Announcement

**Bballjunkie** · 02-03-2025, 08:53 AM

Thanks coach for all the information.it takes a lot of time and work. Appreciate it

**Da Coach** · 02-03-2025, 12:19 PM

**daveineureka** · 02-03-2025, 01:52 PM

Obviously has not been fun watching these last two games. Wardle and staff need to get things figured out. Think of it, the seniors career at Bradley is fast approaching in the number of games they have to play in front of us fans at the Civic Center. Sure they do not wish to go out in this fashion Come on guys, show us the type of team we all know you are. Be proud of wearing the Bradley jersey for a few more times. Let 's start playing up to par and get momentum heading to St. Louis and hopefully win the tournament. "LET'S GO BRAVES"

**ollienanyes** · 02-04-2025, 09:36 AM

We'll see if this game is affected by the possible ice storm.

**ChiTownBrave** · 02-05-2025, 08:07 AM

Here are my thoughts on the last 2 games - Bradley's at-large opportunity is very obviously gone. So naturally there was going to be some let down. Last two games have been duds, but that's probably to be expected. Traditional mid-season slump, and perhaps overlooking an opponent or two. The team knows the only thing that matters now are the (hopefully) 3 games in St. Louis. Earning the bye is important but that shouldn't be a problem to achieve. Only goal now is stay healthy between now and 3/7 which will likely be their first game at Arch Madness.

**BUfan17** · 02-05-2025, 08:44 AM

We really need to turn things around with this game and get back on the right track.

I don't want this season to turn into what the 2020-2021 season ended up being. That team was very talented too and had a good start to the season, however it all went downhill at the end of January and we went 3-11 the rest of the season. I think a lack of strong player leadership on that team was an issue (first season without DBJ and DLO left a vacuum on who would lead).

IMO Deen and Hannah need to step up and rally this team, this is Hannah's and likely Duke's last season with us. I've been critical of Wardle at times but IMO the effort from the starters lately has been lacking, only so much a coach can do.

**LittleBrave** · 02-05-2025, 09:16 AM

Originally posted by ChiTownBrave View Post

The team knows the only thing that matters now are the (hopefully) 3 games in St. Louis. Earning the bye is important but that shouldn't be a problem to achieve. Only goal now is stay healthy between now and 3/7 which will likely be their first game at Arch Madness.

This is a grim outlook IMO. Win the freakin conference!!! Does that not mean anything?? If we don't still have our focus on that, then we have major problems. That should give the team enough drive to the end of the season. Sure, I'd take an Arch Madness championship this season over winning the reg. season b/c it means we'll be dancing, but man, we still have a TON to play for!

Above all, we have to find that spark that we had in the non-conf. (with our awesome 3-pt shooting) and the great stretch of 3 games before the ISU-red game.

The upside from the dismal play lately is that Quan, Meta, and Burch have played very well, which should make our team stronger when we ALL play up to potential.

**Tommy** · 02-05-2025, 09:18 AM

Originally posted by BUfan17 View Post

We really need to turn things around with this game and get back on the right track.

I don't want this season to turn into what the 2020-2021 season ended up being. That team was very talented too and had a good start to the season, however it all went downhill at the end of January and we went 3-11 the rest of the season. I think a lack of strong player leadership on that team was an issue (first season without DBJ and DLO left a vacuum on who would lead).

IMO Deen and Hannah need to step up and rally this team, this is Hannah's and likely Duke's last season with us. I've been critical of Wardle at times but IMO the effort from the starters lately has been lacking, only so much a coach can do.

The 2020-21 season was an outlier. It was the crazy COVID year with no fans, back to back games against the same opponent, limited to no practicing, not to mention the what now appears to have been manufactured accusations against our players in Springfield, MO which ended up benching and/or losing quite a bit of our talent for quite a long time. I don't think that season can be used as a barometer for anything.

Let's see how we respond tonight. Another loss where we shoot poorly and play bad defense would be concerning. Right now, we've had our first 2 game losing streak of the season and if you were coming here without any knowledge at all, you'd think this team was below .500. Wasn't Tennessee ranked 1st in the nation when Florida handed them a 30 point loss? That doesn't make them a bad team, sometimes things just aren't clicking for you when it's all going well for the opponent. And before you respond with, yeah, but that's Florida and we lost to a mid-major, I get it, but everything is relative. We are not a PC school and regardless of conference, conference games are always a battle and our struggle is with the Valley and nobody else. The at-large bid conversation was probably never a reality based on ISU Blue's fate last year. You can disagree, but that's certainly my opinion.

What's the old adage that Wardle always says? Never let your highs get too high or your lows get too low? If we go on to win the Valley tournament, none of these losses right now will mean much of anything. Personally, for me, BW has proven his worth as a coach and we have never had the amount of success we've had since he came to town (at least not in my lifetime).

We'll never win every game and we'll always have letdowns, but in the end, we have a great coach who has done a great job of recruiting and maintaining players in a tumultuous time in college basketball considering the crazy changes with NIL and the transfer portal. We'd all love to dominate the Valley AND win the tournament, and it's disappointing to see Drake pull off the coup they have this year, but it ain't over til it's over, so let's see how it ends. For me, regardless of outcome, I'm hopeful for the future of this team and thankful that we've got BW as our coach.

Hoping to see a bounceback win tonight against Belmont. That 8pm start time is brutal, though!

**BUfan17** · 02-05-2025, 12:30 PM

Originally posted by Tommy View Post

The 2020-21 season was an outlier. It was the crazy COVID year with no fans, back to back games against the same opponent, limited to no practicing, not to mention the what now appears to have been manufactured accusations against our players in Springfield, MO which ended up benching and/or losing quite a bit of our talent for quite a long time. I don't think that season can be used as a barometer for anything.

