Today In The Valley (Nov. 16)
Bradley (1-0) at #19 Florida (1-0)
1:00 p.m.
O'Connell Center; Gainesville, Florida
TV: ESPNU
This top-20 showdown for Bradley is the first game of their participation in the convoluted College Basketball Experience (CBE) Classic. Florida beat Toledo in the first of two games in the Gainseville Regional. However, the Braves only get one game, this match-up against the hometown Gators, in this “regional.” The semifinal brackets for this “tournament” are already set, regardless of what happens in the “regional” locations (which include Lawrence (Kansas); Syracuse (the Orangemen); and Seattle (Washington Huskies)).
So, even if Jim Les’ Braves can fare better against preseason Wooden Award candidate Nick Calathes’ Gators than Creighton did last March, they’ll play games during Thanksgiving week in a warmer climate (Ft. Myers, Florida) than those four teams mentioned above (Kansas City) – albeit against weaker competition (UMKC, Florida Gulf Coast, and Richmond).
Florida had 4 of its 5 starters score in double figures in the season opening win against Toledo, and Calathes once again had an all-around great game (16 points, 7 assists, 4 rebounds). Meanwhile, in Peoria, Andrew Warren sat out BU’s win Friday night after suffering a setback returning from foot surgery. Knowing that Warren might not play for Bradley, I wonder if Calathes placed a wager on the outcome – he’s allegedly the focus of an NCAA investigation related to some online gambling activity.
To beat #19 Florida, Bradley needs to stop (or at least slow down) Calathes. It is that simple. I’m sure Dana Altman and P’Allen Stinnett can tell Les, Warren, and the rest of the Braves how difficult it is to face the Gators at home. Here’s to hoping Bradley can come out on top, but realistically look for Florida to win in convincing fashion 96-54.
~ Dance Cam Guy
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Wichita State (#134 CHN preseason ranking) vs. Florida A&M (#283 CHN preseason ranking)
2:00 p.m.
Koch Arena; Wichita, Kansas
Florida A&M is a big deal. Not really in basketball, though.
ESPN College Gameday was in Tallahassee this weekend for the Florida A&M-Hampton college football showdown. And while I don’t doubt the quality of the Rattlers’ football squad, Corso and Fowler and Herbstreet were probably trying to find an excuse to watch the FAMU 100 marching band do its thing.
The Rattlers might need a football team to make it through their non-conference schedule, though. They’re 0-1 on the season, opening the year with a 6-game road swing against Kansas State, the Shockers, Alabama, and Florida, among others. They also have a road game in the Cornhusker State this season, as they play Nebraska on January 5.
This game marks the opening contest for Wichita State. Head Shocker Gregggggggg Marshall knows that the Rattlers can score, even though they’re young, and he made a special effort to highlight freshman Dale Hughes’ 30-point performance in FAMU’s exhibition game. The Rattlers lost to K-State Friday, and Hughes didn’t fare as well against the Big 12 Wildcats.
The Shox should hold down the Rattlers today, but if they win it won’t be due to an overwhelming experience advantage. In their 71-58 exhibition win versus Emporia State, 7 of 10 Shox who played made their Division-I debuts and 4 of the 5 starters did so for the first time at WSU. The Shockers are a few weeks away from traveling to Orlando to take on some of the nation’s best basketball programs in the Old Spice Classic, so they hope to feast on some non-conference cupcakes before then. This game should be just that.
~ Creighton Otter
1:00 p.m.
O'Connell Center; Gainesville, Florida
TV: ESPNU
This top-20 showdown for Bradley is the first game of their participation in the convoluted College Basketball Experience (CBE) Classic. Florida beat Toledo in the first of two games in the Gainseville Regional. However, the Braves only get one game, this match-up against the hometown Gators, in this “regional.” The semifinal brackets for this “tournament” are already set, regardless of what happens in the “regional” locations (which include Lawrence (Kansas); Syracuse (the Orangemen); and Seattle (Washington Huskies)).
So, even if Jim Les’ Braves can fare better against preseason Wooden Award candidate Nick Calathes’ Gators than Creighton did last March, they’ll play games during Thanksgiving week in a warmer climate (Ft. Myers, Florida) than those four teams mentioned above (Kansas City) – albeit against weaker competition (UMKC, Florida Gulf Coast, and Richmond).
Florida had 4 of its 5 starters score in double figures in the season opening win against Toledo, and Calathes once again had an all-around great game (16 points, 7 assists, 4 rebounds). Meanwhile, in Peoria, Andrew Warren sat out BU’s win Friday night after suffering a setback returning from foot surgery. Knowing that Warren might not play for Bradley, I wonder if Calathes placed a wager on the outcome – he’s allegedly the focus of an NCAA investigation related to some online gambling activity.
To beat #19 Florida, Bradley needs to stop (or at least slow down) Calathes. It is that simple. I’m sure Dana Altman and P’Allen Stinnett can tell Les, Warren, and the rest of the Braves how difficult it is to face the Gators at home. Here’s to hoping Bradley can come out on top, but realistically look for Florida to win in convincing fashion 96-54.
~ Dance Cam Guy
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Wichita State (#134 CHN preseason ranking) vs. Florida A&M (#283 CHN preseason ranking)
2:00 p.m.
Koch Arena; Wichita, Kansas
Florida A&M is a big deal. Not really in basketball, though.
ESPN College Gameday was in Tallahassee this weekend for the Florida A&M-Hampton college football showdown. And while I don’t doubt the quality of the Rattlers’ football squad, Corso and Fowler and Herbstreet were probably trying to find an excuse to watch the FAMU 100 marching band do its thing.
The Rattlers might need a football team to make it through their non-conference schedule, though. They’re 0-1 on the season, opening the year with a 6-game road swing against Kansas State, the Shockers, Alabama, and Florida, among others. They also have a road game in the Cornhusker State this season, as they play Nebraska on January 5.
This game marks the opening contest for Wichita State. Head Shocker Gregggggggg Marshall knows that the Rattlers can score, even though they’re young, and he made a special effort to highlight freshman Dale Hughes’ 30-point performance in FAMU’s exhibition game. The Rattlers lost to K-State Friday, and Hughes didn’t fare as well against the Big 12 Wildcats.
The Shox should hold down the Rattlers today, but if they win it won’t be due to an overwhelming experience advantage. In their 71-58 exhibition win versus Emporia State, 7 of 10 Shox who played made their Division-I debuts and 4 of the 5 starters did so for the first time at WSU. The Shockers are a few weeks away from traveling to Orlando to take on some of the nation’s best basketball programs in the Old Spice Classic, so they hope to feast on some non-conference cupcakes before then. This game should be just that.
~ Creighton Otter
posted by Creighton Otter at 9:40 AM
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