40 days and 40 nights

[Da Coach]

No, I am not referring to the Biblical flood.

The 2007-2008 college basketball season officially begins 40 days from midnight tonight!

Is anyone excited about this year? There are a lot of unknowns. Here are just some of the questions I have been asked or have heard fans ask--
Will Daniel Ruffin be able to lead this team to the top of the MVC without proven scoring from the forwards? Will he be acknowledged as the top point guard in the MVC? How many assists will he average now that he will be the only point guard on the floor most of the time?
Will the new big men be able to defend and rebound as well as the big men we had the last 2 years? Will they be able to stay out of foul trouble, as Zach and POB sometimes couldn't?
Will Jeremy Crouch be ready to resume his play as the best shooter in the MVC, and maybe among the top shooters in the NCAA nationally?
Will Sam Singh finally stay healthy and contribute?
Will Matt Salley step up and become a senior leader of this team?
Will we get production from our junior college transfers like Jim Les always seems to get?
Will the freshmen get much playing time? Will there be any of them who will redshirt? Let's hope injury doesn't force any of them to redshirt.
Is anyone else looking forward to watching Theron Wilson, David Collins, Rashad Austin and Ty Cole-Scott play? I know I am.
I have been hearing great things about all 4 of these juco kids. In scrimmages, Theron Wilson and Ty Cole-Scott have been scoring in big numbers. I have heard it said by someone who has watched the team scrimmage, "I can't believe David Collins wasn't a bigger scorer in juco". He is extremely athletic, as are all of the juco kids.

Can't wait!

[BU Bill]

Of course I am excited. But I got excited before every season, even the 20+ loss years in the past.
This team is truly Jim Les' team. Noboby can try to diminish his accomplishments by saying he doesn't deserve all the credit because of the players he inherited or that some of the credit goes to Chuck Buescher.
Usually, your chances of success in the Valley dependes on the strength of your guards. And that is Bradley's strength this year.

40 days and counting! Let's go Braves!

[Biff]

With a lot of new players and new coaches, there have to be some question marks and uncertainties. We can't afford any injuries to key guys. The tough schedule will help prepare them for the conference race.
I dug up the scoring stats from last year in the MVC.--

http://sports.yahoo.com/ncaab/stats/bycategory?cat=Fielding&conference_id=21

The only returning players in the top 10 are Ruffin and Crouch.
There are 4 returning big men in the top 25 scoring last year, Coleman, Falker, Matt Shaw, and Levi Dyer. They all should have good years, again. But there are few top returning guards other than Ruffin and Crouch. I think this may be the weakest the MVC has been in quality guards for a few years. There is no Tatum, Young, Funk, Ahearn, Jacobson, Moss, etc. It's possible the top scorer this year could be between Ruffin and Crouch. The only other returners I see in obvious running for All MVC might be PJ Cousinard, Josh Young, Gabe Moore, or Jason Holsinger. Just about every other team has big holes to fill. Should be fun! Let's roll!

[tornado]

I share your feelings, DC, and I think I have as much or more anticipation this year than in most years in recent memory. Mostly because of the talented bunch of recruits JL has brought in.
The one I am most anxious to see is the son of the guy in my avatar. In just a short time, and after seeing some video clips, plus Sam's game in Bloomington at the IBCA All Star game, and also seeing several scrimmages this summer, I have to say he is going to be fun to watch.
FOUR FULL YEARS ago right about this time, I made the BOLD prediction about Daniel Ruffin, that
"he'd be an impact player for Bradley in his very first year and by the time he was finished in the Valley he'd be the best PG by far."
In fact, these very words of my prediction were my avatar on the board that I was posting on back then, and it was shocking how many anti-Bradley people attacked me for making such a bold prediction.
Now-- entering his senior year, he is the NATION'S LEADER among ALL active point guards, in career assists.
I actually feel DRuff was the best PG even over the past couple season and he has another chance to prove it again this year.

