2006 NCAA Basketball: Bradley stuns Kansas

[BRAVE82]

Here ya go...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tLrf5McSWHg

[Da Coach]

Here ya go...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tLrf5McSWHg

I never get tired of watching that. For the entire game, Kansas was thoroughly outplayed and outcoached. Watch the passing by Bradley throughout the whole game. They constantly had the more athletic Kansas players lunging at the wrong shooter, or failing to make the defensive switches allowing easy or open shots. And Bradley outhustled the higher seeded KU the whole game.
For anyone who doesn't have time to watch the whole game, there are three sequences that I find impressive and worth watching-
1) The last 4 minutes of the first half, Bradley was losing 27-26, but then scores the last 11 points of the half to open a 37-27 halftime lead, capped off by a 27-foot three pointer by Will Franklin at the halftime buzzer.

2) Then, starting at about 16 minutes left in the game and for the next 7-8 minutes of game time, Bradley sustained a double digit lead most of that stretch with great shots and defense, despite the efforts of the Kansas team to come back. Bradley subbed their reserve players during that stretch, while Kansas stayed with their starters, and it didn't make any difference.
Danny Adams didn't play much in the game because of the mismatch with the big, athletic Kansas guards, plus he was never known as the top defender. But there was a stretch starting at 11:24 left in the game for a couple minutes where Danny (#32) is called on to guard Kansas All-American Brandon Rush on several possessions, and he did a terrific job.

3) Then Kansas made one more run starting with a little over 6 minutes left. They closed a 13 point Bradley lead down to 3 points, but the Braves did not choke. They hung on, made their free throws,and played terrific defense to win 77-73.
There couldn't have been any question in anyone's minds who the better team was that game. Everyone in red played unbelievably well!

[Tommy]

What a fun game to watch. Thanks for posting and curious who made it out to that game?

Best parts:
1. BU winning
2. Bill Self losing
3. Daniel Ruffin - one of my favorite Braves of all time

[BRAVE82]

Great observations, coach. Kansas had one last spurt left in them before the Braves regained control. And just to prove it wasn't a fluke, we won the next game too. Heartbreaking that this year's close knit team didn't get the chance to shock the world again. Tommy... Daniel Ruffin, forget about trying to press him. Too good of a ball handler, and way too quick.

[Tommy]

Tommy... Daniel Ruffin, forget about trying to press him. Too good of a ball handler, and way too quick.

No doubt about it, buddy! He was so fun to watch, and seems like one of the nicest guys you'd ever meet, too! Still in Peoria, I believe? Maybe Coach can confirm that for us?

[braves16]

UNI stuns Kansas 10 years ago today.

https://twitter.com/MCFick

[Mikovio]

This Bradley team made ESPN's "All Time NCAA Tournament Bracket for the past 25 years"

https://www.espn.com/mens-college-basketball/story/_/id/28917935/picking-all-ncaa-tournament-bracket-25-years

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[Mikovio]

Also, Les's 2017 UC-Davis was a 16 seed.

[Chico]

We watched that game at a bar in Mesa, Az. A group of Kansas fans came in and when they saw our Bradley shirts one of them ask her where Bradley was. He said they never heard of Bradley before. I told them they looked old enough to remember the 50’s and 60’s. He then said he was just kidding. They were all pretty mouthy before the game started. After the game they all came over and congratulated us and wished BU luck.

[Da Coach]

I had a different experience. I was at the game in Auburn Hills on Friday, March 17, 2006 in seats I bought off StubHub and was sitting a few rows behind the Kansas bench near a bunch of well-to-do Kansas fans. They referred to Coach Self as "Bill" and used first names for all the players. They were all nicely dressed and the women wore a lot of fancy jewelry, which told me they were probably some of the big-money boosters. They obviously expected to win easily, and got more obnoxious and cursed at the officials as they game went on. After Bradley won, the women were crying and the men were angry. I asked a group that hung around after the game if they were interested in selling their tickets to the Sunday game, and they told me "go to h**l". They were not pleasant people.

[Tommy]

I love a feel good story with a happy ending!

[patrick_o'brian]

Can anyone find the 2006 game against Pitt? I watched the Kansas game on YouTube and the Sweet 16 game against Memphis but I can’t find the 2nd round game against Pitt anywhere.

[Da Coach]

I have not been able to find it online anywhere.

[houstonbrave]

I don’t see BU vs Pitt online anywhere but there are DVD’s of the game available on Amazon if you are desperate. I was actually looking for an online version before I remembered I had purchased the DVD long ago.

[LittleBrave]

Can anyone find the 2006 game against Pitt? I watched the Kansas game on YouTube and the Sweet 16 game against Memphis but I can’t find the 2nd round game against Pitt anywhere.

I was thinking the same - actually have thinking about it every day since Saturday!
The KU-BU game was great, but didn't compare to the BU-Pitt game. That was such a thrilling game and what a moment after we won, with the players into the stands, swarmed by the faithful Braves fans!