The season is on the brink for Creighton. After starting out 17-1, the Bluejays have hit the skids going 5-6 in their last 11 games and appear to be a different team than the one that started the season. The good news is that they still have a chance to win the MVC and secure the #1 seed at Arch Madness in St. Louis.
First up are the Bradley Braves on Wednesday night. They have improved in Geno Ford’s second year at the helm and they are playing the role of spoiler down the stretch. Although they have lost three of their last four MVC games, senior night is a whole different ball game and anything can happen as Creighton has found out over the almost dozen games.
To get us up to speed on Bradley since the first meeting, we caught up with Peoria Journal-Star sports columnist Kirk Wessler. He has a lot to say about the Braves.
White & Blue Review: How would you characterize the progression of the Bradley basketball team since Geno Ford came on board? Has the improvement come faster than expected?
Kirk Wessler: Impressive. Basic fundamentals are much improved. Illegal screens, which used to happen every game, sometimes in multiples, have all but vanished. Team defensive play, toughness, physicality – all those things are better.
Individually, Walt Lemon Jr., has improved beyond anything I imagined. This is not a knock on Walt, but he was about as raw a player as I’ve seen at this level: He had no right hand, his shooting form was atrocious, he had no understanding of how to change speeds, and the only way he could score was to beat you to the basket. Now, he could do that pretty well, because he’s an exceptional athlete. But I did not foresee him ever mounting a serious case to be first-team all-conference, and now we might see him do that in his junior season. The work Geno and his staff have done with Walt is astounding, but it wouldn’t have happened without Walt’s work ethic. He is relentless.
Dyricus Simms-Edwards has gone from being a mediocre defensive player to a top-drawer on-ball defender, a candidate for MVC Defensive POY. And I give the staff credit for deploying Will Egolf in a way that maximizes his talents. He spent most of his career not being allowed to shoot from the perimeter. But his 3-point ability as a 6-9 post is key to opening the floor for Lemon and Simms-Edwards. Those are just a few examples. And yes, the improvement has come faster than I expected.
WBR: Dyricus Simms-Edwards and Walt Lemon Jr. have been very active on defense with a lot of steals this season. Is it the defensive mindset of Ford to try to get a lot of steals or is this just their natural ability?
KW: Geno insists on defense, and it’s more than lip service. It’s a mindset he has worked hard to instill since he got here. But his philosophy is not predicated on steals. The way Lemon and Simms-Edwards pick the ball is natural ability, put in position to succeed by a coach who recognizes their strengths and utilizes them. For the most part, too, they don’t get steals by gambling. They’re good at anticipating the ball-handler’s next move, but they don’t often overcommit. They just rip the ball.
WBR: What other player have you been impressed with this season for the Braves?
KW: Tyshon Pickett. I expected him to be physical and to help instill a smash-mouth attitude in the front line. But I didn’t expect him to have such a soft touch. He has a nice mid-range jumper, and he’s a pretty good FT shooter with an unorthodox style at the line. He’s capable of making 3-pointers, although you don’t want him out there taking many of them. So I’d say his defense and rebounding have been as advertised, and he has been a pleasant surprise on offense. He mostly needs to learn how to avoid fouls and stay in the game.
WBR: The last matchup that was in Omaha, Bradley gave Creighton fits for the first half before the Bluejays pulled away in the second half. What was the biggest reason for the difference in the two halves? Is it similar to why they lost three of their last four MVC games?
KW: Bradley is undermanned against the top half of the league. Lemon and Simms-Edwards are as good as anyone at the guard spots. Egolf and Pickett – while they may give up something in athleticism and talent at their positions – are physical and active. But there’s just little or no depth.
I love Jake Eastman’s intangibles, but he’s being asked to play 25-30 minutes a game and do things above his ceiling. Jordan Prosser brings a big body off the bench, but he’s inconsistent and his defense is not good. Forward Shayok Shayok and guards Ka’Darryl Bell and Jalen Crawford are overexposed the more minutes they play.
I think what has happened in games against the top talent tier in the MVC is the Braves wear down, mentally and physically. The effort is there, but they don’t have the horses. They’re gradually improving their ability to hang in longer, and they’ve been able to get over the hump a couple of times and win. But it’s a struggle.
WBR: What kind of weaknesses does Bradley have that Creighton could exploit?
KW: When Creighton is playing well, there’s just so much offensive ability it can overwhelm a team like Bradley. Bradley’s best bigs – Egolf and Pickett – are foul prone, and when they have to sit for long stretches, they’re vulnerable. The other would be Bradley’s occasional tendency to lose patience on offense. The Braves have some terrific up-tempo weapons, but they’re still learning how to manage tempo. If you can get them off rhythm, they might fall in love with missing 3-pointers, or force drives and pick up charging fouls, and if you can get them out of synch long enough – or fast enough, it negatively affects their defense.
WBR: I know earlier in the season, there have been some different things brought up with fan attendance and involvement. How are the fans in supporting the team this year?
KW: The crowds are down, but that’s to be expected coming off back-to-back last-place Valley finishes. There’s a “prove-it-to-me” attitude now, and that’s certainly fair. But a lot of hard-core fans I hear from really appreciate how hard this team plays and that the players and coaches are “playing the game right,” so to speak.
They’re winning home games with regularity. That was something that affected attendance in recent years: losses to teams they should beat, bad losses to Valley rivals. People lose their excitement quick when a team loses too much at home. They’re 12-3 here this season. The only home losses have been to Michigan (by 8), Wichita State (by 6) and UNI (by 3).
WBR: If you are Coach Ford, do you have the Braves focus simply on stopping Doug McDermott because of Creighton’s recent struggles, or do you play them like you would if Creighton was still on an offensive tear like they were earlier in the season?
KW: Ha! With Bradley’s luck, somebody who never scores will go off for 15 or 20. That’s happened a few times. McDifference is still the guy who makes Creighton go, so conventional wisdom says you stop him and take your chances. Maybe you use your strength in the post to shut down Echenique, because I think CU’s offense opens up when he gets touches. But honestly, with Creighton’s recent struggles, I would be seriously tempted to play straight-up man with the notion of shutting down everybody else and betting Doug can’t beat me by himself.
WBR: What is your final prediction? What will Bradley need to do in order to win on their senior night?
KW: I say Creighton wins a close one, 74-70. But for the first time in a while, I would not be shocked by a Bradley win over the Jays. Bradley needs to create some of its instant offense with steals. And I think there’s a chance to exploit Creighton’s defensive soft side. Lemon and Simms-Edwards, if they’re both clicking, are a relentless load. They are not easy to guard.