. It will also be available on ESPN-
Video Stream also available: https://www.espn.com/watch?id=687ba4...5-c109fdb94c2f

Live stats: https://bradleybraves.com/sidearmstats/mbball/summary
Chat room: http://www.chatzy.com/524398219675

UNI website: https://unipanthers.com/sports/mens-basketball
Schedule/Results: https://unipanthers.com/sports/mens-basketball/schedule
Roster: https://unipanthers.com/sports/mens-basketball/roster
UNI stats: https://unipanthers.com/sports/mens-...-20#individual

Of course, the key player for UNI is sophomore guard A.J. Green. He has the ball most of the time on offense, and takes a lot of shots (255 shot attempts in 17 games, an average of 15 shots per game). By comparison, Darrell Brown, Bradley's most prolific shooter, averages 12 shot attempts per game.
Green averages 19.4 ppg overall, and a whopping 26.0 ppg in their 5 MVC games. The next highest MVC average is Javon Freeman-Liberty at 18.8 ppg.
Green scored a season-high 35 points against Bradley in the game UNI won 69-64 in Cedar Falls on Jan. 4. And he has scored 28 & 29 in their last 2 games.. Here is A.J. Green's game log-

https://www.espn.com/mens-college-basketball/player/gamelog/_/id/4397475/aj-green

Basically, if Bradley can control Green, they can win this game. UNI's two losses came at West Virginia, where Green had his worst game of the season, just 5 points on 2-15 shooting. And they lost at Illinois State in their first MVC game on Dec. 31, and Green had 23 points in that game.
They are a good rebounding team (37.5 rpg) second only to Bradley (41.4 rpg) in the MVC.
And they are a good 3-point shooting team, 38.8% as a team, second only to Indiana State's 39.5%. Bradley is 3rd at 37.6%.

Their other 4 starters are:
6'5" sophomore guard Trae Berhow who averages 14.2 ppg and 47.3% from three, and 4.8 rpg.
6'9" redshirt-sophomore center Austin Phyfe who averages 9.5 ppg and leads the team with 7.5 rpg.
6'1" redshirt-senior guard Spencer Haldeman who averages 9.3 ppg and shoots 35.0% from three.
6'7" senior guard/forward Isaiah Brown who averages 9.0 ppg and 4.7 rpg.
They get limited scoring off the bench.
They are coached by Ben Jacobson in his 14th season as head coach. He has a 281-170 career record.
UNI Historical record- https://www.sports-reference.com/cbb...northern-iowa/

MVC overall stats- http://www.mvc.org/mbb/stats/CONFLDRS.HTM
MVC games only stats- http://www.mvc.org/mbb/stats/CONFONLY.HTM
Bradley stats- https://bradleybraves.com/sports/men...ats#individual

[Tommy]

Jacobson is a great coach, and that record shows it. I sure hope we double up on Green and make sure someone is blanketed on him at all times (Kingsby?). He should NEVER get a clean look unless something goes very wrong on defense.

Definitely will be our biggest game of the year and UNI's road success has been pretty stout, so hopefully our home court acumen is greater!

[Da Coach]

I agree. Green is a terrific player, but the one part of his game that is not so great is his passing game and creating good shots for the other players. Considering he leads the MVC in minutes played in MVC games (36.4 minutes per game), and has the ball in his hands more than any other player in the MVC, he only averages 2.4 assists per game in conference play. That doesn't even rank in the top 10 in league play and is for most point guards would be considered poor. But his scoring makes up for a lack of assists.
Trae Berhow, Isaiah Brown, and Spencer Haldeman have all shot the three ball well, too, so we need to defend the perimeter for all those guys, but especially Green. In MVC games, UNI has shot 41.0% from three, best in the MVC. Plus, their only effective big guy Austin Phyfe, is shooting 61.8%, so he is very efficient scoring when he gets the ball inside. So it will be difficult, but Bradley needs to make Green pass the ball off, and then we have to guard their other players well, because they are all good scorers.

In the game at UNI on January 4, Bradley did a good job defending everyone but Green. Green was 7-13 from three and scored 35 points.
The rest of the UNI team was just 1-13 from three, and the other 4 starters were just 7-28 from the field, and 0-8 from three.
https://bradleybraves.com/documents/...Bradley_64.pdf

If we play the same kind of game as we did at UNI, we will win Saturday, IMO. I'm willing to bet that A.J. Green can't duplicate his 35 point performance from January 4 again.

