Final score: SIU 65 Bradley 57

[Da Coach]

Next game- Bradley (15-11, 9-5) at Southern Illinois (13-13, 6-8 ), Tuesday, Feb. 15, 7 pm
The game is on ESPN+ : https://www.espn.com/watch/player/_/...arId/401368193
Live stats- https://siusalukis.com/sidearmstats/mbball/summary
Chat room- www.chatzy.com/bradleyfans

Bradley beat SIU 70-62 in the earlier game in Peoria (Jan. 22)-
Recap- https://bradleybraves.com/news/2022/...ois-70-62.aspx
Box score- https://s3.amazonaws.com/sidearm.sit...llinois_62.pdf

SIU website- https://siusalukis.com/sports/mens-basketball
SIU schedule/results- https://siusalukis.com/sports/mens-basketball/schedule
Stats- https://s3.amazonaws.com/sidearm.sit...mbined_mbb.pdf

Bradley stats- https://s3.amazonaws.com/sidearm.sit...1/pdf/cume.pdf

MVC stats- http://www.mvc.org/mbb/stats/confstat.htm

Standings- https://mvc-sports.com/standings.aspx?path=mbball

[BUfan14]

This is the remaining game that has me most nervous. Missouri State is a road game and probably not an expected win, but if we get it great. The other two games we "should" win if we play our game and don't let up. This game I believe we should win, but it is a in-state rival on the road. They are the one Valley team that is sort of in the middle. Other than them the conference has pretty much separated into top half and bottom half. Coming off two big home wins we need to stay focused and play our best basketball to get this one. This game could be huge for our final standing position.

[patrick_o'brian]

I don’t want to jinx us but in the last 10 years we’ve only had double digit conference wins once. That was 11-7 in 2019-20 when we defended our Arch Madness Championship. Let’s finish strong! Go BU!

[Tommy]

I don’t want to jinx us but in the last 10 years we’ve only had double digit conference wins once. That was 11-7 in 2019-20 when we defended our Arch Madness Championship. Let’s finish strong! Go BU!

I know who I'm blaming if we lose out.

[Bradley3342]

I don’t want to jinx us but in the last 10 years we’ve only had double digit conference wins once. That was 11-7 in 2019-20 when we defended our Arch Madness Championship. Let’s finish strong! Go BU!

Take one game at a time and don’t look ahead. You’re right in finishing strong and keep doing what we’ve been doing.

[The Old Guy]

The Des Moines Register has an article that states that AJ Green MIGHT be transferring to Iowa State. Not sure whether that is FACT or FICTION, but I wouldn't be surprised.

[Da Coach]

The Des Moines Register has an article that states that AJ Green MIGHT be transferring to Iowa State. Not sure whether that is FACT or FICTION, but I wouldn't be surprised.

Here is that Des Moines Register article-
https://www.desmoinesregister.com/st...hl/6708215001/

And note that the writer says:
Is there even a small chance that AJ Green transfers from Northern Iowa to Iowa State for his final college season?
Let's just say I would be shocked if this happened.

His father, Kyle Green, was the top assistant under Ben Jacobson for several years, and that is why A.J. committed to UNI when he had offers from bigger schools like Virginia and Minnesota. But last March, Kyle Green left UNI to take an assistant job at Iowa State under T.J. Oetzelberger. There was speculation then that Green might transfer to Iowa State to follow his father. But he decided to stay at UNI. But he is having a great season and would be able to transfer and be eligible immediately. And there are other reasons why he might consider transferring. I wouldn't be surprised if he did transfer, since players often want to play at the highest level, which he can. We'll have to wait and see if it happens.

[Go_Braves]

His father, Kyle Green, was the top assistant under Ben Jacobson for several years, and that is why A.J. committed to UNI when he had offers from bigger schools like Virginia and Minnesota. But last March, Kyle Green left UNI to take an assistant job at Iowa State under T.J. Oetzelberger. There was speculation then that Green might transfer to Iowa State to follow his father.

I say - AJ Green has achieved virtually everything that he can achieve at Northern Iowa. And the unanswered question is how would AJ Green do in a power conference - and there is only one way to find out. What a opportunity to go play on a team with his father as an assistant coach. Iowa State knows exactly what they were doing - adding Kyle Green as an assistant. I'll bet AJ heads to Iowa State this summer. We'll see.

[braves16]

AJ is in his 4th year of college and is 22 years of age. He has already had surgery on both hips. I say its time to go overseas and make some money because he won't be in the NBA.

[Da Coach]

AJ is in his 4th year of college and is 22 years of age. He has already had surgery on both hips. I say its time to go overseas and make some money because he won't be in the NBA.

