Bradley Preview and Game Thread -- 2/29/20

[JCT]

P.S. Glad Marquise stood up. Yes, it could have been T'd up, but less likely while a Loyola player is writhing on the ground from a shoulder takeout issued by the worst cheap shot artist in the league. Don't think the refs don't know his MO by now.

[shyhyme]

JCT, this is what I said:

We did not deserve to win that one but Bradley deserves to lose every time. Scumbags the whole
lot of them.

However, after looking at the box score I retract the part about us not deserving to win. I felt like we got clobbered on the boards watching the game, but alas we out rebounded them and someone also 9-6 on the offensive end.
So I believe we are now in complete agreement.

[01grad]

JCT, this is what I said:

We did not deserve to win that one but Bradley deserves to lose every time. Scumbags the whole
lot of them.

However, after looking at the box score I retract the part about us not deserving to win. I felt like we got clobbered on the boards watching the game, but alas we out rebounded them and someone also 9-6 on the offensive end.
So I believe we are now in complete agreement.

Aher had 5 offensive rebounds, and was an absolute monster in the last 7 or so minutes....and perfect from the free throw line! Maybe his best all around game in a Ramblers uniform.

[shyhyme]

And a large chunk of it with 4 fouls!

[swellafelon]

Am I right that under Porter's scheme, Aher is the only player allowed to crash the offensive boards, while everybody else releases and runs back on defense?

[GoRamblers]

Am I right that under Porter's scheme, Aher is the only player allowed to crash the offensive boards, while everybody else releases and runs back on defense?

Sure looks that way...

[JCT]

Loved your comment, shyhyme. It was right on.

Aher Uguak (yes, Aher Uguak!) with 11 points and 11 boards. That game was exactly why he's been a mainstay in the starting lineup. And he was a huge matchup problem for Bradley. With 6'7" Aher in the lineup playing next to Krut (6'9"), Hall (6'6") and Williamson (6'4"), we were less susceptible to being stuck with interior mis-matches when the defense switched off. That's a big part of Bradley's game, and the tactic they used against SIU.

[goramblers2011]

If we get that Aher down in St. Louis, there's a very good chance we go dancing. He played phenomenal defense, crashed the boards with intensity and made them pay for playing soft defense on him by driving to the hoop and drawing fouls (and actually hitting his free throws, was the rest of the team watching?). Only fault was the foul trouble.

Our path is now set. We will play the winner of Valpo/Evansville on Friday night. Then the winner of Indiana State/Missouri State on Saturday night. Favorites on the other side look to be UNI and Bradley. Hoping the Sycamores knock off Missouri State on Friday. I like our chances to be playing for an NCAA berth on Sunday on CBS!

[swellafelon]

Courtesy of Hacksaw

[ahunte1]

Halftime: UNI 30, Drake 18

Not looking good for the three-peat.