Tipoff is still 30 minutes away, but let’s set the tone here.

I am not at the game. (Don’t worry, though. My colleague Dave Reynolds found his way to the Marriott Center. Not sure how many times he got lost between his hotel and the court, but he’s there.) I don’t have DirecTV. My brother, Pete, does, but he’s gone tonight and I didn’t want to impose on his lovely wife,  Carol. So … I went searching. Figured I would check out the new neighborhood pub. And, living two blocks from the Bradley campus, that means … The Fieldhouse, which just opened in Campustown.

Not just big screens here. Monster screens. A nice atmosphere, too. Seems to be doing a good biz tonight. There are Bradley banners on the walls, and Bradley fans (in addition to students) taking up the seats and chowing down and drinking. I’m about to join them.

I’ll be back …

Taylor Brown is not dressed and won’t play. The official announcement refers to violation of team rules. We can only speculate that it might — emphasis on might — have something to do with his arrest in September after his altercation on campus with a non-student. But youneverknow. Coach Jim Les stated on Twitter a bit ago that discipline now pays dividends in the future.

Starting lineup for the Braves: Maniscalco, McCain, Dunson, Warren and Singh. So Big Sam instead of Egolf in the post.

Game on

Nice first sequence on offense, with McCain getting a basket underneath, even though he drops the ball. BTW, the crowd here boos the lineup. They wanted Egolf in the lineup.

Anybody want to bet an over/under on BYU 3s? Emery splashes one from well beyond the arc with a man on to put BYU up 3-2. (This after Singh blows a bunny for BU).

Egolf replaces Singh. And there’s an offensive RB and second-chance bucket for BYU. Can’t have much of that. Big problem for the Braves the past couple of seasons. Not good to see that in the first three minutes of this one.

First TV timeout at 15:44 — BYU 5, Bradley 2

Impressions of the opening minutes: Bradley is in a bit of a rush on offense; couple of forced shots after good patience the first two possessions. The Braves are really going to have to get back and be aware of BYU shooters in transition. They spot up quick and don’t hesitate to launch.

Turnovers have to stop, too. BU a bit sloppy with the ball right now.

Fredette can’t penetrate for the Cougars, so he just nails a 3 instead. And now Bradley stands around and watches BYU fly in for another ORB and two more second-chance points. BYU up 10-4.

This is no way to start a game. Giving up 3s and ORBs and and post baskets. And the first illegal screen of the season is called on BU at the 13-minute mark. Sorry, didn’t see who did it.

Timeout at 11:57 — BYU 12, Bradley 4

This could get ugly. Then again, BU could get its collective head together and start to play basketball. Seems to be an awful lot of jitters for a veteran team. Really wasn’t expecting to see that. The problem is the Braves are not doing little things well: rebounding, handling, screening.

Anthony Thompson is in the post for Bradley. So far, he’s at least active.

Half of BU’s points now are on four Maniscalco FTs.

And another BYU ORB. This time, a foul on the Braves after the fact. Bradley’s boards reek.

The only thing keeping BU in contact at the moment is BYU fouling and Maniscalco going to the line. He has six now and Bradley is down only five. But the Braves just gave up another ORB. That’s four by my count. BYU didn’t score it this time, but just way too many second chances.

Maniscalco hits a top-key 3. Maybe that will start to loosen things up. And maybe not. He just clanked one on the next possession. The rebound goes OB and Les takes his first-half time at 8:20, with BYU up 17-13.

BYU works the clock and gets an open 3. Good.

So far, Andrew Warren is utterly silent for BU. Cougars have him bottled up. He needs to get open. Looks to be too much standing, and there’s not enough else going on to spring him open. Result is Bradley has not much offense.

Timeout at 7:00 — BYU 20, Bradley 13

There’s Warren. Long 3 is good. All it took was a little movement to get him open. And he didn’t need much daylight. Nice shot on the move.

Bradley is more active now, though. Hanging a little better. Egolf scores on a flash to the post. … But BYU comes right back with a 2, then a 3. And BU needs a timeout down 9.

McCain can’t buy a basket. Seems as if he’s trying too hard.

Timeout at 3:47 — BYU 27, Bradley 18

Stix! Thompson goes for a RB, gets fouled and makes both FTs. Some production in the post. Braves need more. A LOT more.

… OK, lost my Net connection for a few minutes.

Halftime — BYU 32, Bradley 25

Got a little wild there at the end of the half. Bradley was working for a final shot, with a little less than one second between game and shot clocks. When Maniscalco finally started going, he got nothing. Loose ball wound up way out on the sideline and Bradley player (sorry, the telecast is not in HD, and my angle is a little cloudy, so I couldn’t see exactly who it was) swishes a long 3 at the buzzer. But it’s wiped out. It beat the game clock, but not the time clock. BYU gets a final heave at 0.7 and rims it from 3/4-court.

If Bradley gets that 3 down, the margin is only 4 at halftime. I think the Braves are lucky to be down only 7, considering they’ve played ragged. They sure can’t count on BYU fouling so much in the second half. They’re going to have to score out of the offense, and get inside. Just getting nothing inside. BYU’s defense is pretty good, but Bradley is aiding and abetting.

Bradley also has to stop those ORBs. Thompson helped some on that front in the latter part of the half. Good to see him playing and contributing.

Game is not out of reach. But the Braves have to tough up and start to execute. Really disappointing half for an experienced team.

Second half, coming up ….

BYU starts with a 3, and Maniscalco answers. That’s a bad sign followed by a good one.

Now Warren hits a 3, but Bradley is a 2-point seive on the other end.

Singh gets an ORB. But BU can’t capitalize. Nice possession, though. And a turnover to get the ball back. Now McCain grabs an ORB, and Singh scores in the post. Margin down to 6.

