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58 | 54 |
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!
* - 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.
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