Evansville @ Bradley Post Game 77-76 BU!

[MacabreMob]

Wanted to comment about Merf.

I noticed he wasn't on the floor early on around the time of lineups. Thought maybe he was off recruiting or scouting. Then there he was.... not long into the game.

After the game was over (tho I did get a little distracted), I wanted to make a point to observe Merf in the Handshakes... I missed some (conversing with people) but from what I saw.... I felt it.

I understand, now, why Merf wasn't around at the start (I think). It WAS emotional. And I think it was a classy move by Merf and Bradley not to have him around during the lineups. There isn't bad blood there.... those kids were close with him and vice versa. Just saving the emotions til it was over.

Anyway - that's my take on it.

[CABUFan]

I'm glad for the win...and the fact that UE only took 5 3's in the second half..but my gosh a winless team at home and it's all we can do to win.
I thought UE played pretty poor defense most of the game and luckily TW had the game of his life so far anyway.

I don't know...we win but it's hard to be excited about it.

These are my thoughts exactly. Exciting ending and I'm glad we pulled it out this time, but the fact that this game was so close shows we are nowhere near where we should be.

I cannot say enough good things about Sam M., though. Two games in a row he has scored to put us up with 10 seconds to go. He seems to be stepping into Will Franklin's role from last season as the guy who hits the big shots in the clutch. If he had been where he is now when we played Vandy and/or MSU, we might have won those games.

[Chico]

Looks like this team will be ****************ed if they win and ****************ed if they lose. Keep plugging guys, you are still the best show in town.

[Grassman]

Heard they had the ball with 10 or so seconds....Who was in at the end? Did we pick them up at 3/4 court this time?

Picked em up at 1/2 court, which was FAR better than not picking em up at all!

[ph]

Was it just me, or did out D look horrible. (Duh, we gave up that many points to Evansville..)
We'd kinda loose a UE guy who would get the ball, fake a shot, we'd jump at the shot and land 5 feet past the guy with the ball, then they'd get a perfectly clean look at a 3

Huge relief to pul this one out.

[VromanFan]

Great game. Great crowd. Sam is going to be something special. That #22 for them was unconscious.

That's a great handle there friend!

[Bravesfan]

Congrats to Bradley for a hard earned win!

This is the second time I have not listened to the game, and they won! If I keep using this technique, we should be okay this season!

[BUBraves2006]

Just got back after a long drive back to Chicago ... my thoughts:

- I'm really relieved we could finish a game. It took guts and we completed a hard fought victory. The guys looked like they had won the conference championship for them. For as rough of a go as we've had, they're all going to sleep really well tonight.
- The officiating was the worst I've seen this season since the UIC game. Ask any coach or player how they want the game called: CONSISTENTLY. What was a bump and a foul on one end was clean on the other end. By calling the game so tight in the first half nearly cost us the game, considering how thin we are at point guard. Let 'em play, stripes. Please.
- Evansville played very well tonight. They had an answer to almost every run and Holsinger really was raining it from the perimeter.
- Jim Les' substitution patterns absolutely boggle my mind. Austin gets two "shifts" in the first half and plays reasonably well ... then doesn't sniff the court in the second. Singh rots on the bench for at least 30 minutes, then comes in and makes an instant impact. He had the best game of our true "big" men (Wilson is not a "big" man) and only played five minutes. It's nice to see that we could finally get Collins and Egolf a few minutes. Neither did a whole lot, except for a great clean block by Egolf which was whistled as a foul, but it was still good to see them out there.
- Individuals (The Good):
> Theron Wilson - Wow. Not much else you can say, really. He was everywhere on the court and was totally on fire. Tonight ranks as one of the best individual performances of the year by any Brave.
> Sam Maniscalco - There's no way he's a freshman. He simply has ice water in his veins, with a desire to make himself and the team better every game. His improvement has been staggering and he's going to be a multiple year all conference player in the MVC. I've been singing his praises all season and this did nothing but support that further.
> Jeremy Crouch - Didn't shoot that well tonight, but finally showed some senior leadership down the stretch, rallying his teammates. His steal capped off a great second half. But please, can we find ANYONE else to handle the ball when SM is out? He just isn't suited for that role and flounders in it.
- Individuals (The Bad):
> Andrew Warren - 0-7 from the floor. I still can't understand how he looks like a superstar one game and is utterly invisible the next. I really like him as a player and maybe I just expect more. It seems that when he misses his first few shots, he loses confidence and gets too passive. Keep shooting Andrew, you're a very talented player.
> Matt Salley - Why are you SO soft? For as well as you can rebound defensively (and that was the case again tonight), that just doesn't transfer to the offensive end. Ruffin/Maniscalco would have 2-3 more assists per game if you could just hit your layups ... I'll say I liked when Salley took the ball with authority, took a couple dribbles and took about an 8 ft. smooth jumper. He missed the shot, but he at least played confidently that possession.

Good win, go get the Birds now!

[2bradleyfans]

I heard anounced at the game that Chicago's famous Mike North (WSCR 670 "the score") and his morning show crew were in attendance. Can anyone comment on where he and his gang were seated?

I would have loved to have met him, he seems like a real character based upon his morning show antics.

[bu fan 9]

Mike North sat behind the bench.Did anyone else think that DC was totally lost last night?He looked like he didn't even want to be on the floor.

[lefty]

Mike North sat behind the bench.Did anyone else think that DC was totally lost last night?He looked like he didn't even want to be on the floor.

...

I agree...he has no intensity whatsoever..maybe it's a total lack of confidence since he hasn't played for a while. I don't know, but he looked like a fish out of water....a tall one though

[BU ICEMAN]

Mike North sat behind the bench.Did anyone else think that DC was totally lost last night?He looked like he didn't even want to be on the floor.

DC has looked lost every time I've seen him play. I'd have to say that's a big clue as to why he's not getting PT.....

[Da Coach]

Article in Evansville paper--

Final seconds are cruel for Aces
UE misses chanceto win at Bradley--

http://www.courierpress.com/news/2008/jan/20/final-seconds-are-cruel-for-aces/

[dogsrus]

not much difference really..they just mishandled the ball at the end

Sorry Lefty TOTALLY different IMO....we pressured him hard FORCING him to make the TO. We picked him up early and chased him down the court. IMO it caused him to keep his eye on the defender and he really couldn't see the court or his players.

He had no opportunity to pass the ball and you could see the plan was HIM all the way.....either Simmons didn't give him an option or we just wouldn't let him find one. Good help by JC too force the TO.

It was sweet justice for JC who got totally robbed earlier when he outplayed his man for a PERFECT steal only to have the ref whistle him for a LOUSY, AWFUL call.

Favorite of the nite was watching Merf RAIL the skinny short ref for the inconsistent body fouls. He was very perturbed as he should have been.

[Da Coach]

Jeremy also was "robbed" by another bad call a little earlier.
JC faked a jump pass, and the ref nearest to him was totally fooled (he must not have been watching the feet, just the body) and called travelling. Jeremy never lifted his feet off the floor.

There were several other bad calls, but another one that hurt Bradley--
There was an over-and-back call that went against Bradley in the second half. Matt Salley bounced the ball, and it looked to me like it went off an Evansville player's foot, and shot into the backcourt. Bradley recovered it, but it was whistled for a violation. It looked to me like another case of over-officiating, which MVC refs are notorious for.