[pfcmsh]

I agree. Green is a terrific player, but the one part of his game that is not so great is his passing game and creating good shots for the other players. Considering he leads the MVC in minutes played in MVC games (36.4 minutes per game), and has the ball in his hands more than any other player in the MVC, he only averages 2.4 assists per game in conference play. That doesn't even rank in the top 10 in league play and is for most point guards would be considered poor. But his scoring makes up for a lack of assists.
Trae Berhow, Isaiah Brown, and Spencer Haldeman have all shot the three ball well, too, so we need to defend the perimeter for all those guys, but especially Green. In MVC games, UNI has shot 41.0% from three, best in the MVC. Plus, their only effective big guy Austin Phyfe, is shooting 61.8%, so he is very efficient scoring when he gets the ball inside. So it will be difficult, but Bradley needs to make Green pass the ball off, and then we have to guard their other players well, because they are all good scorers.

In the game at UNI on January 4, Bradley did a good job defending everyone but Green. Green was 7-13 from three and scored 35 points.
The rest of the UNI team was just 1-13 from three, and the other 4 starters were just 7-28 from the field, and 0-8 from three.
https://bradleybraves.com/documents/...Bradley_64.pdf

If we play the same kind of game as we did at UNI, we will win Saturday, IMO. I'm willing to bet that A.J. Green can't duplicate his 35 point performance from January 4 again.

Good insights and comments, Da Coach!

I am feeling better about this game after reading it. Our teams in the past, might have "tanked" after the recovery that MoSt made last night. We just do not seem to be susceptible to tanking this year. I've seen this in previous games this season too. GO BRAVES!!

[Da Coach]

Good insights and comments, Da Coach!

I am feeling better about this game after reading it. Our teams in the past, might have "tanked" after the recovery that MoSt made last night. We just do not seem to be susceptible to tanking this year. I've seen this in previous games this season too. GO BRAVES!!

You are right! Recall it started last season in the championship game of the MVC Tournament. Bradley had only 15 points at halftime, trailed 35-17, an 18 point deficit thee minutes into the 2nd half before Luqman Lundy sparked them with 11 quick points in a five minute stretch and Bradley came all the way back to win 57-54. It would have been easy to fold, and I doubt even the Bradley fans would have blamed them, since nobody expected the Braves to make it to the championship game, and UNI was a good team on a roll.

https://bradleybraves.com/news/2019/3/10/mens-basketball-valley-champions-braves-rally-past-uni-for-first-title-in-31-years.aspx

[Dub]

Jacobson is a great coach, and that record shows it. I sure hope we double up on Green and make sure someone is blanketed on him at all times (Kingsby?). He should NEVER get a clean look unless something goes very wrong on defense.

Definitely will be our biggest game of the year and UNI's road success has been pretty stout, so hopefully our home court acumen is greater!

The trouble with Green is that good solid D doesn't always contain him, as he has shown times where he has a special talent to put the ball through regardless. Our defense on him last game was rock solid, and it didn't matter if he was open at all or not. We do our best and live with the results.... and lately the results have been fantastic. Looking forward to Saturday.... two huge home games in a row.

[Go_Braves]

I agree with everything stated here so far.... To bad the students do not need to return until next Wednesday for the beginning of the semester, and that this is the last game of the regular season with Northern Iowa. Way to early for both regular season games to end for these 2 MVC dynamos.

I just hope that there is a "good showing" of fan support at Carver Arena this Saturday, and that DB can get out of his shooting slump.

GO BRAVES !!!

[Tommy]

The trouble with Green is that good solid D doesn't always contain him, as he has shown times where he has a special talent to put the ball through regardless. Our defense on him last game was rock solid, and it didn't matter if he was open at all or not. We do our best and live with the results.... and lately the results have been fantastic. Looking forward to Saturday.... two huge home games in a row.

My recollection of that game was that he had quite a few open looks, at least a few off of screens. Beyond that, they had DB guarding him quite often, and even if he stayed close he gives up 6" to Green, so if nothing else, try someone else on him. With Green's height and quick release, he is absolutely tough to guard, but I think we can do better than we did in the last game at UNI.

[bigjimmy]

Green is a special player. And UNI does a great job in using screens to get him enough daylight that enables him to take advantage. We need to mix things up on defense. Give him different looks instead of the same thing so he doesn't get too comfortable with what he's seeing. He scored 22 of their last 33 points because he got in a groove in the 2nd half because we really didn't give him different looks. Green is also very good in using his non dribbling arm to create room for him to drive and get his shot off. I have a feeling the guys are up for the challenge. Saturday can't get here quick enough!

