For Starters
Bradley finished the exhibition portion of the schedule with an 85-65 victory against Great Lakes Valley Conference preseason favorite Quincy. The Braves dominated play inside, outrebounding the Lady Hawks 63-36 but committed 28 turnovers.
The Braves will be attempting to win a season-opener on the road for the first time since 2002-03. Bradley went undefeated in its two exhibition games last year.
Northern Illinois is opening a season at home for the fifth consecutive year and boasts a 3-1 record in season openers under fifth-year head coach Carol Owens. The Huskies posted an 85-66 victory against Lewis Tuesday in the team's only exhibition game. Junior Mauvolyene Adams had 19 points and 15 boards, while fellow junior Marke Freeman finished with 21 points, five assists and four steals Tuesday against the Flyers
About Northern Illinois
Northern Illinois returned nine of 13 letterwinners, including three starters from last year's team which finished 15-15 overall and was third in the West Division of the Mid-American Conference.
The Huskies were tabbed to finish third in the West Division in the MAC Preseason poll. NIU lost its leading scorer from 2008-09 to graduation (Jessie Wilcox - 10.9 ppg), but boasts four of the team's top five scorers from last year.
Highlighting a roster which features just two seniors and a total of five upperclassmen is a trio of players which averaged better than nine points per contest in 2008-09.
Junior Marke Freeman is the top returning scorer for the Huskies, after averaging 9.6 points and a team-best 3.3 assists per game. Junior center Ebony Ellis started all 30 games in the post NIU last year and averaged 9.5 points and 8.8 rebounds per game.
Senior guard Kylie York was NIU's top outside scoring threat last year, connecting on 76 three-pointers. York shot 36.2 percent from beyond the arc as a junior and scored 9.2 points per tilt. Junior forward Mauvolyene Adams is the only other returning player to average more than 2.5 points per contest after tossing in 7.3 points per game last year. Adams was second on the squad in rebounding at 5.3 boards per contest.
NIU was the top rebounding team in the MAC last year (39.7 rpg) and also led the MAC in rebounding margin (+5.1).
About Bradley
A year removed from featuring one of the most experienced rosters in the Missouri Valley Conference, youth is prevalent on the 2009-10 roster for the Bradley Women's Basketball.
Despite returning six of its top eight scorers from 2008-09 and one of the top inside-out combos in The Valley, the Braves roster features just two seniors and a total of four upperclassmen (two juniors) to go along with seven sophomores and three freshmen.
Headlining a group which represents 63 percent of last year's scoring and 65 percent of the rebounding is junior forward Sonya Harris. A game-changer on both ends of the floor, Harris averaged 9.3 points per game and was third in the MVC in rebounding at 8.5 boards per game. She earned Second-Team All-MVC honors after posting a league-leading and school-season record 79 blocked shots and was second on the team in steals with 36, while garnering MVC All-Defensive Team honors.
Sophomore guard Michelle Lund missed the first exhibition game because of illness, but returned to the floor against Quincy in the final exhibition game. She was a three-time MVC Newcomer of the Week selection and was voted to the Valley's All-Freshman team after connecting on 75 three-pointers. Lund averaged 9.2 points per game and was second in the league in both three-point field goals per game and three-point field goal percentage (.403).
Junior Raisa Taylor came off the bench most of the season, but started 12 contests and averaged 8.8 points per game, while ranking second on the team in free throw attempts. Taylor started 10 of her last 11 games of the season and averaged 10.0 points, 4.5 rebounds and 2.0 assists per game during that stretch.
Senior co-captain Jenny Van Kirk was third on the team in rebounding (4.1 rpg) and averaged 5.2 points per game. The most experienced player on the roster, she was one of three players on the roster to have more assists than turnovers in 2008-09.
Bradley led the MVC in blocked shots last year, averaging nearly six rejections per contest and had a school record 185 blocks. The Braves ranked second in The Valley in scoring at 69.0 points per game and led the MVC in three-point field goal percentage (.362). Bradley also led the conference in rebounding (41.6 rebounds per game), rebounding margin (+6.8) and assists (16.2 per game).
