ok, let's get it going! Dec. 28th - January 1 MVC games

[AceMatt]

I can foresee Alize getting better as the season goes along. Also the Bears look like they have the deepest team. If they can win on Wednesday at Illinois St., the schedule starts to set up nicely and they could be off and running

[glm38]

Alize had 30 points and 15 boards in this one. He was basically unstoppable until Lansing started double and triple teaming him late. I agree that I think he'll get even better.

[isumvc1]

Bears over the Trees in OT. Fun Game throughout. Bears talent was evident as scoring came from seemingly everywhere but especially Alize. ISU always battled back to take the lead then the Bears would just grab it back.
Redbirds and Bears should be fun Wed. @ talented teams with weak coaching. Birds should win at home but should be entertaining.

I feel like ISUb is one person short of being a very good team. So many close losses for them this year

Correct, that person being TJ Bell, who left/was kicked off, the team prior to the game at Valpo. With him we may very well have won both our MVC games, but alas.....

Good game Bears, until we can learn to rebound we just aren't going to be able to win many games, Bears get 19 offensive rebounds today (after WSU had gotten 16 I think, last Weds.).

Just gotta block out better and be more aggressive going after missed shots.

[AceMatt]

Pivotal games today in Evansville and Chicago. Also Drake has a good shot to go 2-0 in Carbondale if their offense keeps rolling like it has been in their last 2 performances

[BCPanther]

I'll take

Wichita
SIU
Illinois State
UNI

With all the hype and a favorable schedule, Loyola is staring right in the face of 0-3.

[Stickboy46]

I'll take

Wichita
SIU
Illinois State
UNI

With all the hype and a favorable schedule, Loyola is staring right in the face of 0-3.

If I had to bet .. I'd put my money on UNI starting 0-3 before Loyola starting 0-3

[ptownbraves]

I'm glad Bradley gets the road trip to Wichita out of the way early in the season. Bradley has averaged 19 turnovers a game the past 3 games, so anything less than that against a team like Wichita St. would be progress. They are also getting killed on offensive rebounds, allowing 16 per game in that same 3 game stretch. Their offense is going to live or die by the 3 today.

One thing they have done well is limit the damage the opposing teams' top scorer. There was an article in the Peoria paper about Fred VanVleet being a mentor to Antoine Pittman, also a Rockford guy, and how his defense has improved this year in shutting down opposing teams' top guards.

[glm38]

Shockers look great. Not much good happening for Bradley so far.

[AceMatt]

What is going defensively with the Ramblers? I thought they were much better than this

[Blers]

What is going defensively with the Ramblers? I thought they were much better than this

Going up against a lot of height against ISU. Plus a weird failure to adjust to driving and kicking. I really have no clue what's going on. They've look lost on defense since UIC.

For whatever reason we haven't switched to zones early. When we did against drake our massive run started. Extremely frustrating. Confidence in this team is TANKED.