Game Twelve Recap: Southern Illinois @ Bradley

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Bradley made a big statement Sunday by pounding Southern Illinois by a 79-63 margin — and it wasn't even that close.

The Braves (7-5, 1-0) led by as many as 27 points during the second half of the game, dominating nearly every facet of the contest. These were the "good" Braves who fans surely wish would be on the court more consistently.

Southern Illinois (5-7, 0-1) hung in the game for a long time, actually taking a brief 27-26 lead with 5:16 left in the first half. But Bradley closed the session with a 15-4 run, then didn't allow a Saluki point until the 14:46 mark of the second half. In the 10-minute span, the Braves had a 26-4 advantage on the scoreboard.

Forward/center Sam Singh was the most valuable player in the game, producing one of his best performances of his Bradley career. He scored eight points, grabbed five rebounds and five steals as well as blocking two shots. Singh wore a protective mask on his face, playing in his first game since breaking his nose December 14th.

One of the biggest concerns for the Braves lately has been free throw shooting. But the team combined to hit 28 of 32 attempts (87.5 percent) against Southern Illinois. Forward Theron Wilson, who is tied for first in the conference in free throw attempts, only came into the game shooting 67.5 percent. But, Wilson knocked down 9 of 10 from the line helping him finish with 17 points.

Guard Sam Maniscalco had another great game, making three 3-pointers and all seven of his free throws. The 18-point output was Maniscalco's career best, topping his previous high of 17 (twice this season).

The team got contributions from all nine players who played at least 10 minutes. Every man had at least five points.

Southern Illinois showed a great deal of inexperience in the game, which can be understood with the amount of freshmen and sophomores that play regular minutes. The Salukis stayed in the game early because their senior leader, guard Bryan Mullins, had a great first half (11 points). But after the break, Mullins didn't score again, missing all six of his shots.

Highly touted freshman guard Kevin Dillard had a game-high 21 points for SIU, but 11 of those came in the last five minutes of the game when Bradley had really slowed down its defensive intensity.

Coming up next:

Bradley plays Wednesday at Wichita State, who lost its Missouri Valley Conference opener 68-56 at league favorite Creighton on Sunday. The Braves haven't played well at Charles Koch Arena since it opened in December of 2003. In fact, Bradley won last season in Wichita, Kan. for the first time in five tries, beating a bad Shocker team 63-54.

Fans can be happy about this win, but with two road games coming up (Saturday, Bradley plays at Missouri State), the true mettle of the Braves will be shown. Considering the difficulty of winning on the road in the Valley, Bradley should be happy with a split in these games.

Other observations:

* - The only negative of Sam Singh's great game was the loss in playing time for center Anthony Thompson. He didn't see the floor until garbage time (two minutes remaining) and clearly is the odd man out with Singh's return.

Hopefully head coach Jim Les will try to get him more minutes than he received this game. Bradley could certainly play two guys over 6'9" at a time, but Les still seems reluctant to try that.

* - Apparently the "point of emphasis" for the MVC referees this season is traveling infractions. Both teams were whistled countless times for minimal or even nothing against the rules. The incessant nature of Valley refs to call too much in games looks to be back again this year.

* - I traveled to Peoria again for this game, sitting up in the nose bleeds for the first time ever. As a result, the photos are really far away for the most part, but I'm still going to post the shots I have from the game.

Click the photo above to view a slideshow.

Game Eleven Recap: SIU Edwardsville @ Bradley

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Clank.

Fans heard a lot of that sort of sound Tuesday night, when the Braves (6-5) only knocked off an inferior SIU Edwardsville (2-10) team by six points at home.

The inexperienced Braves showed many of the same flaws as in previous games: poor team defense, too many unforced turnovers and bad free throw shooting. Sure, "a win is a win," but going into conference play, these sorts of games don't really build confidence.

Bradley led by 12 points early in the second half, but couldn't put away the Cougars, who went on an 18-7 run to cut the Braves lead to 52-51 with 10:18 left.

SIU Edwardsville proceeded to not score for the next five minutes of the game, but Bradley only managed eight points in that span. A few good defensive stops in the last few possessions of the game helped offset an embarrassing display from the free throw line.

The Braves only hit 5-of-12 free throw attempts in the last five minutes of the game, a good way to lose a game against even an average opponent.

Center David Collins stood out this game for generally good reasons. He scored nine points, grabbed nine rebounds and also had four blocks. Collins still had his usual problems of getting stripped on rebounds by bringing the ball down to smaller defenders. But overall, he had a solid game.

Fans were treated to the full spectrum of forward Theron Wilson's skills - both good and bad. His athleticism helps him make some plays that others simply can't. He all three 3-pointers he attempted, scored 17 points and pulled down eight rebounds.

On the other side, Wilson had a series of foolish plays on offense. At one point in the first half, he had committed three of Bradley's six turnovers. He had a total of six on the game and was one of many Braves who couldn't hit free throws (2-of-6).

Both guards Eddren McCain and Chris Roberts had quiet offensive performances, but still made contributions. McCain had five assists to go along with only one turnover, while Roberts made two spectacular blocks and overall had a much bigger commitment to the defensive side of the ball.

Head coach Jim Les shortened the rotation yesterday, only playing six guys regularly. Guard Darian Norris, forward Taylor Brown and center Anthony Thompson all played under 12 minutes. Will this be a sign for the future?

For the development of the team for future season, let's hope not. Bradley will need all three of these men going forward in order to be as successful as it hopes to be in the future.

Game Ten Recap: Bradley @ Milwaukee

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Giving up 50 points in a half isn't a recipe for success in basketball, especially at the college level. Unfortunately for the Bradley (5-5), that's exactly what the team did en route to a 86-74 defeat Saturday in Milwaukee, Wis.

With a combination of slow defensive of rotations and white hot shooting by Milwaukee (6-5), the Braves dug a 50-32 deficit at halftime. Guard Avery Smith had 19 of his 21 points going into the break including five 3-pointers.

To the Braves credit, they did start the second half with greater intensity and narrowed the Panthers' lead to six points in the second half. But Bradley clearly tired as the half went on and just ran out of energy trying to come back.

As tiredness sets in, jump shots start getting shorter. This fatigue showed in the form of 3-of-16 shooting from 3-point range (18.8 percent) during the second half. Even after getting thoroughly dominated in the first 20 minutes, the Braves could have caught Milwaukee by just hitting a few outside shots.

Guards Darian Norris and Chris Roberts both went 0-for-6 from the 3-point line. Bradley simply has too many streaky shooters and not one consistent performer from beyond the arc. Maybe guard Eddren McCain will become that player, but the sample size still is too small to tell for sure.

Even though Milwaukee appeared to rebound better Bradley, the road team actually missed 22 more shots than the Panthers. So clearly, the advantage in total rebounds should have favored Milwaukee (52-46).

But, the overall commitment to rebounding was better for the Braves. The problem was that when Bradley really needed a defensive stop, those were the times that the team gave up second and third opportunities to the Panthers.

Get used to being frustrated if you're a Bradley fan this season. Six of the nine players last night in red are new to the system. Couple that with the loss of three regular contributors to injury and the frustrations seem a bit more understandable (though certainly not any less annoying).

This team continues to search for an identity and with less than a week until Southern Illinois comes to Peoria, the learning curve might be too acute for the current roster of healthy players.

