Redbirds @ Bradley 2/18 6:00 PM ESPN3

[Redbird Alum 2004]

I don’t care because Wardle is an a hole, but he better hope he can trick someone into hiring him this off-season. If this is what comes back next year they are in big trouble.

The guy nearly got fired for abusing players, choked multiple times as the best team at Green Bay, embroiled in a controversy with the local media, and now a scandal with his players and a sex crime.

They look like a program going into the toilet.

Their board is expecting to be last next year. They really struggle with guard play. Drake should drill them.

 

[Redbird222]

Love the second half intensity after Bradley tied it up. A sweep of Bradley is always a good thing! Fleming really makes a big difference in that zone and on offense. Washington should
Be a great player.

When Fleming and Washington really make the back of the zone work

 

[Redbird222]

I don’t care because Wardle is an a hole, but he better hope he can trick someone into hiring him this off-season. If this is what comes back next year they are in big trouble.

The guy nearly got fired for abusing players, choked multiple times as the best team at Green Bay, embroiled in a controversy with the local media, and now a scandal with his players and a sex crime.

They look like a program going into the toilet.

He stayed one year too many

 

[ISU86]

Amazing what finishing around the rim can do. 21-29 from inside the arc, 72%. Plus 40% from three. Cures a lot of ills.

 

[Denali2x]

View attachment 429

Bench guys faces

 

[ricohill]

Amazing what finishing around the rim can do. 21-29 from inside the arc, 72%. Plus 40% from three. Cures a lot of ills.

It’s an interesting point. I looked up today what teams are shooting at the rim in MVC games only.

Mo State - 72.8%
Bradley - 68.4%
Loyola - 67.9%
Evansville - 64.5%
Indy State - 62.5%
Drake - 62.3%
Valpo - 60.2%
UNI - 59.8%
ISU - 57.5%
SIU - 52.1%

We really struggle to get any easy baskets (post ups or layups) this year.

 

[DoubleDeuce]

I love the reactions of the guys on the bench.

Bradley fans look like a bunch of stiffs. I do like that some of them wore a tux to the game.

 

[Baltimore Bird]

BU fans typically look like a bunch of stiffs, cardboard cutouts or not.
It is the same people I saw when I lived in the area in the 90's.

 

[Adunk33]

I didn't get a chance to watch the full game last night due to work obligations but it seemed like every time I looked at a screen with the game on, Emon was scoring, getting a board, or poking away a pass. Watching the game back this morning, I got to halftime and thought, "Wait, didn't Emon finish with 20? Where the hell did those come from?" If I counted right, he came into the second half with 2 points. Great game from a player that really has a shot to be special. Did ya'll know he played the 5 in high school? That helps explain his physicality.

Overall, a really solid effort from everyone out there. The zone was active. I really enjoy watching how it moves (when it works and guys are where they are supposed to be). It reminds me a little of the Cuse zone. Having the length of Howard and Emon on the backline is really nice and it puts both, who are already natural rebounders, in great position to snag some boards.

Howard had some great passes as well. Even playing with 4 fouls in the second half, he seems to be becoming comfortable as the floor general, looking for teammates first and his shot second.

Someone mentioned, what a world of difference it makes when you make your shots around the rim. Agreed! A lot of those makes in this game, weren't bunnies, they were through contact. Then, the guys made their damn free throws!

It was great to see that every time Bradley made a run to cut it to one possession or tie, the Birds didn't fold and had a response, largely in part to Emon, Jo, and Boyd. This team in a similar situation in early-mid-January, probably loses. They've made progress.

With how bad this season has been, a sweep over Bradley always feels good. Feel free to poo-poo and say that they didn't have their best guys out there. Well, they did in Normal when the Birds destroyed them. ISU also played without its leading scorer last night. Fun game and I hope they can come out with the same energy and take two against UNI and have a little streak going into STL.

Per Matt Hackman, There are 2 possible scenarios (out of 16,384) where the Birds can get the 5 seed. 118 where they can get the 6. For reference, 9,711 of the scenarios have the Birds as the 10 seed.

 

[Baltimore Bird]

I have not ready every post, nor have I watched the replay of Washington's breakaway dunk.
I thought he double dribbled about 35 feet from the basket. Anyone else see that?

 

[DannyCooksey]

i wasn't able to watch. is there anywhere that has highlights? especially of this dunk?

and............even in a bad year it's always great to whip BU's ass 2x in a season. been a while and we smoked 'em both times. great to see.

 

[jwa123]

I have not ready every post, nor have I watched the replay of Washington's breakaway dunk.
I thought he double dribbled about 35 feet from the basket. Anyone else see that?

I thought he did a stutter step but didn’t pick up his dribble. I could be wrong but that’s what I seem to recall.

 

[Redbird222]

I thought he did a stutter step but didn’t pick up his dribble. I could be wrong but that’s what I seem to recall.

This is what I recall

 

[Bird Friend]

I have not ready every post, nor have I watched the replay of Washington's breakaway dunk.
I thought he double dribbled about 35 feet from the basket. Anyone else see that?

Thought the same thing, but I didn't watch it again.

 

[RedbirdSoxFan]

Thought the same thing, but I didn't watch it again.

Where can you watch the replay?

 

[Bird Friend]

Where can you watch the replay?

ESPN+

I just watched it again several times. Even did as close to frame-by-frame as I could. In my opinion, he does double dribble. It's really close, but he does bring his right hand over and touch the ball quickly while he's dribbling it with his left hand. It was while he was getting his steps set up for the jam. I'm certain is was an unconscious move, probably developed over hundreds of times lining up jams.

 

[Bird Friend]

ESPN+

I just watched it again several times. Even did as close to frame-by-frame as I could. In my opinion, he does double dribble. It's really close, but he does bring his right hand over and touch the ball quickly while he's dribbling it with his left hand. It was while he was getting his steps set up for the jam. I'm certain is was an unconscious move, probably developed over hundreds of times lining up jams.

In the end, though, it wasn't called . . . so it wasn't a double dribble.

 

[RedbirdSoxFan]

In the end, though, it wasn't called . . . so it wasn't a double dribble.

Kinda like the (not called) travel by the Missouri State player before his half-court shot that (along with the Valpo half-court buzzer beater) sent the Redbirds to the Thursday night invitation.

 

[CB2K]

Kinda like the (not called) travel by the Missouri State player before his half-court shot that (along with the Valpo half-court buzzer beater) sent the Redbirds to the Thursday night invitation.

That travel was much more obvious -- in real time amongst all of the mad dash scramble it was clear that the shooter traveled. I was surprised there was no call by any of the refs on that play.