Bradley's 2018-19 Schedule

[tornado]

An awful preseason schedule! This kind of weakness is not typical of Bradley and will not help us build the mens BB program. Also, it will cost us game attendance and hurt recruiting.
We will have no chance for "at large" bids and will have to win in St. Louis,
Somehow, we need to get this scheduling fiasco under control because this 2018 schedule makes BU look like a weak- sister low level MVC program.
Wizard

I know, wiz, it is not super-strong..

but in defense I will say ....

-it was harder to schedule this year because Bradley is gonna be better and the big boys don't want to play us - they chose to accept Wisc.-Parkside rather than another 200+RPI opponent. and "we" have dug ourselves a hole because of the horrible situation and burned bridges that the last administration left us with...

-we have five non-conference opponents that have 20 wins or more last year - that's better than all but one season over the last 20 years

-6 of our 13 non-conference opponents are coming off years of RPI better than 150...that's more than last year (5), the year before (5), and it is as many or more than in any season Bradley has played in over a decade - since you go back well into the Jim Les era (2006!!)

-four of the opponents we had little choice on as the come with the tournament - and they are pretty solid opponents!

-three of the opponents we host either won their conference or competed strongly within their conference and should do so again this year...(JSU, New Mexico, SE La)

-the rest is as it is....

 

[BravesWinINStyle]

I know for a fact they tried to schedule tough. Hard to shake off reputation from previous administrators.

 

[Jim]

Scheduling fiasco?

Scheduling fiasco?

An awful preseason schedule! This kind of weakness is not typical of Bradley and will not help us build the mens BB program. Also, it will cost us game attendance and hurt recruiting.
We will have no chance for "at large" bids and will have to win in St. Louis,
Somehow, we need to get this scheduling fiasco under control because this 2018 schedule makes BU look like a weak- sister low level MVC program.
Wizard

Wizard, please help me understand why you think this is "an awful preseason schedule" and "we need to get this scheduling fiasco under control". What should it have been?
Considering we had one of the worst teams in the country just a few short years ago why should "top tier" teams want to schedule games with us? Wouldn't their fans think they are showing weakness by scheduling games with us?
I am very impressed with the progress the team has made in the last two years and I have high expectations we will be even better this year. Game attendance and recruiting seem to be getting better each year also. It is fun to go to Bradley games again and I look forward to watching this team continue the rebuilding process.

 

[Chico]

Wizard, please help me understand why you think this is "an awful preseason schedule" and "we need to get this scheduling fiasco under control". What should it have been?
Considering we had one of the worst teams in the country just a few short years ago why should "top tier" teams want to schedule games with us? Wouldn't their fans think they are showing weakness by scheduling games with us?
I am very impressed with the progress the team has made in the last two years and I have high expectations we will be even better this year. Game attendance and recruiting seem to be getting better each year also. It is fun to go to Bradley games again and I look forward to watching this team continue the rebuilding process.

+1

 

[Mikovio]

2.) It's going to be hard for ANY Missouri Valley team to secure an At-Large bid in today's day and age. If the Deadbirds couldn't do it a couple of years back with their 25+win season and if no one was sure about Loyola last year if they hadn't won Arch Madness, then it's going to be pretty difficult for us to be a 2+ bid league. Just my 2 cents.

See I don??™t buy this at all. Loyola missing the NCAAs last year would have been tragic but it would??™ve been because they had some bad losses when Custer got hurt - UW Milwaukee, Missouri State, and a 40 point blowout at Boise. ISU missed out a couple years ago because they had a mediocre at best noncon showing and the Valley was the weakest it had been in many years. Those teams had self inflicted warts and you can??™t point to them and just throw up your hands about scheduling. It was only 5 years ago Wichita got a 1 seed.

You just don??™t get any benefit by playing Chicago State. You learn nothing about your team, you impress nobody. Your bench guys will see minutes but that??™s it. Hopefully this is the last year we play them.

 

[tornado]

even top schools like Kansas, Kentucky, Oregon & Big Ten schools schedule the likes of Prairie View A&M, Kennesaw State & Canisius....

so a game or two against those guys won't hurt....
but you gotta get a bunch of top 100 teams - that is what our staff is trying to do -

 

[wizard1]

Bradleys 2018 Schedule

Bradleys 2018 Schedule

t..... I understand what you are saying but I don't understand how other MVC programs seem to be able to schedule games with better teams and we do not. I am beginning to wonder how much effort we are putting into this scheduling situation. Also, over the years in business, I've learned that trying to open meaningful discussions by phone or letter is very tough to do. These kind of things need to be done face-to-face on a personal basis. Our AD and Coaching staff needs to get on a plane and aggressively pursue a much better schedule.