Other observations:

* - Downtown Milwaukee made me feel like I was back in Peoria again with many of the main streets and sidewalks poorly cleared of snow. The showing of Bradley fans at the game was admirable, especially considering how poor the weather got to be two hours before game time.

* - U.S. Cellular Arena had a pretty good feel once fans got inside. The atmosphere certainly trumped that of Illinois-Chicago or Loyola in basketball appeal.

* - Speaking of turnout, the overall attendance (3,020) wasn't bad and most of the Milwaukee fans were into the game.

* - Hopefully all Bradley fans returned home safely today as blowing snow made driving conditions nasty for most of the ride through Wisconsin (and likely in central Illinois, too).

* - I've pulled together another slideshow of photos from the game. Enjoy!

Click the photo above to view a slideshow.

In case you missed it ...

Semester exams aren't just an annoyance for students. They also keep teams off the floor for many days, making fans a bit restless.

The wait for Bradley's next game (at UW-Milwaukee, Sat.) has seemed like about a month. So for those who've been hibernating, here's the news from the Valley since Sunday's matinee:

Award-winner

Guard Sam Maniscalco received the Country Financial Bradley Scholar-Athlete of the Week award on Wednesday. The Bradley sophomore won the award for the first time in his career.

He's the first men's basketball player to have the honor since April 2, 2008. Jeremy Crouch won it that day for the eighth and final time in his career.

Maniscalco will need to have some more big games, but he could end up having as successful of a Bradley career as Crouch did on and off of the court.

Read the press release from Bradley University: here

On the mend

Forward Sam Singh had surgery on his broken nose after getting whacked in the face against Southeast Missouri State. His status for Saturday sounded uncertain at the time of the report, but don't count on Singh against UW-Milwaukee.

As expected, no progress has been shown from guard Andrew Warren. Even though his original foot fracture looks healed, another smaller break may have occurred in his foot now.

Considering how important he will be to Bradley in the coming season(s), watch for him to get a medical redshirt soon. The Braves won't want to take chances with one of their best players and Warren, who has always shown a great love for the game, wouldn't likely want to waste a year of eligibility.

Read the full story by Dave Reynolds of the Journal Star: here

Recruit in limbo

The Braves still await a decision by the NCAA on forward John Wilkins, who was hoping to transfer to Bradley at the semester.

The situation is difficult because Wilkins played a few games with a professional team in Belgium. So, even if Wilkins is allowed to play at Bradley, he'll have to sit for five games as an NCAA punishment.

If I had to place a bet right now, I'd feel pretty safe putting it on the side that he isn't in a Bradley uniform this season, maybe ever.

A few more details in the Journal Star story: here

Playing the best

Even in a loss, Evansville continues to impress. The Purple Aces (7-2) lost by 18 points at No. 1 North Carolina (10-0) tonight but managed to play the unbeaten Tar Heels even for the first 10 minutes of the game.

Sure the best team in the nation pulled away and won fairly easily, but this is also a group that beat Michigan State in Detroit by 35 points. The Tar Heels have appeared invincible so far.

The bigger story must be that Evansville competed so well in extremely challenging circumstances. Little argument can be made that the Purple Aces should be competitive again in conference play. But are they contenders along with Creighton and Illinois State?

Once MVC games begin, the intensity level gets ratcheted up and familiarity sets in. Teams don't radically change their styles on a season by season basis, so every team in the Valley comes in with a built-in advantage against one another.

This doesn't bode well for Evansville, as their talent level doesn't match up to some of the top teams in the Valley. But, with their experience against some good non-conference opponents, the Purple Aces could finish in the upper half of the MVC. Like most of the conference, Evansville is just as puzzling as the next. Only time will tell how it will stacks up against the other nine.

Birds keep flapping

Speaking of puzzles, Illinois State continued its perfect season (10-0) by bullying another weak opponent. This time though, the weakling almost got in the final blow.

The Redbirds won at Central Michigan (3-6) by three points, 72-69. Not a single opponent that Illinois State has played this season has a winning record against Div. I opponents.

The UIC Flames (7-2) head to Normal on Saturday, giving the Redbirds a chance to finally knock off a good opponent. This game will give fans across the Valley a chance to see how good Illinois State can be going into conference play.

Countdown

Only 10 more days until conference games begin!

Game Nine Recap: SE Missouri State @ Bradley

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The result was never in doubt, but the progress was in question. Bradley (5-4) cruised to an easy 75-62 victory over Southeast Missouri State (2-8) on Sunday afternoon.

The Braves jumped out to a 12-2 start and would eventually extend that lead to 30-10 in the first half. After the end result seemed pretty safe, head coach Jim Les began tinkering with the lineup, trying to see who will be able to provide quality minutes for the team.

Nine players were on the floor for double-digit minutes and that would have been 10 players if forward/center Sam Singh hadn't broken his nose early in the first half.

The Braves showed defensive intensity that wasn't there enough against Butler. Even though SEMO was fairly inept on offense, Bradley's 20 steals were still a remarkable total.

Both of Bradley's speedy freshman guards had good games. Darian Norris and Eddren McCain earned roles in the starting lineup after Les had put all spots up as an open competition this week.

Norris had a career high 12 points to go along with two assists and three steals. McCain's stat line was impressive as well, with seven points, six assists and two steals. Aside from a couple poor passes, McCain showed again why he should be the starting point guard for the rest of the season.

Saying that isn't a slight to guard Sam Maniscalco, who had five assists and only one turnover. But, when the lineup has both of these men in there, Maniscalco can slide to his more natural two-guard position. In reality, the Bradley offense involves so much motion that having two players with point guard ability only helps the offense run smoother.

Center David Collins, who was one of the players demoted from the starting lineup, responded to the backup role. He posted 10 points, three rebounds and five blocks. His intensity was turned up again on both ends of the floor.

Not to be lost in the shuffling should be forward Theron Wilson, who had his best game of the season, filling the stat sheet with 17 points, four rebounds, three assists, two blocks, four steals. Though not technically a team captain, Wilson's play often mirrors how the team performs as a whole.

The other member of the team that continues to deserve playing time is forward Taylor Brown. Even though he's a bit undersized for his position, Brown looks to be one of the best pure rebounders on the team, pulling in seven more Sunday. He has now averaged more than five per game since the Richmond matchup Nov. 26.

Bradley doesn't play again until Saturday when the Braves head north to Wisconsin to take on the UW-Milwaukee Panthers (5-5). This game is the final road test for Bradley before conference play begins. UWM has been inconsistent this season, just like the Braves, so this should be a pretty good matchup.

Other observations:

* - Rebounding still must a point of emphasis for Bradley. The team gave up too many offensive rebounds to SEMO (14 total). This will be a major downfall for the Braves come conference season if it isn't corrected soon.

The problem still remains though, that Les plays undersized lineups against every opponent. Much of rebounding involves desire, but team size also is a contributing factor.

* - Redshirt freshman center Anthony Thompson saw his first extended minutes of the season (11) and had his first basket in a Bradley uniform. He also chipped in three rebounds and a block. Thompson clearly has skills and looks smooth in the paint. Once he gets more seasoning for the Braves, Thompson will surely be a major contributor for years to come.

* - Even walk-ons Ned Goertzen, Brian Lavin and Ryan Phillips saw some time this game. Phillips made a rare appearance in the first half, playing the final two minutes.

