Final score: SIU 65 Bradley 57

[LittleBrave]

How in the world we get off to an 11-0 and then play like this.

It's happened like 4 times on the road this season. We need to learn from this so it doesn't happen next season.
It's a young team and I get why it happened.

SIU was HUNNNNNGGGGRRRRRYYY tonight for a win - we were not.
We played very tough and with fight in the 2nd half.

Just can't have any letdowns like this from here on out this season.
Let's close out the season with 3 wins before we get to St. Louis and maybe, just maybe, we snag the #3 seed for 1st time in 2 decades!

[LittleBrave]

This team has surely come a long way, but the one thing we still lack is mental toughness.
That will come with time - hopefully sooner than later so we can make a run in St. Louis.

As much as I'd like to say we are able, I would be surprised if the Braves won Arch Madness this season.
Loyola, Drake, and Mo. State are more mature and have much much more experience as a group.
Hopefully our talent and focus will be enough to overcome our lack of experience and inconsistency on the road.

[Cousins Cuts podcast]

I feel like the 4/5 game would actually not be bad for us. Play Drake who we have already beat twice so we match up well with. Then most likely play Loyola who we have out played as a whole this year. Went to ot in their place. Who knows in the championship but I like our odds to get there if the bracket shaped up like that. As the 3 we'd play siu who just beat us even tho we're the better team. Don't get me wrong I'd like to be as high as possible but our best chance to win might be the 4 or 5

[LittleBrave]

I feel like the 4/5 game would actually not be bad for us. Play Drake who we have already beat twice so we match up well with. Then most likely play Loyola who we have out played as a whole this year. Went to ot in their place. Who knows in the championship but I like our odds to get there if the bracket shaped up like that. As the 3 we'd play siu who just beat us even tho we're the better team. Don't get me wrong I'd like to be as high as possible but our best chance to win might be the 4 or 5

I agree - not terrible to be a 4/5 seed, and let's face it - we won b2b as a 4-seed and a 5-seed.

I don't like how we match up with SIU - I hope we don't play them again.
Also Mo St. I think would beat us in Arch Madness - I think they're the team to beat, thought the Ramblers are everyone's pick to win due to so much experience.
But that's why they play the games!

[LittleBrave]

Is it me or do we play either SIU or Drake every year in 1st round of Arch Madness? LOL

[Tommy]

Is it me or do we play either SIU or Drake every year in 1st round of Arch Madness? LOL

It does seem that way!

I'm curious, why do you think we don't match up against SIU well? I think we match up against them great - we can field a much faster or a much bigger team on the court against them. If we hadn't stopped playing D altogether in the last game, we would have won that one!

I sure hope Loyola gets ousted quickly at the tournament. I'd like to send them off with their tail between their legs!

[Da Coach]

Is it me or do we play either SIU or Drake every year in 1st round of Arch Madness? LOL

It seems that way. So I listed all of Bradley's first round opponents in the MVC Tournament since it moved to St. Louis in 1991.
SIU has been the opening opponent the last 2 years. Drake appears a lot on the recent list (6 of the last 11).
2020-21- SIU
2019-20- SIU
2018-19- Missouri State
2017-18- Drake
2016-17- Drake
2015-16- Loyola
2014-15- Drake
2013-14- Loyola
2012-13- Drake
2011-12- Drake
2010-11- Drake
2009-10- Creighton
2008-09- SIU
2007-08- Creighton
2006-07- UNI
2005-06- Creighton
2004-05- Indiana State
2003-04- Illinois State
2002-03- Wichita State
2001-02- Indiana State
2000-01- UNI
1999-00- Creighton
1998-99- SIU
1997-98- Drake
1996-97- Drake
1995-96- Drake
1994-95- Evansville
1993-94- Wichita State
1992-93- SIU
1991-92- did not qualify
1990-91- Missouri State

[LittleBrave]

It seems that way. So I listed all of Bradley's first round opponents in the MVC Tournament since it moved to St. Louis in 1991.
SIU has been the opening opponent the last 2 years. Drake appears a lot on the recent list (6 of the last 11).
2020-21- SIU
2019-20- SIU
2018-19- Missouri State
2017-18- Drake
2016-17- Drake
2015-16- Loyola
2014-15- Drake
2013-14- Loyola
2012-13- Drake
2011-12- Drake
2010-11- Drake

Thanks a bunch DC! I was going to research earlier, but got tied up with work.