Also, I don't believe that our program has become so strong that we are scaring off high level teams. We are improving but big time programs are not avoiding us because we are too strong for them!

In summary, our fans deserve a better schedule, our kids want to play good opponents, and the growth of our program needs better scheduling.

Wizard

 

[Da Coach]

...
Also, I don't believe that our program has become so strong that we are scaring off high level teams.

Although it may seem hard to believe, this is happening. The top 6 conference guys who were willing to give Bradley a "buy game" back when we were bottom-dwellers simply do not want to play us now that there is a chance of an at-large bid-killing upset. They'd rather schedule Evansville, or one of the other teams at the bottom or rebuilding.

 

[wizard1]

2018 Schedule

2018 Schedule

Chico....I agree with you that our program is improving, our recruiting is much better, and games are more fun to watch. What I am concerned about is that we do not lose the momentum in rebuilding our program. We need to keep doing the "right" things. A few wrong turns and the momentum is lost and we remain a middle of the road program in the middle of our conference with few post season tournament bids. Bad scheduling can cause this if we are not very careful.
I suggest you look at the pre season schedules of other MVC programs and see how we stack up against them. I just do not want to perpetually end up 5th or 6th in the conference or at the best in 4th. We can do much better but it will take a lot of work to do this.
Wiz

 

[tornado]

t...... but I don't understand how other MVC programs seem to be able to schedule games with better teams and we do not. ...

in short -- two words - Joanne Glasser
those other programs did not spend 6-7 years destroying every favorable relationship & contact with every other program & AD in DI. People just don't know how badly JG & Cross destroyed a once- prominent & respected Department of Athletics at Bradley and turned us into a laughingstock....or even worse, turning it into a pariah that other programs didn't even want to play.
Remember - Joanne & Mike's idea of running a DI program involved moving our premier sport to the women's gym, scheduling Eureka College, Mississippi Valley State and all the other 350 RPI gems, and telling the fanbase how stupid and impatient we all were for actually coming to games and expecting decent play and maybe a win now & then...

People seem to forget that Ken Kavanagh & Jim Les used to regularly get Butler, VCU, Illinois, Michigan State & Tom Izzo, and numerous other Big East, Big Ten & Big 12 teams to come in here... Plus the likes of DUKE, Florida, Butler, and multiple other TOP schools away from home..

Chris Reynolds & Brian Wardle are fast restoring the prestige and dignity in our programs but bridges & relationships have been badly & irreparably burned...

 

[PhiAlphaBoy]

in short -- two words - Joanne Glasser
those other programs did not spend 6-7 years destroying every favorable relationship & contact with every other program & AD in DI. People just don't know how badly JG & Cross destroyed a once- prominent & respected Department of Athletics at Bradley and turned us into a laughingstock....or even worse, turning it into a pariah that other programs didn't even want to play.
Remember - Joanne & Mike's idea of running a DI program involved moving our premier sport to the women's gym, scheduling Eureka College, Mississippi Valley State and all the other 350 RPI gems, and telling the fanbase how stupid and impatient we all were for actually coming to games and expecting decent play and maybe a win now & then...

People seem to forget that Ken Kavanagh & Jim Les used to regularly get Butler, VCU, Illinois, Michigan State & Tom Izzo, and numerous other Big East, Big Ten & Big 12 teams to come in here... Plus the likes of DUKE, Florida, Butler, and multiple other TOP schools away from home..

Chris Reynolds & Brian Wardle are fast restoring the prestige and dignity in our programs but bridges & relationships have been badly & irreparably burned...

This is without a doubt one of the most asinine posts I've seen made here. Please, tell me you don't actually believe this? I'd be curious what the chorus thinks as well. This is just crazy talk! The schedule may be weak but it has nothing to do with our last President and AD.

 

[Da Coach]

I don't agree with much of what was said, but to be clear, there is no doubt the demise of the men's and women's basketball programs starting in 2011 (as well as most other sports) that lead to the worst years in the history of the programs and the departure of a number of fine coaches was caused exclusively by the previous President and AD.

I believe we are back on the right track now with capable leaders, but the better part of a decade and tens of millions of dollars were wasted.

