Tuesday marked the halfway point of the conference season for the Bradley men’s basketball team, and it’s safe to say #TheMovement is gaining some serious ground.
Here’s what we know:
The team has yet to be defeated at Carver Arena at 11-0, including a perfect 5-0 start to the home conference slate, and they lead the Valley in attendance.
However, they have yet to win a conference road game (0-4).
For the most part, the conference games haven’t been nail-biters. With the exception of a loss at Drake (66-64) and a home win versus Southern Illinois (68-62), every conference game has been decided by nine or more points.
The bench is getting smaller. While the past two seasons have seen a plethora of lineup changes, Wardle has seemed to find an effective seven sometimes eight-man rotation, headed by Darrell Brown, Donte Thomas and Elijah Childs. When those three are on the court together, they can play out of the pick and roll and find Jayden Hodgson, Nate Kennell, or Dwayne Lautier-Ogunleye open on the perimeter.
The mid-season departure of senior guard JoJo McGlaston has been weathered. There’s no denying that Brown can fill the void. There were times last year when he was turnover-prone, but he’s improved in his ball security. He needs to find a hot start in one road game to get himself going. When he’s pushing tempo, he’s hard to stop.
Childs has cemented himself as the centerpiece of this team for a long time. As a freshman, Childs is averaging eight points and nearly six rebounds, which has provided a boost alongside Thomas, who’s averaging 10 points and seven rebounds and leading a team that’s still young.
While Kennell’s scoring has slowed down as of late, Dwayne Lautier-Ogunleye has picked up the slack as an improved marksman, finishing more consistently in the lane and knocking down open threes.
All of this brings us to Tuesday night’s game against preseason conference favorite Missouri State. Carver Arena witnessed the most complete game the Braves have put together all season, against arguably the most talented team in the Valley. It was simply a game Bradley had to have. Lose, and they’re under .500. Win, and they’re a game above.
Wardle’s game plan was executed to perfection as the Braves put Bears star forward Alize Johnson in foul trouble early, forcing him to sit most of the first half. He finished with only seven points, after going 0-9 from the field in the Bears previous game at Drake. Bradley took advantage of his absence as Darrell Brown heated up for 20 points, eight assists and zero turnovers. That was the difference as the Braves won 72-52.
Bradley only turned the ball over five times the entire game – the fewest in Wardle’s tenure. They out-rebounded a better frontcourt, and they caught the Bears napping multiple times on backdoor alley-oops. Childs had 12 points and 12 boards, pouring in weight-room buckets on the best frontcourt in the conference. The rotation on defense was sound, and the Braves won each matchup on the floor. Simply put, the Braves were disruptive, and Missouri State was unable to find anything resembling rhythm on offense.
The Braves are giving Peoria a product to cheer for again. Wardle has put together an exciting group of young men that is starting to gel as a unit. As my pre-season rankings suggested this team is capable of finishing with a winning conference record. They’re half-way there at 5-4; they just need to stop digging themselves into holes on the road. Sunday in Terre Haute may be a great place to start.
There is no longer a favorite in this conference. While Drake and Loyola have the top records, they’re not unbeatable. While the regular season determines seeds, Arch Madness will be as unpredictable as ever. If the Braves continue to take care of the ball and find a way to win away from Carver, this team won’t be playing on the first Thursday in March
