Game #4
Florida Gulf Coast (1-2) at Bradley (2-1)
Tuesday, Nov. 20, 2007 ? 7:05 p.m.
Peoria, Ill. ? Carver Arena (11,060)
Radio: WMBD AM 1470: Dave Snell, Joe Stowell
Television: None
Web Audio/Video: www.BradleyBraves.com
Tickets: $8-18 based on location in person at Robertson FH or Carver Arena, online at www.bubraves.com
South Padre Island Invite Continues
? Bradley will continue its participation in the South Padre Island Invitational Tuesday by hosting first-year NCAA Division I provisional Florida Gulf Coast in the second round at Carver Arena.
? The Braves will be shooting for their third straight victory overall, their fourth consecutive home win and their 28th consecutive non-conference home victory before heading to South Padre Island, Texas, for the final two rounds of the exempt tournament.
? The South Padre Island Invitational is the third exempt tournament involving home games in which Bradley has played the last five years and the Braves now boast a 5-0 home record in the first two rounds.
About The Braves
? Bradley returned seven lettermen, but just two starters, from last year's squad that went 22-13, advanced to the second round of the MasterCard NIT and ranked among the nation's leaders in 3-point shooting.
? While working six scholarship newcomers into the mix, Bradley relies heavily upon its senior tri-captains -- sharp-shooting guard Jeremy Crouch, lightning quick point guard Daniel Ruffin and steady front-court player Matt Salley.
? Bradley has utilized a deep bench in the early going as nine Braves are averaging between 11.3 and 31.0 minutes per game.
Upcoming Promotions
Dec. 1 vs. Southeast Missouri State: Flippenout, an extreme trampoline show featuring Olympic gymnastics medalists will be the halftime act.
Dec. 4 vs. Michigan State: Tailgate Tuesday pregame party at the Peoria Civic Center, followed by Bradley's second-ever White Out promotion. All fans will receive a white Bradley t-shirt to wear during the game.
Bradley vs. Florida Gulf Coast
First Meeting
Bradley vs. Iowa
Iowa Leads 6-3
Home 0-1; Away 3-4; Neutral 0-1
01-18-30 at Iowa W 35-28
12-15-30 at Iowa W 17-16
12-05-31 at Iowa W 24-19
12-03-32 at Iowa L 29-42
02-03-34 at Iowa L 25-43
12-05-36 at Iowa L 27-33
02-10-73 Chicago L 73-90
12-08-75 Robertson F.H. L 96-100
12-06-76 at Iowa L 77-90
Bradley vs. Utah State
Bradley Leads 2-1
Home 2-0; Away 0-1; Neutral 0-0
12-28-46 Peoria Armory W 72-53
12-23-63 at Utah State L 90-95
12-17-64 Robertson F.H. W 75-69
Bradley vs. Vanderbilt
Vanderbilt Leads 2-0
Home 0-1; Away 0-1; Neutral 0-0
12-01-51 Robertson F.H. L 51-55
12-10-71 at Vanderbilt L 80-82
Looking Ahead
? Following the first two rounds of campus-site games, the tournament will move to the South Padre Island (Texas) Convention Center, where Bradley will face Iowa in a Friday evening contest.
? The Bradley/Iowa matchup will be paired against the Utah State/Vanderbilt third-round matchup for the final two games of the tournament Saturday evening.
? Friday's evening session will be televised nationally by CSTV, while Saturday's final round will be available for viewing on the Internet through video streams provided by JumpTV Sports at www.southpadreislandinvitationaltv.com
50-50 For Old Rival
? Bradley has a 50-50 c hance of facing an old nemesis, former Illinois State head coach Kevin Stallings, in the final game of the South Padre Island Invitational.
? While Bradley plays Iowa Friday, Stallings' Vanderbilt team will follow against Utah State.
? The winners will square off in the tournament finale Saturday, preceded by the Friday losers.