[Da Coach]

Pregame article from BradleyBraves.com
https://bradleybraves.com/news/2020/...ver-arena.aspx

Note that there is a Bradley Braves Club Pregame Party starting at 3:00 pm at the Pere Marquette

[Go_Braves]

Green is a special player. And UNI does a great job in using screens to get him enough daylight that enables him to take advantage. We need to mix things up on defense. Give him different looks instead of the same thing so he doesn't get too comfortable with what he's seeing. He scored 22 of their last 33 points because he got in a groove in the 2nd half because we really didn't give him different looks. Green is also very good in using his non dribbling arm to create room for him to drive and get his shot off. I have a feeling the guys are up for the challenge. Saturday can't get here quick enough!

Greene is a special player - he has a "soft stroke" / "fast release" confident shot - and reminds me of Hersey.
Here is Greene's stats the last 4 games against Bradley.
UNI Greene vs Bradley.JPG
Wasn't it DLO who was the main Bradley defender against Greene in 2019? I agree that Darrell is giving Greene 6 inches (5'10 Darrell vs 6'4" Greene) - Does anyone think that Henry may do a better job defending Greene at 6'6". I am sure Coach Wardle is aware and considering all of this.

And here is another interesting stat.... Northern Iowa - Trae Berhow is today 5th in the country in 3 point percentage at 47.30 %
(43 / 91) and Bradley's Nate Kennel is right behind him at 6th 47.00 %. (54 / 115) ....

I AGREE BIG JIMMY - Wish I could be in Peoria tomorrow - even with all the cold and snow expected tomorrow January 18th.
But I will be YELLING at my TV set all through the game here in Colorado. I hope despite tomorrow's expected weather there is
a huge crowd and students start to show up even though classes don't start until Jan 22nd. This is way too early in the regular season for both games of these 2 MVC dynamos to already be over.

GO BRAVES !!!!...

[Da Coach]

Bradley lost that January 2, 2019 game in Peoria when Green only scored 10 points. Trae Berhow and Isaiah Brown went 6-10 from three and Bradley was beaten easily.
They won the 2 middle games when he scored 24 & 23, and then lost the bottom game when he scored 35.

I think A.J. Green gets a lot of his shots off screens, and I think Ja'Shon might have a bit more trouble getting around screens than Danya or Darrell.
I think we'll see several of our guards try their turn at guarding him- Danya, Darrell, Antonio, and even Nate, and then we just have to hope he doesn't go off like he did a couple weeks ago.
And a final key is to avoid fouling him. He is the top FT shooter in the MVC and from the stats in the previous post, note that he has not missed a Free Throw against Bradley in his 2 season. In his 4 games against Bradley, he is 17-17. This season, he is shooting FT's at 92.5% (7th in the country), and he's at 100% in MVC games (24-24).

[egib52]

Pregame article from BradleyBraves.com
https://bradleybraves.com/news/2020/...ver-arena.aspx

Note that there is a Bradley Braves Club Pregame Party starting at 3:00 pm at the Pere Marquette

What happens at the pregame parties? I have never been. I was debating swinging over, but I have a game at 6 in Morton so I will likely have to miss the BU game, unless we get more snow.

[Da Coach]

What happens at the pregame parties? I have never been. I was debating swinging over, but I have a game at 6 in Morton so I will likely have to miss the BU game, unless we get more snow.

Here is a description from the Bradley Braves Club
https://bradleybraves.com/news/2019/...announced.aspx

Note that page shows the Pregame Party is from 5:00 pm to 7:00 pm. However, because the game was moved up to 5:00 pm for ESPN2, the Pregame Party is now 3:00 pm to 5:00 pm

[bigjimmy]

I AGREE BIG JIMMY - Wish I could be in Peoria tomorrow - even with all the cold and snow expected tomorrow January 18th.
But I will be YELLING at my TV set all through the game here in Colorado. I hope despite tomorrow's expected weather there is
a huge crowd and students start to show up even though classes don't start until Jan 22nd. This is way too early in the regular season for both games of these 2 MVC dynamos to already be over.

GO BRAVES !!!!...

Go_Braves I hope we all have reason to be yelling and cheering during the game! We really need to try and confuse Green by trying different guys and different defenses on him. Box and 1, full court press, half court trap, match up zone along with our normal man to man defenses are what we should play. I would imagine the 3 1/2 hour drive from Cedar Falls is going to be a lot longer than usual. Hopefully the game will feel just as long to them.