Bradley 2011-2012

I think this team is going to be exciting even given the shortcomings...
we signed 5 new players last spring and then two more this fall - and yet none seem able to help much in several key areas...

We are shallow in the post - with Jordan Prosser doing a great job then Anthony Thompson backing up, but Thompson is gone next year (and has been inconsistent thus far this year), Will Egolf is still uncertain at this time, Nate Wells isn't available this year and will be raw the next, and so we will remain shallow at the post.....
not saying we will be weak in post play if JP can have more games like yesterday's.

We still don't have a good outside shooter anywhere on the horizon. This is probably our biggest need.

Point guard play will haunt us -- need I say much about Walt Lemon having a bad game yesterday..
Donivine will help a bunch - lots more than most "experts" have said in their uninformed way. Then we do get Ka'Darryl Bell next year but he also will be brand new and raw.


Anyway - despite the areas noted, this is an exciting team with several top players..
I am surprised there were so many empty seats - but it's undeniable proof of the fallout from the last eight months.
I cannot recall a season opener with that few fans in the seats. Lots of the empty seats were people who never missed a game...but a lot were also the people who shoot their mouths off about how great of fans they are, then they rag on the team non-stop and are MIA at home games.
Yeah - right...tell me again how much BU needs more fans like that. But with a few more wins the fans will start coming back....


BTW -- the MVC stats now list Jordan Prosser leading the league at this early stage...also note two Bradley players (DSE & TB) among the top four in scoring..
http://www.mvc.org/mbb/stats/ind.pdf

In fact - Jordan Prosser is 3rd in the entire nation in REBOUNDING!
http://rivals.yahoo.com/ncaa/basketball/stats/bycategory?cat=Fielding&sort=27&conference_id=NCAAB


I think people are missing a great opportunity if they have passed on the Bradley Braves Club...
membership starts very economically and at many levels you even get a parking pass to be able to park right across the street from the Civic Center.
Are you Fan Enough?? Membership does have its privileges... ;)


Ex-BU recruit Darius Smith who went first to UConn then to juco then committed to EIU -- seems to be MIA also -- he's not playing and not on the roster.
My suspicion is that he got booted.


One ex-ISU Redbird doing well on the court is Chicago State's Jeremy Robinson.
The kid never got a chance at ISU and was run out - now getting 20 ppg & 8 rebs and may the only bright spot at Chicago State.

But perhaps one reason not many schools went after Jeremy after he left ISU...he does have a pretty significant issue legally...
Not only has he never kept a few of his court dates and has some other more serious recent issues...

Even ISU legend Osiris Eldridge still has issues pending --
three and a half yearsand he's still never settled up.


But he's not the only Valley guy frequenting the legal system in Bloomington -- even SIU superstar Justin Bocot keeps getting into trouble when he's home from college -

Speaking of SIU -- the D-II team they just lost to went a couple days later to play University of Southern Indiana, where Ohio Dominican (whoever they are??) got clobbered 71-48!!
Remember - Southern Indiana is currently being coached by an ex-SIU assistant who many Saluki fans would like to have right NOW to replace Chris Lowery as head coach.

If you want just a sampling of how the SIU fans feel about their home team and coach -- then don't go to the Saluki message board -- I am afraid that would scar you for life -- it's taken a horribly negative and hateful turn - kinda like Valleytalk used to be and how a certain other Central IL board is currently headed at light speed...

Instead check out this article in the SIU campus newspaper - guys who are usually fiercely LOYAL to their team --
http://www.st-extra.com/extra/?p=536

And to think a couple of self-proclaimed BU experts had wanted us to go after the two juco kids that went 5-17 for SIU against D-II opponent.