Final score: Bradley 74 Akron 55

[Da Coach]

The game is streamed on ESPN+ - https://www.espn.com/watch/player/_/...4-f582e1428234
Live stats- https://bradleybraves.com/sidearmstats/mbball/summary
Chat room- www.chatzy.com/bradleyfans
Radio/audio stream- WMBD 1470 AM or 100.3 FM

Throwback Thursday game- Bradley will wear Retro Edition uniforms with "script" Bradley on the chest, similar to 1984 uniforms.

https://bradleybraves.com/news/2022/12/21/mens-basketball-bradley-set-to-wrap-up-non-con-play-against-akron.aspx

Bradley is now 8-4 and finishes their non-conference schedule against Akron on Thursday, Dec. 22, at 4 pm.
The Akron Zips are 7-4 and have won their last 4 games, including a 87-55 home win over Maine on Monday (Dec. 19)-
https://gozips.com/documents/2022/12...b-12-19-22.pdf
They are a member of the Mid-American Conference, and they were picked 3rd best in the MAC Preseason poll-
https://getsomemaction.com/news/2022...announced.aspx

Schedule/results- https://gozips.com/sports/mens-basketball/schedule
Roster- https://gozips.com/sports/mens-baske...er?path=mbball
Stats- https://gozips.com/sports/mens-basketball/stats/2022-23

Leading scorer is Xavier Castaneda, a 6'1" fifth-year Covid-senior guard from Chicago Whitney Young HS, and who was a former Bradley recruit.-
https://www.bradleyfans.com/forum/sp...382#post497382
He is averaging 19.8 ppg after scoring 33 points in their game Monday against Maine. He was a 2nd team preseason All-MAC pick.
Their only other double-digit scorer is Enrique Freeman, a 6'7" junior forward averaging 12.4 ppg, and a team-leading 10.0 rebounds per game. He was a 1st team preseason All-MAC pick.
Akron head coach John Groce (former Illinois head coach) plays 4 guards along with one forward the majority of time. The only 2 forwards that get significant playing time are 6'7" Freeman (30 mpg) and 6'9" junior Sammy Hunter (19 mpg). The only other forward who has played this year is 6'7" freshman Amani Lyles (4 mpg).

Bradley stats- https://bradleybraves.com/sports/mens-basketball/stats

[Nashville Cat]

Akron at # 115 in NET.

[Da Coach]

There are already a few cancellations and changes of games scheduled for tomorrow (Thursday, 12/22) due to expectations of snow and severe cold temperatures.
Travel isn't a problem today, but teams are concerned about the return trips tomorrow night or Friday.
Among the changes, UNI's men's basketball game in Cedar Falls against St. Bonaventure was originally scheduled for Thursday night, but has been moved to tonight-

https://twitter.com/BettsSportsBeat/status/1605227147202887680

And, the Valparaiso women's team just cancelled a trip to play at Wisconsin tomorrow-

https://twitter.com/valpoathletics/status/1605617273384869888

As of now, there has been no announced plan to change tomorrow's Bradley-Akron game.

[Da Coach]

Bradley announces that all campus facilities will be closed Thursday-

https://twitter.com/bradleyu/status/1605692603445518338

That would include the Renaissance Coliseum ticket office, in case anyone was planning on buying tickets there.

[Classof77]

I haven't decided whether to go. Will depend on how bad the weather is. Coach, in your experience will the game be blacked out locally on ESPN +? I've never tried to watch a home game on ESPN + since I always go.

[Da Coach]

I haven't decided whether to go. Will depend on how bad the weather is. Coach, in your experience will the game be blacked out locally on ESPN +? I've never tried to watch a home game on ESPN + since I always go.

No, home games are available the same as road games.
The only blackouts are in the cases like MVC-TV Network games, when a TV station broadcasts a game that ESPN also has streaming rights for.

[BUfan17]

Assuming the game doesn't get cancelled, I expect this to be sparsely attended.

Seems like they are only calling for 2-4" of snow, but the real problem will be the 50 mph winds and below zero temps.

[Classof77]

No, home games are available the same as road games.
The only blackouts are in the cases like MVC-TV Network games, when a TV station broadcasts a game that ESPN also has streaming rights for.

Thanks!

[Bradley3342]

It is already an early game. You would think they would move it up a few more hours which would really stink for people at work but just might get the game in. Like BUfan17 said. Not expecting to many fans there anyway….

[molar50]

This game should have never been scheduled at 4 pm. Yesterday, they should have moved the game up to 1 pm today. Now, it’s too late. The last game that Jim Les coached at the Civic Center was a win vs Creighton on a snowy day that was moved up to the afternoon from the evening. People were told that it was too hazardous to travel to the game, but we came anyway. About 350 fans attended to see the Braves upset Creighton. Les only had 4 wins in the MVC that year. McDermott blamed the loss on the earlier start time. After the MVC tournament, the Queen fired Les.

[️ Fanatic]

From what I understand, Akron wasn't too happy about not being flexible with changing times due to the storm... The Zips now have to manage a trip home after the game traveling in a snow storm...

[houstonbrave]

I wonder how flexible the Civic Center was about a date/time change.Also after the games in quick succession Saturday at Little Rock, travel home, Game on Monday night-Brian May not have been amenable to moving it up to Wed. With all of that being said I fully understand Akron not being happy about it.

[BUfan17]

I wonder how flexible the Civic Center was about a date/time change.Also after the games in quick succession Saturday at Little Rock, travel home, Game on Monday night-Brian May not have been amenable to moving it up to Wed. With all of that being said I fully understand Akron not being happy about it.

I imagine the Civic Center would not want to change the game time/date, especially so soon. It would creates more hassle for them with trying to schedule their staff and could possibly conflict with other events. They'd probably just want it cancelled if anything.

This is one of the downsides to playing in a 3rd party venue, lack of flexibility since their interests aren't the same as Bradley's.

[LittleBrave]

I haven't decided whether to go. Will depend on how bad the weather is. Coach, in your experience will the game be blacked out locally on ESPN +? I've never tried to watch a home game on ESPN + since I always go.

They do a really good job - the ESPN crew that normally does the BU home games.
Brian Bedo does his homework and knows our guys strengths and weaknesses very well. He is big into metrics/stats, so I get educated every time I tune in!

[yoda]

.. The last game that Jim Les coached at the Civic Center was a win vs Creighton on a snowy day that was moved up to the afternoon from the evening. ...

molar- that snow game was Feb. 1, 2011, and even thought fewer that 300 people were actually there, the reported attendance was 8,091 proving that Bradley's solid season ticket base back then was more than 7,500 and another 500 or so had bought single game tickets before the snow hit.
Of course the season ticket base now, post-Queen, is about 3,000. - https://bradleybraves.com/news/2011/2/2/205088189.aspx

The last game Jim Les coached at Carver arena was vs. Drake, on 2/27/2011- There were almost 10,000 at that game- https://bradleybraves.com/documents/.../27/742558.pdf