2018 MVC - Week 6

[Blers]

Alize's the best player in the league, but the run Custer has been on in terms of pushing this team forward has to at least put him in the convo for PotY.

Tough loss yesterday. They played lazy in the first half, just out of sync defensively, credit to Bradley for playing great defense. Credit to Custer for keeping us in it the first half.

As much as I wanna blame that blatant goaltend miss the refs were pretty abysmal both ways. Was an awesome battle, Custer and Townes stepped up big, as did Brown for Bradley and Childs with those two three's earlier in the game to stop runs. The league is fun!

[TSmithBJJ]

Braves win 69-67

Krutwig under the basket kicks out and the shot clock expires!

Talk about a freshman mistake...

My guess is that in the back of his mind he was still thinking of his last shot he took that was blocked, and he did not want it to happen in that situation. This kid is going to be real good!! That was a fun game to watch.

As an athlete myself (and probably many of you are/were athletes yourselves), that is never a mindset you want to have! You either have the killer instinct and mentality, or you dont. No doubting this kid's potential though!

[Rambler63]

The biggest win in Peoria in over a decade.

Really? What about beating #19 UNI on Feb 13, 2010?

Less than five years ago, a lot of Bradley people thought that adding Loyola to the league was a catastrophic mistake. Just last Spring, a roundtable of eight MVC beat writers had a consensus more or less that adding Loyola was a failed experiment, an unfortunate mistake, or the best of some bad options.

Now it's the biggest win in Peoria in over a decade? Or as Dave Reynolds, PJS Bradley beat writer and firm Loyola skeptic wrote this morning, "one of their biggest regular-season wins in, oh, a decade or two."

I'd like to see just ONE of the newspaper columnists who used a barrel of ink to denigrate Loyola for a couple of years write a ONE SENTENCE mea culpa. It won't make up for how crappy they made Loyola fans feel for several years, but it would be a nice peace-making gesture.

[Majik45]

As much as I wanna blame that blatant goaltend miss the refs were pretty abysmal both ways. Was an awesome battle, Custer and Townes stepped up big, as did Brown for Bradley and Childs with those two three's earlier in the game to stop runs. The league is fun!

That was a bad miss by the refs, but in a way made up for it the next trip calling a block on what seemed to be a pretty obvious charge that fouled Hodgson out for the Braves.

I honestly can't believe that Bradley held on to win last night, as Loyola came back with a flurry to keep the game close. They hit big shot after big shot. It was the type of game that is great to watch where both teams kept making great plays and both teams deserved to win.

How bad would Loyola have felt if that last shot of the game went in, and then the refs would have had to go back and wave it off because it was after the buzzer.

[Majik45]

The biggest win in Peoria in over a decade.

Really? What about beating #19 UNI on Feb 13, 2010?

Less than five years ago, a lot of Bradley people thought that adding Loyola to the league was a catastrophic mistake. Just last Spring, a roundtable of eight MVC beat writers had a consensus more or less that adding Loyola was a failed experiment, an unfortunate mistake, or the best of some bad options.

Now it's the biggest win in Peoria in over a decade? Or as Dave Reynolds, PJS Bradley beat writer and firm Loyola skeptic wrote this morning, "one of their biggest regular-season wins in, oh, a decade or two."

I'd like to see just ONE of the newspaper columnists who used a barrel of ink to denigrate Loyola for a couple of years write a ONE SENTENCE mea culpa. It won't make up for how crappy they made Loyola fans feel for several years, but it would be a nice peace-making gesture.

The reason most people are calling this such a big game for the Braves is because of where it puts them in the conference race, not really a reflection on Loyola as a team. Loyola is the class of the Valley this year, give Moser and the whole team credit. They are VERY good. Bradley has not finished higher than 4th place in the league since 2001 and has not played a meaningful (IE fighting for top spot in the valley) for 17 years. The win last night puts them within a game of first, and will give Bradley fans some meaningful conference games in February for the first time in a LONG time. That is the reason why so many people are making such a big deal of the win last night.

I honestly don't see how Loyola doesn't win the conference this year, as I see at most 2 more losses on your schedule. Pretty sure they will be favorites in every game down the stretch except SIU might be a pick'em.

[Rambler63]

I am glad Bradley has turned a corner. I think their win against Indiana State last weekend was a bigger deal (first road conference win of the season) than going 12-0 at home.

[Blers]

As much as I wanna blame that blatant goaltend miss the refs were pretty abysmal both ways. Was an awesome battle, Custer and Townes stepped up big, as did Brown for Bradley and Childs with those two three's earlier in the game to stop runs. The league is fun!

That was a bad miss by the refs, but in a way made up for it the next trip calling a block on what seemed to be a pretty obvious charge that fouled Hodgson out for the Braves.