The Coaches
The dean of Missouri Valley Conference Women's Basketball coaches, Paula Buscher (Missouri State, '86) is in her 10th year at Bradley and has a record of 117-142 (.452) at BU. Buscher led teams to improved records in each of her first five seasons as a collegiate head coach and 10 of her 13 seasons overall culminating in last year's 21-10 season. The 2008-09 Rawlings Missouri Valley Conference Coach of the Year, Buscher owns a 160-180 (.471) career record and is in her 12th year as a collegiate head coach. She is the second winningest coach in school history with 117 wins and needs just seven wins to pass Lisa Boyer. Last season she led Bradley to a school-record 21 victories (21-10 overall) and best conference finish (11-7 MVC; 4th place) since tying for third in 1991-92. A longtime assistant coach at Nebraska-Omaha, Buscher coached Minnesota St.-Mankato during the 1997-98 season and returned to UNO as head coach for the 1998-99 and 1999-00 seasons, before coming to The Hilltop.
Carol Owens (Northern Illinois '90) is in her fifth year as head coach at her alma mater and has led the Huskies to a 56-62 (.475) record in her three-plus seasons. Owens led NIU to a 19-12 record in 2006-07, marking the best record for the Huskies since the 1993-94 season. Prior to her return to DeKalb, Ill., Owens was an assistant coach at Notre Dame for 10 years.
NIU Series
Bradley will open its 35th season Friday, Nov. 13th when the Braves travel to Northern Illinois for a 7:05 p.m. contest. NIU holds a 6-4 lead in the all-time series which dates back to the 1978-79 season. The Huskies have won three of the last four meetings in DeKalb, Ill., with Bradley's lone win coming Dec. 28, 1995 (76-66). The Braves won in last year's meeting (77-62), but Northern Illinois has won two of the last three in the series. The teams have split the last six meetings 3-3. Bradley opened the 2007-08 season against Northern Illinois, falling to the Huskies 54-49.
On The Air
Friday's season-opener at Northern Illinois is the first of at least eight Bradley Women's Basketball radio games in the Peoria area. The season-opener against the Huskies is one of three games scheduled for 96.5 FM ESPN Radio. 96.5 ESPN will also carry the Dec. 8 home game against Missouri and the Dec. 29 road game at Saint Louis.
Common Exhibition Opponent
Bradley and Northern Illinois both played Lewis in exhibition games this season. The Braves were 93-62 winners against the Flyers on Nov. 1, while NIU posted an 85-66 win Tuesday. BU shot 52.3 percent from the field, while limiting Lewis 38 percent shooting. The Braves outrebounded the Flyers 44-26 and outscored Lewis 40-20 in the paint. NIU also dominated the glass in its game against Lewis, outrebounding the Flyers 49-34. The Huskies hauled down 22 offensive boards and committed just 10 turnovers.
Quincy Recap
Bradley scored the first 11 points of the game and never looked back as the Braves closed out the exhibition portion of the schedule with an 85-65 victory against Quincy at Lorene Ramsey Gym Sunday. Junior Sonya Harris made 7-of-8 shots and finished with 18 points and 11 rebounds in 18 minutes of play, but freshman Katie Yohn stole the show as she connected on 5-of-9 three-point attempts and scored a game-high 19 points. Fellow freshman Brooke Bisping added 14 points, six rebounds, four assists and two steals. Bradley outrebounded Quincy 63-36, but the Braves committed 28 turnovers in the contest.
Exhibition Recap
Bradley was impressive on the offensive end of the floor in its two exhibition games, averaging 89.0 points per game. The Braves posted a 93-62 victory against Lewis University and wrapped up exhibition play with an 85-65 win against Great Lakes Valley Conference preseason favorite Quincy. Second-Team All-Missouri Valley Conference performer Sonya Harris averaged 15.0 points and 8.0 rebounds while shooting 72 percent from the field in Bradley's two exhibition games. Freshman Katie Yohn also averaged 15.0 points per game and made 8-of-14 three-point attempts (57 percent) in exhibition play. Morton, Ill., native Brooke Bisping added 12.0 points, 4.5 rebounds and 4.0 assists per game.
