Upsetting Ranked Teams

Bradley upsets #20 ranked Illinois in Las Vegas last night 72-68.
this was Bradley's first victory over an Illini squad since a 105-88 blasting that the Braves handed Illinois at the old Chicago Stadium on January 24, 1974, and the 3rd time ever.

Here are a few facts I can find...
This is the highest ranked team that BU has upset since March 19 of 2006 when Bradley beat #16 ranked Pitt after beating #12 ranked Kansas 2 days earlier.
This is the highest ranked team BU has beaten in the regular season since Bradley beat #12 ranked Tulsa on 2/21/85, and the highest non-conference regular season foe since Bradley beat #4 ranked Arizona State 2/23/64.
It is also the first time in a decade that any Valley team has beaten their top in-state flagship school while they were ranked.
And it may just be the best non-conference win by anyone in the Valley over the past few years!

Here are a few criticisms leveled at BU the past few years..
-can't win the big one
-don't play good defense
-too many turnovers
-don't shoot well from outside
-never get much production in the paint (Will Egolf 12 pts, 9 rebs)

I think we can safely say there's evidence BU is on the verge of solving all those, although we are still a young team...
Only one senior played in this game for Bradley...so that is also encouraging for the future...
I have already heard from several who were on the trip to Vegas and it's unanimous...they all had the time of their lives!!
Glad to hear that!

Now the team needs to place their focus on each game one at a time and prepare...
The Valley does NOT look like there's a dominant team so just why can't Bradley step in and be the Valley's best?

BTW-- I have a few questions for certain experts who lectured us on these subjects...

1- so is Alex Legion a great scorer or not? Will those who predicted he was going to be a superstar please step forward and give your alibi.

2- why if certain people continually bash Eddren McCain, will you please check his stats...he's handling the ball well and turnovers have been exceedingly rare.

3- didn't some claim there were experts who testified Bill Cole would grow to near 7-ft and that he'd be a key part at Illinois.
I think it's time for Billy to seriously reconsider playing there at Illinois and come play at a decent D-I school that can whip the Illini's butt.


Meanwhile ISU beats St. Bonaventure to win some tourney title, that nobody can even recall the name of..
Osiris had 28, nice game, considering he needed every one of those buckets or ISU would have lost.
Final score 80-77, with some unheard-of guy from St. Bonaventure named Chris Matthews, also scoring 28 pts against the ISU defense, and noting he was SBU's shooting guard and wondering just who was guarding this guy??
Also noted that ISU kinda just might have gotten a little home cooking at their own tourney as the Redbirds went to the FT line 41 times, while St. Bonaventure only saw the stripe 15 times....one of the most enormous differentials I have seen recently!
SBU got whistled 29 times to a mere 16 for ISU.


Lastly...the current RPI--
Bradley 80 with a SOS of 79..
ISU RPI is 198 (despite they're undefeated) and SOS 339, almost dead last in Division I.



One last thought...
Bradley got more NATIONAL press and publicity with a SINGLE win over a ranked team last night, then ISU will get sum total all season long...so I ask...
Please, ISU, take heed...learn a simple lesson from Bradley...
Go out and play someone that we have heard of before.
Maybe try to get into some significant tournament with the hopes of facing a team with a name...or do what it takes to schedule tougher and get an opponent better than Norfolk State or Alcorn State! Hey- it's actually a lot of fun to beat those guys and it achieves more for the Valley and the team succeeding in winning than a decade of playing the Winston-Salems of the world!