Game 10 ? Bradley Braves (5-4) at Milwaukee Panthers (5-5)
Dec. 20, 2008 ? 7:05 p.m. ? Milwaukee, Wis. ? US Cellular Arena
Bradley Visits Milwaukee For BracketBusters Return Game
With final exams completed Wednesday, the Bradley men's basketball team will place its focus squarely on the hardwood in preparations for Saturday's game at Wisconsin-Milwaukee. The game against the Panthers is the return matchup from last year's BracketBusters meeting, which the Braves won, 84-72, at Carver Arena.
Game Information
TV: Comcast (Frank Bussone and Dick Versace) ? Comcast 74 and Mediacom 78 in Central Illinois
Radio: 1470 WMBD (Dave Snell and Chuck Buescher)
Video Stream: BradleyBraves.com
Live Stats: BradleyBraves.com
Tickets: Available, $10-20
Series: Bradley leads 2-1
Last: Bradley, 84-72, 2/23/08 at Bradley
Bradley Braves
2008-09 Record: 5-4
Missouri Valley: 0-0
Head Coach: Jim Les (Bradley '86)
Career: 110-94 (7th year)
at Bradley: Same
Website: www.BradleyBraves.com
Milwaukee Panthers
2008-09 Record: 5-5
Horizon League: 2-0
Head Coach: Rob Jeter (UW-Platteville '91)
Career: 50-52 (4th year)
at Milwaukee: Same
Website: www.uwmpanthers.com
Starting Five
? With Fall Semester final exams complete, Bradley will return to action Saturday by visiting Wisconsin-Milwaukee in a 7:05 p.m. contest at U.S. Cellular Arena.
? Saturday's game is the return matchup of last year's BracketBusters game, which Bradley won, 84-72.
? Bradley is 6-3 all-time in games created through its participation in the BracketBusters series, including 2-2 in road games.
? Saturday's game also is Bradley's third against a Horizon League team this year and eighth against the neighboring Midwestern league since the start of last season.
? Saturday is Bradley's first-ever road game against Milwaukee, but the Braves are 6-2 all-time at U.S. Cellular Arena, where Bradley previously played eight games against Marquette.
105th Season
? Bradley has started its 105th men's basketball season and the Braves rank 26th in NCAA Division I history with 1,521 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.
Newcomer Impact
? With junior guard Andrew Warren (foot) likely out and sophomore forward Will Egolf (knee) unavailable, Bradley's rotation figures to feature five newcomers and four returning players.
? The five newcomers -- Dunson (30.6 mpg), Chris Roberts (26.6), Eddren McCain (19.6), Taylor Brown (13.8) and Darian Norris (13.4) -- have combined for 935 of the team's 1800 total minutes played.
? The quintet of rookies also averages 35.1 points per game, compared to 30.6 ppg by the four returning players in the current rotation.
Injury Bug Bites Again
? For the third consecutive year, the injury bug has taken a big bite out of the Bradley lineup.
? Junior guard Andrew Warren, the team's top returning scorer (13.2 ppg in 2007-08), has yet to suit up this season as he continues to recover from offseason surgery to repair a broken foot.
? Sophomore center Will Egolf, who was making his third career start, suffered a torn ACL in his right knee with 10:02 remaining Nov. 29 versus East Tennessee State and is to undergo season-ending surgery.
? Senior center Sam Singh suffered a broken nose Sunday and is questionable for Saturday's game.
? If Singh is unavailable, the Bradley lineup will be down to three returning scholarship players ? David Collins, Sam Maniscalco and Theron Wilson.
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 750 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.
Scoring in Threes
? Bradley is third nationally with 750 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.
Maui Jim 3-Point Challenge
? Peoria manufacturer Maui Jim 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.
? 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.
Scoring Big
? A player standing no taller than 6-foot-5 has led Bradley in scoring in 61 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.
About Milwaukee
? Milwaukee returned seven of 10 lettermen, but just two starters, from last year's squad that went 14-16 overall and tied for fourth in the Horizon League with a 9-9 league record.
? The Panthers will have been off for eight days since their last outing, a 69-45 loss Dec. 11 at Miami (Ohio).
? Junior guard Tone Boyle leads the Panthers in scoring at 13.7 ppg, while sophomore forward Anthony Hill leads the team in rebounding at 5.2 rpg.
? Milwaukee takes good care of the ball, averaging just 12.4 turnovers per game, but the Panthers only force 11.9 turnovers by their opponents on just 4.8 steals per game.
