Final score: Bradley 70 SIU 69

[Da Coach]

Next game: Bradley (12-5, 4-2) at SIU (12-5, 4-2), Wednesday, Jan. 17, 7:00 pm

Streamed on ESPN+ - https://www.espn.com/watch/player/_/...d-5f64511487f7
Chat room- https://www.chatzy.com/bradleyfans
Live stats- https://stats.statbroadcast.com/broadcast/?id=482711
Radio- www.wmbdradio.com

SIU was picked 9th in the MVC Preseason poll, mostly because they lost their 2 top players, Marcus Domask and Lance Jones- https://mvc-sports.com/news/2023/10/...-favorite.aspx
They are currently one of 4 teams tied at 4-2 for 3rd place. They are 12-5 overall, and 9-2 at home.
Their last game was a 76-58 home loss to Drake- https://siusalukis.com/sports/mens-b...boxscore/12430
Prior to losing to Drake last Saturday, they had won 6 games in a row.

Last season, SIU finished tied at 14-6 for 3rd, one game behind Drake, and 2 games behind MVC Champion Bradley- https://www.espn.com/mens-college-ba.../2023/group/18
They were 23-10 overall in 2022-23, and 13-2 at home last season.

Schedule/results- https://www.espn.com/mens-college-ba...hedule/_/id/79
Roster- https://siusalukis.com/sports/mens-basketball/roster

Top scorer is Xavier Johnson, a transfer from George Mason prior to last season. He is averaging 23.8 ppg, which is 2nd highest in Division I.
Xavier Johnson is also shooting 43.5% from three, and averages a MVC-leading 6.1 assists per game, and rpg. He also shoots 91.4% on FTs, and gets to the FT line far more than any other MVC player, over 8 times per game.
3 other starters average between 8.4 and 8.8 ppg-
AJ Ferguson- 8.8 ppg and 3.6 rpg
Clarence Rupert- 8.6 ppg and a team-leading 6.1 rpg
Trent Brown- 8.4 ppg and shoots 45.2% from three
Troy D'Amico, the other starter, averages 7.5 ppg and 4.1 rpg
SIU Stats- https://www.espn.com/mens-college-ba.../stats/_/id/79

Bradley currently has a 6-game win streak, and has won their last 4 MVC games. Those last 4 MVC wins have followed a similar script. They have jumped out to quick starts, never trailed in any of the games, built double-digit halftime leads, and cruised to easy wins (26.25 point average margin of victory).
Bradley is 11-2 when Connor Hickman plays. He has boosted his average to 14.9 ppg, and his 43.6% three point percentage ranks 5th in the MVC among eligible players.
Bradley schedule/results- https://www.espn.com/mens-college-ba...hedule/_/id/71
Bradley stats- https://www.espn.com/mens-college-ba.../stats/_/id/71
MVC stats- https://mvc-sports.com/documents/202..._MBB_Stats.pdf

[Bacci'sAftertheGym]

I think defense will be the name of the game in this one.
This season SIU has won all of their games in which they've scored 70+ (with 1 exception being their loss to #22 ranked James Madison in the Cancun challenge).
Bradley's opponents avg 66ppg this season.
SIU's #10 Xavier Johnson avgs 24ppg, while no other player on their team averages double digit points.
I'd love to see Maly guard Johnson for most of the first half to keep Hickman out of foul trouble.
I hope/expect to see Christian Davis back in the starting lineup this game for the added strength at defense over Almar.
Some of Wardle's patented defensive mix-ins with 3-2, full court 1-2-2, and switch-all-screens man2man should keep them on their toes and force Johnson to improvise.
Keep them under 70 and keep Hickman on the floor, while containing their outside shots from Xavier's drive+dish abilities and I think we've got a strong chance.

[Da Coach]

I think you hit on most of what the coaches will have in their game plan, Bacci.
SIU Head Coach Bryan Mullins is known for stressing defense, and they lead the league this season in defense, allowing 64.5 ppg. They have lead the MVC in lowest opponents' scoring every year Mullins has been at SIU, except one (2020-21, the Covid year). Interestingly, before that, Loyola lead the MVC in defense, and Bryan Mullins was their Associate Head Coach before getting the SIU job.

