Drake @ Bradley Post Game--DU 69 BU 68

[lefty]

Isn't Singh a Jr.? I had thought he had no more eligibility left and told my wife the other day when she asked. I checked, and they list him as a Jr. Is he the latest version of Chad Klein Remember him--a big guy who had a red-shirt year, another year where he sat most of it out, and he seemed to be around forever? Accept I sure wish we had him back. He wasn't agile, could't jump, but was he ever court-aware with great footwork and positioning.

Yeah..I guess that's right..he came in with JC.....not JJ ....my bad...It seems like he started here in the 90's

[ER3]

You guys that are beating down Coach Les make me sick. 2 years ago you all thought he was the saviour of the program, and in my opinion he was and is. Even last year when POB thought he was good enough for the NBA and left, BU still won 22 games without him. You guys are lucky you haven't sat through some of the coaches I have the past 50 years. Sure you have a reason to be upset with the loss tonight. I listened on the internet and I'm upset too. Sure maybe the coaching staff could have done something different, but don't let the losses this season make you forget the great things Coach Les has done for Bradley and the program. GO BRAVES, beat Evansville.

I thought Les did an outstanding job with last year's team...I thought he was well on his way to building a Creighton or SIU type of program here where we have a system in place that allows us to win 20 games even in down years talent-wise.
His players played a terrible last 3:15 of the game tonight...they looked completely unprepared...the coaching staff didn't do a thing to adjust to Drake's pressure and they failed to draw up anything that could put our players spots where they could succeed in the last 3:15 of the game...Maniscalco nearly bailed them out with a gutty 3...but then we give up 2 offensive rebounds to lose...offensive rebounds that we have been giving up over and over again all season long without any apparent attention to or adjustments made in that area by Les and the coaches.
So yes...I call it like I see it...Les did a fantastic job of coaching and making adjustments to his personnel last year...this year so far, I think he has done an equally lousy job overall.
I'm not asking for him to be fired...I just want to start seeing some evidence that he is learning and growing as a coach in the face of these repeated breakdowns...I don't see those adjustments happening this year...I feel like his coaching philosophy has basically been reduced to...'Well, we don't play good defense...we don't rebound well...we don't know how to score in the post...Soooo...I guess we'll just have to go out and hope we can shoot 55% from 3-point range...otherwise, we have no chance.'

[Bravesfan]

Let's put things in perspective. Was this a tough loss to swallow? Yes. Was this a game we should have won? Yes. BUT, this was a well played game, and is what a college basketball game should be. A well played, hard fought game in front of a great crowd that did everything they could to spur this team on.

These tough times can only do wonders for this team next year. They are learning how to play without Ruffin, which is what they would have had to do next year. These new pieces are learning how to play together, which most will do next year. I think this team has the makings of a great team next year, despite not doing as well this year as many have hoped.

Yes it was a tough night tonight, but this will pay dividends down the line. Yes we could have been 4-4 by next week, but even so, there was no guarantee we would finish anywhere near a postseason birth. The goal now as it was before tonight is to try to finish strong, out of the play-in round, and see what we can do in St. Louis. We will win some games, just not as many as most hoped. But we will continue to improve as this season goes on. Let's just hope our fans will continue to support this team like they have done in the past.

[chitown fanatic]

Chico, give it a rest and call a spade a spade. It is clear now more than ever, that we go into halftime, and the opponent makes adjustments and we do not...plain and simple...we lost tonight again because we couldn't rebound and we had a guy who may have played the worst D-1 game I've seen inbound the ball twice when he had no business doing so. I don't have to have ANY coaching experience to know you just don't do that...and as for the 3 being drained as an alternative...fine....I'd take that over 3 BUNNIES IN THE PAINT!!!! and a guard who drove at will time and time again. wake up!
Les was obviously not the brains behind our two years of success. Keep in mind that our best finish in his regime is 4th!!! If there was a way to make Chuck Beuscher be our head coach, I'd rejoice.

[chitown fanatic]

one more thing....12 turnovers for the drake in 1st half....... 1 in the 2nd. adjustment...rookie coach

[LawDog4]

please help me recall us having a last shot for the win, or defending on the last shot this season.