Important games for the Valley this weekend

Most of the games involving Missouri Valley conference teams this weekend look one-sided. But, if the teams hope to raise the conference's overall RPI, an upset or two needs to happen.

Scouting the Braves

Bradley certainly needs a confidence boost after its performance against Butler on Wednesday. The Braves should get that Sunday against Southeast Missouri State, a team whose only Division I win this season comes against Longwood.

The Redhawks have a few good players, including forward Calvin Williams (6'9" So.). He has shot 59.7 percent from the floor this season and also grabs seven rebounds per game.

Most of his best games though have come against inferior competition. He didn't play against New Mexico and Kansas State. Williams' only game that he shot under 50 percent (3 of 8 shooting) was 34-point loss at Iowa.

SEMO also has two other players who average in double figures, guard Kenard Moore (15.3 PPG) and forward Jaycen Herring (14.7 PPG). Just like Williams, both players had bad games against the better opponents on the Redhawks' schedule.

Games like these often come down to depth, as Bradley usually outlasts these smaller conference teams. The Redhawks only play eight guys regularly, whereas the Braves will go nine to ten players deep.

The biggest question about this game isn't whether or not the Braves are going to win but rather who will be the guys on the floor bringing home the victory. Coach Jim Les declared that "changes will be made" after the Butler loss. Will this difference include a change in playing time for certain players or different lineups on the floor?

With the start of conference play only 15 days away, Bradley needs to start shaping its identity and finding players that can be consistent contributors.

Biggest opportunity for a statement

Evansville (6-1) gets a chance to truly show if it's going to be a serious league contender tonight at Western Kentucky (5-2). The Purple Aces have beaten a couple decent opponents (Austin Peay, Buffalo), but this game should be their toughest test yet. Western Kentucky has already knocked off nationally ranked Louisville on the road.

Evansville has shot well as a team this season at 44 percent. The team will need to have a big game from its leaders Shy Ely and Jason Holsinger in order to pull off the upset.

Intriguing games

Two enigmatic teams this season have been Southern Illinois and Northern Iowa. Both have had good and bad performances and look to make statements on the road this weekend.

Southern Illinois (3-4) goes to Nevada (4-4) as a return game from last year's Bracketbuster matchup, one that the Salukis won 74-49. Neither team has gotten off to a good start this season, but SIU has played a much tougher schedule. Maybe the young Saluki team can come together and bring home a win for the Valley.

Northern Iowa (5-4) also heads west to play Wyoming (6-1). Having seen Northern Iowa play in person against Auburn led me to believe that this would be a solid team. But, the Panthers have also had some really poor performances and playing on the Cowboys' in Wyoming (though not their home floor) won't be easy.

Look for a Valley win in at least one of these games.

Predictions

Saturday

No. 17 Purdue over Indiana State

Wyoming over Northern Iowa

Creighton over Northern Colorado

Western Kentucky over Evansville

Missouri State over Central Arkansas

Drake over Stephen F. Austin

Sunday

Bradley over Southeast Missouri State

Illinois State over Morehead State

Southern Illinois over Nevada (Upset of the weekend)

Game Eight Recap: Butler @ Bradley

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Traveling five hours in a day to Bradley games isn't for everyone. But even though the Braves were burnt on their home court by a hot shooting Butler team, the trip still had value.

Butler made 13 three-pointers and shot 53 percent overall en route to a victory over Bradley on Wednesday. The game dropped the Braves to 4-4 overall, whereas Butler stayed a perfect 8-0.

Having made the five-hour trek to and from Peoria, this game has had a chance to settle a bit before discussing what happened.

No team should come to Carver Arena and be able to put up 87 points, especially a team as young as the Bulldogs. That being said, Butler has assembled another solid team that will surely continue to get better in the next 3-4 years.

Bradley made a point to stop leading scorer Matt Howard, which it did rather well. The sophomore forward sat most of the first half with foul trouble and the Braves limited him to 2-of-7 shooting and nine points overall.

The problem was, as Bradley sagged down to stop Howard, Butler had five different players that hit from beyond the arc. Forward Gordon Hayward couldn't be stopped in the first half, netting Butler's first eight points and 17 total during the first twenty minutes. He helped the Bulldogs streak out to a 20-6 lead to start the game, putting Bradley in a huge hole from which it never recovered.

Guard Shelvin Mack had a solid game throughout, matching fellow freshman Hayward for high scoring honors with 20. These two are already really good players and they've got 3 1/2 seasons of eligibility left.

Bradley tried to battle back from a 13-point halftime deficit, and nearly got there, trimming the Butler lead to 57-52 with 10:35 left. But, as they did the entire game, the Bulldogs answered another punch from the Braves, reeling off 16 of the next 21 points to put the game out of reach.

While Butler did have a great game, Bradley didn't do much to stop the Bulldogs. Slow defensive rotations led to either wide open jumpers or layups when the Braves didn't rotate quickly enough on screens.

From a player perspective, freshman guard Eddren McCain clearly was the most valuable Brave. He poured in a career-high 18 points and looks like he's rapidly turning into the point guard of not just the future, but also the present.

Another bright spot was sophomore guard Sam Maniscalco, who was coming off a rough game at Michigan State. He looked sharper, quicker and finally knocked down his 3-point attempts (4 of 5). Maniscalco should start at the off/shooting guard position next to McCain.

As for the rest of the team, the effort looked either inconsistent or not there at all. Guards Dodie Dunson and Chris Roberts both had poor defensive games. Center David Collins was invisible again, seeing his minutes drop from 23 against Michigan State to just 11 versus Butler.

But, all of those lost minutes didn't go to center Anthony Thompson, who was firmly planted on the bench until four minutes left in the game. Most of these went to freshman Taylor Brown, who looks to have a lot of talent, but shouldn't be playing the five position at only 6'6" tall.

Forward Theron Wilson had his usual impressive moments, including a couple great hustle plays and a tip slam dunk. But, for a team that desperately needs leadership, he went stretches of the game where he too was invisible. Wilson finished with the quietest 15 points in recent memory.

Listening to the postgame show, head coach Jim Les had little positives to say. He sounded angry and pledged that there would be changes to the lineup and certain privileges would be taken away from the team.

Maybe they won't be able to use their locker room? Coaches have done it before.

What the lineup changes are can only be pure speculation at this point, but look for Collins and Roberts to be moved out of the starting lineup in favor of Brown and McCain.

***

Though the final turned out to be ugly, I was able to take some pretty decent pictures at this game. If anyone looked at my shots from the 2007 Michigan State game, it will be evident how much better of a camera I am using now.

Click the photo above to view a slideshow.

Scouting: Butler Bulldogs

The Bulldogs from Butler University come to Peoria for a big game Wednesday. Most of Bradley's games have been against teams that weren't equally matched. Florida and Michigan State clearly have more talent than the Braves. But, the Braves certainly were better than the likes of Florida Gulf Coast and East Tennessee State.

The Butler game will be different, giving Bradley a chance to play a quality opponent who shouldn't overpower them.

The Bulldogs have run off seven straight wins to start the season but have a lot of inexperience in their lineup. Most notably, they have beaten two Missouri Valley Conference teams (vs. Evansville, at Drake) as well as a home win against Northwestern. Most of their victories have been anywhere between eight- and ten-point margins.

