[December 2, 2023] Indiana State (6-1) at Bradley (6-1)

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Westbadenboy said:
May already have been noted, but it appears the ISU vs Bradley game will be on ESPNU
Wish Braves had not lost last night
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Are you wishing they hadn’t lost because now they’re extra-motivated for Saturday, or because their ranking tanked after the loss?

I guess I look at their loss as a great thing. Bradley should be fighting for one of the top spots with us, so losing a game on the road against who should be a bottom-half Murray team seems pretty ideal to me.
 

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treeman said:
Links to both Bradley boards: https://www.tapatalk.com/groups/bradleyhoopsforum/

Basketball Fan Talk & Other Sports - BradleyFans.com Forums

Topics for BU fans by BU fans
www.bradleyfans.com
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Doesn't sound like the Bradley fans are too impressed with the Mid Major Top 25 poll either 😂😂😂. Some quotes and the second one is on point.

www.tapatalk.com

Bradley Hoops Forum-Mid-Major Top 25

As of 11/20/23 Bradley was 3-0 and ranked #8. If we beat Vermont to go to 6-0 I would expect us to move up to #5 or 6. https://collegeinsider.com/me
www.tapatalk.com www.tapatalk.com

"This poll is really strange. They don't count A10 or Mountain West as mid-majors, or American for that matter, but the Valley is a midmajor? If the A10, MWC, or American are not midmajors, then what are they?"

"I don't think you can claim you want to be taken seriously as a program and want to compete with the "big boys" and then also tout your ranking in a "mid major" Top 25 poll. Just my two cents. If it's not THE TOP 25 - it doesn't matter."
 
Sycamorefan96 said:
Doesn't sound like the Bradley fans are too impressed with the Mid Major Top 25 poll either 😂😂😂. Some quotes and the second one is on point.

"This poll is really strange. They don't count A10 or Mountain West as mid-majors, or American for that matter, but the Valley is a midmajor? If the A10, MWC, or American are not midmajors, then what are they?"

"I don't think you can claim you want to be taken seriously as a program and want to compete with the "big boys" and then also tout your ranking in a "mid major" Top 25 poll. Just my two cents. If it's not THE TOP 25 - it doesn't matter."
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Some sites are defining mid-majors by program (or league average) spend. They also take out Gonzaga as they spend more than most high majors that overspend on football. Personally, I agree with this assessment and practice. The next iteration of this will include NIL IMO once that is above board and reported somehow.

www.three-man-weave.com

Fun with Finances 2.0: Basketball Budgets Revisited — Three-Man-Weave

Jim is BACK with his examination of college basketball budgets! Using data from the COVID-affected season of 2020-21, who are the biggest financial powerhouses in the college hoop landscape?
www.three-man-weave.com www.three-man-weave.com

BTW, you always pick the most trivial shit to get stuck on. On every topic. You've got a knack. At the end of the day, this allows programs that would get zero press to get some press and recognition. How you think this is a bad thing is just very odd.
 
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Looking forward to the game, I'm actually meeting a fraternity brother (who lives in Elkhart) in Warsaw to watch the game together, if anyone else in NW IN wants to join. This is going to be a tough game, I don't think the loss to Murray State is suddenly going to propel Bradley into an AP top 5 school but I bet they come out swinging. It's still early in the season but a big win in Peoria would in my mind solidify us as conference contenders.
 
I worry about rebounds ..specifically us fouling after a Bradley offensive board. I don't think their first shots will hurt us as much as their second. Gotta rebound.
 

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Huff77 said:
I worry about rebounds ..specifically us fouling after a Bradley offensive board. I don't think their first shots will hurt us as much as their second. Gotta rebound.
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Yesterday during the game I noticed they got what seemed like a ton of points off of tip-ins and put-backs after an initial missed lay-up. I am worried about this as well
 
Yeah, that was my only takeaway from the game -- Bradley is very, very long in the frontcourt. Both of their bigs had 3 fouls pretty quickly and I don't think they'll get the same whistle at home.

Our outside shooting has to be on point for us to win this one as I'm not sure we're going to get much around the rim. Hope to be wrong though.
 
