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Final score: Illinois State 88 Bradley 62

Da Coach

Da Coach

Moderator
Staff member
Bradley is 13-6 and 6-2 in the MVC after their overtime win at Evansville. The Braves are 2-3 in road games. The Braves have won their last 3 games, and their NET rank is improved to 109 this morning (1/14).
Illinois State was picked #1 in the MVC Preseason poll. They are 12-6, and 4-3 in the MVC after their loss at Indiana State Wednesday night.
ISU is 7-1 at home. They have lost their last 3 games, Their NET as of 1/14 is 82, but will drop after the loss at Indiana State.
The game is on ESPN2 and might possibly be on ESPN+ - https://www.espn.com/watch/player/_/id/53cac8cd-5d9a-45fa-885f-efbbc765a07f
Live stats- https://stats.statbroadcast.com/broadcast/?id=612222
Chat room- www.chatzy.com/bradleyfans
WMBD radio - https://wmbdradio.com/player/?playerID=2045

The two teams split last season with Bradley winning 61-57 in Peoria on 1/25/25, and ISU winning in Normal 82-71 on 2/19/25.
Bradley is 76-66 all-time against ISI, and Bradley has won 6 of the last 7 games, and 11 of the last 15-
History- https://goredbirds.com/sports/mens-basketball/opponent-history/bradley-university/44

ISU schedule/results- https://goredbirds.com/sports/mens-basketball/schedule
Roster- https://goredbirds.com/sports/mens-basketball/roster
Stats- https://goredbirds.com/sports/mens-basketball/stats/2025-26
They are a good 3-point shooting team (4th in the MVC) and they are #1 in rebounding margin among MVC teams.
Their leading scorer and rebounder is 6'9" junior forward Chase Walker (13.4 ppg, 5.7 rpg). Other starters-
5'11" junior guard Johnny Kinziger- 12.1 ppg, 32.5% from three
6'6" junior guard Ty Pence- 10.8 ppg, 38.9% from three
6'2" freshman guard Ty'Reek Coleman- 10.4 ppg, 45.2% from three
6'5" 5th year guard (transfer from North Dakota State) Boden Skunberg- 9.6 ppg, 40.0% from three

Interesting stats- 6'8" forward Jack Daugherty, who single-handedly beat Bradley in Normal last year going 7-10 from three for 25 points is having a sophomore slump. He has played only 11 minutes per game off the bench and has averaged 3.4 ppg, about half what he averaged last season as a freshman. He is shooting 23% from three, compared with 47.6% last season.

Bradley stats- https://bradleybraves.com/sports/mens-basketball/stats
MVC stats- https://mvc-sports.com/documents/2025/11/4//2025_26_MVC_MBB_All_Game_Stats.pdf
MVC standings- https://www.espn.com/mens-college-basketball/standings/_/group/18
 
We need to guard the 3 point shot a lot better if we expect to win. We also have to expect their best game against us simply because of the rivalry.
 
Da Coach said:
Shows a significant lack of class by the ISU admin, which, sorry to say, has always been the case.

View attachment 529302
Click to expand...

Wow. Classy. I expect such things from students. We were known to chant "You can't beat our XXXXX" when Dick Versace was coach. But I wouldn't do that as an adult now. At least not a sober one. Perhaps that is the administration's excuse when they came up with this.

Or, maybe it's an attempt to draw attention away from the fact that they gave their website a URL that when read says "Gored Birds"
 
battlebasset said:
Wow. Classy. I expect such things from students. We were known to chant "You can't beat our XXXXX" when Dick Versace was coach. But I wouldn't do that as an adult now. At least not a sober one. Perhaps that is the administration's excuse when they came up with this.

Or, maybe it's an attempt to draw attention away from the fact that they gave their website a URL that when read says "Gored Birds"
Click to expand...
At some Bradley-ISU games from the mid-1980's that I attended at their old Horton Fieldhouse, the ISU cheerleaders actually lead their crowd in cheers of "Versace is a D**k" and "F**k Bradley". The ISU coach (Bob Donewald) and their AD fully supported such embarrassing behavior.
 
Back when we had a student section, my favorite was, "If you can't go to school, go to State!" - Now that's actually creative and not crass. :)

I still also have a red giveaway t-shirt from college days that says "Pluck" the Redbirds. Again ... a tad bit more clever.
 
When I was a kid, my dad and mom took me to Redbird arena during the Anthony Parker era so we could watch him try to beat the birds in Normal. The game was sold out and dad got tickets through a friend.

The tickets ended up being the ISU student section. The comments and abuse we took were unacceptable… I was still a minor and my family was strait laced. But whatever.