Statistically, the Bulldogs only have given up 52.4 points per game, good for sixth overall in Division I. They are a team that plays tenacious man-to-man defense, but with how poorly Bradley has been shooting from the perimeter, will that change?

Even with three road wins, none of these came in a boisterous place like Carver Arena. Fans of the Braves will need to be loud and try to rattle the inexperienced Butler team.

From a personnel perspective, Butler has three players that average double figures in scoring: forward Matt Howard (6'7" So.), guard Shelvin Mack (6'3" Fr.), Gordon Hayward (6'8" Fr.). All three shoot at least 46 percent from the floor.

Howard had a good game against Bradley last season at Hinkle Fieldhouse. He finished with 14 points and six rebounds, easily pushing around the Bradley post players.

To make matters more challenging for Bradley, the trio of Mack, Hayward and Zach Hahn (6'0" So.) all have outside shooting ability (38, 44 and 40 percent, respectively).

Butler also takes care of the ball well, only turning the ball over 11 times per game. Maybe Bradley's team quickness will be able to disrupt the Butler offense more than the Bulldogs' first opponents have.

Butler plays ten players, all of whom have played in every game. The Bulldogs aren't an overly big team though, so size isn't as big of a concern as it often can be for the Braves.

Important aspects to watch:

Slow down Howard - This young big man looked pretty impressive last season. He looked too quick for forward Sam Singh, so it'll be interesting who matches up against him. In Singh's defense, he's looked more nimble himself this year, so I'd imagine we'll see a lot of this matchup.

No freebies - The team shooting percentage from the free throw line is only 68 percent. But these numbers are skewed by poor totals from some of the players who don't see much time. Of the six players who have at least 10 shot attempts, only guard Ronald Nored (6'0" Fr.) shoots less than 71 percent.

Bradley must play smart defense and will likely need to play more zone in order to stay out of foul trouble.

Freshman mistakes - Just as the Braves need to limit their turnovers (which on the whole has improved lately), they also must force the Bulldogs into committing some. Nored averages 2.0 assists but 2.4 turnovers per game. Using the home court to its advantage, Bradley must cause Nored to make mistakes.

Play your game - These two teams play contrasting styles, with Bradley trying to get out and run and Butler looking to slow down. The Braves need to get out in transition and not let Butler dictate the pace, which is what happened in Indianapolis last year.

***

Bradley really needs to win this game as its on their home court. The team needs proof that it can not only play with some of the better teams in the nation, but actually beat them. Hopefully the first half of the Michigan State game showed the Braves a glimmer of that chance. Butler's team is just as young as Bradley's and the Bulldogs are the on road. This one should be a thriller.

Final prediction: Bradley 67, Butler 65

Game Seven Recap: Bradley @ Michigan State

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Another big name opponent, another big time defeat.

Bradley dropped to 4-3 after No. 12/13 Michigan State (5-2) exploded for 43 second half points and a 16-point victory. The Braves kept the game close for awhile, only trailing at the half by five, but persistent poor shooting dug themselves into a insurmountable deficit.

Playing a full 40-minutes must be a focus for Bradley in the weeks and months ahead. For the signs of brilliance that the Braves show, these often are counteracted by pronounced dry spells.

For as often as a "team-first" attitude can lead to on-the-court results, the importance of a dynamic player also has value in college basketball. The teams who have played the best in the Missouri Valley Conference this season (Illinois State, Creighton, Drake) all have at least one, if not two or three, players who can take over a game.

Unfortunately for Bradley, that young man hasn't stepped on the court all season. Guard Andrew Warren was sorely missed today, more than any other game.

The Braves shot a dismal 4-of-22 from 3-point range (18.2 percent) and 20-of-59 from the floor (33.9 percent). This type of shooting led to long stretches where Bradley simply couldn't score. Warren may have been able to break the Braves from their doldrums.

Even when the team got to the line, that didn't seem to help either. Bradley hit 57.7 percent of its free throws (15-of-26), another ingredient in the recipe for a road loss. Many of the most critical misses occurred late in the first half when Bradley was still in the game.

Michigan State simply hit more shots than the Braves and that's what cost the road squad a chance at victory. Bradley didn't give up an exceptional amount of offensive rebounds like last year's game in Peoria. The team also had less turnovers than the Spartans (Bradley 16, Michigan State 19).

Some of the other stat lines look deceiving. The Spartans held a 45-32 advantage in overall rebounds, but Bradley also missed a lot more shots, so Michigan State was bound to have more rebound opportunities.

Bradley only had six assists, but if the team had shot better, then the assist totals would have obviously gone up, too.

Give Michigan State credit for getting through this one with as much as ease it did. The Spartans didn't play well for much of the game, missing some easy layups and making ill-advised turnovers.

This Bradley team has proven that it can't hang with the top teams in the country when its top scorer from last season is still sidelined. But, with most of the rest of the MVC teams struggling, Bradley still has as good of a chance as any to be a contender.

Other observations:

* - Center David Collins came out with some intensity and had two baskets early in the game. He finished with nine points altogether, but only grabbed two rebounds. Hopefully this game was a sign of him improving again and not just an aberration.

* - Forward Theron Wilson looked noticeably frustrated with the quickness of Michigan State. His ability to drive to the basket should pick back up in future games against less talented teams.

* - The most worrisome shooting performance came from guard Sam Maniscalco, again. He missed all five three-pointers he took and also committed six turnovers.

* - Center Anthony Thompson barely saw the floor, which came as a surprise. Instead of taking over injured center Will Egolf's minutes, Collins and forward Taylor Brown saw increased playing time. Hopefully head coach Jim Les will give Thompson a chance soon.

* - One of the first true barometers for this Bradley team comes Wednesday against the undefeated Butler Bulldogs at Carver Arena. These are the types of teams the Braves will need to beat if they are to truly have another positive season.

(I will be in attendance for this game, so expect another photo slide show if I can get any interesting pictures.)

Some Michigan State nostalgia

Even though Bradley lost to Michigan State on December 4, 2007, the game had the feel like no other game I've ever attended at Carver Arena. The entire crowd, even the older folks, stood from nearly start to finish.

Both star point guard Drew Neitzel and head coach Tom Izzo had very complimentary things to say about Bradley's fans after the game. If only it were like that every night at Carver Arena.

Anyway, it's fun to think back to that game and how electric everything was about playing the Spartans. To pay tribute to that, I've compiled another slideshow of pictures. This time unfortunately, the quality leaves something to be desired. But, that's what you get indoors on a little Kodak point-and-shoot from the stands.

Click the photo above to view a slideshow.

(Note: I have only been following Bradley since 2002, so I'm certain there are other games that those "older" folks may remember that rank up there with this game. I've read plenty about the mythical seven overtime game against Cincinnati in 1960. To read more about this game and other Bradley classics, check out the Journal Star's Fieldhouse tribute here: http://www2.pjstar.com/index.php/fieldhouse/archives/bradley_stuns_cincinnati/)

Finding a way to beat the Spartans

For Bradley fans, the optimists will see that Michigan State just got whipped by North Carolina and squeaked by Wichita State (who was picked to finish 9th in the Valley this year). The pessimists can simply reply, "But it's still Michigan State."