? Stallings was the head coach at Illinois State from 1993-99, leading the rival Redbirds to a 123-63 record, which included a 6-6 record against Bradley.
Non-Con Home Win Streak
? Extended by Sunday's 98-71 victory against Maryland-Eastern Shore, Bradley's non-conference home winning streak now stands at 27 games.
? Bradley owns the seventh-longest active non-conference home winning streak in the country and the Braves have not lost to a team outside the Missouri Valley Conference at Carver Arena since a 74-71 setback to Chris Kaman's Central Michigan squad Dec. 18, 2002.
Rk. School Stk. Next
1. Duke 53 Nov. 25 vs. E. Kentucky
2. Sam Houston St. 37 Nov. 20 vs. St. Gregory's
Air Force 37 Nov. 19 vs. Radford
4. Washington 30 Nov. 26 vs. Long Beach St.
5. Ohio State 29 Nov. 25 vs. VMI
Michigan State 29 Nov. 24 vs. Oakland
7. Bradley 27 Nov. 20 vs. FGCU
Florida 27 Nov. 20 vs. North Florida
10. Colorado State 22 Nov. 28 vs. Ark.-Pine Bluff
About The Eagles
? Florida Gulf Coast is a first-year NCAA Division I provisional program that competes in the Atlantic Sun Conference.
? Located in Fort Myers, Fla., Florida Gulf Coast University opened in 1997.
? The Eagles returned eight lettermen, including four starters, from last year's squad that produced a 27-6 overall record as a NCAA Division II independent.
? Dave Balza (Michigan ?91) in in his sixth season as the head coach at Florida Gulf Coast, sporting a 115-41 record with the Eagles and a 150-89 record in his ninth year as a collegiate head coach.
? The Eagles have been led in scoring by 6-foot-7 senior swingman Casey Wohlleb at 13.3 ppg and in rebounding by 6-foot-9 junior forward Landon Adler at 8.0 boards per game.
? Florida Gulf Coast has struggled with its shot in the early going, shooting just 39.2 percent from the field, 26.3 percent from 3-point range and 50.0 percent from the free throw line.
Tourney Success
? Bradley has not won a regular-season tournament since claiming back-to-back titles in its own River City Shootout in 1983 and 1984, but the Braves have enjoyed a reasonable amount of success in the modern-day exempt tournaments under head coach Jim Les.
? Now involved in his fourth in-season tournament, Les boasts a 9-3 tournament record, including a 5-0 home mark in three multi-site exempt events.
? Bradley has finished with a winning record in each of its three previous in-season tournament appearances and actually tied for first in the 2003 Las Vegas Tournament with a 3-1 mark, but was deemed the runner-up to Rhode Island due to a tiebreaker based on defensive points.
2007 South Padre Island Invitational
South Padre Island, Texas. ? Nov. 18-24
11/18 Maryland-Eastern Shore W 98-71
11/20 Florida Gulf Coast
11/23 vs. Iowa
11/24 vs. Utah State or Vanderbilt
First two rounds played at campus sites
2006 Chicago invitational Challenge
Hoffman Estates, Ill. ? Nov. 19-25 ? 2nd
11/19 Illinois-Chicago W 81-72
11/21 Florida A&M W 107-75
11/24 vs. Rutgers W 101-72
11/25 vs. Illinois L 71-75
First two rounds played at campus sites
Second two rounds played at the Sears Centre
2003 Las Vegas Tournament
Las Vegas, Nev. ? Nov. 21-26 ? T1st*
11/21 Louisiana-Monroe (OT) W 73-65
11/23 Northeastern W 92-86
11/25 vs. Lubbock Christian L 81-89
11/26 vs. Miami-Florida W 83-82
First two rounds played at campus sites
* The sixth tournament participant, Rhode Island, also posted a 3-1 record and was declared the tournament champion based on defensive points.