Finally the students complained enough to the ushers that we shouldn’t be there (but our tickets were legit) and we were removed and told we’d be re-ticketed at the box office. Meanwhile they backfilled our seats with students.

When we got to the box office, they told us we already had tickets and to go sit back down.

We ended up standing in the mezzanine for a while where we could see 1/2 of the court. Then we left. Plus we lost. I never forgave them after that.
 
Back in the day when they played at Horton Field House, attended a game there and sat in the Bradley section. Did not matter as during the game objects were thrown at us. From water bottles to bath tissue among other things. Was not just my group as other people in the section also had objects thrown at them. It got so bad we had to get up and leave. Upon notifying ISU personnel all they did was shrug their shoulders with a grin on their face. Last time I went to a game there when Bradley played ISU.
 
Da Coach said:
Shows a significant lack of class by the ISU admin, which, sorry to say, has always been the case.

View attachment 529302
Click to expand...
I would send this to the Valley office just to show them how classless they are at ISU. This is the kind of crap that stirs up trouble at this event. Fans from Bradley going need to beware that they obviously do not want you there or your money. I quit going there a long time ago because of this kind of s-it.
 
egib52 said:
Sounds like I am in the minority, but it doesn't bother me. I love things that add fuel to the rivalry. Plus, I don't find it all that crass.
Click to expand...
not at the fan level or student level but at the professional level of schools within a conference that
stands strong for sportsmanship & fair play - it does border a bit on crude.

In the end it tells me how desperate they are to try to sell tickets and make this game look respectable...
They claim around 4000 per game on their attendance but lots of those seats have been empty.

Watch this short video from their last home game- https://www.espn.com/mens-college-basketball/game/_/gameId/401830265/uic-illinois-st
AT LEAST HALF of all the lower level seats right behind the benches and scorer's table- the BEST seats in the house- are empty!!
 
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battlebasset said:
ISU is hood basketball. Nothing more, nothing less. I don't think we beat them this year, but it doesn't change what they are. Thugs.
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The Jankovich/Muller eras were filled with guys who had long rap sheets, multiple DUI's, assault charges, and felonies...
There was enough talent that I guess those coaches felt it was worth the gamble....
Heck, Milik Yarbrough had a DUI & ran over his girlfriend (plus a dozen other charges) on the street right in front of their Student Union
and was pronounced to be "suspended indefinitely" BUT sat out just one exhibition game against Lewis and started every game after that.
There were even guys who played while charged with multiple felony DUI's and felony assault of their girlfriends.
 
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tomahawk chop said:
I would send this to the Valley office just to show them how classless they are at ISU. This is the kind of crap that stirs up trouble at this event. Fans from Bradley going need to beware that they obviously do not want you there or your money. I quit going there a long time ago because of this kind of s-it.
Click to expand...
They’re a state school, money’s no problem.
 
yoda said:
The Jankovich/Muller eras were filled with guys who had long rap sheets, multiple DUI's, assault charges, and felonies...
There was enough talent that I guess those coaches felt it was worth the gamble....
Heck, Milik Yarbrough had a DUI & ran over his girlfriend (plus a dozen other charges) on the street right in front of their Student Union
and was pronounced to be "suspended indefinitely" BUT sat out just one exhibition game against Lewis and started every game after that.
There were even guys who played while charged with multiple felony DUI's and felony assault of their girlfriends.
Click to expand...
I remember those guys. Model student athletes any program would be proud to have.
 
There were too many examples to cite, including multiple players who had double-digit entries into the McLean County criminal database under Jankovich and Muller. But the case of Bobby Hill is one that stands out....
During the 2009-2010 season, he was arrested and charged with criminal sexual abuse with a minor.
www.daytondailynews.com

Illinois State Player Charged With Assault

Illinois State has suspended a member of its men's basketball team after he was charged in an alleged sexual assault.
www.daytondailynews.com www.daytondailynews.com
He was "suspended" by Tim Jankovich, which was a meaningless action, since he was injured and was already taking a redshirt that season. However, he remained enrolled at ISU and remained a member of the team and on scholarship. Only after he eventually pleaded guilty to the charges months later in late June of 2010 was he dismissed from the team and from the university.
www.espn.com

Hill pleads guilty, kicked out

Illinois State basketball player Bobby Hill was sentenced to three years' probation and dismissed from the university after pleading guilty to criminal sexual abuse.
www.espn.com www.espn.com
 
I posted this on the MVC Facebook page:

Illinois State discount ticket code for Saturdays game with BU: suckstobu. Is this the image we want to show to the world about the MVC? Or do we just not care because we acknowledge that ISU is just a bunch of thug players? Maybe Bradley can have a code that goes ISUcks. Classy, right?

Please go and comment. This needs to be called out.
 
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