Season Openers
Bradley opens its 35th year of intercollegiate competition Friday with a road game at Northern Illinois. The Braves are opening the season on the road for the second time in the last three years. Bradley opened the 2007-08 season at NIU, falling to the Huskies 54-49 in DeKalb, Ill. The Braves are 20-14 all-time in season openers and will be opening the season against an in-state opponent for the fifth consecutive year. Bradley is 4-8 when opening the season with a road game. The Braves are 11-2 when facing an in-state opponent in a season opener and BU is 6-3 in season openers under 10th-year head coach Paula Buscher.
Home Away From Home
The Braves will once again call Illinois Central College's Lorene Ramsey Gym as construction of a new on-campus facility will be completed this spring. The Braves boasted an 11-2 record at Lorene Ramsey Gym last year and finished the season with a 12-2 home mark, including an 81-65 win against Air Force. Bradley tied a school record with 12 home wins last season and the 12-2 home mark is the second-best home winning percentage in school history behind the 1979-80 squad's 10-1 home record.
In-State Opponents
Bradley's first three opponents of the 2009-10 season each call the state of Illinois home, marking the second consecutive year the Braves will open a season with at least three consecutive in-state foes. Bradley is 25-14 (.641) against in-state non-conference opponents under 10th-year head coach Paula Buscher, including a 9-2 (.818) mark over the last two seasons.
Up Next
Bradley returns home to play Illinois-Chicago Sunday at 2:05 p.m. at Lorene Ramsey Gym in East Peoria. Bradley leads the all-time series with Illinois-Chicago 12-4, but the Flames have won two of the last three meetings including last year when UIC defeated BU 72-61 in Chicago. The Braves are 7-1 all-time at home in the series and have won six consecutive home contests in the series. Bradley's lone home loss to the Flames was during the 1981-82 season, when UIC posted an 85-61 win at Robertson Memorial Field House. Sunday's meeting will mark the sixth consecutive year the two teams have played each other. After meeting six times from 1981-87, the teams played each other just three times from 1988-1999.
Bradley Picked Sixth In MVC Poll
Bradley was picked to finish sixth in the preseason Missouri Valley Conference poll. The sixth-place selection is the highest the Braves have been picked since they were selected to finish sixth in 2002-03. Bradley has finished higher than its predicted finish in each of the last three years and seven of the last nine years under head coach Paula Buscher. The Braves were 36 points behind fifth-place Indiana State and 26 points ahead of seventh-place Missouri State.
2009-10 MVC Preseason Poll
Rank Team (First-Place Votes) Points
1. Creighton (34) 393
2. Illinois State (6) 340
3. Drake 296
4. Northern Iowa 253
5. Indiana State 250
6. BRADLEY 214
7. Missouri State 188
8. Evansville 108
9. Wichita State 97
10. Southern Illinois 61
Strong Debuts
Bradley's three freshmen made strong showings in their first outings as Braves. The trio combined for 31 points, seven rebounds, nine assists and four steals in the exhibition opener against Lewis. In addition the three guards combined to make 5-of-8 from beyond the three-point arc. Katie Yohn made 3-of-5 from three-point range and finished with 11 points. Morton, Ill., native Brooke Bisping had 10 points, three boards and four assists, while Olivia Allen added nine points, three rebounds, four assists and three steals in 16 minutes of play.
Youth Movement
Bradley once again features one of the youngest rosters in the Missouri Valley Conference, featuring just two seniors and a total of four upperclassmen. For the second consecutive year, the Braves roster includes 10 underclassmen (three freshmen and seven sophomores). Bradley is not the only team in The Valley relying on youth as six of the 10 teams have nine underclassmen or more on their rosters. Indiana State, Missouri State and Northern Iowa join Bradley with 10 underclassmen, while Drake and Evansville each boast nine underclassmen.
Braves Break School Record For Wins
Bradley is coming off arguably its most successful season since joining the Missouri Valley Conference, after posting a 21-10 record in 2008-09. The 21 victories were a school record and the Braves finished with just the second 20-win season in program history. Bradley's only other 20-win season came in 1979-80, when the Braves posted a 20-9 overall mark. Bradley's 21 victories last year were the most since playing a full NCAA Division I schedule. In addition, the Braves' 11 Missouri Valley Conference wins were the most since finishing 1991-92 with an 11-7 conference mark.
20-WIN SEASONS
Year Final Record MVC Record
2008-09 21-10 11-7
1979-80 20-9 N/A
What's Back
Bradley returns 10 of 14 letterwinners, including three starters from last year's team which finished with a school-record 21 victories. The Braves, which feature six of the top eight scorers and three of the top four rebounders from 2008-09, have three returning players that averaged 8.8 points per game or better. Junior forward Sonya Harris was a Second-Team All-MVC selection after averaging 9.3 points and a team-best 8.5 rebounds per game. Harris led The Valley in blocked shots and was third in rebounding in the league, while capturing MVC All-Defensive Team honors in 2008-09. Sophomore guard Michelle Lund was second in the conference in three-point field goal percentage (.403) and three-point field goals per game (2.4), while averaging 9.2 points per game. Lund was named to the MVC All-Freshman team. Junior forward Raisa Taylor started 12 games and averaged 8.8 points per contest.
Home, Sweet Home
Despite not having a true home court to call its own last season, Bradley finished the year with the second most home wins in the Missouri Valley Conference and tied the school-record for home victories. The Braves played 13 of 14 home dates in 2008-09 at Illinois Central College's Lorene Ramsey Gym in East Peoria, Ill., while construction of a new on-campus facility began. Bradley went 12-2 (.857) in those 14 games, tying a school-season record for home wins (1981-82 - 12-4) and posting the second-best home winning percentage in program history. The 1979-80 squad, which is the only other 20-win team in program history, boasted a 10-1 (.909) home mark. Bradley will call Lorene Ramsey Gym for 11 of 12 home games this season. The Dec. 5 home against Arkansas-Little Rock will be played at Woodruff High School.
BEST HOME RECORDS IN PROGRAM HISTORY
Year Home Road Neutral Final
1979-80 10-1 6-7 4-1 20-9
2008-09 12-2 6-7 3-1 21-10
1986-87 10-3 5-10 0-0 15-13
1981-82 12-4 5-2 2-2 19-8
Blocking The Night Away
Sophomore Sonya Harris averaged 3.5 blocked shots per game in Missouri Valley Conference play and was a big reason the Braves had a school-season record 185 blocks last year. Bradley led the MVC in blocked shots per game at 6.0 and the 185 rejections as a squad is the second best season total in Missouri Valley Conference history. Harris finished with a school-season record of 79 blocked shots, which ranks as the fourth best season total in Valley history. She was named to the Missouri Valley Conference All-Defensive team.
MVC SEASON BLOCKED SHOTS LEADERS
BS Name (School) Year
135 Cassie Hager (UNI) 2004-05
128 Cassie Hager (UNI) 2005-06
84 Tammi Blackstone (Drake) 1998-99
79 Sonya Harris (Bradley) 2008-09
77 Tammi Blackstone (Drake) 1997-98
MVC BLOCKED SHOTS IN A SEASON (Team)
BS Team Season
200 Northern Iowa 2004-05
185 Bradley 2008-09
182 Northern Iowa 2005-06
From Long Range
Sophomore guard Michelle Lund emerged as one of the top outside scoring threats in the Missouri Valley Conference in her rookie season, knocking down 75 three-pointers as a freshman. In addition to ranking as the most trey's by a Bradley underclassmen, Lund's 75 triples is the second-best effort by a freshman in the history of the Missouri Valley Conference and is the third-best season total by a Bradley player.
3-Point Field Goals By A Freshman (MVC)
3FG Name Years
79 Kelsey Luna, Indiana State 2006-07
75 Michelle Lund, Bradley 2008-09
68 Lindsay Whorton, Drake 2004-05
Bradley 3-Point Field Goals Made (Season)
3FG Name Years
87 Michelle Nason 1994-95
78 Erika Nelson 2006-07
75 Michelle Lund 2008-09
71 Michelle Nason 1993-94
Buscher Nearing School Wins Record
Bradley head coach Paula Buscher enters her 10th season on The Hilltop needing just seven victories to pass Lisa Boyer as the winningest coach in program history. The 2008-09 Missouri Valley Conference Coach of the Year, Buscher enters the season with a 117-142 (.452) record after last season's school-record 21 victories (21-10 overall). Boyer was 123-150 (.451) as Bradley head coach from 1986-87 through the 1995-96 season. Buscher will match Boyer as the longest tenured coach in program history following the 2009-10 campaign and the duo has combined for 240 of Bradley's 416 all-time wins (58 percent).