The Braves will need a herculean effort to beat the Spartans on their home floor, especially without center Will Egolf and guard Andrew Warren. Michigan State will be out for blood after losing by 35 to the No. 1 team in the country.

How does Bradley stand a chance? Quite a few things need to fall the Braves way, including:

* - Outside shooting - Wichita State hung close with the Spartans, but only hit 7-of-23 from 3-point range (30.4 percent). With an even better shooting team last year, Bradley hit 8-of-25 (32 percent) against Michigan State. Guards Chris Roberts and Dodie Dunson will need to keep knocking down treys if Bradley's going to stay in the game.

* - Rebounding - On the opposite side of the spectrum, this year's team has been rebounding much more effectively than the 2007-08 team. The ugliest aspect of the matchup last season came in this department, where the Spartans clobbered Bradley on the boards, 48-29.

Good news for the Braves: Michigan State center Goran Suton had arthroscopic knee surgery and will miss the next 2-4 weeks. Suton had 11 rebounds against Bradley and fellow big man Drew Naymick (10 rebounds) graduated.

* - Maturity - Good thing most of the players on the Bradley roster didn't play in the game last time the Braves were in East Lansing, Mich. The 82-53 drubbing was one of the worst losses in recent memory.

But, just as all the new players don't have memories, they also haven't had to play in a hostile environment yet. Turnovers have been a problem for Bradley so far, and this game must be the one to correct that. What Bradley lacks in talent must be made up in heart and intelligence.

Home teams seem to have a bigger advantage in college basketball than any other major sport. The Breslin Center certainly fits that mold, with the boisterous Izzone student section. Composure will be critical for the Braves in this environment.

* - New roles - Bradley centers David Collins and Anthony Thompson must grow up really quickly. Neither saw many minutes with how well Egolf had been playing. But everything changed with that one nasty slip to the Carver Arena floor.

Collins may be a veteran, but he plays like a boy at times. His lack of aggressiveness can't be taught, he just has to bring it. Collins showed signs of turning the corner at the end of last season but has since regressed.

He has a nice shooting touch and can be an intimidating force in the lane. Some of his critics say he doesn't have as much talent, but that argument is bogus. Forward/center Sam Singh isn't the most athletically gifted player, but he always gives everything he has on the floor and provides positive results. Collins has a second life after the Egolf injury and needs to remind everyone why he's on the team.

Thompson will finally get his chance to play after redshirting last season and playing sparingly in 2008. He received recognition as a pretty highly touted recruit coming to Bradley, but hasn't really gotten to prove why. There's no reason that he can't be the starting center for years to come, so start showing that now.

If the Braves can get a decent amount of production from the two (maybe 8-10 points & rebounds), that will go a long way to giving Bradley a chance Sunday.

* - Make 'em shoot - Michigan State hasn't shot much better than Bradley this season from 3-point range (35 to 32 percent) or from the field (47 to 44). With all of the attention the Braves must focus on preventing second chance opportunities, maybe dropping into a zone and making Spartans shoot over it will help.

You can bet that coach Jim Les will try it at some point during the game. Changing up defenses was what kept Bradley in the game for so long against Florida. With all of the time he has had to prepare, Les should throw many different looks out there to confuse Michigan State.

***

From a scheduling perspective, Bradley catches the Spartans at the best possible time. The Braves have been able to formulate a game plan for a week, whereas Michigan State only has two days. All of the preparation will help Bradley keep the game fairly close, but the talent level of the Spartans (especially at home) will likely win out in the end.

Final prediction: Michigan State 74 Bradley 64

Game Six Recap: ETSU @ Bradley

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Bradley showed it was vastly superior to East Tennessee State even without guard Andrew Warren. Now the Braves will have to come together even more after a serious injury to starting center Will Egolf.

Finally, head coach Jim Les had found an interior player who could play with intensity and skill. But in one ugly twist of the knee, Egolf looks to be gone for the season. He crumpled to the ground after turning to attempt a shot near the basket midway through the second half.

Even watching the game online, you could feel the air go right out of the arena. Bradley finished the game as feebly as Egolf was escorted off the floor, clearly in shock after such a disappointing turn of events.

The game looked very promising as Bradley jumped all over ETSU to start the game, running 17 straight points into a 17-2 lead. Most of these were put in by guard Dodie Dunson who started the game on fire again, just like against Florida Gulf Coast. Dunson finished as the Braves' leading scorer with 17 points.

Guard Chris Roberts continues to improve nightly, scoring 16 points including 4 of 6 from 3-point range. His athleticism makes your jaw drop at least once or twice a game.

Forward Theron Wilson chipped in 12 points, the same total he's had in four of Bradley's six games. His consistent scoring might be trumped in importance by Wilson's rebounding intensity (8 for the game, the same as he's averaging on the season).

The freshmen also continue to show they belong in the Bradley rotation. Guard Eddren McCain had his best game in a Braves' uniform, dishing out four assists to go along with 10 points. Forward Taylor Brown, who will surely see more minutes with the Egolf injury, had a nice performance of seven points and six rebounds.

Other observations:

* - Moving on - In addition to Brown, look for redshirt freshman center Anthony Thompson to be slid into the rotation with Egolf out for at least awhile. Center David Collins needs to show more aggressiveness, otherwise he'll still be planted on the bench even with Egolf going down.

* - Playing hurt - Chicago Cubs radio broadcaster Ron Santo calls pitcher Ted Lilly "The Bulldog" because of his ability to seemingly always get through tough situations. If the Braves have their own "Bulldog," it has to be guard Sam Maniscalco. The sophomore has been playing nearly 30 minutes per game even though he's got a nagging foot problem.

After a torrid week that included travel, four games and his 20th birthday, Maniscalco turned in a flawless eight assist, zero turnover game against ETSU.

* - Root for North Carolina? - This might be a little tough to do if you're a fan of non-BCS conference teams. But, the top-ranked Tar Heels have a date with Michigan State on Wednesday. Hopefully it's a tough game that wears down the Spartans, Bradley's next opponent.

Going up to the Breslin Center isn't an easy task for any team, but especially a Braves' team as ravaged as it is with injuries. Maybe North Carolina's fast paced style can help Bradley keep it close against the Spartans. (But don't count on it.)

Chicago Invitational Challenge

Tonight was the first evening that I didn't watch Bradley play live (TV or in person). But, this happened because I attended the final two games of the Chicago Invitational Challenge here in the Chicago suburbs.

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Watching Northern Iowa without big Eric Coleman was a bit strange. But, all teams must move on — something Panthers surely have done with a lineup of new guards.

Most of the ball handling duties were assigned to Kwadzo Ahelegbe and Ali Farokhmanesh, two names that the PA announcer certainly had his troubles announcing. Ahelegbe redshirted last season after suffering a shoulder injury and Farokhmanesh comes to Northern Iowa as a junior college transfer. But, both handled the pressure well, even with so little Division I experience.

Their skill sets differ, which is a good change of pace for Northern Iowa to throw at opponents. Farokhmanesh has nice touch from the outside (4 of 6 from 3 point range) and Ahelegbe slashes to the basket with agility (5 of 8 free throws, most attempts for the team).

Freshman guard Johnny Moran also looked good, scoring 13 points and grabbing three rebounds.

The Panthers' guards will be able to perform adequately this season, but the biggest question marks come with Northern Iowa's interior players.

