Each season, mid-major basketball programs face the reality of scheduling tough out-of-conference opponents to help build their resumes come March.
Playing high-quality opponents is often the only way for these teams to secure a respectable seed from the NCAA Division I Men’s Basketball Committee, even if they go on to win their conference tournament.
This offseason, Bradley (1-1) encountered difficulty securing such matchups. Many potential opponents were hesitant to play the Braves, viewing the games as lose-lose situations. If Bradley wins, it’s seen as a bad loss for the higher-profile team, and if they lose, it’s often considered a result that was “expected.”
Braves head coach Brian Wardle expressed frustration over the dilemma in a statement to the university’s athletic department.
“Each year, it seems to get harder finding quality teams who are willing to play us,” Wardle said. “I want to thank the West Coast Conference teams for agreeing to compete with us this season. We have a locker room full of men who want to play winning programs and want to challenge themselves.”
Despite these challenges, Washington State (2-0) emerged as one of the few teams willing to take on the Braves this season. The matchup was no easy feat, providing Bradley with the test they needed to measure themselves against a Power 4 opponent.
Bradley traveled to Pullman, Washington to play the Cougars Friday night. In the first half, the team struggled to defend without fouling, control the ball and protect the offensive glass.
Washington State uses a motion offense that includes a lot of posting up, off-ball screening and cutting. The Cougars play with pace and like to get out in transition and attack the basket. The team plays inside out, with bigs who can pass, handle the ball and knock down threes.
The offenses proved to be incredibly difficult for Bradley to guard. Washington State finished the first half with 34 points scored in the paint or at the free-throw line. The Cougars had eight steals, forced 10 turnovers and reeled in seven offensive rebounds.
“I think that’s the only team we’re going to play this year that runs that type of motion,” senior guard Duke Deen said. “Honestly, we have to get through those screens. It’s more effort than anything. When you make an effort on that end, you pay attention to the details. It doesn’t matter what offense they run. We have to stick to our principles and do what we do.”
Despite sloppy play, the Braves only trailed 45-42 at halftime due to hot shooting from three. Bradley shot 7-16 from behind the arch and 48 percent overall. Whenever the Braves were not turning the ball over or fouling, they created quality looks at the rim and from three.
Bradley received impactful minutes from seniors Connor Dillon, Christian Davis and Darius Hannah. Dillon and Davis combined for 17 points on perfect shooting and Hannah led the way with 11 points on 4-6 shooting.
The Braves were optimistic at halftime despite turning the ball over and struggling to defend.
“We felt pretty confident at halftime,” Dillon said. “We knew we were not guarding the ball well but were getting whatever we wanted on offense. We moved the ball well and ran our sets. In the second half, we knew we needed to do a lot better.”
In the second half, Bradley did a lot worse.
Cougars pounce
Washington State opened the half on a 13-1 run that ballooned to a 22-6 run, effectively ending the game. In the first half, one of the only areas the Cougars struggled was from the three-point line. After the break, Washington State made four of its first eight threes and emphasized attacking the basket and getting to the free-throw line.
“Overall our defensive intensity and our competitive spirit is not on a championship level,” Wardle said. “Not even close. We have to keep working on that. I’m pushing us to have it and sustain it.”
The Braves offense struggled mightily. The team started the half 0-11 and did not score a basket for the first seven minutes of the period.
“We didn’t run the floor very well and that was the number one key to the game,” Wardle said. “We wanted to get out on the break and run. I think we were frustrated because they were very physical with us. They wore us down. They were more physical, and I think that led us to miss shots and not move the ball quickly.”
Due to the Cougars’ physical play, Bradley continued to get into foul trouble. Deen, Hannah and Atlason spent multiple stretches on the bench, which threw off their momentum.
“Honestly, it was just the fouls,” Deen said. “Going in and out and foul trouble got me out of rhythm. I know I struggled. I got to be better. I know I can be a spark player for this team at any time. I have to be that guy. So looking forward, that’s probably not going to happen again.”
Cougars make a statement
The Braves were down 15 points with seven minutes left. In the next minute and 20 seconds, Deen, Atlason and Hannah fouled out of the game. Despite the lead increasing to 20 after Deen, Atlason and Hannah exited, Washington State still had three starters in the game with two minutes to go. Ultimately, Bradley lost the game 91-74.
“They were sending a statement,” Wardle said. “This is big boy ball. They were pressing us. They left their starters in. I kind of like that. I respect that. They wanted to beat our brains in and beat our butts, and they did.”
“This is not high school,” Wardle added. “We’re here with our big boy pants on. This is like a profession now. We have to understand that. They’re coming after us, and we have to play like that.”
The Braves are back at home at 7 p.m on Tuesday against UTSA, where they’re looking to bounce back from the tough loss.
“I think it’s a wake-up call for all of us,” Dillon said. “We’re gonna get every team’s best moving forward. Especially in the valley.”
