Arch Madness- #8 seed Bradley vs. #9 seed SIU at 5:00 pm Thursday, 3/4

[bigjimmy]

Wardle gave SIU props for their execution and pointed out how poor our execution was. He thought player leadership was lacking this year. The young players have to grow and mature. He talked about the sacrifices they made to be able to play this season and that he was very proud of them to get through it. Brian also said that someone had tested positive for Covid this morning and they thought they were heading home until it turned out to be a false positive. I'm sure that didn't do their emotional state any good. Obviously we are going to have a reset in the program between now and November. I know we're all disappointed in how this season ended but no one is more disappointed than the guys and the coaching staff. I want to thank them all for finding a way to get through this extraordinary season and am proud of the guys who made it all the way to the end. We certainly have things to work on this off season but I trust Brian and his staff and the players will be able to GET ER DONE!

[Dubl R 1]

Well think about this. The team started going downhill when boya went out. I love Mast potential but lets be real he ain't a no.1 type guy. Still good enough to be a future 1st team all valley but not to have the offense run thru him imo.

I disagree with this. If anything he should get the ball more on the block. We missed several opportunities to get him the ball on the post, yet as a freshman, at the valley tourney, with little help and the entire starting BU 5 from the beginning of the season out he puts up 24 and 10... WOW

Those are big time #’s for a freshman.. I think we can run an offense thru that for sure.

[Tommy]

I disagree with this. If anything he should get the ball more on the block. We missed several opportunities to get him the ball on the post, yet as a freshman, at the valley tourney, with little help and the entire starting BU 5 from the beginning of the season out he puts up 24 and 10... WOW

Those are big time #’s for a freshman.. I think we can run an offense thru that for sure.

I'm with you on that, Dubl R. Every aspect of Mast's offensive game is superior. He just knows how to put the ball in the basket. And he's turning out to be quite a rebounder, as well.

I look forward to a full year with a healthy Boya in at center so Mast can move to the 4. Boya, Mast, and Henry down low would be a formidable lineup. Add East and Ville at the guard slots and you're looking at a potentially exceptional starting 5.

[LittleBrave]

Well think about this. The team started going downhill when boya went out. I love Mast potential but lets be real he ain't a no.1 type guy. Still good enough to be a future 1st team all valley but not to have the offense run thru him imo.

Right - it's hard to win with really 1 option inside in Mast (a Freshman might I add, and looking to become a darn good one!).
We need Boya, Mast, and Ja'Shon healthy next year and I'm sure we'll see some improvement in Hannah! The key is keep 'em healthy.

The guard play is where we need to really step up.
We have East, but would be nice to get another PG to give him a spell, and I'm not sure AT is the answer.
I'm not sure Ville is a guy I want to be starting and truthfully (as much as I like Ville) I don't think he is good enough to be playing more than 25 mpg. Kent still needs time to develop and a big ???? McAdoo - I feel the same as most of us here. Bench guy at best who could play maybe 12-15 mpg and needs to limit his atrocious circus shots!
I'm worried about our guard play!

Defensively, our allowing teams to shoot so well from behind the arc is the biggest bugaboo. We play really hard defensively no question!

No shame tonight though. We didn't have the firepower that SIU had.
We move on and look forward to what's ahead for next year!

[LittleBrave]

Add East and Ville at the guard slots and you're looking at a potentially exceptional starting 5.

With the kind of season Ville had, he's really going to have to work out some kinks to be considered a solid guard in this league. He's not a quick guy, but pretty smart...I love that kid and hope this offseason will be a good one for his mind and have a breakout Junior season.

I don't see a GREAT starting 5 for next season at this point, but it we can have a very good 10 I'd take that!

[AZ BU Fan]

Cue the orchestra BU MBB fans. Time for another dose of inspiration for next year's BU MBB team & season...

Climb every mountain
Search high and low
Follow every byway
Every path you know

Climb every mountain
Ford every stream
Follow every rainbow
'Till you find your dream

A dream that will need
All the love you can give
Every day of your life
For as long as you live

Climb every mountain
Ford every stream
Follow every rainbow
'Till you find your dream

(Climb every mountain)
(Ford every stream)

Climb every mountain
Ford every stream
Follow every rainbow
'Till you find your dream

Climb every mountain
Ford every stream
Follow every rainbow
'Till you find your dream (climb every mountain)

Ford every stream
Follow every rainbow
'Till you find your dream

[AZ BU Fan]

The sun will come out
Tomorrow
Bet your bottom dollar
That tomorrow
There'll be sun!

Just thinking about
Tomorrow
Clears away the cobwebs,
And the sorrow
'Til there's none!

When I'm stuck in a day
That's gray,
And lonely,
I just stick out my chin
And Grin,
And Say,
Oh

The sun will come out
Tomorrow
So ya gotta hang on
'Til tomorrow
Come what may

Tomorrow!
Tomorrow!
I love ya
Tomorrow!

You're always a day away

When I'm stuck in a day
That's gray,
And lonely,
I just stick out my chin
And Grin,
And Say,
Oh

Tomorrow!
Tomorrow!
I love ya
Tomorrow!

You're always
A day
A way!

National Anthem of BU MBB fans everywhere!

[LittleBrave]

AZ BU - I was on a high last year after we won b2b in St. Louis - at the highest point ever as a fan.
A year later it's a bit different feeling - not even back down to the base of the mountain, but a little lower.
We'll climb back up and maybe have our feet above ground-level again!

[Tommy]

With the kind of season Ville had, he's really going to have to work out some kinks to be considered a solid guard in this league. He's not a quick guy, but pretty smart...I love that kid and hope this offseason will be a good one for his mind and have a breakout Junior season.

I don't see a GREAT starting 5 for next season at this point, but it we can have a very good 10 I'd take that!

Yeah, Ville didn't have a great year, but BU as a whole had a terrible year. Much harder to get open when you don't have Eli and Ari in there, and I'd consider this a sophomore slump. I believe Jeremy Crouch had a similar performance in his sophomore year, didn't he, and he ended up being pretty good for us.

Can't say it enough though, if we don't find a big to back up Ari, I think it'll be a tough year next year.

[BUfan39]

Yeah, Ville didn't have a great year, but BU as a whole had a terrible year. Much harder to get open when you don't have Eli and Ari in there, and I'd consider this a sophomore slump. I believe Jeremy Crouch had a similar performance in his sophomore year, didn't he, and he ended up being pretty good for us.

Can't say it enough though, if we don't find a big to back up Ari, I think it'll be a tough year next year.

I think Ville will be fine. He was a focal point this year and wasn't able to quite make the adjustment. Hopefully we can find another shooter (Hickman maybe) to open things up a bit more for Ville. I really would like to see his biggest leap this offseason come on the defensive side of the ball. He must get better there because he was a turnstile most of the year. Nate wasn't great defensively early on either, but became a lockdown defender as he got older so it can happen.