Even fans of the other schools watching the game couldn't help but focus on 7-footer Jordan Eglseder. Those in attendance were able to see a junior who played with confidence against the more athletic post presence of Auburn.

He moves well down low and has a soft touch with his shot. The way he looked, there's no reason he couldn't make the MVC all-conference team. Few teams have the personnel to guard Eglseder effectively.

He hasn't been getting to the line much this season (only five attempts through six games). Maybe the lack of chances was the reason, but Eglseder sat on the bench for the final 4:55 of a close game. No reports have surfaced of an injury, so this situation appears to just be a coach's decision.

Lucas O'Rear played 28 minutes and looked like the guy who will replace some of Coleman's minutes. He looked to have good basketball IQ and can chip in around the basket (see: Sam Singh, Bradley).

Adam Koch had a quiet tournament (11 points in two games), but he's already shown in the past that he's a good player.

Sure, Northern Iowa got blasted by Marquette on Friday, but no team in the Valley has the talent of the Golden Eagles. The Panthers should be considered a certainty to at least finish in the middle of the pack.

Click the photo above to view a slideshow.

Game two: Dayton 89, No. 15 Marquette 75

Watch out for these two teams. Though this game doesn't fall inside the MVC scope, be alert for these teams come tournament time. The Auburn-Northern Iowa game was entertaining, but the athleticism for Dayton and Marquette made the first two teams look like a junior varsity squad.

Expect both squads to be in the NCAA tournament. I won't spend too much time discussing this game, but I've provided another sideshow to show some of the great moments.

Click the photo above to view a slideshow.

Game Five Recap: Richmond vs. Bradley

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Every season has signature games — and this was one of them.

Bradley (3-2) used contributions from nine different players to beat a talented Richmond (3-2) team 80-66 on Wednesday. The win gets the Braves over .500 and playing with confidence as they return home to face East Tennessee State on Saturday at Carver Arena.

This game showed how the Braves will need to play in order to be successful this season:

* - Newcomer contributions: Bradley got 42 points from the guys only making their fifth official Division I game. Guards Dodie Dunson and Chris Roberts continue to show that they will be integral parts on this team. Dunson had 13 points, with most of these coming early in the game to help the Braves get off to a fast start. Roberts played well throughout, also scoring 13 and grabbing four rebounds.

Will Egolf started for the second straight game at center chipping in six points. The young player needs to cut down on his silly fouls, but he showed that the game against Florida Gulf Coast was no fluke.

Guard Eddren McCain had four points and ran the offense effectively when Sam Maniscalco was on the bench. Fellow 5'11" guard Darian Norris also looked good, hitting an important 3-pointer and scoring five points in all.

Not to be forgotten is forward Taylor Brown, whom radio voices Dave Snell and Chuck Buescher named the player of the game. Brown's final stat line included seven points, five rebounds, four assists and no turnovers.

* - Protect the basketball - Bradley significantly cut down on the amount of turnovers (11) and had a positive assist-to-turnover ratio (+1.72). The Braves took care of the ball so well that this number actually felt like less, but a few moving screen and offensive foul calls helped push up this number.

* - Play to your strengths - Bradley doesn't have as many great jump shooters as past seasons, so the Braves finally took the ball to the hoop much more often. A few players, like Maniscalco for instance, have the ability to knock down shots.

But, everyone struggles unless they have open looks at the basket. By making focusing on making entry passes into the post, Bradley forced the Spiders to sink down on defense, allowing for more open shots.

Similarly, when given an opportunity, both Egolf and forward Sam Singh showed they could make their opportunities near the basket if given the opportunity.

Other observations:

* - Wednesday was Maniscalco's 20th birthday. The sophomore played through a nagging foot problem and contributed 12 points, as well as team highs of six rebounds and six assists.

* - Forward Theron Wilson shot free throws better, knocking in 8-of-10 attempts. He will need to keep shooting at a 70 to 80 percent clip in order to maximize his effectiveness in getting to the hoop.

* - Dunson has embraced the role of guarding a team's most talented guard. He shadowed Richmond's David Gonzalvez, who had been shooting 62 percent from the floor in the Spiders first four games. Gonzalvez had few open looks and though he still had 16 points, that was only on 5-of-13 shooting.

Game Four Recap: Bradley @ Florida Gulf Coast

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Bradley supporters all thought that sophomore Will Egolf would eventually become a contributor for the Braves basketball team. Few would have thought his first big game would take place 4,253 miles from his home.

Egolf helped carry a struggling Bradley (2-2) team past tournament site host Florida Gulf Coast (1-3) 58-54. The 6'9 forward from Alaska had 8 points, 5 rebounds, 2 blocks and a steal in his first college start.

His performance included an amazing conclusion to the game: a basket that beat the shot clock and broke the tie at 54-54, securing one of the most important loose balls of the contest and calmly knocking down two free throws to put the game out of reach.

A game like this had potentially bigger implications on this team moving forward. Coach Jim Les decided to play the guys who were performing the best down the stretch, not just who had the so-called "experience." This decision might also (hopefully) result in Bradley playing more lineups with size going forward.

The Braves only shot 40.8 percent as a team, which included 5 for 21 beyond the arc (23.8 percent). These numbers will improve as the season progresses, but that expectation doesn't change the fact Bradley simply doesn't have the shooters from the past.

Going inside will need to be stressed even more as this team develops chemistry together.

Not to be overshadowed, senior Theron Wilson had big game again, pouring in 13 points and grabbing 12 rebounds. Until Bradley sees junior Andrew Warren back on the court, Wilson must be the catalyst for an inexperienced team on both ends of the floor.

Freshman Darian Norris had his best game as a Brave, hitting three 3-pointers and securing three rebounds. Norris might only be listed at 5'11" but he makes up for his small frame with desire.

Bradley finishes the CBE Tournament tomorrow against Richmond, a team who has been playing very well. Even with all of the nice things that came from the Florida Gulf Coast game, the Braves will need to play much better if they hope to beat the Spiders.

Other observations:

* - David Collins rode the bench for most of the game. Many Bradley fans are down on him, but hopefully Collins hasn't lost all of his confidence and can continue to help the team moving forward.

* - Look how far from home Will Egolf really was ... 3 days by car!

View Larger Map

* - Eggson meter: 21 minutes. In addition to Egolf more than doubling his total minutes played for the season, even Anthony Thompson got in for two minutes. Bradley gives these guys a chance a good things happen. Keep an eye on their minutes as the season goes on.

Game Three Recap: Missouri-Kansas City vs. Bradley

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Don't expect any more "fun in the sun" for the Bradley Braves after they dropped a dismal game to the lowly Roos of Missouri-Kansas City.

Bradley (1-2) could take positives from the Florida loss, but after a flat performance Monday, this one must be forgotten - and quickly. The Braves face CBE subregional host Florida Gulf Coast on Tuesday, who lost to Richmond 69-58 tonight in game two.

UMKC (2-3) packed into a tight zone for most of the game, daring the once prolific 3-point shooting Braves to make some attempts from the outside. Just like the first two games of the season though, Bradley was dismal from 3-point range, hitting 3 of 17 shots (17.6%). Combine that with a sluggish performance by center David Collins and there is a blueprint for disaster.