Here is the ultra-bold prediction I will make about Sam Maniscalco after seeing him now several times.
I believe he will be one of the best 5-6 PG's in the entire Missouri Valley in his very first season (and he won't play a ton because of who he has in front of him). And by the time he's been in the Valley for a couple years, he'll be getting talk of POY.
Yup....that's bold, and yet I think he's that good. Sure he could flop or have injuries that prevent his development, but I still believe he'll be as good as Jim Les was!
Let's wait and see but time sure didn't prove me wrong about DRuff!

[Big Mike]

I also cannot wait for the BBall season to get underway! Yesterday while attending the Montana vs St Louis volleyball game @ the fieldhouse I saw TW,DC,WE, and AT all watching from the theatre seats! They were waiting to go work out......RA just finished and was wearing a muscle shirt and he is stout! I talked to the 4 players and it is really exciting to get that much size in one season! I mean..6'5, 6'7,6'9,6'10 and 7' all watching the volleyball game...so I let them know how the fans are really looking forward to the start of the season and were ready to take control of the glass again! The only down side is they all called me SIR.......made me feel old!

[dogsrus]

I also cannot wait for the BBall season to get underway! Yesterday while attending the Montana vs St Louis volleyball game @ the fieldhouse I saw TW,DC,WE, and AT all watching from the theatre seats! They were waiting to go work out......RA just finished and was wearing a muscle shirt and he is stout! I talked to the 4 players and it is really exciting to get that much size in one season! I mean..6'5, 6'7,6'9,6'10 and 7' all watching the volleyball game...so I let them know how the fans are really looking forward to the start of the season and were ready to take control of the glass again! The only down side is they all called me SIR.......made me feel old!

Thanks for the report SIR.......

[MacabreMob]

I just hope we are .500

[tornado]

I just hope we are .500

and maybe good enough to hang with ICC's starting five.

[Big Mike]

IMHO Andrew Warren will have a breakout year........he hasn't been talked about much but look for this to happen!

[ManMythLegend]

IMHO Andrew Warren will have a breakout year........he hasn't been talked about much but look for this to happen!

I've been trying to throw out some love for Andrew. I feel he is going to turn into a great great player for bradley. He showed sparks of promise last year and I think a summer to get stronger and play with the team more will have him surprising some people this season.

-MML

[Braves4Life]

IMHO Andrew Warren will have a breakout year........he hasn't been talked about much but look for this to happen!

...........................Valley POY in 2008-09, IMHO.

[Toyota12]

Andrew Warren

I think Andrew will be a big factor this year and the next 2 years...He reminds me so much of Anthony Parker it is scary...Look at their freshman stats and they are close physically!!

[ph]

Will Daniel Ruffin ......... he will be the only point guard on the floor most of the time?

That (one point guard) worries me. BU has been the best the last 2 years when starting 3 point guards.

What I loved most about the VCU game was how VCU turned up the pressure, and BU did not care, as if BU said "so what".
Early Jim Les teams would of folded "like a lawnchair" under that pressure.

When I saw in the NCAA's that VCU was going to play Duke, I knew that Duke would have fits with that pressure.

[Da Coach]

True, unlike the last 3 years when we had Tony Bennett, JJ Tauai, and Will Franklin on the floor most of the time with Ruffin, this year we won't have as many other guards with PG skills playing at the same time as Ruffin. Ty Cole-Scott has played some PG, so he can fill the role Will Franklin did last year, but I hear he is not as skilled a passer/playmaker as Will was. And Andrew Warren is a highly intelligent player, too, and a very good passer. He lead his high school team in assists, though he didn't play point. I think we'll see Sam Maniscalco on the floor with DR some of the time, too. And don't forget, Jeremy Crouch played a lot of point guard in high school and in AAU.
Coach Les' offense depends on having multiple guys with ball handling and passing skills, and I think we'll be OK with the guys we have.

[Chucky T's]

Even though DRuff will handle the ball most of the time this year, I think we have plenty of guys who will be able to handle full court pressure. JC, A.Warren, Sam M., and TC-S will help bring the ball up....from what I hear W.Egolf and T.Wilson can handle the ball a little too! I don't think we will see to many teams (other than maybe VCU) that will give us problems with a press. Last year, when teams did press BU, the Braves usually got layups or good open looks off of it. I hope that trend continues.