Bradley Braves (7-3, 1-1 MVC)
vs.
Creighton Bluejays (7-3, 1-1)
Mon., Jan. 2, 2006 ? 7:07 p.m. ? Peoria, Ill. ? Carver Arena (11,300)
TV: WEEK-TV, Peoria NBC 25 (Lee Hall, play-by-play; Joe Dalfonso, analyst) and KM3, Omaha CBS 3 (Travis Justice, play-by-play; Scott Shumacher, analyst) -- Satellite coordinates to be provided by KM3
Radio: WMBD AM 1470 (Dave Snell, play-by-play; Joe Stowell, analyst)
Internet: www.bubraves.com (audio stream only)
Another Quick Turnaround
? Bradley completes a tough, three-games-in-six-days start to the Missouri Valley Conference season Monday night by hosting perennial league power Creighton.
? The Braves have started the league season by splitting a pair of overtime games, knocking off Valley preseason favorite Northern Iowa (68-60) Wednesday night and falling at Wichita State (67-69) Friday night.
? The Braves saw their four-game winning streak end Friday and will try to avoid consecutive losses for the first time this season.
? The first game of the new year will be the 100th in the Jim Les coaching era at Bradley.
Series History
? Bradley owns a 36-32 lead in the all-time series versus Creighton, which dates back to a 52-46 Braves victory Feb. 13, 1941 at the Peoria Armory.
? Since Creighton returned to the Valley for its second stint beginning in the 1977-78 season, Bradley owns a slim 31-29 lead in the series.
? Starting with the 1985 MVC Tournament, the series has been a one-sided affair as the two teams have alternated dominating patterns.
? Bradley won eight straight versus the Bluejays from March 5, 1985 through March 6, 1988; Creighton then won the next eight in a row through Feb. 4, 1992; and Bradley won 10 of the next 12 meetings through Feb. 28, 1998.
? Following a three-year stretch of alternating wins, Creighton started its series record 9-game winning streak versus the Braves Feb. 14, 2001.
About the Bluejays
? Creighton returned seven lettermen, including four starters, from last year's squad that produced a 23-11 record, tied for third in the Valley regular-season race (11-7) and won the State Farm MVC Tournament to earn its sixth NCAA Tournament trip in the last seven years.
? Creighton is one of 12 teams nationally with seven straight 20-win seasons and one of 19 schools to advance to the postseason each of the last eight years (two NITs and six NCAAs).
? The Bluejays have been bitten hard by the injury bug in the early season, losing Valley Player-of-the-Year candidate Nate Funk to a shoulder injury for five games, sharp-shooter Jimmy Motz to an ankle injury and defensive specialist Pierce Hibma with a knee injury.
? Funk returned to action Saturday at Illinois State, but Motz and Hibma are not expected to dress at Bradley.
? The Bluejays have overcome the injuries with defense, posting a 4-1 record in their last five games while holding the opposition to 51.8 points per game.
The Creighton Slide
? Bradley has lost nine straight games versus Creighton, which matches the longest losing streak the Braves have ever endured against a Missouri Valley Conference rival.
? The Braves also lost nine straight against Tulsa from Feb. 27, 1989 through Jan. 11, 1993.
? The nine-game slide is the second-longest Bradley has endured against any opponent in the history of the program, topped only by a 15-game skid versus DePaul from Feb. 27, 1954 through Feb. 12, 1992.
Home Court Advantage
? Bradley is enjoying its 24th season of playing its home games at Carver Arena.
? The Braves are 249-81 (.755) all-time at Carver Arena, including a 142-54 (.724) record in Missouri Valley Conference games.
? The Braves bring a five-game home winning streak into Monday's game, but the Braves dropped their final Valley home game last season to Drake and three of their final five Valley home games overall.
? Creighton started that Valley skein last year by snapping Bradley's 15-game home winning streak with a 74-65 win Jan. 26, 2005.
Sommerville Joins Exclusive Club
? Already ninth on Bradley's all-time list for 3-pointers with 114, senior forward Marcellus Sommerville grabbed 10 rebounds Friday to become the third player in school history to make at least 100 treys and pull down at least 500 rebounds.
Player, Years Reb. 3FG
Hersey Hawkins, 1984-88 818 118
Anthony Parker, 1993-97 643 195
Marcellus Sommerville, 2003-SA 504 114
Overtime Splits
? Bradley has pulled off a pair of second-half comebacks to force overtime in each of its first two Valley games.
? The Braves trailed Northern Iowa 49-43 with 6:20 left in regulation Wednesday, but forced a 52-52 tie on a Marcellus Sommerville free throw line leaner with 40 seconds remaining.
? Bradley trailed Wichita State 46-31 with 14:41 left, and after pulling even, again fell behind by six, 55-49, with 5:59 to go.
? Daniel Ruffin drained a 3-pointer with five-tenths of a second left to force a 61-61 tie.
Hitting the Glass
? Since being outrebounded in each of the first three games, Bradley has won the battle of the boards in each of the last seven games.
? Wichita State entered Friday's game leading the Valley in rebound margin at +10.0 and the Shockers were limiting their opponents to just 29.2 boards per game.