Wasn't Jim Les the coach on Saturday at UNI that everyone was so happy with all of the substitutions he made? and line-up changes?

I just wish posters would quit complaining about the coaching. Do you really think you could do better?

These guys are playing hard, and you can only coach situations in practice. SM and AW have developed pretty well in this system. Give the new JC transfers just a few more games. They have shown a lot of growth and will come back strong.

As fans we are frustrated, but they are doing what they can to be competitive without Ruffin. I think most of us thought we could win tonight, and almost pulled it out. Against the league leader.

[Bravesfan]

Chico, give it a rest and call a spade a spade. It is clear now more than ever, that we go into halftime, and the opponent makes adjustments and we do not...plain and simple...we lost tonight again because we couldn't rebound and we had a guy who may have played the worst D-1 game I've seen inbound the ball twice when he had no business doing so. I don't have to have ANY coaching experience to know you just don't do that...and as for the 3 being drained as an alternative...fine....I'd take that over 3 BUNNIES IN THE PAINT!!!! and a guard who drove at will time and time again. wake up!
Les was obviously not the brains behind our two years of success. Keep in mind that our best finish in his regime is 4th!!! If there was a way to make Chuck Beuscher be our head coach, I'd rejoice.

What are you talking about? Bradley went tooth and nail with Drake the whole second half! And they even had a 7 point lead toward the end. Yes they did not finish (the players still have some lessons to learn), but they stood with Drake the whole game.

Let's remember. Some may still not believe this, but this is a darn good team that beat us tonight! They may single-handedly be the reason the Valley gets two teams into the tourney this year, unless a Creighton or SIU overtakes them. This is a great team, and they are getting the breaks. We are not, and yes, I've questioned a few of Les's moves this season. But after considerable thought, I don't believe you can blame Les for most of this mess. You have many new players and they either mesh quickly or they don't. Unfortunately for many teams in the situation, the latter happens more often.

We will be better next season because of what is happening now. Next year would have been the year to learn how to win without Ruffin, but because of his injury, you can call this year their rebuilding year. Hopefully the W's will start to come more frequently later this year and next year.

[ER3]

Let's put things in perspective. Was this a tough loss to swallow? Yes. Was this a game we should have won? Yes. BUT, this was a well played game, and is what a college basketball game should be. A well played, hard fought game in front of a great crowd that did everything they could to spur this team on.

These tough times can only do wonders for this team next year. They are learning how to play without Ruffin, which is what they would have had to do next year. These new pieces are learning how to play together, which most will do next year. I think this team has the makings of a great team next year, despite not doing as well this year as many have hoped.

Yes it was a tough night tonight, but this will pay dividends down the line. Yes we could have been 4-4 by next week, but even so, there was no guarantee we would finish anywhere near a postseason birth. The goal now as it was before tonight is to try to finish strong, out of the play-in round, and see what we can do in St. Louis. We will win some games, just not as many as most hoped. But we will continue to improve as this season goes on. Let's just hope our fans will continue to support this team like they have done in the past.

I do agree with some of your points here...but this was not a well-played game. Hard-fought..yes. BU played hard and showed a lot of guts, but they did not play a quality game. 17 turnovers...12 offensive rebounds allowed...and absolutely horrible execution over the last 3 and a half minutes. Not good.

[Bravesfan]

please help me recall us having a last shot for the win, or defending on the last shot this season.

Wasn't Jim Les the coach on Saturday at UNI that everyone was so happy with all of the substitutions he made? and line-up changes?

I just wish posters would quit complaining about the coaching. Do you really think you could do better?

These guys are playing hard, and you can only coach situations in practice. SM and AW have developed pretty well in this system. Give the new JC transfers just a few more games. They have shown a lot of growth and will come back strong.

As fans we are frustrated, but they are doing what they can to be competitive without Ruffin. I think most of us thought we could win tonight, and almost pulled it out. Against the league leader.

Thank you! My sentiments exactly.

[Bravesfan]

I do agree with some of your points here...but this was not a well-played game. Hard-fought..yes. BU played hard and showed a lot of guts, but they did not play a quality game. 17 turnovers...12 offensive rebounds allowed...and absolutely horrible execution over the last 3 and a half minutes. Not good.

