Game 27 ? Missouri State (10-16) at Bradley (14-12) ? Feb. 17, 2009 ? 7:05 p.m. ? Peoria, Ill. ? Carver Arena
Bradley Shoots For 500th Valley Win Tuesday Night
PEORIA, Ill. ? The Bradley men's basketball team will have both history and the future at stake when the Braves host Missouri State Tuesday night at Carver Arena. The Braves will be shooting for their 500th all-time Missouri Valley Conference victory and they will be trying to move one step closer to securing one of six quarterfinal spots in next month's State Farm MVC Tournament in St. Louis. Bradley's “magic number” (combination of Bradley Valley wins and opponent losses) is two against both Drake and Southern Illinois for one of those top six seeds.
Game Information
TV: Mediacom (Springfield, Mo)
Radio: 1470 WMBD (Dave Snell, Joe Stowell and Chuck Buescher)
Video Stream: BradleyBraves.com
Live Stats: BradleyBraves.com
Tickets: Available, $8-20
Series: Missouri State leads 25-15
Last: Bradley, 63-57, Jan. 3, 2009 at Missouri State
Bradley Braves
2008-09 Record: 14-12
Missouri Valley: 8-7
Head Coach: Jim Les (Bradley '86)
Career: 119-102 (7th year)
at Bradley: Same
Website: www.BradleyBraves.com
Missouri State Bears
2008-09 Record: 10-16
Missouri Valley: 3-12
Head Coach: Cuonzo Martin (Purdue '00)
Career: 10-16 (1st year)
at Missouri State: Same
Web: www.missouristatebears.com
Starting Five
? Bradley will be shooting for its 500th all-time Missouri Valley Conference victory when the Braves host Missouri State Tuesday night at Carver Arena.
? Bradley also will be trying to sweep the two regular-season games against the Bears for just the second time (1998) since MSU joined The Valley for the 1990-91 season.
? