PEORIA, Ill. ? The Bradley men's basketball team will begin play in the inaugural Chicago Invitational Challenge Sunday by hosting Illinois-Chicago in a 2:05 p.m. contest at Carver Arena. The tournament will continue with a second-round game Tuesday at 7:05 p.m. against Florida A&M at Carver Arena, before moving to the final two rounds at the new Sears Centre in Hoffman Estates, Ill.
Tickets are available for both of Bradley's two home games in the tournament and may be purchased at the Robertson Fieldhouse Box Office, the Peoria Civic Center Box Office or any TicketMaster location. Single-game tickets for Bradley home games at Carver Arena range from $8 to $18 based on location. Bradley faculty and staff may purchase tickets for half-price by presenting a valid University ID.
Setting The Scene
Date: Sun., Nov. 19, 2006
Tipoff: 2:05 p.m.
Location: Peoria, Ill.
Arena: Carver Arena (11,080)
Television: None
Radio: WMBD AM 1470 (www.wmbdradio.com)
Video Stream: www.bubraves.tv
Chicago Invitational Challenge:
? Bradley begins play in the inaugural Chicago Invitational Challenge by hosting Illinois-Chicago Sunday afternoon at Carver Arena.
? After season-opening wins versus DePaul (78-58) and Southern Illinois-Edwardsville (74-58), Bradley will be trying for its first 3-0 start since the 1998-99 Braves started 3-0 en route to a final 17-12 record.
? The Braves will host Florida A&M Tuesday in the second round of the tournament, before heading to the Sears Centre in Hoffman Estates for a third-round game versus Rutgers Friday night.
? Bradley is shooting for its 20th consecutive non-conference home win and its eighth straight regular-season victory.
The Series
Perhaps a surprising note given their proximity, Bradley and Illinois-Chicago have met only one other time on the hardwood, a 99-48 Braves victory Nov. 29, 1980 at Robertson Memorial Fieldhouse. The Flames become the third Horizon League team to challenge the Braves since Jim Les took over as head coach in 2002. Les is 4-4 against Horizon League members Butler (2-2) and Loyola-Chicago (2-2), winning all four meetings at Carver Arena.
About the flames
Illinois-Chicago returned eight of nine lettermen, including four starters, from last year's team that posted a 16-15 overall record and tied for third in the Horizon League. The Flames have split their first two games this year, dropping NCAA Division II St. Edward's (Texas), 75-60, in the opener and falling at Davidson, 100-89, Wednesday night.
Carver Arena -- Home of the Braves
? Part of the Peoria Civic Center complex, Carver Arena has served as the gameday home to Bradley Basketball since the start of the 1982-83 season, making this the 25th season in the 11,080-seat facility.
? Bradley enters Sunday's game with a 259-82 (.760) all-time record at Carver Arena.
? The Carver Arena capacity has shrunk to 11,080 for this season, due to the construction of a new suite in the upper level seating in Section 14.
Streaking at home
? The Braves have won 19 consecutive non-conference home games at Carver Arena, the longest active non-conference home winning streak in The Valley.
? The streak began with a 73-65 overtime decision Nov. 21, 2003 versus Louisiana-Monroe and the Braves have not lost a non-conference home game since Chris Kaman's Central Michigan squad pulled out a 74-71 victory Dec. 18, 2002.
? The 19 consecutive non-conference home wins is the longest in Carver Arena's 25-year history and the longest since the Braves won 20 consecutive non-conference games at Robertson Memorial Fieldhouse from Dec. 9, 1972 through Jan. 11, 1975.
Bradley's Non-Con Home Winning Streaks
56 Started 12/29/62 Louisville (71-70)
Ended 12/15/69 Murray State (60-72)
28 Started 2/17/58 #6 Oklahoma State (57-43)
Ended 12/12/61 Butler (77-80)
21 Started 2/28/55 Wichita State (69-67)
Ended 12/14/57 #14 Seattle (76-82)
21 Started 12/19/49 Georgia Tech (84-60)
Ended 3/31/51 Syracuse (75-76)
20 Started 12/ 9/72 Western Illinois (73-63)
Ended 1/21/75 Creighton (76-82)
19 Started 11/23/03 La.-Monroe (73-65) OT
Ended ---
Wide Home Margins
? In addition to Bradley's 19-game non-conference home winning streak, the Braves have won nine straight home games overall and they have won those nine games in convincing fashion.
? Including Wednesday's 74-58 win versus Southern Illinois-Edwardsville, each margin of victory in the home streak has been by double-digits.
? The Braves have won their last nine home games by an average of 19.1 points, including five by at least 20 points.
Bradley's Current 9-Game Home Win Streak
Date Opponent Score Margin
01-14-06 Evansville 90-62 +28
01-21-06 Indiana State 85-63 +22
01-25-06 Missouri State 86-76 +10
02-01-06 Illinois State 73-44 +29
02-14-06 Southern Illinois 72-60 +12
02-18-06 Tennessee Tech 77-62 +15
02-25-06 Drake 86-66 +20
11-11-06 DePaul 78-58 +20
11-15-06 SIU-Edwardsville 74-68 +16
regular-Season Win Streak at 7
? In addition to its streaking home records, Bradley has won seven consecutive regular-season games, dating back to the 71-59 victory Feb. 11 at Illinois State.
? The seven-game ride is the ninth-longest active regular-season winning streak in the country.
Active Regular-Season Winning Streaks
Rk. School W Next
1. George Washington 20 N 17 vs. Longwood
2. Gonzaga 19 N 19 vs. UTSA
3. Nevada 12 N 18 vs. Ark.-P.B.
4. Washington 11 N 19 vs. Sac St.
5. Air Force 9 N 18 at Colorado
North Carolina 9 N 19 vs. Gard. Webb
Ohio State 9 N 17 vs. Eastern Ky.
