Game 6 ? ETSU Bucs (3-2) at Bradley Braves (3-2) ? Nov. 29, 2008 ? Carver Arena ? Peoria, Ill.
Bradley Returns Home For A Second Atlantic Sun Matchup
PEORIA, Ill. ? A pair of teams looking for their third straight win will square off Saturday night when Bradley (3-2) hosts East Tennessee State (3-2) in its second home game of the year. Including their season-opening win against UIC, the Braves will be shooting for their 15th consecutive November home win when they face the Bucs. The Zooperstars will entertain fans throughout the game and Bradley is sponsoring its first Military Appreciation Night of the year: all active and retired members of the military presenting valid identification may receive half-priced tickets.
Game Information
TV: None
Radio: 1470 WMBD -- Dave Snell, Chuck Buescher and Joe Stowell
Internet Video: BradleyBraves.com
Live Stats: BradleyBraves.com
Tickets: $9-20 (available for purchase online at www.BradleyBraves.com)
Halftime Entertainment: Zooperstars
Series: First Meeting
Last Meeting: N/A
Bradley Braves
2008-09 Record: 3-2
MVC: 0-0
Head Coach: Jim Les
Alma Mater: Bradley ?86
Career: 108-92 (7th year)
at Bradley: Same
Website: www.BradleyBraves.com
East Tennessee State Bucs
2008-09 Record: 3-2
Atlantic Sun: 0-0
Head Coach: Murry Bartow
Alma Mater: UAB ?85
Career: 201-146 (12th year)
at ETSU: 98-63 (6th year)
Website: http://www.ETSUBucs.comm
Starting Five
? After playing its last four games in the state of Florida, Bradley returns to Carver Arena for a Saturday evening matchup against East Tennessee State.
? Saturday's game is the first-ever meeting between the Braves and the Bucs, but the second meeting in five days between Bradley and a member of the Atlantic Sun Conference.
? Saturday's game also will be the third between the Braves and a Murry Bartow coached team: Bartow was the head coach at UAB when the teams split a two-year, home-and-home series in 2000 and 2001.
? Bradley is shooting for its first three-game winning streak since the first three rounds of last year's CBI.
? Saturday's game is the 201st for Bradley's Jim Les.
November Home Streak
? Seventh-year Bradley head coach Jim Les boasts a 15-1 all-time November home record and the Braves are working on a 14-game home winning streak in November.
? The one November home loss in the Les era, however, came against a team from eastern Tennessee: Chattanooga claimed an 82-70 victory Nov. 30, 2002 at Carver Arena in Les' third game as Bradley head coach.
200 And Counting
? Wednesday's 80-66 victory against Richmond was the 200th game for seventh-year Bradley head coach Jim Les.
? Les enters Saturday's game with a 108-92 (.540) record.
? The 200 games coached by Les are the sixth-most in Bradley Basketball history:
Head Coach Years at Bradley Games
A.J. Robertson 1920-48 503
Joe Stowell 1965-78 344
Jim Molinari 1991-02 326
Chuck Orsborn 1956-65 250
Dick Versace 1978-86 244
Jim Les 2002- 200
About East Tennessee State
? Under the direction of sixth-year head coach Murry Bartow, East Tennessee State returns eight lettermen and three starters from last year's squad that finished 19-13 overall and tied for third in the Atlantic Sun Conference.
? The Bucs have started 3-2 in 2008-09 and will be trying to extend a two-game winning streak.
? A trio of Bucs combine to average 51.0 of the team's 75.8 points per game -- senior guard Courtney Pigram (18.4 ppg), senior forward Kevin Tiggs (18.0) and junior guard Mike Smith (14.6).
? The Bucs offense appears to work from the inside as ETSU averages just 4.2 treys per game and 25 free throw attempts per game.
Against The Atlantic Sun
? Including Tuesday's 58-54 win at Florida Gulf Coast, Bradley is now 2-2 in its four all-time games against the current Atlantic Sun membership.
? East Tennessee will join Florida Gulf Coast as the only Atlantic Sun teams to visit Peoria as Bradley's games against Jacksonville (Chicago) and Stetson (San Juan) were played at neutral settings.
School All Home
Florida Gulf Coast 2-0 1-0
Jacksonville 0-1 0-0
Stetson 0-1 0-0
3 of 11 Teams 2-2 1-0
Bartow Knows The Braves
? While Saturday's game will be the first-ever in the Bradley-East Tennessee State series and the first-ever visit by an Atlantic Sun member to Carver Arena, it will not be the first encounter between the Braves and ETSU head coach Murry Bartow.
? Bartow was the head coach at UAB when Bradley met the Blazers in a two-year, home-and-home series in 2000 and 2001.
? The Braves earned a 75-64 win Dec. 5, 2000 at Carver Arena, but suffered an 82-50 loss in the return game Nov. 27, 2001 at UAB.
Statistical Comparison
Category Bradley ETSU
Record 3-2 3-2
Points Per Game 64.8 75.8
Points Allowed/Gm 67.0 69.6
Field Goal % .413 .456
Opponent FG % .427 .378
3-Point FG % .265 .276
Opponent 3FG % .364 .301
3FGM Per Game 5.2 4.2
3FG Allowed/ Game 7.2 7.4
Free Throw % .696 .688
Opponent FT% .747 .719
Rebound Margin +2.6 +5.2
Assists Per Game 12.0 12.6
Turnovers/Game 17.4 17.0
TO's Forced/Game 15.2 16.4
Blocks Per Game 2.8 4.2
Steals Per Game 6.6 8.6
Getting To The Line
? Through the first two games, Bradley has made 95-of-135 (.696) free throw attempts.