Collins had a meager 1 point and 2 rebounds in 12 minutes of action. He had been making strides in his game since last year's postseason, but this game he slid back to his tentative self. Collins should have had a big game against a team whose tallest player was five inches shorter than the Bradley 7-footer.

The Braves were again without talented guard Andrew Warren, who still continues to come back from his foot injury. He's expected to miss the entire tournament.

Sam Maniscalco had been held out of practice due to a series of minor injuries, though coach Jim Les said that none of them were too serious. Maniscalco did come off the bench and led the Braves with 16 points.

All ten Bradley players had at least one turnover, resulting in 23 for the game. With so many newcomers to the team though, this number should go down as the season progresses.

The apathetic performance translated to the defensive side as well, where Bradley allowed UMKC to shoot 56 percent from the floor.

Bradley fans can just hope this is only one a few bumps in the road during a long season. The game against Florida Gulf Coast would be a major confidence booster to a team that looked asleep against UMKC.

Other observations:

* - Why don't more people attend these nonconference tournaments? The listed attendance for the game was 1,205, but the crowd looked barely half of that. Maybe conference fans get spoiled by the crowds for MVC games, but the attendance was sad. Not that a team should need incentive to get up for any game, but it's reasonable to see why this game could translate to a bad performance from an atmosphere perspective.

* - Eggson meter: 12 total minutes all season for forward Will Egolf and center Anthony Thompson - Bradley desperately needs something from these guys. For all of the so-called size the Braves have, small lineups still usually fill out the floor. Maybe both would be a liability for extended periods, but Les needs to give these guys a few more minutes per game.

Game Two Recap: Bradley @ No. 19 Florida

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Twenty-three point losses shouldn't sit well with any team. But after Bradley's first loss, nobody should think that the Braves (1-1) are going to have a bad season.

Some stat lines were ugly — 19 offensive rebounds for Florida (2-0); another poor performance from the 3-point line for Bradley (7 of 24, 29 percent). Clearly Bradley isn't going to be ranked anytime soon.

Outside of Michigan State though, Bradley also won't face a more athletic and skilled team all season. This game provided a barometer for the work that needs to be done but the possibility of being able to stay with a really good team for the majority of it.

There's a fire in this Bradley team that was enjoyable to watch. Sure, mistakes were made and can be expected for awhile. What the box score doesn't show is that Bradley held a lead for the majority of the first half. Then, after Florida surged going into halftime, the Braves chopped a 17-point lead to eight in just two minutes.

Some of Coach Jim Les' lineup choices still may make fans shake their heads, but he's improving as an in-game coach. Les understood the need to show Florida different looks on defense, which confused the Gators.

He also has cured the Braves propensity to play terrible on the road. Bradley looked confident and not like a bunch of scared kids walking into the arena of a recent national champion.

Many of the offensive rebounds allowed in the past were due to bad positioning and an apparent lack of desire to grab the ball more than the opponent. Today had a different feel, as Florida used its athleticism to create situations where if it missed a shot, somebody would be ready on the back side to clean up the mess. These sorts of situations will not happen as frequently against Missouri Valley Conference teams.

With all the new players Bradley has this season, this game was perfect to show all of them what it takes to be really great.

Other observations:

* - No individual players were named in the recap as the consequences of this game weren't really about any single performance. That being said, junior guard Dodie Dunson had another solid game (15 points, 3-of-9 from 3-point range) and senior center David Collins (6 points, 3 rebounds) started to show more of his potential against the solid interior core of the Gators. Collins must stay out of foul trouble though in order to be effective.

* - Sophomore guard Sam Maniscalco had another poor shooting game, finally knocking down his first three-pointer of the season. He has only hit one of his first twelve attempts from behind the arc. He needs to slow his game down and stop putting so much pressure on himself — pressing isn't a good thing, especially for your starting point guard.

* - Junior guard Chris Roberts and freshman forward Taylor Brown continue to impress, especially with their athleticism and energy. Roberts had 13 points and 5 rebounds while Brown chipped in six points while only playing 13 minutes.

* - Coach Les picked up his first technical foul of the season on a questionable no-call for goaltending. Though the announcers on ESPNU didn't seem to understand the rule, here's how it's officially defined (http://www.coabb.org/pdf/2008_m_w_basketball_rules.pdf):

Section 34. Goaltending
Art. 1. Goaltending shall have occurred when a player touches the ball during a field-goal try and each of the following conditions is met:

a. The ball is in its downward flight; and

b. The entire ball is above the level of the ring and has the possibility,
while in flight, of entering the basket and is not touching the
cylinder.

This certainly was the case on the play, but the announcers argued in-favor of some new rule about pinning the ball on the glass before it makes contact with the backboard. The problem is, as the rules state, that the ball was on the downward flight and above the rim. Les was justified in his frustration.

Game One Recap: UIC @ Bradley

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That was how preseason basketball should look!

Oh, that was a regular season game? Well, for Bradley and UIC's sake, it is only mid-November. After 52 fouls and 27 turnovers, both teams will have plenty of film to watch. Bradley (1-0) picked up its first win of the season without top returning scorer Andrew Warren (13.2 PPG in 2007-08), who still is still recovering from a surgery on his foot for a stress fracture.

Bradley made 33 of 47 free throws (70 percent), which helped offset the dismal shooting performance in the first half of the game (3 of 17, 17.6%). The Braves trailed 28-20 at halftime, which could have been much worse considering how sloppy the team's play.

Along with missing Warren's contributions, Bradley didn't get much contributions from their other returning leaders Theron Wilson and Sam Maniscalco during the first half. Wilson in particular looked particularly passive, choosing to pass outside when he got into a scoring position in the lane. Maybe Coach Jim Les gave them a swift kick in the rear at the break, as both looked like they were on a missing once the second 20-minute session began. Wilson finished with 12 points and 13 rebounds while Maniscalco chipped in 14 points himself.

New Braves Dodie Dunson and Chris Roberts arguably had the biggest influence on the outcome of the game. Dunson achieved his primary purpose by being Bradley's defensive stopper, slowing down Preseason Horizon League Player of the Year Josh Mayo to 13 points on 5 of 14 shooting. Dunson also led Bradley in scoring with 21 points and 10 of 12 free throws.

Roberts had a nice stat line as well, scoring 12 and pulling down 7 rebounds. Roberts also had a thundering tip-slam that sent Carver Arena into a frenzy during the second half. His athleticism should be a big plus for a team that doesn't look like it will have the same outside shooting prowess that previous teams have had.

For as lethargic the Braves looked during stretches of the game Friday, a commitment to defense and rebounding was a welcomed change. This team showed that it has the ability to be good again, but it will need to win more games in the 60s instead of the 70s if it wants to finish near the top of the Missouri Valley Conference.

Other observations:

* - Freshman Taylor Brown looked good again for the third straight game. His inside/outside game suits the Bradley offense well. Brown also brings a lot of energy to the floor, which was certainly lacking at times.

* - Redshirt freshman Anthony Thompson and sophomore Will Egolf did not play in the game. Coach Les used 9 players Friday and once Warren returns, another player's minutes will likely be reduced as well. Hopefully both get in the Florida game, as we need to get these players experience playing against other talented big men.

* - The new "boards" at Carver Arena are pretty noticeable, with new LCD-like screens on the press table as well as the baselines. Even though I had read some speculation about it being distracting, I don't feel like this has any influence on either team's performance.

