Final score: Cleveland State 76 Bradley 69

[yoda]

a lot of these discouraging comments are similar to what was posted here a year ago as well as back in 2018 & 2019
and we won championships each of those seasons. Hang tight - we got the right people in charge and will contend again this year.

[ollienanyes]

Does anyone else see this as "regression to the mean?" Bradley got quite a few breaks in the 6-0 start..and did not get them in the last 4 games. To me: 6-4 is a fair representation of this year's team (given the reasonably tough schedule). Should be in the thick of the MVC race.

[Tommy]

a lot of these discouraging comments are similar to what was posted here a year ago as well as back in 2018 & 2019
and we won championships each of those seasons. Hang tight - we got the right people in charge and will contend again this year.

Great post, Yoda.
This too shall pass, and I was encouraged by Ellis’ play. He took a giant step forward and is looking like another important piece of our rotation. I think he’s finally coming back full strength from his injury and I think a lot of folks will be surprised by just how good he’ll be come tournament time.
Getting Hick back will do wonders for morale and I’m predicting we end the losing streak and start playing better ball on Monday.
On a side note, BW mentioned in post game how little they’ve been able to practice in Carver. He said he wasn’t making excuses but stressed they need to be able to practice where they play more. I know a lot of folks on this board have mentioned that as an issue and I tend to agree that it’s a disadvantage for us. Knowing Wardle sees it as an issue gives me some confidence that he’ll find a solution.

[Stevezall]

As we see in College Basketball, Nearly every Division 1 team can beat Another D1 team on any given night! Just look to Chicago State taking down # 25 Northwestern in Evanston! I Do Believe the MVC tourney Championship will be up for Grabs! However, most likely only for the top 4 teams that receive a bye! Bradley needs to be Healthy and Ready for Conference Play! Just as we think Bradley has hit a new low with 4 straight defeats, the team could get Hot again and with some Breaks start a Winning Streak! That's College Basketball which is what makes it exciting! It appears to me the First Road Game at Valpo next year could make or Break the Conference Season! We don't want to be 0-3 in Conference play! Time will Tell if we can turn this season back around and compete for the top 4 Valley slots for Arch Madness! No Matter what Happens, We should see some Great Games During Valley play and no matter Bradley's record, any of those games will be Winnable! Go Braves and let's hope we're very competitive the rest of the Season!!!!! We showed our talent in the first 6 games so we have history on our side!!!!!

[Old Coach]

Does anyone else see this as "regression to the mean?" Bradley got quite a few breaks in the 6-0 start..and did not get them in the last 4 games. To me: 6-4 is a fair representation of this year's team (given the reasonably tough schedule). Should be in the thick of the MVC race.

Agreed.

[Old Coach]

On a side note, BW mentioned in post game how little they’ve been able to practice in Carver. He said he wasn’t making excuses but stressed they need to be able to practice where they play more. I know a lot of folks on this board have mentioned that as an issue and I tend to agree that it’s a disadvantage for us. Knowing Wardle sees it as an issue gives me some confidence that he’ll find a solution.

It sounds like they're getting 1 practice per home game at Carver Arena. If you look at each week this way, on average you play twice a week (Home & Away), and you have to give the team 1 day per week off. So with the 4 days a week you practice, 3 of them are in the on-campus practice facility and 1 downtown. You could argue that it would be most ideal if both practices prior to a home game would be at Carver Arena.

[bradleyfan124]

I believe Connor Hickman would have made a difference in both the Akron and Cleveland State games. However, this team should be able to stand on its own without missing one guy

[bradleyfan124]

We are going to have to win the tournament to go anywhere at the end of the season. Too many bad losses!

[Da Coach]

Game recap- https://bradleybraves.com/news/2023/...and-state.aspx

Official box score- https://bradleybraves.com/sports/men...boxscore/21873

Attendance: 4,842
Season average: 5,085 - Bradley leads the MVC in average attendance

[ollienanyes]

Game recap- https://bradleybraves.com/news/2023/...and-state.aspx

Official box score- https://bradleybraves.com/sports/men...boxscore/21873

Attendance: 4,842
Season average: 5,085 - Bradley leads the MVC in average attendance

Interesting: teams in the largest markets are in the bottom in terms of attendance. I suppose it helps to be the "only game in town"

[BUfan17]

It sounds like they're getting 1 practice per home game at Carver Arena. If you look at each week this way, on average you play twice a week (Home & Away), and you have to give the team 1 day per week off. So with the 4 days a week you practice, 3 of them are in the on-campus practice facility and 1 downtown. You could argue that it would be most ideal if both practices prior to a home game would be at Carver Arena.

I know this has been discussed a lot but I really think we need a couple home games each year at Renaissance if possible. It would be a really intimidating atmosphere for teams to come play at, every game would be sold out.

[Braves2006]

Great post, Yoda.
This too shall pass, and I was encouraged by Ellis’ play. He took a giant step forward and is looking like another important piece of our rotation. I think he’s finally coming back full strength from his injury and I think a lot of folks will be surprised by just how good he’ll be come tournament time.
Getting Hick back will do wonders for morale and I’m predicting we end the losing streak and start playing better ball on Monday.
On a side note, BW mentioned in post game how little they’ve been able to practice in Carver. He said he wasn’t making excuses but stressed they need to be able to practice where they play more. I know a lot of folks on this board have mentioned that as an issue and I tend to agree that it’s a disadvantage for us. Knowing Wardle sees it as an issue gives me some confidence that he’ll find a solution.

It was an excuse. Followed up with "I don't want to make excuses." This team has looked absolutely awful the last 4 games. I don't see this getting any better tonight against a pretty good Duquesne team. Hopefully I am and proved to be dead wrong. As far as complaining about the CIvic Center availability for practice, I say just move the games to Renaissance. You could still have some of the "bigger" games at the Civic Center (kind of like Wichita does). That way BW practice "problems" all go away. and we can win again. Right? Let's figure this thing out and quit making excuses. Hopefully soon. The conference has some really good teams that can really compete this year.

[Bradley8792]

As far as complaining about the CIvic Center availability for practice,

That should in no way be an excuse. Even if we get one practice in at the civic center, that’s one more than the opponent who has never been in the building. The hoop is still 10’ off the ground, free throw line is 15’ from the backboard, and the three point line is 22’ out. The last four opponents that beat us adapted pretty easily. So should we.

[Tommy]

That should in no way be an excuse. Even if we get one practice in at the civic center, that’s one more than the opponent who has never been in the building. The hoop is still 10’ off the ground, free throw line is 15’ from the backboard, and the three point line is 22’ out. The last four opponents that beat us adapted pretty easily. So should we.

The three main factors to home court advantage are:
1. Home crowd.
2. No travel.
3. Familiarity with the court from having practiced there.

We got outhustled against Cleveland State and we lost the game, but are you saying that if had all of our practices on the same court we play on it wouldn't have made a difference in our scoring and perhaps given us a better chance to win? If so, I strongly disagree.

[Bradley8792]

We got outhustled against Cleveland State and we lost the game, but are you saying that if had all of our practices on the same court we play on it wouldn't have made a difference in our scoring and perhaps given us a better chance to win? If so, I strongly disagree.

I’m saying it shouldn’t be in Wardles list of reasons for why we’ve lost four home games when only one of those teams was talented enough to compete with us. Even though we don’t practice there every day, we have had more exposure to the court and environment than the opponents we played. Especially our veteran players.