Game #1 ? UIC Flames at Bradley Braves ? Friday, Nov. 14, 2008 ? 7:05 p.m. ? Carver Arena
Bradley Opens 105th Season at Home against In-State Rival UIC
PEORIA, Ill. ? Bradley will begin its 105th men's basketball season Friday night when the Braves host in-state rival Illinois-Chicago in a 7:05 p.m. tilt at Carver Arena. Friday's game has been labeled a White Out and all fans are encouraged to wear white. To enhance the appearance of the arena, everyone in attendance will receive a white Bradley Basketball t-shirt, courtesy of Maui Jim Sunglasses, Methodist Medical Center and the Wingate by Wyndham. In addition, all fans will receive a Country Financial 2008-09 Bradley Basketball schedule poster.
Game Information
TV: Comcast (Channel 74 in Peoria) -- Frank Bussone, Dick Versace and Danny Adams
Radio: 1470 WMBD -- Dave Snell, Chuck Buescher and Joe Stowell
Internet Audio and Video: BradleyBraves.com
Live Stats: BradleyBraves.com
Series: Bradley leads 2-1
Last Meeting: UIC 84-75, 11/10/07 at UIC Pavilion
Tickets: $9-20 based on location and available at the Shea Stadium Box Office, the Carver Arena Box Office and online at www.BradleyBraves.com.
Bradley Braves
2007-08 Record: 21-17
MVC: 9-9 (T5th)
Head Coach: Jim Les
Alma Mater: Bradley ?86
Career: 105-90 (7th year)
at Bradley: Same
Website: www.BradleyBraves.com
UIC Flames
2007-08 Record: 18-15
Horizon League: 9-9 (T4th of 10)
Head Coach: Jimmy Collins
Alma Mater: New Mexico St. ?70
Career: 194-171 (13th year)
at UIC: Same
Website: www.uicflames.com
Hot Topics
? Bradley will open its 105th men's basketball season by hosting in-state rival Illinois-Chicago Friday night.
? Bradley is 75-29 (.721) in season-openers, including a 5-1 record under seventh-year head coach Jim Les.
? The Flames are responsible for the one season-opening loss on Les' resume, however, dealing Bradley an 84-75 defeat in the 2007-08 opener at UIC Pavilion.
? Saturday's game has been deemed a White Out and all fans are encouraged to wear white. Everyone in attendance will receive a white Bradley Basketball t-shirt, as well as a Country Financial schedule poster.
? The Braves will have a quick turnaround before their second game, a Sunday afternoon visit to Floriday in the opening round of the O'Reilly Auto Parts CBE Classic.
105th Season
? Bradley is prepping for its 105th men's basketball season and the Braves rank 26th in NCAA Division I history with 1,516 all-time wins.
? Bradley played its first men's basketball game Jan. 1, 1903 defeating a YMCA program known as the Invincibles, 12-8.
Postseason Streak
? The Braves are attempting to reach the postseason for a fourth consecutive season, a streak the program has not enjoyed since 1994-97.
? In addition, Bradley has won at least one postseason game in each of the last three years, an accomplishment only previously achieved from 1949-51.
New-Look Braves
? While returning seven lettermen from the 2007-08 squad, Bradley will insert six newcomers and a redshirt freshman into the lineup this season.
? Bradley enters the season with only two scholarship players boasting more than one year of experience in the program -- fifth-year senior center Sam Singh and junior guard Andrew Warren.
Three Is The Key
? Due in large part to the loss of all-star big men Patrick O'Bryant (early entry NBA lottery pick) and Marcellus Sommerville (graduation) following the 2006 NCAA Tournament Sweet 16 season, head coach Jim Les installed a “spread motion” offense modeled after the Phoenix Suns' system in 2006-07.
? Bradley has recruited to the system for three years and has assembled an athletic, skilled lineup that continues to fit with the uptempo style of play.
? The system often utilizes a four-guard attack and has helped Bradley rank third nationally with 695 3-point field goals since the start of the 2006-07 season and finish among the two highest-scoring teams in the Missouri Valley Conference each of the last two years.
? More notably, Bradley has won at least 21 games three consecutive seasons and is tied for eighth nationally with seven postseason wins the last three years.
Who Knew?
? While Bradley has often utilized a four-guard attack the last two years, the Braves do have plenty of size to throw at their competition.
? Bradley's roster features four players that stand at least 6-feet, 9-inches: senior center David Collins (7-0), redshirt freshman center Anthony Thompson (6-10), senior center Sam Singh (6-9) and sophomore forward Will Egolf (6-9).
? Bradley is the only team in The Valley boasting as many as four players standing at least 6-feet, 9-inches.
? Illinois (5), Ohio State (4) and Wisconsin (4) are the only three Big Ten teams that can make a similar claim.
Scoring in Threes
? Bradley has ranked among the national leaders in 3-point shooting each of the last two seasons and ranks third with 695 total treys the last two years.