[LittleBrave]

I'm curious, why do you think we don't match up against SIU well? I think we match up against them great - we can field a much faster or a much bigger team on the court against them.

Well, maybe we match up well on paper, but the last 2 years, we have had trouble with the mediocre Salukis (and underachieving Redbirds!)
It's a team I thought we'd beat more than lose, but they've taken 3 of the last 5 from us with the same core of players.

Just seems when we play SIU, you really can't tell who is the better team, though the Braves have more talent IMO.

In the past 3 seasons, we've played them 8 times and only 1 of those was a double-digit winning margin (We beat SIU by 19 in 2020 at Carver, though they had a 3-pt halftime lead).

[BRADLEY FAN 49]

Bad coaching and absolutely 0 effort by everyone. Mast is making me mad. They are playing small and he is not taking advantage in the post. Terry played extremely lazy until the last 2 minutes. Just simply no effort on either end. Absolutely disgusting. I thought we were past this nonsense. I don't care if it's the best team in NCAA history, how do you let them go on a 32-4 run. That might be the worst I've ever seen them play for a stretch in a game

Your first 2 words I believe was the problem in all the games we had a big lead and lost the game. We were out coached each time.
I hate to keep seeing our coach put the blame for these losses on the players, I think at least some of that blame is on the coach.

[Tommy]

Well, maybe we match up well on paper, but the last 2 years, we have had trouble with the mediocre Salukis (and underachieving Redbirds!)
It's a team I thought we'd beat more than lose, but they've taken 3 of the last 5 from us with the same core of players.

Just seems when we play SIU, you really can't tell who is the better team, though the Braves have more talent IMO.

In the past 3 seasons, we've played them 8 times and only 1 of those was a double-digit winning margin (We beat SIU by 19 in 2020 at Carver, though they had a 3-pt halftime lead).

LB, all good points. SIU does seem to give us fits for some reason. I still would not be afraid to see them at the tourney this year. Oddly enough, Missouri State worries me the most right now, even though I think Dana Ford is a horrible coach. They are just a very physical team that is borderline dirty imo. Other than them, you always have to consider Loyola at this point, which I admit surprises me since I thought losing Krutwig and Moser would really damage them drastically, though we honestly should be 2-0 against them this year if not for some HORRENDOUS officiating calls and no-calls at their place.

In the end, if we show up and play defense the way we're capable, nobody can beat us, and if we show up and are laissez-faire, it could be ugly.

[LittleBrave]

In the end, if we show up and play defense the way we're capable, nobody can beat us, and if we show up and are laissez-faire, it could be ugly.

Absolutely! And while TR doesn't need to be a star the way that DB Jr carried us in 2020, he needs to play smarter (stay out of early foul trouble and take better care of the ball).

We are the best defensive team in the Valley IMO when we decide to be. That was the key in both our championships in St. Louis and it will be again this year.
Mo St. scared me the most also. I also think SIU could be a darkhorse in the tourney with their stingy D, but sometimes their O goes stagnant. If they play like they did vs us, they could make a run I think.

[Tommy]

Absolutely! And while TR doesn't need to be a star the way that DB Jr carried us in 2020, he needs to play smarter (stay out of early foul trouble and take better care of the ball).

We are the best defensive team in the Valley IMO when we decide to be. That was the key in both our championships in St. Louis and it will be again this year.
Mo St. scared me the most also. I also think SIU could be a darkhorse in the tourney with their stingy D, but sometimes their O goes stagnant. If they play like they did vs us, they could make a run I think.

Wanna bet? I'll bet SIU is out in the 1st round.