? Bradley outrebounded Wichita State 56-40, increasing its season rebound margin to +5.1 per game.
? The Braves own a +9.8 rebound advantage in the last seven games, helping the team to a 5-2 record.
? The Braves have been particularly impressive on the offensive glass, tying a school record with 32 offensive boards Dec. 14 versus Western Kentucky and adding 24 more Friday night at Wichita State.
Getting Defensive
? Bradley has held its last four opponents to an average of 54.5 points per game, including just 50.5 points in the regulation 40 minutes.
? Bradley limited Delaware State to 48 points and Southern Miss to 43 before Northern Iowa managed 52 regulation points Wednesday night.
? The Braves came within three points of holding three consecutive opponents below 50 during regulation for the first time since the 1949-50 NCAA Tournament and NIT runners-up season -- Jan. 26 versus Tulsa (64-45), Jan. 28 at Saint Louis (54-45), Feb. 4 versus Pittsburgh (84-48) and Feb. 6 against Wichita State (61-49).
Defending The Three
? Bradley has allowed its first 10 opponents just 5.2
3-point field goals per game while shooting only 29.9 percent from behind the arc, the best 3-point field goal percentage defense in the Valley.
? UNI did make nine 3-pointers Wednesday night, but the traditionally strong shooting Panthers required 28 3-point field goal attempts to get their nine makes (.321).
Valley Back at No. 2 in RPI
? According to the numbers published at www.collegerpi.com, the Missouri Valley Conference jumped back to second in the conference RPIs among all 31 NCAA Division I leagues through games of Jan. 1.
Conference RPI (Through Jan. 1)
DI Non-Con Record
Rk. Conference W L Pct. RPI
1 Big Ten 103 24 .8110 .5860
2 Missouri Valley 61 21 .7439 .5749
3 Atlantic Coast 101 26 .7953 .5713
4 Big East 139 40 .7765 .5711
5 Southeastern 103 32 .7630 .5701
6 Big XII 92 31 .7480 .5469
7 Pac-10 70 28 .7143 .5432
Rk. School W L Pct. RPI
11 Missouri State 8 2 .8000 .6359
13 Indiana State 7 2 .7779 .6353
17 Northern Iowa 9 2 .8182 .6286
38 Wichita State 10 2 .8333 .6004
41 Bradley 7 3 .7000 .5975
42 Creighton 7 3 .7000 .5964
80 Southern Illinois 8 2 .8000 .5601
116 Drake 6 5 .5455 .5293
173 Illinois State 5 4 .5556 .4886
188 Evansville 4 6 .4000 .4768
Tough Valley Start
? Bradley's first six Valley games are being played against five teams that now enter Monday's action with a 45-15 (.750) combined record:
Date Opponent Record Pct. RPI
Dec. 28 UNI 11-2 .846 17
Dec. 30 at Wichita State 11-2 .846 38
Jan. 2 Creighton 7-3 .700 42
Jan. 5 at Drake 8-5 .615 116
Jan. 8 at Southern Illinois 8-3 .727 80
Jan. 11 Wichita State 11-2 .846 38
Cumulative Totals 45-15 .750
? After downing MVC preseason favorite Northern Iowa in the league opener Wednesday, Bradley fell at three-time NIT participant Wichita State Friday and will host the Shockers in the sixth game of the league season Jan. 11.
? Before hosting the Shockers, the Braves will host eight-time postseason participant Creighton, before consecutive road games at Drake (Jan. 5) and four-time MVC regular-season champion Southern Illinois (Jan. 8).
? According to the numbers posted at www.collegerpi.com, Bradley was 66th in the ratings before hosting Northern Iowa.
? Just splitting the first two league games has bumped Bradley up 25 spots to No. 41 in the RPI.
But About the 2-point Defense
? In contrast to Bradley's defense of the 3-point line in the early going, the Braves struggled inside the arc without the presence of 7-foot sophomore center Patrick O'Bryant.
? Through the first eight games, the opposition had made 37-of-127 (.291) 3-point attempts, but 142-of-296 (.480) 2-point field goal attempts.
? The 189-point discrepency between 3-point field goal defense and 2-point field goal defense was the largest in the Valley.
? In O'Bryant's first two games in the lineup, however, Northern Iowa and Wichita State combined to shoot 31.9 percent (15-47) from 3-point land and a much cooler 38.2 percent (26-68) from inside the arc.
Turnover Margin
? Bradley has tried to force an uptempo pace this season, but the Braves have stayed under control in doing so.
? Bradley is averaging 15.0 turnovers per game and the Braves are fourth in the Valley by forcing 17.6 turnovers per game.
? The combination has resulted in a +2.6 turnover margin per game, compared to a -1.8 turnover margin last season.
Cold Start from Three land
? While Bradley has been tough on its opponents from behind the arc, the Braves have been equally as cold.
? Bradley also is shooting 29.9 percent from 3-point territory, including an ice cold 13.8 percent (4-29) in the first two Valley games.
? Bradley was 0-for-18 from behind the arc Friday at Wichita State before Daniel Ruffin drained a buzzer-beating triple to force overtime as the Braves finished 1-for-19.
