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Final score: Drake 77 Bradley 51
- Thread starter Da Coach
- Start date
basketball nut
Active member
Thanks for the positive post. These young men played their hearts out and I really think each of us enjoyed this season. Did it end the way we hoped? No, but that sure shouldn't make for a disappointing season.
basketball nut
Active member
Thanks for that update. They were deserving of the honor.
bigjimmy
Active member
No question Drake was the better team today and this weekend and I hope they can do some damage in the tournament. I think their previous NCAA tournament experience in 2021 and their battles with Loyola the last few years have really made them battle tested and unfortunately, we couldn't match their physicality. It's the one thing we need in order to compete on the bigger stage. Hopefully the guys will appreciate that they still have a post season opportunity, as well as the extra practices, that they earned by winning the Mo Valley regular season championship. Use the Drake loss as motivation to not end their season. Very proud of the season we've had.
patrick_o'brian
Member
Boy, it was a tough game to watch yesterday. A tale of 2 Sundays. This team has been so fun and frustrating at the same time. Last Sunday was the most fun I’ve had in Carver in a long time. Then Saturday was as exhilarating as it gets with the 1 point “bullet dodger” against ISU blue.
Coming out of that win and seeing Drake bully through their first two games had me concerned about the final. Those concerns were validated almost immediately. However, there was solace in knowing that win or lose we would be playing again due to the results of the previous Sunday’s MVC championship win. That’s what this team has provided all year for us fans, hope! We hit rock bottom and get blown out by Drake on ESPNU then go on an historic streak to win the Valley. Then get smoked again by Drake on National TV. Let’s hope this is a precursor to another historic run to the MSG and a NIT championship. That’s what this season has been about. These guys can do it! Yajusneverno!
Coming out of that win and seeing Drake bully through their first two games had me concerned about the final. Those concerns were validated almost immediately. However, there was solace in knowing that win or lose we would be playing again due to the results of the previous Sunday’s MVC championship win. That’s what this team has provided all year for us fans, hope! We hit rock bottom and get blown out by Drake on ESPNU then go on an historic streak to win the Valley. Then get smoked again by Drake on National TV. Let’s hope this is a precursor to another historic run to the MSG and a NIT championship. That’s what this season has been about. These guys can do it! Yajusneverno!
battlebasset
New member
Tough loss, but have a chance to prove it was a fluke in the NIT if we can go deep. And Drake deserves the spot, and I hope they go deep. Sort of like Loyola a few years ago when they made Final Four, perhaps we will be able to say "The last team that beat them? The Bradley Braves".
bradleyfan124
Active member
I always like to find a silver lining in everything. Coach put Jonovic in for a couple minutes at the end. During that time he crashed the boards for a rebound and got fouled. Made a free throw. On the next play they fed the ball to him in the low post and he made a nice move to the basket and banked it off the board. Great move. With 6 or 7more months of working out I think he will be a big contributor next year
Stryker
New member
Would be nice if he can be a strong contributor if Rienk goes pro after this year. One thing I like about Jonovic is that he is not real skinny like some other real tall post players BU has had in the past. He looks like he should be able to contribute in the MVC without getting pushed around. Just a question of skill level after that.
Correct. Bradley will need to be a top 4 seed in their region to secure a home game.
I have not heard anything, but the concussion protocol can take a while to get cleared, depending on the initial symptoms, any persistent symptoms, and the player's history with prior concussions. Recall that Ja'Shon missed 6 games, and almost a month of time while he went through the concussion protocol earlier in the season. I am not aware of any prior concussion issues that Ville has had, so it won't likely be that long.
The earliest Bradley might play again is over a week from now.
I am also hearing that one of Bradley's starters was sick over the weekend, especially yesterday. That alone wasn't the reason for Bradley's loss to Drake, but it contributed. The week off will give everyone a chance to get healthy.
Tommy
Well-known member
Rienk was sick. Had to be with the way Wardle was sitting him even when he wasn’t in foul trouble. That would help explain a lot.
Rienk wasn't the guy I was referring to. Another starter was sick all weekend, and was at his worst Sunday. As I said, nobody is using that as an excuse for the Drake loss. But maybe the other 2 wins were closer than expected because of these limitations.
BUSongwriter
New member
Did anyone else notice the coincidence between the MVC tournament final and the WCC final? Both featured #1 vs. #2 in their respective conferences. Both were lopsided wins by the #2 team. And both had the exact same final score. In the WCC, top seed St. Mary's lost to 2-seed Gonzaga 77-51.
Of course, that's where the similarities end. St. Mary's, with 26 wins, simply dropped a spot or two in the NCAA seeding. Lunardi has them at a 6-seed. Bradley, with 25 wins, is NIT bound hoping for a home game. Hopefully, in the coming years we'll win consistently and earn a reputation like those two programs. I think we moved a step closer this year. Now let's make some noise in the NIT. Go Braves!
Of course, that's where the similarities end. St. Mary's, with 26 wins, simply dropped a spot or two in the NCAA seeding. Lunardi has them at a 6-seed. Bradley, with 25 wins, is NIT bound hoping for a home game. Hopefully, in the coming years we'll win consistently and earn a reputation like those two programs. I think we moved a step closer this year. Now let's make some noise in the NIT. Go Braves!
Stryker
New member
Yes, this was eerily similar to the MVC championship game!
Difference between Saint Mary's and BU may seem big at first but really upon inspection doesn't appear all that different. Saint Mary's was however able to get a win against Gonzaga and San Diego State, boosting their resume. They also were not blown out in any of their losses, with the loss to Gonzaga in the WCC championship game being their first double digit loss of the season. This really boosted their NET and metrics.
houstonbrave
Member
Yes they had an opportunity to get some marquis wins. The SD state win was on a neutral court and Gonzaga was at home. It is a huge advantage for conferences which have a quad 1 team in the conference because you get to play a quad 1 game at home and good teams win ~85 percent of the mime at home.