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Final: BU 63 UIC 62
- Thread starter Da Coach
- Start date
No doubt at times it sure seems that way. When shots go in everything looks fine and when they don't it all looks pretty bad.
I am too lazy to look it up but it seems to me we have a problem much of the time in the first half and we make the adjustments to make a game or win it in the second half....ISUred on the road is one exception that comes to mind.
I would make the excuse the second half is due to lack of depth...but one would have to to look at each game to know for sure....
oh...I never saw the response if you agreed with the Chicago writer on us abandoning our game plan.....
tornado
New member
lefty - I disagree - I think far more often it's our 2nd half that is where we falter......
both UNI games were really the only games where we stunk in the 1st half then were too far out of it even if we did make a run in the 2nd half -
but most of the others were the opposite...
Michigan, Virginia Tech, BOTH Wichita games, the game at Indiana State, at Evansville, at Creighton, and at ISU..
all those were games we either LED at half or were within a point or two just before half - then ended up losing big time....(except the first two and the home WSU games were at least close...)
I think the general pattern has been that our short bench plus the adjustments THE OTHER TEAM makes in the 2nd half are what kills us.
both UNI games were really the only games where we stunk in the 1st half then were too far out of it even if we did make a run in the 2nd half -
but most of the others were the opposite...
Michigan, Virginia Tech, BOTH Wichita games, the game at Indiana State, at Evansville, at Creighton, and at ISU..
all those were games we either LED at half or were within a point or two just before half - then ended up losing big time....(except the first two and the home WSU games were at least close...)
I think the general pattern has been that our short bench plus the adjustments THE OTHER TEAM makes in the 2nd half are what kills us.
well we had been down at half in some games too and came out and won...as well as being even or a small lead at half and expanded on it....I guess it depends on what you believe...if it's the players or the coaches who are responsible....I think it's the players some and the coaching staff doing a good job with what they have to work with...
You like to give credit to other teams coaching staff and that's fine....look at the teams you mentioned.......all clearly better or were supposed to be
lake Camelot
New member
I know I will get killed for this comment. I would be happy I guess. If we lose to Creighton and beat Missouri State. Still end up in Thursday. I will be very happy with the season we had given our current state. I agree Thursday is terrible but 17 18 or 19 wins this year would far excede my expectations.
That's where I separate the two lC. I'm not happy that it's likely Bradley will be playing on Thursday evening; however, I do like what I perceive to be general/overall improvement.
tornado
New member
I am happy we are improved - and even if we weren't that wouldn't have affected my devotion - and Bradley is very fortunate to have fans that are loyal.....many schools' attendances (ISU, WIU, NIU, DePaul, etc..) see their home attendances drop by OVER 50% when they hit a bad losing stretch!!!
...but count me a bit cynical in thinking that with virtually everyone coming back
and numerous open scholarships to bring in whatever we needed to improve from last year --
That 100% of the BU fan base fully expected us to be better.
The issue isn't only that we are better - but are we enough better to satisfy two things...1) better on paper and stay out of Thursday & the proud and longtime Bradley fans' desires to be that also translates into more enthusiasm & better crowds...and yet aren't we setting all time low marks on tix sold for St. Louis??
then add to that we were bad enough last year trying to get going with an all new coaching staff that it would have been next to impossible to have done worse...and that our schedule it undeniably way, way weaker...
then I guess time will tell if we improved enough compared to expectations....
Given it looks strongly like we'll still be playing as a bottom-four seed and that we're setting records on low crowds - we may still have a ways to go...
The last thing any school would want to do under those circumstances would be to make moves that alienate even more fans..
...but count me a bit cynical in thinking that with virtually everyone coming back
and numerous open scholarships to bring in whatever we needed to improve from last year --
That 100% of the BU fan base fully expected us to be better.
The issue isn't only that we are better - but are we enough better to satisfy two things...1) better on paper and stay out of Thursday & the proud and longtime Bradley fans' desires to be that also translates into more enthusiasm & better crowds...and yet aren't we setting all time low marks on tix sold for St. Louis??
then add to that we were bad enough last year trying to get going with an all new coaching staff that it would have been next to impossible to have done worse...and that our schedule it undeniably way, way weaker...
then I guess time will tell if we improved enough compared to expectations....
Given it looks strongly like we'll still be playing as a bottom-four seed and that we're setting records on low crowds - we may still have a ways to go...