Let's see how we respond tonight. Another loss where we shoot poorly and play bad defense would be concerning. Right now, we've had our first 2 game losing streak of the season and if you were coming here without any knowledge at all, you'd think this team was below .500. Wasn't Tennessee ranked 1st in the nation when Florida handed them a 30 point loss? That doesn't make them a bad team, sometimes things just aren't clicking for you when it's all going well for the opponent. And before you respond with, yeah, but that's Florida and we lost to a mid-major, I get it, but everything is relative. We are not a PC school and regardless of conference, conference games are always a battle and our struggle is with the Valley and nobody else. The at-large bid conversation was probably never a reality based on ISU Blue's fate last year. You can disagree, but that's certainly my opinion.

What's the old adage that Wardle always says? Never let your highs get too high or your lows get too low? If we go on to win the Valley tournament, none of these losses right now will mean much of anything. Personally, for me, BW has proven his worth as a coach and we have never had the amount of success we've had since he came to town (at least not in my lifetime).

We'll never win every game and we'll always have letdowns, but in the end, we have a great coach who has done a great job of recruiting and maintaining players in a tumultuous time in college basketball considering the crazy changes with NIL and the transfer portal. We'd all love to dominate the Valley AND win the tournament, and it's disappointing to see Drake pull off the coup they have this year, but it ain't over til it's over, so let's see how it ends. For me, regardless of outcome, I'm hopeful for the future of this team and thankful that we've got BW as our coach.

Hoping to see a bounceback win tonight against Belmont. That 8pm start time is brutal, though!

I agree 2020-2021 was an outlier with a lot of unusual circumstances, but the concerning part is that is the only season with Wardle that the team completely regressed as the season went on. Even before the whole Missouri State situation the team was already falling apart and was on a losing skid (went 2-7 in games leading up to Missouri State). That team gave up even before that whole situation happened, that was just the final nail in the coffin for the season.

Yeah on paper the losses to UNI or UIC aren't terrible, they are both decent teams competing for the top of the valley. The margin of the losses is what concerns me. Playing tough and losing a close game is one thing, but getting blown out twice in a row shouldn't be happening for team who is competing to win the conference.

I am hoping for a bounce back win too.

IMO this is how I am going to feel after the game tonight:

Win tonight by any margin = some confidence restored that this team can turn it around and finish out the season strong
Play tough and lose by < 5 points = not sure, will need to see us blow out Evansville to restore confidence
Play sloppy and lose by 10+ points = this team has regressed/given up, cause for concern

Also who decided on an 8PM game on a weeknight?

**ChiTownBrave** · 02-05-2025, 01:39 PM

Originally posted by LittleBrave View Post

This is a grim outlook IMO. Win the freakin conference!!! Does that not mean anything?? If we don't still have our focus on that, then we have major problems. That should give the team enough drive to the end of the season. Sure, I'd take an Arch Madness championship this season over winning the reg. season b/c it means we'll be dancing, but man, we still have a TON to play for!

Above all, we have to find that spark that we had in the non-conf. (with our awesome 3-pt shooting) and the great stretch of 3 games before the ISU-red game.

The upside from the dismal play lately is that Quan, Meta, and Burch have played very well, which should make our team stronger when we ALL play up to potential.

Grim, probably, but also realistic. Winning the conference is great, but is irrelevant when it doesn't equal an NCAA bid. I'm sure most/all of us would rather win it all in St. Louis than win the conference title (see 2022-23 team for recent example). Personally, I'd trade the regular season title for a win against Drake in the finals that year.

**tomahawk chop** · 02-05-2025, 02:27 PM

Originally posted by ollienanyes View Post

We'll see if this game is affected by the possible ice storm.

They are pre salting the roads now, hoping it stays warm enough that it is just rain.

**tomahawk chop** · 02-05-2025, 02:29 PM

Originally posted by BUfan17 View Post

I agree 2020-2021 was an outlier with a lot of unusual circumstances, but the concerning part is that is the only season with Wardle that the team completely regressed as the season went on. Even before the whole Missouri State situation the team was already falling apart and was on a losing skid (went 2-7 in games leading up to Missouri State). That team gave up even before that whole situation happened, that was just the final nail in the coffin for the season.

Yeah on paper the losses to UNI or UIC aren't terrible, they are both decent teams competing for the top of the valley. The margin of the losses is what concerns me. Playing tough and losing a close game is one thing, but getting blown out twice in a row shouldn't be happening for team who is competing to win the conference.

I am hoping for a bounce back win too.

IMO this is how I am going to feel after the game tonight:

Win tonight by any margin = some confidence restored that this team can turn it around and finish out the season strong
Play tough and lose by < 5 points = not sure, will need to see us blow out Evansville to restore confidence
Play sloppy and lose by 10+ points = this team has regressed/given up, cause for concern

Also who decided on an 8PM game on a weeknight?

CBS dictates the time.

**tomahawk chop** · 02-05-2025, 02:31 PM

This is a must win game, no more excuses. Seniors need to step up and do their jobs. Funny thing about that is they are getting paid now.

**bradleyfan124** · 02-05-2025, 03:47 PM

I wonder if there will be any line-up changes tonight

Announcement

Unconfigured Ad Widget 7

Next game: Bradley vs. Belmont, Wednesday, Feb. 5, 8:00 pm

Next game: Bradley vs. Belmont, Wednesday, Feb. 5, 8:00 pm

Comment

Comment

Comment

Comment

Comment

Comment

Comment

Comment

Comment

Comment

Comment

Comment

Comment

Comment

Unconfigured Ad Widget 6