BU 61 vs. UMKC 73

[ER3]

Hard to argue with this. I can't see a better time than right now to throw Egolf an opportunity and not lose the kid permanently. Honestly, what do we have to lose?

Nothing. We can't continue to simply play Collins and cross our fingers and hope that the light bulb goes on for him. He's 23 years old now...he's not a redshirt freshman. If he hasn't figured out that he is a 7' 240 lb. player that should be able to use his size and strength to his advantage by now, he's never going to realize it.
We have to figure out if Egolf and/or Thompson are going to be able to play significant roles next year. We can't let them rot on the bench this year and simply hope that they will be ready to go from 2 minutes/game to 20 minutes/game when next year rolls around.

[BradleyBrave]

Nothing. We can't continue to simply play Collins and cross our fingers and hope that the light bulb goes on for him. He's 23 years old now...he's not a redshirt freshman. If he hasn't figured out that he is a 7' 240 lb. player that should be able to use his size and strength to his advantage by now, he's never going to realize it.
We have to figure out if Egolf and/or Thompson are going to be able to play significant roles next year. We can't let them rot on the bench this year and simply hope that they will be ready to go from 2 minutes/game to 20 minutes/game when next year rolls around.

Agreed. It's time. We can't shoot well enough to justify playing small. There's no way that WE and AT are so bad or so green that our play as a team would be worse than it has been so far this season. Our focus right now should primarily be getting ready for the conference season at the end of December. An at-large is a hopeless pipe dream, let's try some different things and find out what we've got so that when we're healthy we know who can play and who can't.

[thefish7]

I agree wholeheartedly with pages 6 and 7 of this thread. Great coach doesn't imply forcing your personnel to fit the system, but adapting the system to fit the personnel. I do still believe in the talent this team has... Now it's on the program to turn that talent into winners. We'll see how it all turns out, it's early in a long season... Show us what you got, BU.

[bravetime33]

71-56....any word on WILKINS?

patience on Wilkins

[georgethedog]

I can tolerate a 0-30 season and last place in the Valley if the team plays smart, hard basketball. However... All we've seen is terrible execution, lackluster defense...

And what's more frustrating... Is the stubborn leadership that refuses to recognize the intrinsic strengths and weaknesses of its personnel and shape a system to capitalize on it. I know we shaped our system on the Phoenix Suns... But even the Suns slowed it down when their rotation demanded it.

Delete this if you want, Mr. or Mrs. Moderator, but this is my personal analysis of the problems this season, and I don't think it is inflammatory or insulting to anyone.

The nail has been hit on the head by this post!!!

[TNel]

There's a pattern here. Every year we're slow out of the gate ... including the year of our Sweet Sixteen run. Regardless of the number of new players, we never jell until midway through the Conference season. By then, it's usually too late to salvage the season. If the "system" is too hard to grasp, change the system or re-allocate the minutes. And/or lighten up on the pre-conference schedule. As unprepared as we usually seem to be early season, I don't see a lot of benefit in getting hammered by high majors. Toi h*** with the RPI. Let's get some wins and build confidence. Seems to be working for our friends down the road. I know it probably didn't help them last year when they were "on the bubble," barely, but at least they WERE on it and not grasping for the post season life jacket that is the CBIT.

[BradleyBrave]

There's a pattern here. Every year we're slow out of the gate ... including the year of our Sweet Sixteen run.

Don't totally agree here. Under Les we have always generally had solid non-con records, only to falter during the beginning of conference season.

Regardless of the number of new players, we never jell until midway through the Conference season. By then, it's usually too late to salvage the season. If the "system" is too hard to grasp, change the system or re-allocate the minutes.

Agree here. The beginning of the conference season is usually a trainwreck, and we find ourselves trying to climb out of play-in game contention.

And/or lighten up on the pre-conference schedule. As unprepared as we usually seem to be early season, I don't see a lot of benefit in getting hammered by high majors. Toi h*** with the RPI. Let's get some wins and build confidence. Seems to be working for our friends down the road. I know it probably didn't help them last year when they were "on the bubble," barely, but at least they WERE on it and not grasping for the post season life jacket that is the CBIT.

Agree here too, but a team like UMKC is supposed to be a 'lighter' non-con opponent. The rest of our non-con (with the exception of Michigan St) are mid to low major schools. We've played 2 mid-majors so far and only played one good half out of 4, so I am not sure how much 'lighter' we can really go. The problem isn't our opponents.