Bradley-Milwaukee Series
? Bradley owns a 2-1 lead in the all-time series against Milwaukee and all three previous meetings were played in Peoria.
? The teams had not met since 1972 until they were matched up in the BracketBusters series last season.
Bradley vs. Milwaukee
Bradley leads 2-1
Home: 2-1 Away: 0-0 Neutral: 0-0
12-01-65 Robertson Fieldhouse W 104-68
12-07-72 Robertson Fieldhouse L 72-74
02-23-08 Carver Arena W 84-72
BracketBusters Matchup
? Bradley owns a 6-3 all-time record in games created through its participation in the BracketBusters series, including a 2-2 road record.
Home: 4-1 Away: 2-2
02-21-04 Northern Illinois W 76-67
12-01-04 at Northern Illinois (OT) W 76-74
02-19-05 at Western Kentucky L 60-75
12-14-05 Western Kentucky W 78-76
02-18-06 Tennessee Tech W 77-62
11-29-06 at Tennessee Tech L 84-86
02-17-07 at VCU W 73-64
12-22-07 VCU L 64-79
02-23-08 Milwaukee W 84-72
? Bradley once again will participate in the BracketBusters series in February as a designated road team.
Another Horizon Matchup
? The game at Milwaukee will be the third of at least three against the Horizon League this season.
? The Braves knocked off UIC, 67-61, in the opener Nov. 14 and lost to Butler, 75-87, Dec. 10.
? Bradley played five games against the Horizon last season, going 3-2 with wins against Wright State, Loyola and Milwaukee and losses at Butler and UIC.
? Including Saturday's tilt, eight of Bradley's last 22 regular-season non-conference games have come against the Horizon League.
Getting To The Line
? Bradley enters the weekend second in The Valley by averaging 25.8 free throw attempts per game.
? By comparison, the 2007-08 Braves averaged 20.4 free throw attempts per game.
? Through the first nine games, Bradley has made 158-of-232 (.681) free throw attempts.
? Bradley's number of made free throws are just nine less than the number of attempts by its opponents.
? The Braves have outscored the opposition by 33 points, 158-125, at the stripe through nine games.
Effeciency At The Line Aids The Cause
? Bradley is 4-0 when shooting at least 70 percent from the free throw line this season.
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 69 charity shots in the first nine games (7.7 FTA/gm).
? Wilson already has been fouled 66 times in nine games, drawing better than 33 percent of the total fouls (195) committed against the Braves.
Wide Margins
? Seven of Bradley's first nine games have been decided by double-digit margins, including both of its previous two meetings against Horizon League teams.
? Bradley is 2-0 in games decided by single-digits this year.
Turnover Pace Slowing
? After committing 23 turnovers in back-to-back games at Florida and versus UMKC, Bradley has taken better care of the ball in the last six games.
? Including just 14 turnovers Sunday, Bradley has averaged 14.3 turnovers in the last six games.
? Despite the slowed pace, Bradley still suffers from a -0.2 turnover margin and a 10-point deficit (145-155) in points off turnovers.
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.
Looking Ahead
? Bradley will play its final non-conference tune-up Dec. 23 against an old friend when former assistant coach Lennox Forrester will bring his Southern Illinois-Edwardsville Cougars to Peoria for a 7:05 p.m. tip at Carver Arena.
? The Dec. 23 game against the Cougars will be Military Appreciation Night at Carver Arena: all active and retired members of the military with valid identification will receive half-priced tickets in the Priority III and Priority IV sections.
? In addition, Christopher the YMCA Guy will perform during halftime Dec. 23.
? The Braves will open their Missouri Valley Conference schedule by hosting Southern Illinois Dec. 28 (1:05 p.m.) at Carver Arena.
Red Sea Promotion
? With four home games scheduled during the period when Bradley University students will be on break, the Bradley Department of athletics has made lower bowl tickets in the student section available to the general public for purchase.
? Beginning Monday (Dec. 15) and continuing through Dec. 23, fans may purchase a four-game pack of tickets for $50 in the Red Sea lower bowl student section.
? The four-game pack includes the following games: Dec. 23 (SIU-Edwardsville), Dec. 28 (Southern Illinois), Jan. 6 (Illinois State) and Jan. 10 (Creighton).
? The Red Sea four-game package must be purchased only through the Shea Stadium Box Office (1523 W. Nebraska Ave. or 309-677-2625).