To respond to your earlier post, yes I agree that many fans thought that Bradley could rise to the level of a Creighton or SIU. We obviously are not there yet. But how many mid-majors other than those two teams, along with Gonzaga, Butler, Memphis and Kent St can claim making the postseason year after year after year? Probably not many others. Winthrop and Davidson are the only other two I can think of off the top of my head. Yes, no reason Bradley can't join this list, but it takes time, patience and a lot of luck.

As far as your assessment of tonight's game, yes it was not a work of art, but hard work and guts go a long way to winning games. Without those attributes, teams don't win many games even if they play quality games. Am I happy they lost tonight? Absolutely not. But the effort the players put into this game was very encouraging.

Stay patient, things will fall into place hopefully sooner than later.

[Lakeview Brave]

please help me recall us having a last shot for the win, or defending on the last shot this season.

Wasn't Jim Les the coach on Saturday at UNI that everyone was so happy with all of the substitutions he made? and line-up changes?

I just wish posters would quit complaining about the coaching. Do you really think you could do better?

These guys are playing hard, and you can only coach situations in practice. SM and AW have developed pretty well in this system. Give the new JC transfers just a few more games. They have shown a lot of growth and will come back strong.

As fans we are frustrated, but they are doing what they can to be competitive without Ruffin. I think most of us thought we could win tonight, and almost pulled it out. Against the league leader.

It doesnt matter of we think we can do better, that point is not valid.

Again I ask who is to blame? We are setting records here not just one or two losses.

[Chico]

Like Fordy Anderson said, of course a lot of people on this board don't know who I'm talking about, Peoria has 10,000 basketball coaches. Hang in there Jim. I get upset with these losses and I'm 1500 miles away. But I'll be listening to Dave and Joe this Saturday.

[ER3]

please help me recall us having a last shot for the win, or defending on the last shot this season.

So a game has to come down to the final shot at the buzzer to qualify as a close game? Ummm...OK. I would label Wright State, Vandy, Michigan State, and UNI on the road as being 'close games'...but there wasn't a winning shot going through the net as the buzzer went off in any of those, so I guess they were blow-outs on your scale.

I just wish posters would quit complaining about the coaching. Do you really think you could do better?

Stop trying to make this point. It is pointless. No, I cannot coach a division I basketball team...but I can give my opinion on the job that a Division I coach is doing. Period. I can't strike out A-Rod, but that certianly doesn't mean that I can't have a negative opinion about the execution of a pitcher that shakes off his catcher, throws a hanging slider, and gives up a 450 foot homer to him.
This is what fans do...they root for their team and they have opinions (positive AND negative) about what they see, what the team should do differently, and where to go from here. We don't have to be a better coach than Les to want and expect to see a better performance from him.

As fans we are frustrated, but they are doing what they can to be competitive without Ruffin. I think most of us thought we could win tonight, and almost pulled it out. Against the league leader.

Being picked 2nd in the Valley and coming off of consecutive 20+ win seasons, we should all expect this team to be more than just competitive without Ruffin. We are 1-5 in the Valley with 3 straight home conference losses. Moral victories and competitive losses are things that losing programs hang their hat on...We should want and expect more from this coaching staff and this team. Good teams and good programs find a way to win through adversity...this is what I expect...and this is why I am not satisfied with a close loss to a Drake team at home that came in without their 'franchise player'.

[LawDog4]

Why do you have to blame anyone?
Drake hit the shot. Blame them for being in the right place at the right time.
Blame the trainer for poor abdominal training for Ruffin.

Why do we have to blame someone for getting beat by the #26th team in the nation? or the #11 team, or #12 or #16.

I guess we are either finger-pointers, or excuse makers.

[jasonpeoria911]

Timeout, ding ding ding LOL. No need to jump down everyones throats. It's obvious that this team isn't going to change this season. The same problems have been there all season and taking 2 players permanently out of the equation for the last 4 games didn't help any and isn't helping any for the future of the team. Things will get better once Ruffin comes back SCORING wise but the defense, turnovers and rebounding woes will still be there. I want Les to get the future guys some more playing time and then go with the shorter lineup come tourney time. Thursday night is all but sealed, I want to watch the future guys develop.

Jason