2018 MVC - Opening Week

[E-Villan]

Thursday
Crusaders @ Sycamores----> Valpo
Salukis @ Panthers-----> Panthers
Braves @ Bulldogs----> Braves

Saturday
Aces @ Ramblers-----> Ramblers

Sunday
Panthers @ Braves-----> Panthers
Sycamores @ Redbirds-----> Redbirds
Bulldogs @ Salukis--------> Salukis
Bears @ Crusaders-----> Bears

[ptownbraves]

After watching ole Miss tear Bradley a new one I'm excited to see Bradley finish 5th/6th.

Boy, after seeing ISU lose at home to Charleston Southern, I really look forward to seeing ISU finish top 5! See, anybody can take a one game sample and make a team look bad! And I’m not advocating for Bradley here,
I still believe that they will struggle on the road. But, I think it’s a little silly to take a one game sample and write them off.

The Redbird fan's quote above is very confusing. At first he rips on Bradley for getting blown out to Ole Miss, but then suggests avoiding Thursday night for the first time in years...

If I was a Bradley fan, I think I would take 5th/6th considering this:

"Bradley — a team that hasn’t won a conference title since 1996, hasn’t finished higher than fourth since 2001 and has started this tournament (Arch Madness) in the play-in round seven years in a row" - Kirk Wessler, March 2017

Charleston Southern was an abberation. Milik Yarbrough was benched to prove a point that it's not all about him, leaving us with 6-7 scholarship players that included end of bench players and a walk on.
Bradley has been blown out by it's two toughest teams they have faced this year. The rest have been cupcakes. Not really a one-off abberation if you ask me with Ole Miss.
Generally speaking, 5th or 6th would be dreamland for Bradley this year avoiding the play-in rounds for the first time in 8 years...

I won't defend Bradley's schedule as a whole, but at least get your facts right. They lost by 1 to a very good Vermont team without their starting center. They also beat a respectable top 100 KenPom Georgia Southern team who previously beat Missouri State. I am just glad the conference games are starting so we can quit speculating how our teams will do.

[Old School MVC]

Every year it is funny how we all cheer for each other in November and early December for the good of the league. Then once it is time to start conference play, it is a return to our back and forth ribbing. At least this year we will not have a certain group to talk down to everyone telling us they are the only ones "trying."
LET THE FULL SLATE OF CONFERENCE GAMES BEGIN!!!

[BradleyFan71]

Charleston Southern was an abberation. Milik Yarbrough was benched to prove a point that it's not all about him, leaving us with 6-7 scholarship players that included end of bench players and a walk on.

Then what happened against UIC, where the Redbirds managed a 1-point win at home over one of the worst teams in Division 1? Another abberation?

[BirdsEyeView]

Charleston Southern was an abberation. Milik Yarbrough was benched to prove a point that it's not all about him, leaving us with 6-7 scholarship players that included end of bench players and a walk on.

Then what happened against UIC, where the Redbirds managed a 1-point win at home over one of the worst teams in Division 1? Another abberation?

We won that game. Who gives a F by how much!? Bad example dude.
We also beat South Carolina and Ole Miss....probably just pure luck according to you BradleyFan71, right?

[BradleyFan71]

Charleston Southern was an abberation. Milik Yarbrough was benched to prove a point that it's not all about him, leaving us with 6-7 scholarship players that included end of bench players and a walk on.

Then what happened against UIC, where the Redbirds managed a 1-point win at home over one of the worst teams in Division 1? Another abberation?

We won that game. Who gives a F by how much!? Bad example dude.
We also beat South Carolina and Ole Miss....probably just pure luck according to you BradleyFan71, right?

I believe you Redbird fans are the ones pointing out how much Bradley lost two games by. I guess that only matters in Bradley losses against good teams and not Redbird wins against very bad teams.

[BirdsEyeView]

I won't defend Bradley's schedule as a whole, but at least get your facts right. They lost by 1 to a very good Vermont team without their starting center. They also beat a respectable top 100 KenPom Georgia Southern team who previously beat Missouri State. I am just glad the conference games are starting so we can quit speculating how our teams will do.

Georgia Southern, not quite top 100 in KenPom. Get your facts straight as well please.

Bradley wins against opponents KenPom ranking thus far:

IUPUI- #275
Delaware - #215
UTSA - #192
Weber St. - #204
Missouri S&T - D2 (not rated)
Georgia Southern - #102
Eastern IL - #231
Little Rock - #319
Chicago St - #346
SEMO - #274

0 wins against top 100
2 wins against 100-200

Looking forward to conference season. A top 5/6 finish for Bradley this year is a major step up for them if it happens. All I was saying. Right now, we don't have a bitter rivalry like the late 90s, but would love to get it back between our two schools.

[BirdsEyeView]

Then what happened against UIC, where the Redbirds managed a 1-point win at home over one of the worst teams in Division 1? Another abberation?

We won that game. Who gives a F by how much!? Bad example dude.
We also beat South Carolina and Ole Miss....probably just pure luck according to you BradleyFan71, right?

I believe you Redbird fans are the ones pointing out how much Bradley lost two games by. I guess that only matters in Bradley losses against good teams and not Redbird wins against very bad teams.

I never said that. But, an aberration, by definition is a departure from what is normal, usual, or expected.

Winning, even by a slim margin, to a team you are supposed to beat already is still a win and thus NOT an aberration. Since it was expected we would win AND we did.

[Blers]

Ramblers Evansville will be an interesting game. I could see Evansville taking it to be honest.

We’ve looked lost at times missing our starting backcourt, we weathered Richardson well, but Custer was probably our most important piece offensively since we don’t have a true backup point. I’m still really high on the team but it might not show up until he gets back; hopefully Richardson can come in and play this weekend!

[ptownbraves]

I won't defend Bradley's schedule as a whole, but at least get your facts right. They lost by 1 to a very good Vermont team without their starting center. They also beat a respectable top 100 KenPom Georgia Southern team who previously beat Missouri State. I am just glad the conference games are starting so we can quit speculating how our teams will do.

Georgia Southern, not quite top 100 in KenPom. Get your facts straight as well please.

Bradley wins against opponents KenPom ranking thus far:

IUPUI- #275
Delaware - #215
UTSA - #192
Weber St. - #204
Missouri S&T - D2 (not rated)
Georgia Southern - #102
Eastern IL - #231
Little Rock - #319
Chicago St - #346
SEMO - #274

0 wins against top 100
2 wins against 100-200

Looking forward to conference season. A top 5/6 finish for Bradley this year is a major step up for them if it happens. All I was saying. Right now, we don't have a bitter rivalry like the late 90s, but would love to get it back between our two schools.

Yea, the war on 74 has been one sided for too long. I'm looking forward to it being more competitive soon.

Georgia Southern was top 100 when Bradley played them.