Jason Svoboda said:
Our outside shooting has to be on point for us to win this one as I'm not sure we're going to get much around the rim. Hope to be wrong though.
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Hickman and Deen might be the shortest 1-2 in the league. I would like to think Swope would be able to get his shot off against this guys at will. Now let's just hope he hits at a 40%+ clip. Also having Avila/Bledson/Kent a 3 point threat to bring out Leons/Hannahs/Giant guy might be enough to open up our driving lanes.
 
Not impressed with BU's guards. Seems like traditionally their point guards dribbledribbledribbledribble and then dribble some more. When they had Penn they could get away with it. Real lack of depth at guard as well. Their front line is another story, Robbie is going to need his outside shot working.
 
Keys to the game

1. Kent cleaning the glass and playing tough defense. Been touched on before, but from a size+speed combination he's about all we have to matchup with their length.
2. Robbie staying out of foul trouble. He has been pretty foul prone and this is a long athletic front line. If he can do that he should be able to torch Bradley on the other end.
3. Conwell needs to exploit whatever advantage he has..I would assume Bradley will put their best perimeter defender on Swope and that should leave Conwell with a favorable matchup. If Dean somehow ends up on him I'd like to see him play bully ball and get to the rim.
4. Get something from the bench. Bledson was great as a starter in the last game..but as a whole we haven't gotten much from that unit thus far..I could see this physical game landing 1 or 2 of our big guns in foul trouble and needing someone to come in and step up.
 

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I think, to a degree, the playbook on us is still like it was last year (minus the "get in their heads" issues) - harass our guards mercilessly, get up in their shorts. Push, shove, elbow to make us uncomfortable. Intimidate our inside players with that same physical play. That's kind of what Toledo tried to do, with varying levels of success. Bradley is much better, so I would expect that treatment from them, particularly at home.
 
IndyTreeFan said:
I think, to a degree, the playbook on us is still like it was last year (minus the "get in their heads" issues) - harass our guards mercilessly, get up in their shorts. Push, shove, elbow to make us uncomfortable. Intimidate our inside players with that same physical play. That's kind of what Toledo tried to do, with varying levels of success. Bradley is much better, so I would expect that treatment from them, particularly at home.
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1000% agree
 
IndyTreeFan said:
I think, to a degree, the playbook on us is still like it was last year (minus the "get in their heads" issues) - harass our guards mercilessly, get up in their shorts. Push, shove, elbow to make us uncomfortable. Intimidate our inside players with that same physical play. That's kind of what Toledo tried to do, with varying levels of success. Bradley is much better, so I would expect that treatment from them, particularly at home.
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I would be careful if I were Deen or Hickman guarding Ju and Swope too close.
This is an interesting matchup because I don't think the 3 guards for BU can guard our 3 guards well, but I definitely have concerns with Kent containing Leons and Robbie staying out of foul trouble.
I would love to see Robbie open the game up with a 3 and force their bigs away from the rim. Robbie's perimeter shooting and passing will be crucial on Saturday.
 
IndyTreeFan said:
I think, to a degree, the playbook on us is still like it was last year (minus the "get in their heads" issues) - harass our guards mercilessly, get up in their shorts. Push, shove, elbow to make us uncomfortable. Intimidate our inside players with that same physical play. That's kind of what Toledo tried to do, with varying levels of success. Bradley is much better, so I would expect that treatment from them, particularly at home.
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This! But I think the mental aspect isn’t just something to chalk up as improved. It might be the single biggest difference between last years and this years team. Last years team talent wise might have been better than this years - they just mentally could break if call’s were not going our way, if we missed some shots - they’d point the finger a little bit. This group is coaching eachother up, playing for eachother the mental / togetherness seems very much improved.
 

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PEORIA, Ill. - Indiana State men's basketball heads to Bradley University on Saturday to end the short two-game conference stint on Saturday, Both teams enter 6-1 on the season; the Sycamores are 1-0 in the Missouri Valley Conference and Bradley is 1-0. Saturday's matchup tips at 2 p.m. ET/1 p.m. CT. Those who can't make it in-person can watch ESPNU or listen on 105.5 The Legend.

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Aside from defending at a high level I feel it's imperative that we do not give up second shots to Bradley. Their front line is bigger and more athletic than ours so blocking out is ESSENTIAL!! Also, I hope we get a fair whistle from the refs. We can't get into foul trouble.
 
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