BU 58@ #19 Florida 81

[Big Mike]

PJS take on the game with some photos on the bottom.............I didn't realize that the Braves went 7:51 without scoring.....

http://www.pjstar.com/sports/x1751717717/Florida-handles-Bradley

http://www.pjstar.com/sports/x1751717717/Florida-handles-Bradley?view=pop&photo=1

[SaintLouBrave22]

I don't recall us playing much 1-3-1 on our way to the Sweet 16. We were playing Chuck's patented man-to-man, maybe with a little zone sprinkled in, but we were primarily a man-to-man defensive team.

Look at the tape during the 2nd half of the Valley tournament game v Wichita State...lots of 1-3-1 w/ JJ out top...

Then we played it again during the Pitt game when POB picked up some fouls

I'm not saying it was our main D, but it worked very well for that team, and could probably work well now considering we don't have a plus defender inside, but we have an outstanding guy who could play the top in Dodie w/ guys like Theron and Chris that could play the wings w/ their long arms....or Andrew for that matter..

[jasonpeoria911]

Come on y'all, you can't write off the rest of the season after doing, what I believe, is a decent job against Florida. Florida has a long history (37-1) of crushing opponents on there home court over the past several years. A hot team is going to hit the 3's no matter how good the D is, you just have to convert on your own end. Combine that with the fact that Florida had 16 more FG attempts due to being out rebounded and turnovers. Their is some deficiencies, namely the perimeter shooting and rebounding. If they can improve those at least 50% then we will be just fine come conference season. I can say with 99% confidence that were not going to get any NCAA bids with our non conference record this season. I do think we will finish in the top 3 in the valley. Other valley teams havn't exactly showed me stellar competition thus far either.

Jason

[jasonpeoria911]

I forgot to add in the fact that BU had to wake up at the butt crack of dawn, fly 2-3 hours to Gainesville, catch a bus ride to a hotel for brunch, ride the bus again to the university gym, and then get ready to play one of the best teams in the country an hour later. Then expect them to come full out for 40 minutes in a game? I know myself that I get fairly stiff and just want to relax after a 3 hour flight. I think they did good for the conditions of the situation.

Jason

[Murph]

Come on y'all, you can't write off the rest of the season after doing, what I believe, is a decent job against Florida. Florida has a long history (37-1) of crushing opponents on there home court over the past several years. A hot team is going to hit the 3's no matter how good the D is, you just have to convert on your own end. Combine that with the fact that Florida had 16 more FG attempts due to being out rebounded and turnovers. Their is some deficiencies, namely the perimeter shooting and rebounding. If they can improve those at least 50% then we will be just fine come conference season. I can say with 99% confidence that were not going to get any NCAA bids with our non conference record this season. I do think we will finish in the top 3 in the valley. Other valley teams havn't exactly showed me stellar competition thus far either.

Jason

No shame in losing to that team on the road.

[BradleyBrave]

I forgot to add in the fact that BU had to wake up at the butt crack of dawn, fly 2-3 hours to Gainesville, catch a bus ride to a hotel for brunch, ride the bus again to the university gym, and then get ready to play one of the best teams in the country an hour later. Then expect them to come full out for 40 minutes in a game? I know myself that I get fairly stiff and just want to relax after a 3 hour flight. I think they did good for the conditions of the situation.

Jason

I don't think that can be overstated. As someone who travels all the time, I can certainly empathize with the difficult situation that BU was put in today. I've got to say that is pretty poor planning on the part of the Gazelle Group in creating a situation where a visiting team could not even get a hotel room.

[Big Mike]

BU story......http://www.bradleybraves.com/ViewArt...ATCLID=1626614

Box score from the game....http://www.bradleybraves.com/ViewArt...ATCLID=1626607

10,122 fans at the game.

