Sports-ophrenia: What is Bradley's Fate at Arch Madness?

In the last few months, my car's radiator has been on the fritz. At first, it was leaking coolant due to a loose hose clamp, then (supposedly) the thermostat was broken. Still, it continues to give me fits as I anxiously watch the engine temperature gauge jump frantically from the red to the black. This bit of automobile bipolarity reminded me of another stressful life situation: being able to see both sides of an argument.

Good debates, by nature, have arguments on both sides that are reasonable, but it's much easier to back one side or the other. However, there are those maddening times where you have one foot in both camps. It's usually relegated to today's pressing issues, like "Wendy's or McDonald's?"; "paper or plastic?"; and "Zoe Saldana or Emma Stone?"

With that mind, I thought up a monthly topic for Life in the Cheap Seats: Sports-o-phrenia. I'll take a topic and argue for both sides, while trying not to drive myself crazy in the process. After going to two Bradley games this week (Wednesday's loss to Illinois State and today's home win over Indiana State), I've got an easy question to start with...

How will the Bradley Braves fare at this year's MVC men's basketball tournament?

Why Bradley Will Make the MVC Tournament Finals

It's arguable that Bradley has the most dynamic starting guards in the Missouri Valley Conference - but it would be a fairly short argument. Jake Odum is a hard-nosed point guard, but he doesn't have a great outside shot, and Tyler Brown (who's potential even for next year is incredibly scary) isn't quite ready yet. So we have Walt Lemon, Jr. and Dyricus Simms-Edwards, whose names are almost as long as their all-around basketball ability. Walt and DSE have always been quick strikers who can finish at the rim while taking contact, pull up for the jump shot on the run and in traffic (Southern Illinois found that out firsthand this year), negate one-on-one and help defense, and average 35 minutes if necessary. Now they have both gained the ability that separates elite wing players from good ones: taking the ball away.

Entering today's game, the two combo guards combined for 131 steals, far and away best in the conference. They both average better than two steals per 40 minutes. Dyricus is especially adept at thefts: he is sixth in the country in terms of steals per game and the leader in steals/personal foul ratio. Only Virginia Commonwealth's Briante Weber (who was recently featured in ESPN: The Magazine) has a higher steal-to-turnover ratio.

Newcomer Tyshon Pickett has given the Braves a two-way frontcourt player, a phrase not uttered on the Hilltop since Lawrence Wright was on campus. The young man from New Jersey came into today's game against Indiana State averaging 11 points and almost six rebounds (just under three on the offensive glass), is shooting 72 percent from the free-throw line and has even hit five of the nine threes he's attempted this year; he has two treys in his last two games. If that weren't enough, Pickett played the gutsiest game of any Bradley player I've seen today against Indiana State, scoring 17 points and pulling down seven rebounds after sustaining a knee injury near the end of the first half. It was evident Pickett was in pain, as he paused and gritted his teeth on every break in the action, but he stayed in the scrum for rebounds on both ends and had two clutch jump shots, both times with a defender in his face.

These three players exemplify a quality of this Bradley team that has been lacking in the last five years: toughness. Dyricus and Walt aren't afraid to stare down defenders and attacking guards alike, and Tyshon has taken the pressure off of Will Egolf and Jordan Prosser to take rebounds away from the larger front lines of Valley opponents. Bradley doesn't score at a high rate or shoot very well from the outside, but with their ability to create turnovers, score in the paint, and close games at the free throw line (all starters except Will Egolf shoot better than 67 percent), Bradley can make any team scramble for answers. With Creighton's recent fall from grace, and the confidence of hanging with Wichita State and Michigan for 40 minutes, the Braves are primed to make a surprise run to the MVC finals in St. Louis--and perhaps a trip to the NIT.

Why Bradley Will Lose Early in the MVC Tournament

Every team fights the injury bug at some point during the season, it's just who gets bitten and for how long. Recently, the Braves have had to deal with the maladies every coach fears facing going into the final stretch of the regular season: injuries that severely limit your star players. Dyricus is suffering from back spasms and was doubtful for today's game against the Sycamores (though he did play and turned in a great performance), and Tyshon Pickett suffered the leg injury today; Coach Geno Ford said on the radio post game that it was a "bruise". Both injuries are normal for basketball players, but they tend to stick around for the remainder of the season and limit a player's output, and with both Simms-Edwards and Pickett playing high minutes for Bradley this season, they won't have too much time to rest.

Apart from being slowed by injuries, Bradley has had a tough time getting out of their own way in the second halves of games this year, specifically with eight minutes left in the game. They were sticking close to Michigan both last year in Ann Arbor and this year in Peoria before the Wolverines pulled away (though a late flurry brought Bradley within five with about one minute to play this year), and it was the same script in road games at Creighton and Illinois State. There's no simple answer for what causes these second-half stumbles, but if the offense bogs down or a couple of calls don't go their way, the Braves tend to unravel on both ends of the floor for a stretch. With high-powered teams such as the Shockers, Bluejays and a resurgent Redbird squad, letting up for even 45 seconds of game time can put Bradley in an insurmountable hole. If they had an automatic three-point shooter in the rotation or a frontline to consistently feed the ball and slow the game down, they could fight back from these missteps, but it's been their curse this season. At this point in time, it's difficult to believe Coach Ford can find a cure for the eight-minute disease, and that will spell disaster on Friday afternoon--or even Thursday night--come tournament time.

Like any debate, this one cannot be won on words alone; Bradley will determine its own fate. The Braves have three games left to decide their seeding and, even with a 7-8 Valley record, find themselves 3.5 behind Wichita State. The Braves can win their final three contests (2-1 is a better bet) and finish as high as fourth or fifth, or drop them all and play the tough Thursday night game. The only thing for certain is that all questions will be answered come March.

Until then, I'll see you in the cheap seats.

JS

Bravehearts, V1 Issue 2: Bradley Vs. College of Wooster

Honestly, I wasn't sure what to expect from Bradley Tuesday night.

We've already gone over the facts of the upcoming season: Will Egolf's season-ending injury, brand new coach, brand new system, coming off an awful year, picked to finish last in the conference. After the pregame was finished and the lineups were announced, there was one more wrinkle to consternate Braves fans: two starting freshmen.

Yes, the fair-haired giant Nate Wells and Shayok Shayok (come on, say it out loud, it's so much fun) were in the starting lineup for Bradley in their final exhibition game against Division III College of Wooster. Even more unexpected, Jordan Prosser was out after emergency visit to the dentist. 

Note: Disregard the basketball game for a second: wouldn't that just mess up your week? Emergency dental work and you've got to be at practice the next day, playing the post, getting fouled, probably take a couple of shots in the mouth. Lousy.

Final: Bradley 81, CoW 71

I've heard the same thing from a lot of older Bradley fans this preseason, including myself: "I remember when we used to blow out the teams in these exhibition games." Yessir, Will Franklin, Daniel Ruffin and Zach Andrews would run, juke and dunk all over teams from the lower division when they came to Carver Arena years ago. Too bad those days are over. This game was a bit of a test for the team's newcomers and it will be a good while before Mean Geno and the boys are running all over preseason foes in preparation for the season.

That being said, the Braves displayed some of the talents that were criminally overlooked in the preseason ballots. Dyricus Simms-Edwards is in his third year on the Hilltop and has had to grow up quickly following Sam Maniscalco's injury and the departures of Manny, Dodie Dunson and "The Only One" Andrew Warren. Instead of faltering or stepping back, DSE has taken on a leadership role in this team while dramatically improving his game. Tuesday night was no exception. He was the first man in the huddle on stoppages in play and he was visibly upset when he connected on his first outside shot with eight minutes to go in the first half.

Dyricus has always had the ability to drive and finish, and after putting in work in the weight room, he can now score and absorb contact. He finished the half with a contorted scoop nearly underneath the basket after taking a shove from two of Wooster's big men, and he squeezed through three bodies for a lefty layup when it seemed there was no clear path to the hole. Not to put stars in your eyes, but he's starting to remind me of this guy...

Note DSE changed his jersey number to "1". Coincidence?

On the other side of the floor, Walt Lemon Jr. was incredibly impressive. Anonymous sources told me Walt shoots 200 threes and 100 free throws after every practice, and it showed. Walt came in last year with hops, speed and a suspect jump shot; Tuesday, Lemon hit three treys in the first half alone and sank both free throws after a foul. If he can consistently hit that jumper, no one in the conference will be able to guard him one-on-one. With his and Dyricus' abilities on offense and defense, they are a top-3 guard tandem in the MVC. Maybe the best in the conference.

Highlights: 3-2 zone defense that was in at the R-W Scrimmage looks to be a staple of the Ford Era; pays dividends with a Taylor Brown steal and two-handed jam...Walt Lemon stretches defense with early three-pointers...Jake Eastman plays extended minutes, will be nice off the bench...Shayok Shayok has a Jordan-on-Mercer block, dribbles the length of the court, loses a defender with a behind-the-back dribble and gets fouled on the layup attempt.

Lowlights: Wells has a lot of trouble defending in the post, gets beaten on weak side multiple times...Anthony Thompson has a decent offensive game but gets whistled for two offensive fouls, one 10 seconds after entering...Braves miss four of six FTs in first half...zone defense susceptible in the post; Sticks and Wells beaten on penetration and passes to cutters under the basket.

Did You Notice...the backup point guards? Limestone product Donivine Stewart and St. Louis walk-on Charonn Woods played well off the bench. One turnover for both, and Woods had a great steal and assist late in the first half.

Oh, before I forget...Dyricus had the play of the night midway through the second half as he turned the corner baseline, lost the defender and YAMMMMED ON 'EM for a one-handed dunk.

Grades:

Offense: C+. This is a preseason game against a DIII team and while the Braves were up 15 with three minutes to go, they still showed signs of weakness in halfcourt offense. The ball tended to bog down, and if the defense clogged the lane on drives, the passes weren't going to the perimeter. Even with Walt's new outside game, Bradley is still lacking in jump shooters.

Defense: B. No matter who you play, the defense has to be solid for you to have a chance, and Bradley might have the best perimeter D in the Valley. Dyricus, Walt, Shayok and Lil' Jake are all going to ballhawk at the arc, and Sticks and Nate will use their length to get blocks, change shots and force weak passes. Bradley did get beat on isos in the post (notably Nate), but give the big man time to mature and he'll be a force down low.

Atmosphere: Incomplete. The band was not present at this game (Come on, Dr. Vroman!), but as usual, the stadium music did not live up to the college standard. Half the time you couldn't hear it, the other half, it was super huff. The fans weren't catatonic, but they weren't exactly blowing the roof off. I'll give everyone a pass due to it being an exhibition, but the Bradley fan base needs to step its game up. You can't just fill the house for Illinois State.

So that's that. The Braves finish preseason 2-0 and will do it for real on Sunday against Missouri-Kansas City. I expect Bradley to have a better record than expected through non-conference play and trust me when I say this: this squad will be in their games against Wisconsin and Michigan.

IT'S BRADLEY, SON.

See you in the cheap seats, Bravehearts.

JS