A lot of Bradley's numbers are similar to SIU-
........................Bradley......SIU
Overall Record 12-5.........12-5
Record v Div I..11-5..........11-5
MVC Record......4-2...........4-2
Scoring Avg.......74.6 ........74.1
Defensive Avg...66.1.........64.5
Rebounds.........36.2 ........32.5
Reb Allowed.....33.8..........32.3
FG%.................46.6 .........47.1
Opp. FG%........40.4%.......42.7%
Streak............6 in a row....6 of last 7
Avg Attendance...4937........5090
Not quite so similar-
SOS...................46............211
RPI.....................51...........138
NET....................72...........101
Head to Head last year 2-0,,,,...,0-2

[tomahawk chop]

Limit Johnson to 20 points or less and guard Brown at the 3 point line. Hoping we get a decent officiated game. Belmont did not get one in Carbondale.

[yoda]

Interesting coverage from Fox Sports & AP:
" Deen and Bradley host Southern Illinois"



someone there must think our home court is in Carbondale
https://www.foxsports.com/articles/cbk/deen-and-bradley-host-southern-illinois

https://apnews.com/sports/college-basketball-mens-college-basketball-illinois-4c56496902c5467591daa210ff6e5548

[bradleyfan124]

Interesting coverage from Fox Sports & AP:
" Deen and Bradley host Southern Illinois"



someone there must think our home court is in Carbondale
https://www.foxsports.com/articles/cbk/deen-and-bradley-host-southern-illinois

https://apnews.com/sports/college-basketball-mens-college-basketball-illinois-4c56496902c5467591daa210ff6e5548

Let's hope it is

[Da Coach]

Pregame article from BradleyBraves.com- https://bradleybraves.com/news/2024/...-illinois.aspx

[Crusenswings]

Braves open as 2.5 point favorites in Carbondale

[Da Coach]

...
SIU's #10 Xavier Johnson avgs 24ppg, while no other player on their team averages double digit points....

...
Top scorer is Xavier Johnson, a transfer from George Mason prior to last season.
He is averaging 23.8 ppg, which is 2nd highest in Division I.
Xavier Johnson is also shooting 43.5% from three, and averages a MVC-leading 6.1 assists per game, and rpg.
He also shoots 91.4% on FTs, and gets to the FT line far more than any other MVC player, over 8 times per game.
3 other starters average between 8.4 and 8.8 ppg-
AJ Ferguson- 8.8 ppg and 3.6 rpg
Clarence Rupert- 8.6 ppg and a team-leading 6.1 rpg
Trent Brown- 8.4 ppg and shoots 45.2% from three
Troy D'Amico, the other starter, averages 7.5 ppg and 4.1 rpg

Another candidate for "Most Improved" team might be SIU player A.J. Ferguson. He was a transfer 2 years ago from a Division II school in Oklahoma (East Central University) where he was a part-time starter who averaged 11.1 ppg his freshman year.
As a sophomore last year at SIU, he played in only 11 games, started none, and played only in garbage time. He averaged 1.4 ppg.
This year he has moved into the starting lineup as shooting guard, and is he 2nd leading scorer with an average of 8.8 ppg, despite shooting only 26.3% from three.

And one certain "Most Improved" team member has to be Darius Hannah (IMO).
Here are his career stats- https://www.espn.com/mens-college-ba.../darius-hannah
His offense and rebounding have doubled, and he has become a key contributor for BU.

[BUBraves2006]

Ho boy, the board is going to be fun tonight. I'll check back in after the meltdown has ended...

[Bradley8792]

Shooting 100% from the free throw line.

[Big Mike]

Wow....SIU defense is smothering the Braves bad....Braves 1 and done most of the half and not hitting any rythm on O'.....not expecting much to change in the 2nd half down 21 pts....

[tomahawk chop]

Have to wonder why Meta is getting Thomas"s minutes. He has shown nothing tonight as he is too slow to react to anything. We were not prepared for SIU to play fast tonight. We are also taking a lot of forced shots. Deen has been the only real threat on offense.The rest of the team needs to step up in the second half.

[ManMythLegend]

As good as we looked the past few games, we look atrocious tonight. SIU is playing tight physical defense and we can't respond to it. Out of rhythm, being out hustled and out played all over the court. SIU shooting the lights out doesn't help but boy we just look flat out there.

[Big Mike]

Well there is a little excitement with Braves hitting 9 in a row getting within 8 pts with 11 minutes left.