? Bradley became the first-ever Missouri Valley Conference team to make as many as 300 3-pointers in a season with 349 during the 2006-07 season and the Braves followed with 346 more last season.
? Only VMI (778) and Houston (715) have made more 3-pointers than the Braves since the start of the 2006-07 season.
Scoring Big
? A player standing no taller than 6-foot-5 has led Bradley in scoring in 52 consecutive games, a streak dating back to Jan. 20, 2007 when 6-foot-8 Zach Andrews paced the Braves with 21 points versus Wichita State.
Unique Staff Makeup
? Bradley's coaching staff is believed to be one of just two in the country to boast two staff members with NCAA Tournament head coaching victories.
? Seventh-year head coach Jim Les led the Braves to the 2006 NCAA Tournament Sweet 16, while second-year Bradley assistant Steve Merfeld coached Hampton to the second round of the 2001 NCAA Tournament.
? North Carolina assistant coach Steve Robinson led both Tulsa (1997) and Florida State (1998) to NCAA Tournament wins.
Graduate Players
? For the fourth consecutive year, Bradley's roster will feature a player who already owns his degree.
? Fifth-year senior center Sam Singh received his bachelor's degree in communications-public relations during commencement ceremonies May 17, 2008.
? Previously, Brandyn Heemskerk (?05), Danny Adams (?06) and Daniel Ruffin (?07) all earned their degrees before completing their eligibility the following season.
Carver Arena - Home of the Braves
? The Peoria Civic Center's Carver Arena has served as the Bradley men's basketball program's home arena since the start of the 1982-83 season.
? Now in its 27th year playing in downtown Peoria, Bradley enters Friday's season-opener with a 284-91 (.757) record at Carver Arena.
? The Braves own a 124-29 (.810) non-conference record at Carver Arena, where Bradley has won four consecutive non-conference games.
? Seventh-year head coach Jim Les owns a 36-4 (.900) non-conference home record.
Future Braves
? Bradley signed a pair of 6-foot-8 high school players during the Early Signing Period Nov. 12.
Milos Knezevic, Henderson, Nev., Liberty H.S.
? Averaged 14 ppg and 8 rpg as a junior
? Friends with Bradley guard Darian Norris, a freshman from Las Vegas Mojave High School.
Jordan Prosser, Eureka, Ill., Eureka H.S.
? First-team all-state in 2007-08 (Illinois 2A)
? Averaged 19.5 ppg and 11.7 rpg as a junior.
About The Flames
? UIC returns seven lettermen, including three starters and the top three scorers, from last year's team that produced an 18-15 overall record and tied for fourth in the Horizon League with a 9-9 league mark.
? Senior guard Josh Mayo, who scored 34 points in last year's meeting between the two teams, is the Horizon League preseason player of the year.
? Mayo (17.1 ppg) was the only UIC player to score in double-figures last season.
? Senior center Scott VanderMeer was the team's second-leading scorer at 9.3 ppg, and led the Flames in rebounding (7.5 rpg) and blocked shots (2.6 bpg).
? UIC played one public preseason game, knocking off Aurora Tuesday night, xx-xx.
The Bradley-UIC Series
? Bradley owns a 2-1 lead in the all-time series against UIC, but the Flames won the most-recent matchup with an 84-75 victory at the UIC Pavilion to open the 2007-08 season.
? Friday's game marks the third consecutive year the two teams will have met on the hardwood.
Bradley Leads 2-1 -- H 2-0; A 0-1; N 0-0
11-29-80 at Bradley (Robertson FH) W 99-48
11-19-06 at Bradley (Carver) W 81-72
11-10-07 at UIC (Pavilion) L 75-84
Fourth Meeting For VanderMeer
? While Friday's game marks the third consecutive year Bradley and UIC have met on the hardwood, Flames senior center Scott VanderMeer will be facing the Braves for a fourth time.
? VanderMeer began his career at Bowling Green State, which played host to Bradley during his freshman season in 2004-05.
? VanderMeer played seven reserve minutes in that game Nov. 27, 2004, contributing one point, one rebound and one blocked shot in a game the Falcons won 81-66.
Season-Opening Success
? Bradley is 75-29 (.721) in season-openers, including a 5-1 record under seventh-year head coach Jim Les.
? The Braves are 13-1 (.929) when in season-openers played at Carver Arena, which opened for the 1982-83 season with a 90-82 victory against Loyola Chicago.
? The only loss in season-openers at Carver Arena was an 83-49 setback to Utah Dec. 5, 1992.
? The Braves have won 11 straight home season-openers since that game against the Utes.
? Three of Bradley's 13 season-opening wins played at Carver Arena have come against Chicagoland teams:
11-27-80 Loyola Chicago W 90-82
11-30-97 Chicago State W 90-68
11-11-06 DePaul W 78-58
