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Final score: Murray State 86 Bradley 66

Bradley8792 said:
Interesting posts. Were people thinking we were going to go undefeated in the conference?
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No, but certainly should have had a chance to win the last game, especially hungry after a loss to Belmont in which we didn't play badly. We've had setback games in the conference in the Wardle era - nothing new. I hope this was the game to jump-start the team to go on a run. Need to play more consistently in rebounding, and quite frankly if Quanny doesn't play well, we likely don't win...at least on the road.
 
That was pretty painful, for sure. But, let's always remember it is super hard to win games on the road in the Valley. Imagine if BU won all its home games and took half of its road games - people would be dancing for joy if the team went 15-5. It's all about perspective, really. Not saying this team is capable of going 15-5, but it still should be good enough to be in the upper half and potentially still get the 5.

This Drake game next is actually really important, IMO.

I had fun doing a "travel story" for this one since the game was so poor. Enjoy it: https://bubraves2006.substack.com/p/a-travel-log-to-murray-ky-a-game
 
Bradley8792 said:
Interesting posts. Were people thinking we were going to go undefeated in the conference
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I highly doubt anyone thought we would go undefeated. I think the optimistic view was top 3, and my view has always been high end a 4-6 seed. However, I think everyone would agree we hoped to be competitive in each game, and get better as the season progressed.
 
Landof10thcoaches said:
This is a rebuild year people!!!!! We got two Peoria kids that were good high school players. They will eventually get better when they adjust to college basketball. Physically, mentally and emotionally they are not ready yet. Wardle is losing his mind because everything is a new adventure coaches and players. Murry state is good why because they built excitement and got a few guys from a system their coach was apart of and are tuff. We got left with bench role players because our team was good the last few years. No recruit wanted to play behind guys or compete with them. We have to get better all the way around. We need to get Dwayne Funches type dudes and Henry dudes that want to be a pain the butt for your opponent.
Expect little now for more lat
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I agree!
 
Every season is virtually a rebuild one so that is really not a good excuse. We were told Bradley has the most NIL money in the Valley so my expectations are that we challenge for a regular and Tournament championship every year. We just are not good enough this season simply because our front line is one of the worst in the Valley at scoring, rebounding and defending. We cannot rely on our guards to do everything . Recruiting needs to be a lot better period and we cannot afford to miss on 1 season and done players.
 
Agree about our frontline play is not up to par and need to continue to improve. We have what we have and nothing you can do about it. This off season we really need to identify and hopefully recruit what we really need. Our NIL is supposed to be among tops in the MVC. Hope we can use that to our advantage and get players we so sorely need that can score, rebound, and defend.
 
Bradley's NIL initiative got an early start with NIL money and due to a lot of hard work by key individuals, it was the leader among MVC schools initially. I have no personal connection, but from a couple sources I have heard that may not be the case now. Anyone who has ever been involved in fundraising, as I have, will tell you that it isn't as difficult initially, but trying to maintain a steady level of revenue is a lot harder.
 
I still can't believe as an almost 50 year season ticket holder and donor, that when the Bradley NIL
was first formed in 2022, I literally called and asked how I could get involved and wanted to give my money -
...
and was told by their people that membership was closed, there was no route that I could be involved, that the merchandise would be
available soon but wasn't available yet - and that they didn't apparently want nor need me.
hmmm.. ok.... so I just kept my money & bought Cat stock, and now that's up almost 300% since...so I guess I made the right decision.
 
yoda said:
I still can't believe as an almost 50 year season ticket holder and donor, that when the Bradley NIL
was first formed in 2022, I literally called and asked how I could get involved and wanted to give my money -
...
and was told by their people that membership was closed, there was no route that I could be involved, that the merchandise would be
available soon but wasn't available yet - and that they didn't apparently want nor need me.
hmmm.. ok.... so I just kept my money & bought Cat stock, and now that's up almost 300% since...so I guess I made the right decision.
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I was told the same thing that they had 50 members and did not need any outside help. Then a year later i get e-mails asking for donations. They turned a lot of us off by their initial remarks. I would rather invest and did like you in companies that give you a better return. Whatever some of these guys are getting paid is too much for their results.
 
tomahawk chop said:
Every season is virtually a rebuild one so that is really not a good excuse. We were told Bradley has the most NIL money in the Valley so my expectations are that we challenge for a regular and Tournament championship every year. We just are not good enough this season simply because our front line is one of the worst in the Valley at scoring, rebounding and defending. We cannot rely on our guards to do everything . Recruiting needs to be a lot better period and we cannot afford to miss on 1 season and done players.
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AGREED!!!

There is NO excuse this season for not finishing Top 4...we have more experience than most teams in this league.
Am I confident in finishing Top 4 after last game? No
Am I confident in Wardle's ability to get the team gelling to finish Top 4? Yes
** Do we have the talent to finish Top 4? Yes;Top 2? NO
The guard play MUST be elite to make up for our weak front line.

There are 4 other Valley teams who are TOUGH - would be an accomplishment IMO to finish Top 4
SIU, Drake are likely teams we'll be in the mix with to the reg. season end, and Valpo/Indy St. are not bad teams.
 
