Bradley takes down Illinois State in Redbird Arena!

Redbird Arena - 2-16-2019 Bradley at Illinois State

The Missouri Valley Conference men's basketball outcomes have been absolutely unpredictable this season.  A few games back, Illinois State defeated Loyola to take the lead in the conference.  Last night they lost to a struggling Bradley team.  Actually, Bradley has been staging a bit of a comeback the last few seasons, albeit a slow one.  But, nothing seems to happen overnight with maybe the exception of the Loyola Rambler cinderella team last season...Devine Intervention?

The game has always been a rivalry, but in recent years it's been beat up.  This game, 9000 people filed in to the 'nest' to watch the game.  Some accounts say the contingent of Braves fans that travelled 40 miles from Peoria were more energized.  Maybe so, so much red in Redbird that I couldn't tell the fans apart by just looking up.  Still, the rivalry wasn't like it was in its heydays a dozen plus years ago when the thunderous crowds could have been heard halfway to Peoria... the years my ears would ring for days and I'd swear I'd wear hearing protection the next year.

Enough of my ramblings...  The Valley is truly up for grabs this season.  Arch Madness is going to have to sort it all out.  Here's to hoping the 'Birds are healthy and bring their best game.

a fairly small Photo Gallery!  Hope you enjoy looking!

Bradley falls to ISU at Redbird

The 2nd half of the Bradley-ISU rivalry, dubbed for years now as the war on 74, was at Redbird Arena this season on the evening of Saturday February 15th. A little slower pace than some of the games we've seen this season.  The Redbirds scored first and pulled out to an almost 10 point lead before the Braves closed the gap in the first half.  The second half saw the Redbirds pull away and safely have the game tucked away with at least 2 minutes left to go.



20140215 Bradley at Illinois State - Images by Alan Look

 - Chimper

Basketball winding up to the wind down

Well, February is half over and Basketball is starting to get to the playoffs.  Only one Illinois State Redbird home game left in the regular season.  The IHSA 1a-2a girls finals are this weekend.  After that, it will be March and the rest of the IHSA playoffs and the conference championships for both the men and women at ISU and IWU.  IWU by the way, has nationally ranked teams again this season.  Kudos to the University for support and maintaining that level of excellance!

Alan Look Photograpy has recently posted galleries of photos of Bradley Braves at Illinois State, Millikin at Illinois Wesleyan women, and Wichita State Shockers at Illinois State.  Also be sure to get your copy of Best Look Magazine.  A new copy was just published on the 15th of February.

-chimper-

'Birds burn Bradley and UHigh smothers Eureka

The Volleyball Redbirds cleaned up the Braves from Bradley on Saturday night in 4 sets.  Earlier in the day, the University High School Pioneers zipped the Eureka Hornets in Hancock Stadium.  I think I shot a years worth of touchdowns in that game in just over a half of shooting.

Pictures from both competitions will be at Alan Look Photography before Tuesday.  Hope you enjoy the viewing.

If you haven't already, be sure to take a look and pick up your copy of Best Look Magazine - Every Picture has a Story, Every Story has a Picture.  Printed Quarterly by Alan Look Photography

Nelson garners Hutchinson Endowment

Chloe Nelson was the 2012 recipient of the Jill Hutchinson Endowed Scholarship award.  Reported on the Redbirds Website on June 19th, Coach Stephanie Glance stated that "Chloe is a class act, both on and off the court, and well deserving of such an honor."

Nelson started 16 games last season and played in all 32.

Bradley Braves v Illinois State Redbird Basketball

Illinois State and Bradley have long been local rivals. Every season in Central Illinois starts with talk of the 4 games (2 mens, 2 womens). Bradley is struggling this season and Illinois State doing pretty well. That has kept some of the chatter to a lower roar than other seasons when the two are more evenly matched. Still, not many loyals missed the games at the Redbird Arena end. It was mostly a full house for the Mens game, and the Womens game filled the lower bowl and doubled as the venue for the Play 4Kay event.

Illinois State took both the Normal games.


20120204 Bradley v Illinois State - Images by Alan Look



20120212 Bradley v Illinois State - Images by Alan Look

Bradley loses Les

After nine years, one trip to the NCAA sweet sixteen (2006), an overall record of 154-140 and 74-88 (MVC), and a less than stellar finish in the Valley (4-14) this season, the Bradley Braves said goodby to Jim Les. Athletic Director Michael Cross stated that the decision was difficult but in the long-term best interest of Bradley basketball, the student athletes and the university.

If you live or have lived in Central Illinois for any length of time and followed college basketball to any degree, you know Jim Les and the Bradley Braves Well. Les played for Bradley as a student and then in the NBA for seven season. The Braves and the Illinos State Redbirds share a mutual rivalry best know in basketball by the tag "War of 74". The arenas are always filled, the fans always pumped, the volume level almost crushing.


Coach Jim Les - Images by Alan Look

Redbird Volleyball

This weekend I decided to follow some more Redbird Volleyball. It was early September since I had seen the Redbirds play and The Bradley Braves and Northern Iowa Panthers were in town.

Friday night, a larger than I expected crowd filtered into Redbird Arena. Bradley is always a favorite since they are a mere 40 miles away making them a rival at any sport. Their volleyball team has had some challenges the last few years, this year being no exception. A quick scan of the roster shows a lot of their on court staff at 5'5" or less. Not that shorter people can't play great volleyball, but it does leave the front line a bit challenged. Still the Braves managed to at least show that they were on the court. The Redbirds took the match in 3 sets. Kasey Mollerus received an award before play started for breaking the Redbirds record for most digs. She truly is one of the best I've seen. Rarely is she faked out by an opponent or out of position. Congrats Kasey!


20091009 Bradley v Illinois State - Images by Alan Look

On Saturday, the annual Pack the Arena promotion filled the stands even more for the bout against the Panthers of Northern Iowa. The Panthers are undefeated in the Missouri Valley Conference and have only lost 2 matches all season. In fact, coming into the match against the Redbirds they had only lost 2 sets in Valley play. They lost their 3rd against the Redbirds and had 2 more challenging sets only taking the first one by any number at all.