2002 Outrigger Hotels Rainbow Classic
Honolulu, Hawai'i ? Dec. 27-30 ? 5th
12/27 at Hawai'i L 69-90
12/29 vs. Alcorn State W 95-68
12/30 vs. Chicago State W 88-76
Carver Arena - Home of the Braves
? The 2007-08 campaign is the 25th anniversary season of the Peoria Civic Center's Carver Arena, which has served as the home court for the Braves since the start of the 1982-83 season.
? Bradley played its first game at Carver Arena Nov. 27, 1982, downing in-state rival Loyola Chicago, 90-82.
? Including a 2-0 start at home this season, Bradley now boasts a 273-85 (.763) all-time record at Carver Arena.
? In his sixth season as Bradley head coach, Jim Les owns a 59-18 (.766) home record, including a 29-3 (.906) record in non-conference games at Carver Arena.
Hitting The Boards
? Bradley's biggest weakness last season came on the glass as the Braves were outrebounded by 6.8 boards per game.
? The Braves have reversed that trend in the early going this season, winning the rebound battle in each of the first three games.
? Bradley had not won the rebound battle in three straight games since a four-game streak from Feb. 18, 2006 versus Tennessee Tech through March 3, 2006 against Creighton.
Hot At The Line
? Bradley has been remarkably accurate from the free throw line through the season's first three games.
? Bradley ranks near the top of the early national leaderboard by shooting 85.5 percent (47-55) from the free throw line.
? The Braves have shot better than 82 percent from the stripe in each of the first three games.
? The senior guard duo of Daniel Ruffin (11-11) and Jeremy Crouch (6-6) are a combined 17-for-17 from the line, while 7-footer David Collins is an impressive 10-for-11 (.909) on the year after his 6-for-6 showing Sunday against Maryland-Eastern Shore.
Heating Up From Three-Land
? Bradley set the Missouri Valley Conference record by making 349 3-pointers last season and ranked third nationally by shooting 42.0 percent from behind the arc.
? After a cool start from behind the arc in the first two games, Bradley got on track Sunday by sinking 12-of-26 (.462) long-range attempts.
? The Braves now are averaging 8.3 3-pointers per game.
Ruffin Joins 500 Club
? Senior point guard Daniel Ruffin entered the season as the nation's active career assists leader.
? With 25 assists through the first three games, Ruffin has run his total to 500 career assists.
? Ruffin is the 10th player in Missouri Valley Conference history to dish out at least 500 career assists (see chart on page 9).
Streaks
22 Consecutive free throws made by Daniel Ruffin since he missed his final attempt March 3, 2007 versus Southern Illinois.
27 Consecutive non-conference home victories, tied for the seventh-longest active streak in the nation.
225 Consecutive games in which Bradley has made at least one 3-pointer, dating back to an 0-for-8 effort Feb. 16, 2000 versus Drake.
514 Consecutive games covered by beat writer Dave Reynolds for the Peoria Journal Star, dating back to the start of the 1990-91 season.
850 Consecutive Bradley Basketball broadcasts Voice of the Braves Dave Snell has participated in on WMBD.
Three For 1,500
? Bradley begins the week 26th in NCAA Division I history with 1,497 all-time victories.
Opponents Tourney Tested
? If Bradley faces Vanderbilt in the final round of the South Padre Island Tournament, the Braves will play a school-record nine regular-season games against teams that advanced to the previous year's NCAA Tournament.
? Not only would the seven potential NCAA participants on the schedule be a program record, but four of the definite opponents won at least one postseason game in 2007, while Vanderbilt added two more 2007 NCAA Tournament wins: Butler (2-1), Creighton (0-1), Michigan State (1-1), Southern Illinois (2-1), Vanderbilt (2-1), VCU (1-1) and Wright State (0-1).
? Bradley faced six NCAA Tournament participants from the previous year in 1999-2000, 1986-87, 1985-86 and 1981-82 and the Braves have never faced as many as four teams that won games in the previous year's tournament.