The last thing any school would want to do under those circumstances would be to make moves that alienate even more fans..
LittleBrave
Active member
Not sure, but I imagine it would have been today if anything.
I am going to post a link to the end of the game (which I took from my camera as it unfolded on Comcast) Man, it sounded pretty noisy at the end of the game - both the tension on the last possession, and the reaction after Jake scored the bucket.
Here is the link to the YouTube video, and I will put it on the other Home-page menu, "Photos and Video Clips".
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rC42Lm-GhIc
LittleBrave
Active member
Did anyone notice that if TP had not gone to the floor and punched the ball out to Shayok, who kicked it back to Lemon in the final seconds, we never would have seen that ending?
Many heros at the end, including TP who was just fierce as ever snagging those offensive boards and determined to do something with it.
I never questioned for 1 moment in the game that we were not mentally "into" this game or "up" for it, or that we lacked fight.
And I think our increased intensity and will in the 2nd half were the deciding factors in getting the W.
Many heros at the end, including TP who was just fierce as ever snagging those offensive boards and determined to do something with it.
I never questioned for 1 moment in the game that we were not mentally "into" this game or "up" for it, or that we lacked fight.
And I think our increased intensity and will in the 2nd half were the deciding factors in getting the W.
In the past 10 years, we have won: 8, 7, 6, 11, 10, 9, 10, 9, 4, and 2 MVC games.
We currently have 7 MVC wins with a chance to win 9. 9 MVC wins would mean this season matched or exceeded 7 out of the past 10 years. At worst, 7 wins means we match or exceed 4 of the past 10 years. (And the Drake loss prevented us from possibly matching or exceeding 9 of the past 10 years)
Overall, I'm OK with this seasons win total (given expectations for this team). And if the win total happens to result in a Thursday, so be it.
I will not be happy with just 9 wins next year, though.
Actually virtually everyone coming back did not give me much confidence in BU being better. The guys leaving actually made me feel better about BU improvement than the guys coming back.
Older does not = better. However this team has well exceeded my expectations for the year in the W/L columns.
And they have an outside shot of one of those magical 20 win seasons!
Pickett played like a man on fire when he came in at the end.
In the second half Walt missed a 3 early in the schot clock and then went off as well. Could tell he was not about to lose a game in Chicago.
it's boogie time
Active member
In my opinion, there are four guys on this team with talent to play well in the Valley. This roster needs an infusion of talent. Pickett is the only guy that can get a rebound in a crowd. I don't know how a college roster doesn't have a three point shooter.
I think I agree with you on most of these points Tornado, but I still don't get your point regarding how it would be impossible to be better this year, which I know you have posted numerous times before. Would it have been better if we didn't improve? Of course we improved somewhat "by default", but you have to start somewhere. And I think Bradley's total win count this year has exceeded what most people had expected, though by no means are most people satisfied as this being the ultimate goal. Of course everyone wants Valley championships in the near future, and everyone especially will not be happy if we end up playing on Thursday night again. But I am looking at the total number of wins over last year, and 17 or 18 certainly is a lot better than 7. And even if we end up playing on Thursday night again, we have a good shot of at least 8 wins, which may not be good enough to keep us out of Thursday night if for no other reason than the Valley is very deep this year with every team claiming at least one win over one of the top 4 teams. That may be the real reason why we don't climb above 7th place this year.
And I don't agree that our schedule is that much weaker this year. Sure we ended up playing a couple of more sub 300 teams, and Virginia Tech and especially South Florida did not pan out like a lot of people thought they would. But considering last year we were losing to 300 RPI teams at home like Loyola, at least we are beating these teams this year, Drake on the road notwithstanding. And besides, the Valley schedule more than offset a lot of the earlier weak competition we played. We also beat a top 100 team in Indiana St. along with a few 101 to 150 RPI teams at home. So I consider that a nice improvement over last year. Now will we improve over this season next year with all the new players coming in to replace some good seniors? I will definitely agree that I am a little concerned as to how well things will start off next season. But I can see this team in contention for an NCAA Tournament spot within two years, which considering where we just came from would be terrific!
LittleBrave
Active member
Seriously?
We have made great adjustments in several games this season to come out on top, including the last game.
The home games vs. ISU-blue, Evansville, ISU-red are examples of half-time adjustments being made and resulted in wins.
Why do we need to make adjustments at halftime in games that we're winning? If it ain't broke, don't fix it.