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Landof10thcoaches said:
This is a rebuild year people!!!!! We got two Peoria kids that were good high school players. They will eventually get better when they adjust to college basketball. Physically, mentally and emotionally they are not ready yet. Wardle is losing his mind because everything is a new adventure coaches and players. Murry state is good why because they built excitement and got a few guys from a system their coach was apart of and are tuff. We got left with bench role players because our team was good the last few years. No recruit wanted to play behind guys or compete with them. We have to get better all the way around. We need to get Dwayne Funches type dudes and Henry dudes that want to be a pain the butt for your opponent.
Expect little now for more later.
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Echoing what others have said, there are no rebuilding years anymore. Players leave every year. Each year, it is incumbent on the staff to build a strong roster by bringing in new talent and retaining existing talent. Anyone who believes you can rebuild doesn't look at the transfer portal turnover every year. I definitely hope we keep our young guys, but you have to bring in good players because when they get good enough, they will leave.
 
tomahawk chop said:
I was told the same thing that they had 50 members and did not need any outside help.....
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yeah, I also talked with another lifelong fan & donor who's in the $1mil range lifetime donations to BU,
who was also turned away when he inquired. It rubbed him the wrong way so he called one of his friends
who is among those in the collective and was told that's just the way the majority in the "club" wanted it.
Apparently wanted to relish or gloat over being the insiders and having lunch with the coaches and players.
Go figure. I bet there's a lot of older fans who have given a $ton to Bradley who now feel like unless
you sponsor a timeout gimmick or kiss someone's ***, that your lifelong contributions aren't valued.
I've been around long enough to recall a couple of Bradley's all time best at fundraising & development
were FIRED by the President because she was jealous of their success in fundraising and she wanted the glory.
 
The NIL Wild West is a few short years from forcing the big boys to relegate the mid-low-majors to their own category of competitive sports.
Schools like Bradley can’t keep funneling deficit spending with insufficient revenue stream. Faculty already dislikes disparity via head coach being highest paid employee for mediocre results. Enrollment challenges and changing higher education model further adds to the crisis.
“It’s not your father’s” BRAVES and certainly nothing resembles “your Grandfather’s”.

Seems the NIL local debacle is tantamount to rearranging the deck chairs on the Titanic. Would hope there’s a countering argument, and that those rejection examples were a misunderstanding. If we’re all not pulling the rope in the same direction, might as well be pushing a rope uphill.

Doubt Congress is willing/able to get involved cause the genie is long out of the bottle. Only collective bargaining of athletes as employees has a chance, and mid-low majors can’t afford that model either.

Reminds me of the summer of 1970 when Dr. Abegg saw the economic writing on the wall and ending money-sucking football.
How is this different? Given the current BU financial challenges and the NCAA environment, I submit this time its worse.
 
Landof10thcoaches said:
This is a rebuild year people!!!!! We got two Peoria kids that were good high school players. They will eventually get better when they adjust to college basketball. Physically, mentally and emotionally they are not ready yet. Wardle is losing his mind because everything is a new adventure coaches and players. Murry state is good why because they built excitement and got a few guys from a system their coach was apart of and are tuff. We got left with bench role players because our team was good the last few years. No recruit wanted to play behind guys or compete with them. We have to get better all the way around. We need to get Dwayne Funches type dudes and Henry dudes that want to be a pain the butt for your opponent.
Expect little now for more later.
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Rebuild in the no era 😂😂😂
 
egib52 said:
Echoing what others have said, there are no rebuilding years anymore. Players leave every year. I definitely hope we keep our young guys, but you have to bring in good players because when they get good enough, they will leave.
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One guy I’d look at if he hits the portal-
6-9 Hank Alvey- went for 20pts/8reb tonight
Averaging 13.2 ppg and 7 rpg on 64% shooting
 
yoda said:
One guy I’d look at if he hits the portal-
6-9 Hank Alvey- went for 20pts/8reb tonight
Averaging 13.2 ppg and 7 rpg on 64% shooting
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Hank didn't get much attention from Division I schools. He played at a small high school (Illini Bluffs in Glasford, IL) and Lehigh University of the Patriot League was his only D1 offer. He struggled a bit his freshman season, as a lot of big guys do, adjusting to D1. But this year as a sophomore, he's looked very good, averaging 13.6 ppg and 7.2 rpg. He had 20 points and 8 rebounds in their win last night against Holy Cross. He is 50% this season on 3-point shots (5-10)), and would really help Bradley if he wants to transfer back home.
Another local big man who might be in the portal is Lathan Sommerville. He got a big paycheck to transfer to Washington of the Big Ten, but he hasn't played much and is now out with an injury and hasn't played for several games. Maybe he might be interested in a change? We can only hope.
 
Something I posted about before. Would be great if Lathan Somerville decided to come to Bradley. Sure his NIL money would be less, but greater exposure can only help him if he has the ambition of playing at another level after graduating. Cross our fingers and hope it happens.
 
daveineureka said:
Something I posted about before. Would be great if Lathan Somerville decided to come to Bradley. Sure his NIL money would be less, but greater exposure can only help him if he has the ambition of playing at another level after graduating. Cross our fingers and hope it happens.
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I am no expert in NIL valuations, but based on his dwindling minutes: https://www.espn.com/mens-college-basketball/player/gamelog/_/id/5101689/lathan-sommerville

His valuation may reduce regardless. His best bet might be to come home, rebuild his stock, and take advantage of being a known name.
 
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