For both Bradley and Delaware ? nonconference basketball opponents on Sunday (4:05 p.m., Carver Arena) ? the turnaround is quick.
Each team defeated Division II schools in Friday night season openers at home. BU beat Illinois-Springfield 70-55 and Delaware had more trouble putting away Goldey-Beacom 64-58.
While most season openers provide a treasure trove of teaching opportunities for coaches, neither staff will have much opportunity this time, particularly the Blue Hens, who spent much of Saturday traveling here.
The top priority for Bradley will be shoring up the rebounding effort. The Prairie Stars beat the Braves on the boards 43-33.
?We have to do a better job of blocking out,? said BU coach Brian Wardle. ?Delaware is a big, strong, good rebounding team. They out-rebounded their opponent by (23). They?re physical, big, older and stronger. We have to do a better job hitting bodies and getting on the glass.?
Bradley played a small lineup for stretches, partly for matching up better defensively and partly because forward Luuk van Bree was in foul trouble. Wardle used junior Alex Foster as Koch Bar?s sub in the post and Foster responded with four points, two rebounds and two blocks in nine minutes.
But instead of using last year?s starting center, Callum Barker, during the other available minutes, Wardle elected to go with Donte Thomas in the post. Barker entered the game for just the final two minutes when the game was decided.
?Minutes are earned and deserved,? Wardle said. ?Right now, Alex Foster got that opportunity through his production in practice. Everyone on that bench will help us win games this year.?
The Braves did a good job of adjusting to the new NCAA rules and emphases this year although they were called four times for traveling in the first half. That is one officiating emphasis, along with cleaning up physical play and giving offensive players more freedom of movement.
?We?ve been practicing the way the refs are going to officiate this year,? said BU swingman Ronnie Suggs. ?We need to keep our hands up and wall up more often. Last year we probably led the nation in fouls or close to it (Bradley?s per-game average of 23.25 was sixth highest in Division I). Now we?re just trying to be strong and not get the ticky-tack fouls.?
BU committed just 17 personals, which would have been one of its lowest totals last season. Other positives included 13 steals and seven blocks, the most since the 2014-15 season; 26 field goals and nine 3-pointers, equaling the highest totals from last year and 24 opponent turnovers forced, the most since 2012.
?We?ve got a lot of athletes out on the floor this year,? Suggs said. ?That I think will fluster teams when we?re on defense.?
Each team defeated Division II schools in Friday night season openers at home. BU beat Illinois-Springfield 70-55 and Delaware had more trouble putting away Goldey-Beacom 64-58.
While most season openers provide a treasure trove of teaching opportunities for coaches, neither staff will have much opportunity this time, particularly the Blue Hens, who spent much of Saturday traveling here.
The top priority for Bradley will be shoring up the rebounding effort. The Prairie Stars beat the Braves on the boards 43-33.
?We have to do a better job of blocking out,? said BU coach Brian Wardle. ?Delaware is a big, strong, good rebounding team. They out-rebounded their opponent by (23). They?re physical, big, older and stronger. We have to do a better job hitting bodies and getting on the glass.?
Bradley played a small lineup for stretches, partly for matching up better defensively and partly because forward Luuk van Bree was in foul trouble. Wardle used junior Alex Foster as Koch Bar?s sub in the post and Foster responded with four points, two rebounds and two blocks in nine minutes.
But instead of using last year?s starting center, Callum Barker, during the other available minutes, Wardle elected to go with Donte Thomas in the post. Barker entered the game for just the final two minutes when the game was decided.
?Minutes are earned and deserved,? Wardle said. ?Right now, Alex Foster got that opportunity through his production in practice. Everyone on that bench will help us win games this year.?
The Braves did a good job of adjusting to the new NCAA rules and emphases this year although they were called four times for traveling in the first half. That is one officiating emphasis, along with cleaning up physical play and giving offensive players more freedom of movement.
?We?ve been practicing the way the refs are going to officiate this year,? said BU swingman Ronnie Suggs. ?We need to keep our hands up and wall up more often. Last year we probably led the nation in fouls or close to it (Bradley?s per-game average of 23.25 was sixth highest in Division I). Now we?re just trying to be strong and not get the ticky-tack fouls.?
BU committed just 17 personals, which would have been one of its lowest totals last season. Other positives included 13 steals and seven blocks, the most since the 2014-15 season; 26 field goals and nine 3-pointers, equaling the highest totals from last year and 24 opponent turnovers forced, the most since 2012.
?We?ve got a lot of athletes out on the floor this year,? Suggs said. ?That I think will fluster teams when we?re on defense.?