Bradley is much more alive this half. Hard to believe they came out so flat for the opening half of the opening game, but that’s past. Time to get back into the game. Egolf scores on a baseline jumper off a penetration feed from Maniscalco and it’s a 4-point game. Thompson and Egolf are in the game together. Like to see that, going big.

Great follow and running rebound putback by Warren cuts the margin to 2. It’s a follow of his own shot. Really nice play. Now a turnover on BYU.

Timeout at 15:00 — BYU 39, Bradley 37

This is more like it. The challenge now for Bradley is to keep it up. Can’t let this opening stretch be just a quickie. Back in position now. No excuse for letting the game get away. Might not win, but no reason the Braves can’t take this to the wire. Or maybe they can even take control — although that’s going to be a big task.

Bradleyd comes out of the timeout with a set play. Reverse the flow left to right, then Maniscalco lobs back to Chris Roberts for the lob and slam. Tie game. For a few seconds. BYU gets the lead right back, and then Egolf blows a wide-open backdoor layup.

Third foul on Maniscalco. That’s not good.

Now BYU gets an ORB, and Egolf fouls on the putback. At least BYU is a little rocky at the line. Davies misses both FTs, and the BYU stays at 4.

Warren is more active and playing better now. Putting the ball on the floor, following to the boards. He drives and gets fouled, and two FTs later, it’s a 2-point game.

I like this use of two big guys. Egolf and Thompson again. Thompson executes a nice screen-and-roll and gets fouled at the hoop. Not a shooting foul, though. I like what he’s doing. Potential encouraging.

Timeout at 11:39 — BYU 45, Bradley 41

Roberts drives to the rack and in midair avoids Davies, who tries to pick up the charge. Roberts scores, but can’t make the FT. Bradley much better this half on offense, though.

FTs might decide this game. BYU still struggling at the line. Five-point game.

Can’t trade baskets, though. Braves work hard to get a nice basket and then give up an easy one. Score and get back quick. Didn’t happen that time.

BYU starting to stretch it out again: 52-45, thanks to a couple of BU turnovers and a lapse on the the boards under the Cougars basket. Second-chances. Killer. Now Les needs a timeout at 9:11, with BYU up 54-45. Exactly what Bradley could not afford to allow.

Uh-oh. Gonna turn into this kind of night? BU gets a steal, and then Maniscalco gets fouled — but not called — on the drive to the basket. Ball ruled off Sammy and OB. BYU returns on the other end and now the Coogs are making the FTs. Lead is 10.

Oooooh. That was scarry Lon Kruger’s face just appeared on the screen, promoting an upcoming UNLV game on the MTN.

Play getting ragged. Bradley needs to regroup and get back in this. Roberts tosses one up out of control, but it goes in.

Timeout at 7:12 — BYU 56, Bradley 48

The encouraging thing is that the Braves are still hanging on, with Taylor Brown on the bench. Don’t know that he would make a big enough difference for BU to be closer at this point, but I’m thinking probably. Braves have to hang tough, get another run and then see what happens.

Great graphics work, TV crew. Not. Put two big honkers up there just as play resumed on an inbounds play, and we missed it. Bradley retains possession. Foul on BYU’s Emery, but now the Braves are cold at the line. Missed four in a row.

I think I’d like to see Egolf and Thompson back together. … Yuk, BYU gets three — THREE!!! — ORBs and finally scores. And now Singh gets a post shot blocked. BYU up 10 and looking to extend.

Timeout at 5:47 — BYU 58, Bradley 48

And there’s a 3. Big trouble for BU now.

Hold the phone. Warren scores on the move off a dish from Roberts and gets fouled; converts the FT. Bradley gets a stop, with Egolf stealing. Braves miss, but Egolf flies in for the board and slams the ball off BYU foot OB. Braves need to score here. Hope still flickering if they can score. Roberts at the line. Time for this guy to make a FT. Or two. He hits the first, and the second. Margin 8. Life.

Roberts hits a 3 on a nice sequence that leaves him wide open for a feed from Maniscalco. And BYU called for traveling in the post. Margin is 7, and BU has a chance to cut. Like the fight. Not folding up, even though the opportunity was there.

Tough sequence and Bradley comes up empty, but great hustle. BYU gets a fastbreak, but can’t convert. Roberts gets a good foul. Hammer the man so he can’t score. So sick and tired of guys that foul on close-in shots and don’t stop the man from scoring. If you’re going to foul, FOUL! Roberts did it. Forces BYU to the line.

The under-four-minute timeout — BYU 63, Bradley 56

Davies splits his FTs and it’s an 8-point game. Getting close to trouble, though. Bradley can’t convert and now BYU back at the line with 3:16 to go. If BU can’t make something happen soon, it’s going to be spread-and-chase-and-foul. Lead back to 10 on the FTs. And now Roberts steps OB.

I think that’s about it.

Final score — BYU 70, Bradley 60

About what I expected without Taylor Brown. Doubt he would have resulted in a win, but a closer game, yes.

Quick postgame thoughts:

Maniscalco was Maniscalco; solid, not spectacular. Warren was OK, brilliant a couple of times, but was defended really well. His teammates need to provide more help. Roberts was fair. McCain was disappointing. I still believe in the kid, but seems like he’s trying to do too much. Some nice minutes from freshman Dyricus Simms-Edwards. The post play has a long way to go. And it needs to get better fast if the Braves are going to get mileage out of their non-con schedule for NCAA resume purposes. I’m encouraged by Thompson. He’s ready to play more. I really liked the few minutes he and Egolf were on the floor together. Not sure why we didn’t see more of that.

Next game in less than 48 hours. Sunday night at home vs. Idaho State.

Thanks to the Fieldhouse for hospitality. Good food (I paid, this was not gratis, nor should it be). Great atmosphere. Much appreciated.