? Bradley's number of made free throws equals the number of attempts by its opponents.
? The Braves have outscored the opposition by 23 points, 95-71, at the charity stripe through five games.
Leading The Parade To The Line
? Senior forward Theron Wilson continues to lead the parade to the line.
? After easily pacing the Braves with 179 free throw attempts last season (4.8 FTA/gm), Wilson has attempted 42 charity shots in the first five games (8.4 FTA/gm).
? Wilson already has been fouled 43 times in five games, drawing better than 38 percent of the total fouls (113) committed against the Braves.
Newcomer Impact
? Through the first five games, Bradley has primarily utilzied a nine-man rotation made up of five newcomers and four returning players.
? Junior college transfer Dodie Dunson (13.0 ppg) is the team's top scorer.
? The five newcomers -- Dunson (32.6 mpg), Chris Roberts (27.2), Eddren McCain (18.0), Taylor Brown (11.2) and Darian Norris (11.0) -- have combined for 500 of the team's 1000 total minutes played.
Category Returners (5) Newcomers (6)
Points Per Game 33.0 31.8
Rebounds Per Game 18.2 13.2
Assists Per Game 5.6 6.2
Turnovers Per Game 9.2 8.0
Blocks Per Game 2.6 0.2
Steals Per Game 4.0 2.4
Minutes Per Game 99.4 100.6
Hitting The Boards
? Bradley has been criticized for its lack of rebounding during the first two years of the “spread motion” system, but the Braves have won the battle of the boards in four of the first five games this year.
? Through five games, the Braves are averaging 35.0 rebounds per game and boast a +2.6 rebound margin.
Cold From Inside And Outside
? Bradley's offense has been noted for its long-range proficiency the previous two seasons as the Braves entered the season third nationally with 695 total 3-pointers during the 2006-07 and 2007-08 seasons.
? Through the first five games, however, the Braves have made just 26 treys (5.2 3FG/gm) while shooting 26.5 percent from behind the arc.
? After removing the team's 12-for-13 effort on slam dunk attempts, Bradley also is shooting just 47.1 percent (64-136) from inside the arc.
Turnovers Slow The Offense
? Bradley has committed 87 turnovers (17.4 tpg) in the first five games.
? On the defensive end, the Braves have forced just 76 turnovers (15.2 tpg).
? The disparity has helped the opposition to a 92-70 advantage in points off turnovers.
Improving Numbers
? Bradley's 3-point shooting and turnover numbers did show improvement during the last two games in Florida.
? The Braves committed 15 turnovers Tuesday at Florida Gulf Coast and had a 7-3 advantage in points off turnovers.
? Bradley followed up by making 7-of-15 (.467) 3-point attempts Wednesday versus Richmond while cutting its turnover number down to 11.
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 its Nov. 29 game versus East Tennessee State with a 285-91 (.758) record at Carver Arena.
? The Braves own a 125-29 (.812) non-conference record at Carver Arena, where Bradley has won five consecutive non-conference games.
? Seventh-year head coach Jim Les owns a 37-4 (.902) non-conference home record.
Zooperstars In The House
? The popular entertainment act Zooperstars will perform during Saturday's game against ETSU.
? Saturday also is the first of two Military Appreciation Games: all active and retired members of the military with valid identification will receive half-priced tickets in Priority III and Priority IV sections.
Looking Ahead
? Bradley will have an entire week to prepare for its next game, a Dec. 7 visit to #5/6 Michigan State.
? The game will complete a three-year series: Michigan State has won the first two, 82-53 two years ago in East Lansing and 66-61 last season in Peoria.
? The 3 p.m. (CST) game at Michigan State will be televised on the Big Ten Network.
Maui Jim 3-Point Challenge
? Peoria manufacturer Maui Jim Sunglasses is sponsoring Bradley's 3-point shooting in 2008-09, with proceeds to benefit the Jimmy V Foundation for Cancer Research.
? For every 3-pointer the team makes throughout the season, Maui Jim will donate $10 to the Jimmy V Foundation and the company is encouraging fans to join the challenge.
? For every pledge, participants will be entered into a postseason drawing for a pair of Maui Jim Sunglasses, as well as two tickets to the 2008-09 Bradley Basketball Postseason Banquet.
? All pledge gifts,which will be tax deductible, will be invoiced at the conclusion of the season and should be made payable to The Jimmy V Foundation.
? For more information and to make your pledge, visit the men's basketball page at www.BradleyBraves.com and click on the Maui Jim 3-Point Challenge graphic.
105th Season
? Bradley has started its 105th men's basketball season and the Braves rank 26th in NCAA Division I history with 1,519 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 is working six newcomers and a redshirt freshman into the lineup this season.
? Bradley entered 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 fourth nationally with 721 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.
Bradley Has Height
? 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 is fourth nationally with 721 total treys since the start of 2006-07.
? 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.
Scoring Big
? A player standing no taller than 6-foot-5 has led Bradley in scoring in 57 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 Steve Robinson led Tulsa (1997) and Florida State (1998) to NCAA Tourney wins.
Graduate Players
? For the fourth consecutive year, Bradley's roster features 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.