BRADLEY CAREER COACHING VICTORIES
Wins Name Years
123 Lisa Boyer 1986-96
117 Paula Buscher 2000-present
63 Jan Winkler 1977-81
Braves Reach MVC Semifinals
For just the second-time in school history and first since the 1996-97 campaign, Bradley advanced to the semifinals of the State Farm Missouri Valley Conference Tournament semifinals with a 70-49 victory against Indiana State in last year's quarterfinals. The Braves were upset by eventual MVC Tournament champion and #9 seed Evansville 84-81 in overtime in the semifinals in 2008-09. Bradley also was an upset victim in its only other semifinal appearance during the 1997 conference tournament in Springfield, Mo. The #6 seeded Braves knocked off #3 seed Missouri State 53-52 in the team's first-ever MVC Tournament victory, before falling to #7 seed Wichita State 74-67 in the semifinals during the 1997 event.
Buscher Named MVC Coach Of The Year
Bradley head coach Paula Buscher was selected as the 2008-09 Rawlings Missouri Valley Conference Coach of the Year after leading Bradley to its first 20-win season in almost 30 years and best conference finish in nearly two decades. Buscher earned the honor for the first time in her career and joined Lisa Boyer as the only coaches in school history to earn the award. Buscher led the Braves to the most wins in program history (21) and first appearance in the MVC Tournament semifinals since 1997. Bradley was 11-7 in the Valley, marking the Braves best conference record since 1991-92.
Braves Have Best Valley Season Since 1991-92
Bradley finished the 2008-09 MVC regular-season slate with an 11-7, marking the best record for the Braves since tying for third place during the 1991-92 season with an identical 11-7 mark. The 11 conference wins is tied for the second most in program history, behind the 1989-90 squad's 12-6 league record. The top four finish was the fifth in program history and first since 1991-92. Below is chart detailing each winning conference mark in program history.
Bradley's Best Valley Records
Year MVC Overall Record Place
1989-90 12-6 16-12 4th
2008-09 11-7 21-9 4th
1985-86 11-7 16-12 4th
1991-92 11-7 17-11 T3rd
1986-87 10-8 15-13 4th
One Smart Cookie
Senior forward Jenny Van Kirk added another academic honor to her list of accomplishments, picking up second-team Missouri Valley Conference scholar-athlete honors this season. A pre-med major with a 4.0 cumulative GPA. The first Bradley to earn first or second-team MVC Scholar-Athlete honors since Genny Mueller in 2004-05, Van Kirk also was a Second-Team ESPN The Magazine Academic All-District V selection in addition to earning Division I-AAA Athletic Director's Scholar-Athlete honors.
Cleaning The Glass
Junior Sonya Harris ranked third in the Missouri Valley Conference in rebounding last year, pulling down an average of 8.5 boards per game. Her 247 rebounds last season was the best season total by a Bradley player since Carrie Coffman had a school-record 302 boards in 1994-95 and is the most rebounds by an underclassmen in program history. In fact, Harris' 247 rebounds ranks as the sixth best season total in school history. She enters her junior season as the Braves active career leader with 384 boards.
BRADLEY REBOUNDING (SEASON)
Reb. Name Year
302 Carrie Coffman 1994-95
291 June Stephenson 1976-77
275 Roxanne Grabow 1981-82
Eileen Yerkes 1991-92
256 Roxanne Grabow 1982-83
247 Sonya Harris 2008-09
244 Monica Rogers 2008-09
234 Karen Richardson 1979-80
233 Dena Williams 2004-05
231 Val Wancket 1990-91
Second Half Team
Bradley continued what has become a trend of Paula Buscher's tenure with the Braves, boasting a better record in the second half of Missouri Valley Conference play then in the first half of league action last season. BU opened MVC play with a 5-4 record, but finished 6-3 during the second half of The Valley slate. Bradley has a better record in the second half of league play in each of the last four years and seven of Buscher's nine seasons on The Hilltop. In Buscher's nine years as head coach, Bradley has had fewer wins in the second half of conference play just once - 2001-02. Bradley's winning percentage in the first half of Valley play under Buscher is 26-55 (.321) compared to 39-42 (.481) mark in the second half of play. Below is a chart comparing the first half of conference play for the Braves to the second half of league action under Buscher.