* - Bradley needs to scrap the white-out idea. The primary color of the university is red and most wear that to the game. The participation last year for the Michigan State game was amazing, but that was a once in a lifetime game. But in reality, when you use a color that bright and you just get partial participation, it comes out looking strange:

(Note: I'd normally crop out people's heads from photos. But, anyone knows that when you have a part of "Super Fan Jay" in your shot, he has to stay there.)

* - This was the first of a few games I'll actually be able to attend in person this season. I tried to take some other photos too, and I'll post them soon.

Game One: Illinois-Chicago @ Bradley

Bradley opens its regular season tonight at home against the UIC Flames. UIC was 18-15 last season and 9-9 in the Horizon League, which was a tie for fourth place. They are led by preseason Horizon League player of the year Josh Mayo (17.1 points per game in 2007-08). Mayo made fellow point guard Daniel Ruffin look like about 5'2" after shredding the former Bradley standout for 34 points in last year's season opener at the UIC Pavilion.

Keys to the game:
Shut down Josh Mayo and Scott VanderMeer - might seem simple but these are two talented players and both Sam Maniscalco and David Collins (with Dodie Dunson at times) will need to help slow them both down.

Final score prediction:

UIC 74
BU 79

1. Creighton

Preseason poll: 1st

Southern Illinois has loads of talent. But Creighton can match the Salukis in skill and surpass them in experience.

The comparisons don't stop there, either. Both teams are loaded at guard and thin inside. Both teams also have very good senior leaders at the point and are always expected to be near the top of the Missouri Valley Conference.

But the Bluejays are favored to win the conference championship – can you bet against Dana Altman? He's certainly won with less talent.

The most electric player for Creighton has to be guard P'Allen Stinnett (6'3" So.). He plays with some of the brashness that Illinois State's Osiris Eldridge does, but he can usually back up his attitude. Stinnett shot 45 percent from the floor and hit nearly 80 percent of his free throws during his freshman season (12.6 ppg).

Guard Josh Dotzler (6'1" Sr.) will be the man who will be serving up the ball to the talented back court players of Creighton. He's steady at carrying the ball and won't hurt the Bluejays.

The other two guards, Booker Woodfox (6'1" Sr.)and Cavel Witter (5'11" Jr.), are the players who make Creighton a special team. Woodfox's scoring exploded during conference play last year, tossing in double figures in each of the Bluejays last 11 games of the regular season.

Witter, on the other hand, didn't score big in every game. But when he gets hot, he can be nearly unstoppable. His signature game was a memorable one against Bradley last season, where he made 13 field goals en route to a 42-point game and a thrilling 111-110 double overtime win .

Like SIU's Tony Boyle, center Kenny Lawson Jr. (6'9" So.) will need to be a major contributor in the paint. Creighton doesn't have a ton of size and must count on Lawson and junior Chad Millard (6'8" Jr.) to grab some rebounds.

Millard has more of an outside game, though. Creighton hopes to get something from transfer guard/forward Justin Carter (6'4" Jr.). Though slightly undersized, Carter is known for inside game and will certainly be able to contribute against many of the smaller lineups that some Valley teams put on the floor.

Creighton certainly isn't a lock to win the title (see: Drake, 2007-08) but surely looks to have the best combination of talent, experience and coaching to take the crown.

2. Southern Illinois

Preseason poll: 2nd

Most teams that lose their two best players won't be picked this highly in any conference. But sometimes, tradition trumps conventional reality.

Call it the coaching, the system, or the players. Whatever "it" is, that quality seems to always keep Southern Illinois in the heat of the Missouri Valley Conference race.

The Dawgs are known for their tenacious defense and incredible home court advantage (92-6 in the past seven years). A casual fan might see their style as ugly, even boring, but it churns out winning teams every season.

Even in a very disappointing season for SIU, the Salukis finished 18-15 in 2007-08 and made the NIT. The team will need to buy into its system even more this season, especially considering all of the new players on the team.

Though big men Randal Falker and Matt Shaw graduated, SIU does have guard Bryan Mullins (6'2" Sr.) to direct the Dawgs. Mullins averaged almost 11 points per game last season, but he's known for his true point guard skills. He won the MVC Defensive Player of the Year award and also knows how to command the SIU offense (4.9 assists per game).

Though guard Wesley Clemmons (6'3" Sr.) also returns as a possible starter, it's the incoming recruits that has SIU excited.

The player coming in the most recognition might be guard Kevin Dillard (6'0" Fr.), who won Illinois' Mr. Basketball award (top high school player in the state). He should play a lot immediately and have a great mentor in Mullins to take over for next year.

The Salukis also have two talented prospects in freshman guards Ryan Hare (6'4" Fr.) and Torres Roundtree (6'4" Fr.). Both are scorers and should help the offensive side of the ball where SIU can sometimes struggle.

A conference championship might be determined by the amount of production the team can get from their post players. The Salukis have one holdover who has experience, forward Tony Boyle (6'8" Sr.). He's a big body that should rebound well and chip in some points close to hoop.

There isn't much else for depth other than forward Carlton Fay (6'8" So.) and Christian Cornelius (6'7" Jr.). If either player can make strides, that will go a long way towards winning another MVC title.

See the same theme for another MVC team: lots of talent, how quickly can they gel together? Considering what the Dawgs have done in the past, I wouldn't bet against them finishing on top yet again.

3. Illinois State

Preseason poll: 3rd

Picking Illinois State to finish ahead of Bradley makes my stomach churn a little. But, in the sense of fairness, I have pick where I legitimately think teams are going to finish.

Any discussion about the Redbirds must begin with guard Osiris Eldridge (6'3" Jr.). He was picked as the Missouri Valley Conference's Preseason Player of the Year and with good reason. "King O" can score at will from all over the court and also rebounds well from his position (5.7 rpg in 2007-08). Eldridge's on-the-court attitude always seems a bit arrogant (the mohawk haircut might have be part of it), but there's no denying that he's a great player.

Illinois State also returns two other major contributors from last season in guard Emmanuel Holloway (6'2" Sr.) and forward Dinma Odiakosa (6'8" So.). Holloway was a member of the All-Valley bench team and will need handle the point guard duties after Boo Richardson and Dom Johnson graduated.

Odiakosa returns for his second season as a solid interior player for the Redbirds. He averaged 6.9 points and 5.5 rebounds per game last season. Odikosa will need to improve from the free throw line if he expects to make the next step in his game (49 percent).

If Illinois State has any major weakness, it is the fact that they are very thin on the interior. Outside of Odiakosa, only forward Brandon Sampay (6'8" Sr.). returns with much experience. Sampay did score in double figures four times last season and will need to have an even larger role in 2008-09.

Illinois State does have a few newcomers that should likely have an influence immediately. Transfer guard Champ Oguchi (6'6" Sr.) figures to start. Like many other power conference defections, Oguchi should finally get some major playing time with the Redbirds and show why he originally went to Oregon.

The rest of the team's roster has a series of recruits from Illinois and transfer players. We'll see who steps up and helps an already talented bunch in Normal, Ill.

Illinois State has been moving in the right direction since hiring Tim Jankovich before last season. The two rivalry War on I-74 games will have an added importance considering the potential of both Bradley and Illinois State.

(Too bad Bradley got the shaft from the MVC and will play the Peoria game when the students are on semester break.)