Wow what a fun and impressive performance. The best part about it may have been that it was on national TV. I hope fans have noticed, we are much better than our record shows. Last night topped the CMU game for the most complete performance as the Bulls topped the Cardinals 96-69. There were so many good things from this game that it’s going to be hard to choose, but I’ll try my best. Let’s get in to this.
The Good
Nick Perkins and Blake Hamilton
Take a bow boys. For what seems to be a trend, we saw Blake Hamilton playing amazing basketball. That should only excite fans. The hybrid point guard, small forward went off again for 25 points on 9/15 total shooting. Recently Hamilton has been the do it all guy and that excites me for a future. He’s looking like a first team all MAC player and I expect this trend to keep going. Blake continues to improve his assists numbers and recently has looked like the best player in the MAC bar Marcus Keene.
As for Nick Perkins, you can’t say enough about him last night. The big man dominated Ball State from all over the floor. The Cardinals had no answer for him and his timely 3’s were huge momentum builders. When Perkins is able to keep his head, he is arguably the best player on this team. One play that stands out for me is after an offensive foul he turned and just ran down the court, first one back. That may not seem like a valuable play but it shows that even on a questionable call, Perk can control his emotions and take himself out of a situation. The Bulls will need strong performances form him against teams like Akron if they want to three peat, and I think he can do it.
Rebounding
The last time the Bulls and Cardinals met, Ball State was able to bully Buffalo on the offensive glass. Last night, that was not the case as the Bulls out rebounded the Cardinals 39-27. Ball State was held to just 6 offensive boards which is a huge improvement from the last time these two played. The Bulls did a good job using their bodies and being in the right position at the right time. Winning starts with limiting offensive opportunities, and winning the rebound battle helps that a ton.
Depth
Last night, the Bulls had 10 different players score. Only Raheem Johnson played and didn’t score, yet still had a presence. One of my favorite things about this team is that behind the big four, there are still plenty of guys who can make a big play. Keep in mind the Bulls have been without stud freshman Quate McKinzie recently. The sky is the limit for this team when they play well all around.
The Bad
A slow start
I’m not going to harp on this. It isn’t a big deal in the scheme of things, but going down 7-0 never feels good. But when you’re on the road it takes some time to adjust. This was more just a stretch to find a bad because the team played so well. Against an Akron I hope for a good start, but every other team it’s not the end of the world.
The Ugly
James Whitford Haircut
I noticed the comments in the game thread and I have to agree. Come on man, have some respect.
Overall, I’m so proud of the Bulls. When this team shows up, nobody will beat them and we will be dancing in Cleveland. The biggest question is, will it continue? As of now, all signs say, YES.