I'm not saying Green is NBA material, but people said that about Fred VanVleet, and now he's an NBA All-Star and has an NBA Championship ring.
Green is probably on track to graduate this year, so if there is a good time to transfer, it might be this year. I don't know and won't predict what he will do. He's an elite shooter, something that always attracts interest from the NBA, however, the one thing he hasn't proven in college is whether he can score consistently and defend against the high-major types of opponents, like he'd face in the Big 12. The Big 12 is the #1 conference in RPI this season, and has multiple NBA-caliber guards.
Recall that A.J. Green declared for the NBA in April, 2020, after being named the MVC Player of the Year, but eventually returned to UNI.

I wouldn't be surprised if some of the NBA people he's talked to have advised him that he needs to prove he can play consistently against pro-quality guards, and may have suggested that transferring would be one way to do that.

Patrick O'Bryant wouldn't have been a lottery pick in 2006 (9th pick overall), IMO, and maybe wouldn't have even been a 1st rounder if he hadn't had those 2 dominating games against Kansas' Sasha Kaun (2008 2nd round pick) and Pitt's Aaron Gray (2007 2nd round pick) in the NCAA Tournament with NBA scouts looking on. Just by proving his skills in a pair of impressive games against NBA caliber big men, he moved himself up in the draft and made himself a few million bucks.

Here is an article from two years ago by the UNI beat writer for the Des Moines Register who got some comments on Green's game and NBA potential from a couple NBA draft experts-
https://www.desmoinesregister.com/st...ll/3039384001/

A few of their comments about A.J. Green-
>> “He's a reliable shooter with great touch, which you can gather from his near-40% accuracy from three last season. But what really stands out is his 91.7% free-throw shooting. Scouts often use free-throw shooting as an indicator of future success shooting from three as opposed to current success shooting from three. So the fact that AJ has above-average shooting from beyond the arc and elite free-throw shooting numbers — top-10 nationally last season — bodes well for him in terms of his proposition as an offensive weapon."

>> "He’s somebody who’s certainly worth tracking right now because of the incredible shooting ability. He was one of the better high-volume pull-up jump shooters this season. In terms of what he needs to improve, he needs to show he can defend at the next level. He’s going to have to prove he can take on tough assignments.

>> "He needs to become more of a distributor and someone who makes really good passing decisions, in addition to just being the unbelievable shooter he is."

>> "There are some limitations to his game and to his upside. He's not the most athletic guard, and the decision-making could use some improvement. But basketball moving the way it is now, there's always space in the game for an efficient scorer who can knock down shots from limitless range. He's certainly got that in his bag."

>> “I think he has a shot, at some point, to play in the NBA — just because when you’re that kind of shooter, you always at least get a chance. But I think the benefit here (of him declaring right now) is mostly just him getting an opportunity to get his name out there and get a bit more publicity for what he did this year, because it felt like he didn’t get enough for how good he was this year.”

[ihatetea]

Difference between him and FVV is that playmaker part that is mentioned in the scouting report. He’s a small shooting guard. He wasn’t an NBA level athlete then, and has had another lower body injury since. He’s also an average defender at the MVC level. So he only has one NBA skill. Which is all it takes to get a chance, but I wouldn’t expect him to be drafted after this year. If he goes to Iowa State and averages ~20 he’ll probably get taken in the second round, maybe late first. Idk whether leaving now to go to the g league/euroleage is better than going for another year and hoping to be pick 27. If they league keeps its covid protocols I’d be surprised if he doesn’t get a ten day contract at some point.

[Da Coach]

Difference between him and FVV is that playmaker part that is mentioned in the scouting report. He’s a small shooting guard. He wasn’t an NBA level athlete then, and has had another lower body injury since. He’s also an average defender at the MVC level. So he only has one NBA skill. Which is all it takes to get a chance, but I wouldn’t expect him to be drafted after this year. If he goes to Iowa State and averages ~20 he’ll probably get taken in the second round, maybe late first. Idk whether leaving now to go to the g league/euroleage is better than going for another year and hoping to be pick 27. If they league keeps its covid protocols I’d be surprised if he doesn’t get a ten day contract at some point.

Yes, most of the things you listed were also said about FVV, except the playmaker part, but FVV was not an elite shooter like Green.
And you are right that sometimes going straight to the G-League can still get a player to the NBA. But the odds drop off significantly compared with a kid who a team invests a draft pick in. Personally, I do not think he is quick enough or big enough to guard anyone in the NBA, but I didn't think VanVleet was either. And I didn't think Kyle Korver would play 17 years in the NBA and earn somewhere close to $100 million in his career.
In the end, it doesn't matter what anyone else thinks. If he believes he can play in the NBA and has the drive and dedication, he should go for it. And I think that, all things considered, his chances are probably better if he plays in the Big 12 compared to the MVC.

[Bradley3342]

I like AJ. Green as a player and definitely a scorer but right now all I care about is our Braves being focused for tonight and come home with a 4 game winning streak!

[Jim]

Sure hope ESPN+ has a typo on the date. https://www.espn.com/watch/player/_/...arId/401368193

[bigjimmy]

J. J. Reddick and Kyle Korver both made pretty good livings in the NBA by just being shooters.