Final score- Indiana State 85 Bradley 77

[Da Coach]

Bradley played well in the 2nd half, 47 points. Only a couple turnovers. But the 19 point halftime deficit was hard to overcome considering InSU shot so well.
Its a long season, and Bradley is a good team. They need to get a top 4 seed. and win the tournament.
Recall that Bradley lost their first 5 conference games in 2018, and won the MVC tournament, and played in the NCAA.

Final score- Indiana State 85 Bradley 77- https://www.espn.com/mens-college-ba...meId/401601815

[BengalFan]

PG play is killing us. The worst efficiency numbers belong to Deen and Burch.

[BengalFan]

I always thought - and still do - that Hickman should be the PG. We need his size and defense. The shooting is a given.

[BUBraves2006]

I'll add some other thoughts later, but Coach noted that they heard the boos at halftime. He started to sound like he was mad about it ("these are just 18-to-23 year olds ...") but actually backed off of it ("we probably deserved it".) He said the team played angry to start the second half because of it ... Were they noticeable in person?

[ollienanyes]

I'll add some other thoughts later, but Coach noted that they heard the boos at halftime. He started to sound like he was mad about it ("these are just 18-to-23 year olds ...") but actually backed off of it ("we probably deserved it".) He said the team played angry to start the second half because of it ... Were they noticeable in person?

Yes. I was a bit surprised given the comeback vs UAB.

https://youtu.be/wqkdv7d8m_0?si=4f-xpL0R812kzxB1

[JMG 76]

Yes. I was a bit surprised given the comeback vs UAB.

https://youtu.be/wqkdv7d8m_0?si=4f-xpL0R812kzxB1

[JMG 76]

The boos weren’t directed to the players, it was towards wardle! He flat out got out coached today. Our offense was horrible in the first half. Everyone stands around and waits for someone to make a play. I will never understand having meta out at the 3 point line either.

[Da Coach]

I barely heard any boos, and I can't believe the fans were booing the players as much as they were just upset about the big halftime deficit. The fans were really cheering loudly at the start of the 2nd half, and it might have helped Bradley go on the 10-2 run to close the gap to 11 points in under 2 minutes.
Again, the late losses of Zek and Ville were noticeable.
Indiana State has 5 guards who are almost interchangeable, can handle the ball and pass well, and can shoot the three. Combine that with one big man who does his job and doesn't make many mistakes, and that's what makes them so dangerous. They basically play that 6-man rotation. They are not a great defensive team, they just beat teams by outscoring them.

By the way, if anything deserved booing it was that awful halftime program. What's the deal with that silly Kaboom skit with the blowup thing?

[Stryker]

I just wish Wardle could land a couple pure scorers at some point. Feels like we haven't had a knock down scorer since Crouch sometimes, but I know Walt, Eli, and Darrell were that too.

[Da Coach]

I just wish Wardle could land a couple pure scorers at some point. Feels like we haven't had a knock down scorer since Crouch sometimes, but I know Walt, Eli, and Darrell were that too.

A couple you left out... Andrew Warren was one of the best shooters in BU history. He was a Jim Les recruit and played for Les and Ford. But Nate Kennell was a Wardle recruit and ranks 2nd only to Crouch in 3 point FG's made in his career. Andrew Warren and Darrell Brown are tied for 4th behind Crouch, Kennell, and Zobrist.- https://s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/s...d_11_15_23.pdf
(scroll down to page 16)

And Nate's career 3-point FG% of 41.2 was better than any of the players mentioned here, despite playing his entire career with the longer distance 3-point line. Ville wasn't bad either.
But you are right, IMO, in that the most pressing need is another pure shooter who can defend well enough to get playing time.
Almar is a terrific shooter, but today he couldn't get on the floor because he simply couldn't guard Indiana State's quicker, mobile guards.

[houstonbrave]

DC you are slipping-Warren graduated after 2010-11 season and only played for Jim. Walt Lemmon played for Les and Ford.

[BUfan14]

I just wish Wardle could land a couple pure scorers at some point. Feels like we haven't had a knock down scorer since Crouch sometimes, but I know Walt, Eli, and Darrell were that too.

This seems to be the same refrain every year. Atlason is that shooter, but he has some work to do defensively and he’s a four man. We need a guard that can do it. We could also use a point guard that can get to the bucket and score when needed. That may be Burch eventually, but he’s still growing too.

Davis is actually a good shooter this year too, I wish we’d run more plays for him and Atalson and have them on the floor together like earlier in the year when we shot really well. Hickman is shooting nicely too from three this year. Unfortunately Leons seems to have lost a little on his three point shot this year so far, as has Deen

[BUfan14]

I think we are seeing the results of the following:

1) Losing top talent to the transfer portal
2) Lack of success finding impact players in the transfer portal
3) Recruiting failure to secure top guard players. Zeke would have been very nice to still have. Not having top guard play in the MVC cannot be offset by above average post play. IMO.

Absolutely nailed it. And that’s not to say we’re bad at all this year, but to really elevate to the top we needed some of these things to go right and they didn’t.

Number one hurts, but is a given in today’s world for schools like Bradley. I actually think we’ve been luckier than most not losing some guys. Leons, Hickman, Mast until he graduated, Hannah have all stuck around. Some schools are decimated from transfers.

Ville and Mast we knew would be gone and in normal circumstances would be done anyway. Zek was the surprise that hurt, but you always have to be recruiting every spot now and not get caught flat footed recruiting. Indiana State lost a ton of good players from last year and yet here they are.

Bradley has one of the best fan bases attendance wise and most money in the MVC. We have to do better with transfers coming in. The strikeout this year hurts big time. Need better guards and guard depth in the Valley.

[Da Coach]

DC you are slipping-Warren graduated after 2010-11 season and only played for Jim. Walt Lemmon played for Les and Ford.

Yeah, you're right. The loss today numbed my mind, and affected my memory.
It was Walt Lemon and Dyricus Simms-Edwards who stayed and played for Ford after Jim left. My point was that we have had some great shooters since Jeremy Crouch, including a few who have been brought in by Wardle. But we could use another one or two.

[tomahawk chop]

Leons would be the best one to guard him, he can guard him both outside and inside. More important we need to guard the 3 and hold them to 7 3 pointers or less.

Will we failed miserably guarding the 3. Instead of switching on ball screens our defender tried to go around them which left their shooter wide open. Deen is really struggling on offense plus they continue to post him up down low on defense leading to easy baskets.Not having taller more athletic guards is a problem. We as a team just looked like we were not prepared to play against that team. We also have a bigger problem in losing one of are starting guards because quite frankly we were shorthanded to begin with and now really screwed without him. Too bad we did not bring in better portal players as right now we have a lot of guys sitting on the bench wasting space.
Should never boo your players.