 

[tornado]

This is without a doubt one of the most asinine posts I've seen made here. Please, tell me you don't actually believe this? I'd be curious what the chorus thinks as well. This is just crazy talk! The schedule may be weak but it has nothing to do with our last President and AD.

you're entitled to believe or disbelieve whatever - but DI AD's are a pretty small, tight knit community overall - and just about everyone knows everyone else & their programs...
They are on the phone constantly with each other scheduling for a dozen or more different sports...and trust me - a lot of them had some good chuckles when they saw what was going on at Bradley between 2009 & 2015. We are on the way back but damage was done.
..btw- the PJStar writers had no qualms about quoting Mike Cross and backing him up when he ridiculously & falsely claimed the former administration

 

[Mikovio]

I am no fan of Glasser but to blame her for our inability to get a series with any team in the B1G, Big XII, Pac 12, ACC, SEC, Big East, or hell even AAC or A10 4 years after she left is really out there. I??™d think even Ken Kavanaugh would be past that by now.

 

[Mikovio]

even top schools like Kansas, Kentucky, Oregon & Big Ten schools schedule the likes of Prairie View A&M, Kennesaw State & Canisius....

so a game or two against those guys won't hurt....
but you gotta get a bunch of top 100 teams - that is what our staff is trying to do -

That??™s different though because Kansas and Kentucky will get a dozen chances at quality wins just in league play. We might get a few in ours, but we rely much more on noncon scheduling to offer opportunities for quality wins.

I don??™t mind a game or two, but this is too much. 5 teams had RPI of 250 or lower. Again, I see them as wasted opportunities.

I realize some of these are multi year contracts which are expiring. Let??™s hope they get replaced with much better.

 

[tornado]

I don’t mind a game or two, but this is too much. 5 teams had RPI of 250 or lower. Again, I see them as wasted opportunities.

I realize some of these are multi year contracts which are expiring. Let’s hope they get replaced with much better.

I know - we all want better...but are you suggesting our staff wants to play a weak schedule? That they are intentionally loading up on teams they know the fans won't be excited about?
Or that they have dropped the ball or just aren't trying or taking this seriously?

 

[Mikovio]

I don??™t know enough to say, so I give them the benefit of the doubt. All I know is I don??™t like the result and not going to sugarcoat it. I will say they could have done worse than SE Louisiana for the last addition, so I don??™t think it??™s intentionally being tanked. I think some series with bad teams were started when we were worse and seemed competitive at the time, so maybe the length of those series??™ were a mistake then? Hard to say.

 

[PurpleAceFan]

I am no fan of Glasser but to blame her for our inability to get a series with any team in the B1G, Big XII, Pac 12, ACC, SEC, Big East, or hell even AAC or A10 4 years after she left is really out there. I??™d think even Ken Kavanaugh would be past that by now.

I agree completely. It's just an insane thought to think that schools are afraid to play Bradley and that a person who left 4 years ago is what is causing BU to have to play the schedule they play. I remember people on here being up in arms with the schedule that ISU's Coach Jank used to play. Now when the same thing is happening at BU, there are a myriad of excuses as to why. Just be honest with yourselves for those who believe there are reasons behind this schedule. The excuses being used now are the same one that some die-hard Marty Simmons supported used.

Face the facts, you have to want to play good teams in order to get them on your schedule. Coming on a year where you have the advantage of the extra practices, the summer trip, and an experienced team, it is total incompetence to have this schedule. It basically puts you out of the running for even an NIT bid if you don't win the Valley tourney.

Coach's who constantly schedule cupcakes are looking to rack up easy wins to either keep their job or move on. Plain and simple.

 

[tornado]

I don’t know enough to say.... not going to sugarcoat it. ....

well, I am hardly sugarcoating anything...
here are a couple of the things I have already said about our schedule

we're gonna have to win in St. Louis, this won't get us an at large bid...

it is not super-strong..

.....you gotta get a bunch of top 100 teams -

I know - we all want better..

can't imagine it really matters -
...unless Bradley played a Gonzaga-like non-con schedule do you think we'd ever get an at-large bid?

but once again -- this year we have more 20-win teams and more TOP 150 RPI teams than in almost any year since 2006. Those are the actual FACTS.
I know people go on their perception - and that will happen again this year as well...
but as I said - unless we win a lot and win in St. Louis, we are not going to get an at large bid even if we have a schedule like ISU did last year (Top 20 in all of DI).

 

[houstonbrave]

Maybe a silly question but....

Years ago we had the bracket buster and that fell apart for reasons I never really understood. Over the last several years scheduling has gotten even more difficult for good mid major teams. Why not restart some version of the bracket buster. For the few mid majors with a shot at an at large bid it gives the opportunity to build their resume-of course you have to win..