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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67 | 61 |
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.