8. Texas A&M 8 N 17 vs. Lamar
9. Bradley 7 N 19 vs. UIC
10. Connecticut 6 N 17 vs. Central Ark.
LSU 6 N 17 vs. Nicholls St.
Missouri State 6 N 19 vs. Delaware St.
St. Joseph's (Pa.) 6 N 17 at Lafayette
UCLA 6 N 20 at Chaminade
? Four of Bradley's seven wins in the regular-season streak have come against fellow schools from the Land of Lincoln -- Illinois State (71-59), Southern Illinois (72-60), DePaul (78-58) and SIU-Edwardsville (74-58).
? The current win streak is Bradley's longest regular-season win streak since the 1996 Valley champions won seven in a row from Jan. 23 through Feb. 10.
? Bradley has not won eight consecutive regular-season games since the final eight games of the 1987-88 Valley championship run.
More wide Margins
? Just like Bradley's recent home dominance, all seven victories during the current regular-season winning streak have been decided by double-digit margins.
? The seven wins have been decided by an average of 16.7 points.
2-0 Starts
? Bradley has opened the season with consecutive wins for the fourth consecutive year and for the 49th time in the 103-year history of the program.
? Bradley has begun with three straight wins 32 times, but not since the 1998-99 Braves opened with victories versus Southeast Missouri State (49-47), Tennessee-Martin (68-47) and Loyola-Chicago (70-53).
? Not coincidentally, the 1998-99 season was the last that the Braves started with three consecutive home games.
Looking Ahead
? Bradley will conclude its season-long, four-game homestand Tuesday by hosting Florida A&M in the second round of the Chicago Invitational Challenge in a 7:05 p.m. contest at Carver Arena.
? Tuesday's game will be the first-ever meeting between the Braves and Rattlers.
? Following Tuesday's game, the Braves will head to the Sears Centre in Hoffman Estates, Ill., where they will take on Big East member Rutgers Friday at 5 p.m. and either Miami-Ohio or Illinois Saturday evening.
Starting Small
? Bradley employed a three-guard starting lineup during its stretch run last season, but head coach Jim Les has gone even smaller in this year's first two games.
? The Braves started four guards -- Daniel Ruffin (5-10), Will Franklin (6-0), J.J. Tauai (6-3) and Jeremy Crouch (6-5) -- along with 6-8 center Zach Andrews in the opener, then replaced the injured Ruffin with Danny Adams (6-4) Wednesday night.
? Despite the height disadvantage, Bradley has won the rebound batte in each of the first two games and has used its speed advantage to force 17.5 turnovers per contest.
Bombs Away
? After starting four guards Saturday, it should not come as a surprise that Bradley looked to score from the perimeter against DePaul.
? Highlighted by a combined 10-for-14 effort from Jeremy Crouch (6-9) and Daniel Ruffin (4-5), the Braves hit 13-of-25 (.520) 3-point attempts Saturday night to set a home record for made 3-pointers.
? The 13 treys tied for the second-most in school history.
Most Bradley 3-Pointers in a Game
15 at Loyola-Chicago 1-02-88
13 vs. DePaul 11-11-06
13 at Illinois State 2-01-03
13 at Drake 1-31-95
12 vs. Evansville 1-23-99
12 at Dayton 12-30-87
12 at St. Joseph's 12-27-86
Defending The Three
? Bradley ranked second in the Missouri Valley Conference last season by allowing the opposition to shoot just 31.0 percent from 3-point range.
? While lighting up the scoreboard from behind the arc on offense, Bradley continued its strong defense of the 3-point line in Saturday's opener versus DePaul, limiting the Blue Demons to a 7-for-23 (.304) effort.
Answering the Critics
? The graduation of four seniors and the early departure of 7-foot center Patrick O'Bryant, a quintet that combined for 66.9 percent of the team's offense and 65.0 percent of its rebounding last season, made Bradley a popular pick to finish near the bottom of the Missouri Valley Conference by the preseason prognosticators.
? Thus far, the Braves have answered their critics by executing an up-tempo offense that has created plenty of open looks for the perimeter-oriented lineup and continuing the pressure defense that was the hallmark of last year's successful stretch run.
? Utilizing a balanced attack in the first two games, Bradley boasts five players scoring in double-figures, led by junior guard Jeremy Crouch's 17.0 ppg, while senior center Zach Andrews is working the boards to a tune of 11.0 rebounds per contest.
Deep Backcourt
? Seven of Bradley's nine returning lettermen are backcourt players and six guards are playing prominent roles for the Braves in the early going.
? Bradley's top four scorers all are guards -- Jeremy Crouch (17.0 ppg), J.J. Tauai (14.0), Will Franklin (13.0) and Daniel Ruffin (12.0).
? In addition, freshman Andrew Warren (4.5 ppg) and fifth-year senior Danny Adams (4.0) each are averaging at least 17.0 minutes per game in the deep guard rotation.
Thin Frontcourt
? While the Braves remain deep in the backcourt, the heavy losses to graduation and the NBA did take a hit on Bradley's frontcourt.
? With the healthy return of 6-foot-9 sophomore Sam Singh Wednesday night, Bradley now has four players to rotate in the front court.
? Senior center Zach Andrews has been the early post leader, starting both games and averaging 10.0 points and 11.0 rebounds in his 26.0 minutes per game.
? Junior college transfer Matt Salley, a 6-foot-7 forward, is averaging 5.0 points and 4.5 rebounds in 19.0 reserve minutes.
? Singh played 10 minutes in his return from knee surgery Wednesday night and 6-foot-6 redshirt freshman Saihou Jassey has played 5.5 minutes per game in the first two contests.