[numbr_9]

I guess what I don't understand is why we don't play a couple of bigs at once. I think collins would be better if he had Egolf or singh to dump it off to.

maybe that would get our guards looking inside more, rather than driving and kicking back out to the 3 point line 15 times a possession.

And somebody please tell EM and SM that you should (almost) never ever jump to pass the ball.

[Scouter]

I've only read Dave Reynolds' account of the game and the reactions on here, which probably a good thing. I probably would've thrown my remote had a watched the game.

This team needs to get A LOT better before the conference season or we might see the return of "Mr. Thursday Night" (formerly Friday) posters at the MVC tournament.

[BradleyBrave]

I've only read Dave Reynolds' account of the game and the reactions on here, which probably a good thing. I probably would've thrown my remote had a watched the game.

This team needs to get A LOT better before the conference season or we might see the return of "Mr. Thursday Night" (formerly Friday) posters at the MVC tournament.

Good point. We've been 6th, 7th, 8th, 5th, 4th, and 5th. I'd hate to regress to the point of playing in here in Year 7. If we are, we really need to question just what direction this program is going.

[cpacmel]

Mark my words - BU will win this game.

Should have gone with BOOK IT. People usually have more success with that guarantee - over MARK MY WORDS.

You guys will be MUCH better when Warren is back. BOOK IT!

[shaunguth]

Should have gone with BOOK IT. People usually have more success with that guarantee - over MARK MY WORDS.

You guys will be MUCH better when Warren is back. BOOK IT!

When is that?

[squirrel]

Good point. We've been 6th, 7th, 8th, 5th, 4th, and 5th. I'd hate to regress to the point of playing in here in Year 7. If we are, we really need to question just what direction this program is going.

Exactly. And it is early. . .but looking at early efficiency numbers. . .

4 Valley teams are in the top 100 for AdjOE:

Rank OE School

26 121.3 IlSU
55 113.0 UNI
64 111.6 Creighton
89 107.9 InSU

Only Missouri State has a lower AdjOE than us (91.8 to 90.8 ) but they at least have an AdjDE under 100.

Evansville's AdjDE rank is 7, while CU's is 70 (so the Jays are top 100 in both categories).

While some defenses are currently ranked lower than BU in AdjDE, those 3 also have competent offenses. And they won't be hard-pressed to stop BU's offense.

In recent years, Bradley's OE put the onus on other teams to keep up. This year's team, at least as it stands now, is not competent on either side of the ball, while just about everyone else in the league specializes in something.

Based on the early results, I'd also be buying on Evansville to surprise some people.

I just don't see a team out there in the league that we are clearly better than at this point. And that is alarming.

[georgethedog]

Good point. We've been 6th, 7th, 8th, 5th, 4th, and 5th. I'd hate to regress to the point of playing in here in Year 7. If we are, we really need to question just what direction this program is going.

My goodness... Someone said it!!!! Way to hit it BradleyBrave! So to sum up under Les we have been:
6th
7th
8th
5th
4th
5th
and this year probably 6-10

Correct me if I am wrong, but when we finished 4th (the best year) weren't we tied for 4th? I could be wrong--getting old and forgetful.

That's an average of 5.83, which rounded is an average of finishing 6th. I do not see that improving this year. I am sorry to say that those numbers paint a very clear picture. The Sweet 16 run was great (thanks POB, Cellus, Boogie), but the rest (while it has been fast & exciting at time) the results have been mediocre at best and I am hoping that we get to the point that we are at least mediocre this year. Things better improve fast to get to the level of mediocracy.

[SFP]

I've only read Dave Reynolds' account of the game and the reactions on here, which probably a good thing. I probably would've thrown my remote had a watched the game.

Scouter it got ugly before 1/2 time so you probably would have grabbed that remote again and smashed it after you turned off the game. I for one wish I could get my money back from the bubraves.tv What we are lacking is real leadership from the players. The loss was embarassing and I guess we'll find out what this team is about later today. I still have not held out hope for this team but I also would like to see what WE and At can bring to the table because if DC is better then they are we are truly lacking a big. As I said in an earlier thread the bandwagon is getting a tune up and let's just see what these guys are made of.

Besides SM who else can shoot the 3? I heard one of our walk ons is a dead eye shooter. Why not bring him in to bust the zone? He can't make our D worse then what it is??????