[Out of Bounce]

ITS EARLY! There is a lot of ball to be played. I am not giving up on this team in only the second game of the season nor should anyone else. This is going to be a very good team and good things are going to happen to them. Yes there are concerns here early with some players but nothing that can't be worked out.
We have 3 starters/returning players who have yet to play like experience players should (SM, DC and TW). SM is our point guard, he can't shoot the way he is, he can't be out of control out there, he's got to make things happen (he has to make assets that have to come from your play maker) and he sure can't have himself sitting on the bench in foul trouble or fouled out of the game. He is carring a lot on his shoulders in trying to learn to run this team with so many new players. Maybe Sam did not need the extra load of being one of the Captains! Maybe next year would of been a better time. I am not worried about his shooting, it will come, we know he can shoot. My concern is the play making and control but I think it will come for him. As for DC he has gotten a lot better but I just don't think the guy will ever have the devil and fire in him that most of us would like to see. If it has not happen by now, its just not going to happen. In two games he has been in foul trouble early and has been no help. Maybe he needs and plays better coming off the bench. Thats what he did in the CBI and that worked! Besides SS has shown he should be the starter. Wilson is just trying to hard to carry the whole team and needs to just play his game. He is playing under size at the 4 and for a cutter, your not going to cut with your butt under the hoop. My concern is that we will never get to see how good TW can really be with him playing the 4, when he is much better suited for the 3. Today would of been a great day to have played AT and WE at the 4 and move TW to the 3 at times. As a team, we can't miss the wide open 3's. As long as that continues good coach's like Billy will just pull his players in like he did today and go with the % that we can't/will not make them. This leads to all kinds of problems.
Today we just got beet by a good team and coach on their home court.

[Big Mike]

Season stats for the Braves .......

http://www.bradleybraves.com/ViewArticle.dbml?SPSID=19334&SPID=1498&DB_OEM_ID=3400&ATCLID=1626619

DD should be up for POW or NOW in the Valley with 18 ppg!

[egib52]

I think the rotation needs some tweaking in line with what's been discussed. I really would like WE to get a chance because the more athletic big guys we get in there I feel will help us in the Valley. I think based on Sam M's skill set and what seems to be a sophomore slump I like the idea of him being a combo off the bench. My vote (as if it matters) would be a starting line up of DD, AW, TW, WE or TB, DC...with SM, SS, CR, and TB or WE logging solid minutes off the bench for the first half. Based on the fact we are not lighting it up from distance we could use more size to attack the offensive boards.

[BradleyBrave]

Not to be piling on the kid because he's one of my favorites, but Maniscalco is basically the primary reason our team 3-point percentage is so awful. Take away his 1-12, and we're shooting 30% from 3. It's still not where we were the past two years, but it's respectable. Sam seemed to have some shooting woes at the end of last season, so I hope this isn't becoming a trend. Knowing how hard of a worker Sam is, you know he'll be in the gym trying to work out of his shooting woes.

Andrew Warren is a career 42% 3-point shooter. Sam working out his woes and AW coming back to the fold should help our 3-point shooting tremendously.

[Big Mike]

Maybe its just me...but Sams 3 seems to be real flat this year...not much arc on the shot....it your shot is flat on a 3 it has to be perfect....the arc can give you a little rim help if you are off....anyone else notice this?

[BradleyBrave]

Maybe its just me...but Sams 3 seems to be real flat this year...not much arc on the shot....it your shot is flat on a 3 it has to be perfect....the arc can give you a little rim help if you are off....anyone else notice this?

I thought his shot was flat last year too. It just went in a lot more, especially in the first half of the season.

[bigjimmy]

The bottom line is we are 1-1. A lot of posters before this weekend were already counting us as being 0-2. It doesn't mean we shouldn't have some concerns(i.e. SM and DC struggles plus too many unforced tournovers). As long as AW comes back we'll be fine. It'll take a lot of pressure off of SM and TW. If we can move the ball on offense like we did in the 2nd half against UIC I see no reason why we can't finish the non-conference season at 8-3 and be in position to contend for the Mo Valley crown.

[BradleyBrave]

The bottom line is we are 1-1. A lot of posters before this weekend were already counting us as being 0-2. It doesn't mean we shouldn't have some concerns(i.e. SM and DC struggles plus too many unforced tournovers). As long as AW comes back we'll be fine. It'll take a lot of pressure off of SM and TW. If we can move the ball on offense like we did in the 2nd half against UIC I see no reason why we can't finish the non-conference season at 8-3 and be in position to contend for the Mo Valley crown.

I agree. I actually think 9-2 is very realistic. We shouldn't lose a home game, and should win all of our games in Florida and at UW-M.