Next Year

[beanocookschins]

I have no reason to believe that Bradley will finish any better than either 5th/6th place. Until Jim Les proves otherwise, that's the safe place to pick this Bradley team.

[squirrel]

I think we'll see a team capable of winning the MVC again stumble to a 4th place finish at best.

It will be the same story with different excuses.

[BradleyBrave]

I think we'll see a team capable of winning the MVC again stumble to a 4th place finish at best.

It will be the same story with different excuses.

It's hard to argue with that assumption. You've got 6 years of evidence to support your theory.

[Murph]

[quote=BradleyBrave;70318]

'03 - 8-10, 6th
'04 - 7-11, 7th
'05 - 6-12, 8th
'06 - 11-7, T4th
'07 - 10-8, 4th
'08 - 9-9, T5th


Bradley has become a mid pack Valley team.....

[ER3]

I think returning players should be noted for BU if you're going to note them for other schools. Yes, losing JC and Ruff will hurt. But, I believe we return more scoring than any team in the league, and have arguably the best returning backcourt players in Sam, Andrew, and Theron (CU has an argument, but that's about it). We also return 5 guys who have started at least 1 game at this level (Warren, Wilson, Maniscalco, Austin, Singh). As we have seen over the last 2 years, experience means a TON. We wouldn't have won 22 games in 2007 without guys like JJ, DA, ZA, and WF all having at least 1 year of DI under their belts to be able to step in for MS, TB, LW, and POB. And it's very arguable that we would have won more than 17 games this year if SM, TW, RA, TCS, and DC had any DI experience whatsoever. So yes, we sustain some losses, but I don't think we should underestimate the value of the experience gained this season. As Drake showed this year - An experienced group, even if most of their experience is only in practice for 2-3 years, can do great things. We will not be lacking experience next year...and we won't be lacking talent either!

FWIW - I don't think we'll be picked 2nd, and I obviously don't know if we'll finish there. But I refuse to lower our standards because we graduate 3 players. We graduated 5 guys last year - 3 starters - and expected a top 3 finish and NCAA contention this year. We lose far less this year than we did last year, so in my book there's absolutely no reason to lower expectations. I EXPECT a top 3 finish next year. Anything less will be a disappointment.

I think we are both in similar camps here in the sense that we both believe BU should be better next year than the pre-season polls will label us.
I don't disagree that we return enough offensive talent/potential in the form of Warren, Wilson, and Maniscalco...that gives us hope, as I think we will be able to score with anyone in the Valley...however, are we going to have another year like this one where we have no depth and absolutely cannot stop anyone defensively? Until the coaching staff does something more than just give lip service to the notion of making defense a priority here, I have a hard time being optimistic that we will be anything more than a really talented offensive team that finishes middle of the pack in the Valley regular season, "but sure is a team that no one wants to have to meet up with in the Valley Tournament".

[BU_EMT128]

I fully expect a very similar season, (record wise, not off the court wise!) to this one. I think our breakout year will be the following season. But i would not mind being surprised.

[Fetz86]

So starting line ups for next year anyone?

SM,DD,AW,TW,RA/AT

[Big Mike]

I will hold on to my prediction until after the Spring signing session!

[Big Mike]

WOW.......how can you leave out SM....your point guard? Sorry rick but if I was the other coach I'd press the daylights out of your line-up!

[amckillip]

WOW.......how can you leave out SM....your point guard? Sorry rick but if I was the other coach I'd press the daylights out of your line-up!

Yeah agreed, theres no point guard in that line up... (AW is NOT a 1)

[J Money]

I am just going to withhold my predictions for awhile. As has already been noted, Bradley is now a solid middle-of-the pack Valley team. It's really quite depressing. I am a senior this year and it feels like every year since I've been here we've had sky-high expectations and I've been so pumped going into the year. While '06 was awesome and I wouldn't trade it for anything, we were tied for fourth in the Valley...not exactly a great year (but a great run).

Coach Les has been given an awefully long leash around here and I guess with the new buildings it would be poor form not to give him a few more years. That being said, he's probably on pace to become one of the most mediocre 10 year coaches at a program that considers itself "elite". Maybe our standards are too high but I don't think so. A program like this that is at the clear forefront of the athletic department in a very good basketball conference needs to stop making excuses.

[lefty]

How about: at the 1 AW, 2 TW, 3 WE, 4 RA, 5 DC/AT. And a lot of other players who get to play a lot. I know, I know, go ahead and slam me and I know who it's going to be, most everyone. We need to think a little bit more out-of-the-box and I wish we would have tryed to think a little bit more this year

Zero chance AW plays the one
zero chance TW plays the two
I really doubt DC plays at all
Zero chance WE plays the three
100% chance SM starts
This lineup wouldn't be able to get the ball up the floor
other than that you are probably pretty close

[ER3]

I think it is ridiculously early to start formulating a starting lineup for next year. We still have at least one scholarship to fill, and I'm hopeful that we will fill that spot with a guy that will end up being the best recruit in next year's class...
However, if we are going to try to speculate on a starting lineup for next year, I think we need to learn our lesson from this year and avoid predicting unreasonable jumps in productivity from guys that were non-factors this year or from our newcomers that have yet to play a single minute of D-I basketball.

That being said, I would say the starting 5 at this point going into next year should be: Maniscalco, Dunson, Warren, Wilson, and Austin. These are the 5 guys we have that have had some semblance of success at the D-I level....as a result, they are the most likely starters as I see it.

Egolf, Cole-Scott, and Collins were basically non-factors this year...hopefully they will give us something next year, but to project them as starters at this point is nowhere near realistic, IMO.
Singh has a role on this team, but he isn't a starter...if he starts for us next year, that means that Austin really, really regressed during the off-season or never found his way back to campus...and that would be bad, bad news for our chances.
Will Anthony Thompson be a factor? I hope so...It would be an unbelievably good sign if he was starting from day 1 as a freshman...but I doubt he will move into that role right away. If he shows up next year at 220 lbs. or something like that and has developed a mean streak, we might have to revise those expectations...
McCain and Roberts...they may develop into nice players, but expecting them to start from day 1 would be a reach, I think.

1 spot left, and I really hope it is a real impact player...Beckham would be nice...

[thefish7]

My hope is

1 - Maniscalco
2 - Warren
3 - Wilson
4 - Austin
5 - Thompson

With significant minutes to Dunson, McCain, Roberts, Collins and Singh.

[That Guy]

1 spot left, and I really hope it is a real impact player...Beckham would be nice...

Yeah bring in Beckham. Our female student population would skyrocket! Not to mention the money the school would make on merchandising. Let's go for it...