Year-by-Year Breakdown Under Buscher
Year 1st Round 2nd Round Final Record
2008-09 5-4 6-3 11-7/4th
2007-08 2-7 4-5 6-12/8th
2006-07 3-6 4-5 7-11/7th
2005-04 1-8 4-5 5-13/T9th
2004-05 4-5 4-5 8-10/T6th
2003-04 2-7 5-4 7-11/T6th
2002-03 4-5 5-4 9-9/6th
2001-02 4-5 3-6 7-11/T7th
2000-01 1-8 4-5 5-13/8th
Feeling Rejected
After her school-record 79 blocked shots in 2008-09, junior Sonya Harris finds herself in third in career blocked shots entering the 2009-10 campaign. Just the fifth player in program history with 100 career blocked shots, Harris has averaged 2.1 blocked shots per game through the first 54 games of her career and has 113 blocks in her first two seasons. She is 41 rejections behind Heather Best for second-place at BU and needs 85 blocks to catch all-time leader Dena Williams. Harris is the active career blocked shots leader in the Missouri Valley Conference and is tied for 15th in Valley history in career rejections with Abbi Schutte from UNI.
BRADLEY CAREER BLOCKED SHOTS LEADERS
BS Name Year
197 Dena Williams 2001-05
153 Heather Best 1995-99
113 Sonya Harris 2007-present
106 Krisha Green 1993-97
Non-Conference Streaks
Bradley brings a nine-game home winning streak against non-conference opponents into the team's home opener Nov. 15 against Illinois-Chicago. The nine-game non-conference home win streak is the longest since Bradley joined the Gateway Conference for the 1983-84 season. In addition, Bradley has also won seven consecutive home games against in-state non-conference opponents. The Braves are 27-11 (.711) at home against non-conference opponents under head coach Paula Buscher.
Schedule Notes
Bradley will open its 35th season of competition with three consecutive games against in-state opponents, but it is not the only oddity in the Braves schedule. Bradley will play just three home non-conference games, marking the fewest home games for the Braves since playing a total of 12 home games during the 2003-04 slate. The Braves will make two trips out west with the first scheduled for Nov. 28 & 29 for the Lady Rebel Round-Up in Las Vegas, Nev. The trip to Nevada will be the first in program history. Bradley played six in-state non-conference opponents in 2008-09, but will face just three in 2009-10. Bradley will play a PAC-10 Conference school for the first time since 1996-97 when the Braves face Washington State, Nov. 28 in Las Vegas. Peoria, Ill., native and former high school teammate of Paula Buscher, Cindy Stein and her Missouri Tigers will visit Lorene Ramsey Gym on Dec. 8. Stein and Buscher both played basketball at Illinois Central College for legendary coach Lorene Ramsey before finishing out their collegiate careers at Illinois and Missouri State, respectively. The Braves open a season-long five-game road swing with a pair of games in Colorado. The trip to Colorado is the first since 2000-01 and the five-game road swing is the first for Bradley since the 1993-94 season.
Double Trouble
Junior Sonya Harris owns 14 career double-doubles heading into the 2009-10 season. Her 14 double-doubles are the most by a Bradley player since Dena Williams (2001-05) finished her career with 19 double-doubles and is tied for the fifth-best career total in program history. Harris nearly averaged a double-double in Missouri Valley Conference play in 2008-09, scoring 9.7 points per game while grabbing 10.1 boards per contest.
BRADLEY CAREER DOUBLE-DOUBLE LEADERS
DD Name Year
28 Carrie Coffman 1991-95
21 Val Wancket 1987-91
19 Dena Williams 2001-05
17 Eileen Yerkes 1988-92
Roxanne Grabow 1979-83
14 Sonya Harris 2007-present
Karin Nicholls 1986-90