I honestly can't believe that Bradley held on to win last night, as Loyola came back with a flurry to keep the game close. They hit big shot after big shot. It was the type of game that is great to watch where both teams kept making great plays and both teams deserved to win.

How bad would Loyola have felt if that last shot of the game went in, and then the refs would have had to go back and wave it off because it was after the buzzer.

Great post. And I totally agree in the charge. I thought the call on Richardson late to give Brown free throws was irritating as well given how physical play had been for most of the game. Bradley hit only one field goal over the last five minutes or so, free throws kept them afloat (which they hit to their credit). Loved the game once LU turned intensity up to match Bradley. The back and forth was like watching a heavy weight title match. Fun to see that stuff midseason.

Also appreciate the kind words about the team, it's cool to get some recognition after getting beat up on for a couple years by fans who didn't think we belonged. Hopefully Bradley and LU can keep putting up these kind of matches for years to come! Best of luck to your Braves the rest of the way

[TSmithBJJ]

The biggest win in Peoria in over a decade.

Really? What about beating #19 UNI on Feb 13, 2010?

Less than five years ago, a lot of Bradley people thought that adding Loyola to the league was a catastrophic mistake. Just last Spring, a roundtable of eight MVC beat writers had a consensus more or less that adding Loyola was a failed experiment, an unfortunate mistake, or the best of some bad options.

Now it's the biggest win in Peoria in over a decade? Or as Dave Reynolds, PJS Bradley beat writer and firm Loyola skeptic wrote this morning, "one of their biggest regular-season wins in, oh, a decade or two."

I'd like to see just ONE of the newspaper columnists who used a barrel of ink to denigrate Loyola for a couple of years write a ONE SENTENCE mea culpa. It won't make up for how crappy they made Loyola fans feel for several years, but it would be a nice peace-making gesture.

The reason most people are calling this such a big game for the Braves is because of where it puts them in the conference race, not really a reflection on Loyola as a team. Loyola is the class of the Valley this year, give Moser and the whole team credit. They are VERY good. Bradley has not finished higher than 4th place in the league since 2001 and has not played a meaningful (IE fighting for top spot in the valley) for 17 years. The win last night puts them within a game of first, and will give Bradley fans some meaningful conference games in February for the first time in a LONG time. That is the reason why so many people are making such a big deal of the win last night.

I honestly don't see how Loyola doesn't win the conference this year, as I see at most 2 more losses on your schedule. Pretty sure they will be favorites in every game down the stretch except SIU might be a pick'em.

Agreed with Loyola being the outright favorite for the regular season champs. Loyola @ SIU in late February could be a huge game for both teams. SIU arena is also a tough arena/atmosphere to win in.

[Kyle@MOState]

The biggest win in Peoria in over a decade.

Really? What about beating #19 UNI on Feb 13, 2010?

Less than five years ago, a lot of Bradley people thought that adding Loyola to the league was a catastrophic mistake. Just last Spring, a roundtable of eight MVC beat writers had a consensus more or less that adding Loyola was a failed experiment, an unfortunate mistake, or the best of some bad options.

Now it's the biggest win in Peoria in over a decade? Or as Dave Reynolds, PJS Bradley beat writer and firm Loyola skeptic wrote this morning, "one of their biggest regular-season wins in, oh, a decade or two."

I'd like to see just ONE of the newspaper columnists who used a barrel of ink to denigrate Loyola for a couple of years write a ONE SENTENCE mea culpa. It won't make up for how crappy they made Loyola fans feel for several years, but it would be a nice peace-making gesture.

I don't think that the beat writers were necessarily beating up Loyola the basketball team, since they have come in the league they have been competitive. I think it was more the program that was the target. They don't have a dedicated beat writer, they don't have any radio coverage, they are surrounded by a huge city with many decorated programs, they seem like an afterthought to many in Chicago. (I am aware that Loyola Chicago is the only team in Illinois to win a championship) They don't bring a ton of coverage or fans to the MVC tournament. After losing Creighton who brought all of those things at a higher level than the rest of the Valley schools at the time, it just seemed like a major step back. I am glad to see Loyola fans be more vocal, even when the team was down they were always super dangerous. I remember a few years ago they almost knocked Wichita State out in the MVC tourney on a Friday. The team is the team to beat in the Valley this year, enjoy the good times. I am not a beat writer, but sorry they made you feel bad.

[chitown fanatic]

Last night was the biggest in a decade for exactly what majik stated...where it puts us in the standings this late in the season. To see hacksaw's projections finally having a better chance of NOT playing Thursday for the first time in 8 years will cause any BU fan to be a little exuberant. I fully expect Loyola to close this out...I just want to get in the night session as the 2 or 3. Either way, the Valley tourney could be the best its ever been this year as I think this year theres a real chance an 8-9 could knock off whoever ends up on top.