Bradley Preview and Game Thread -- 2-9-2022

[NuncEstBibendum]

I am fine with losing to any MVC team other than Bradley.

This aged well over the last 15 minutes. A classy fan base, I am glad to be rid of them.

[goramblers2011]

I am fine with losing to any MVC team other than Bradley.

This aged well over the last 15 minutes. A classy fan base, I am glad to be rid of them.

Chanting "M-V-C" to 'insult' the team that has pretty much dominated the MVC over the past five seasons is...an interesting choice.

[ahunte1]

This was the toughest remaining game on our schedule. Need to rack up some wins the next two weeks. We're capable. We'll see.

[jdubs]

Braden finished with 37 minutes and Lucas with 35. Really feel like we need to keep them more fresh for the end of games

[01grad]

Kennedy’s absence was felt tonight. Getting him healthy and back is vital for March.

[Rambler303]

Thoughts:

1) Hate losing to Bradley, no worse fan base in the Valley.
2) As stated above, this is a self inflicted loss. We missed too many layups and defensive lapses. Can’t win on the road with so many errors.
3) The lack of a quality big has hurt us several times this year, we mostly have been able to cover up for it but tonight was not one of those nights. Mast crushed the offensive boards, and while we are a really good team than can and should beat every team in the valley, the nights where we need second chance points but get out rebounded hurt. Tonight was one of those. Knight is really good but he can’t bang with guys like Mast and Prim, we know Hutson even with his height isn’t there yet. One thing that worries me for Arch Madness is having to potentially play multiple talented bigs three games in a row, not sure we have the horses for it.
4) Who could have seen Montgomery playing the game of his career, sometimes it’s just not your night.
5) Would like to see the analytic scores before putting a nail in the at large bid coffin. We still have 6 games left, and anything can happen.
6) Regroup and get the win Sunday, we need every game now.
7) The last week of the season has me pretty worried, 3 games in a week, and ending at northern Iowa is a tall task. Norris, Williamson, and Uguak will need rest for that last game, hopefully the bench steps up.

[ahunte1]

I only did a quick scan, but in his entire career, we've lost two games when Aher scored double figures. At Drake (OT) last year, and at Creighton in the NIT.

He had two points tonight in 33 minutes. I'm not pinning the loss on him, but that's terrible. We are so much better when he does ANYTHING offensively.

[Cruyff]

Not panicking about the loss. Winning in Peoria is tough. Missed layups, no Marquise, and a lot of bounces that just didn’t go our way made it an uphill battle. The things that cost us tonight are all fixable for us. The bottom line remains that we need to win the MVC tourney. The best way to do that is get the top one or two seed. Sunday is a big, big game. We still control our destiny. Make some layups, a little better on the D boards and Give up a few less baskets as the shot clock expires and we can win these games.

[goramblers2011]

Coach Drew mentioned in the post-game presser that Bradley fans were saying things about his family, personal things.

I get every fanbase has some bad apples. But is anyone shocked that Bradley fans are the ones doing that crap? I'd guess it'd either be them or ISUr (back when they were good/relevant).

[JArsy_22]

How do we think Gentile will look crowd-wise Sunday? It’s a huge game and on the weekend (and seats are supposedly sold out per an AD email), but it’s also the day of the Super Bowl. Really think a full crowd could help the team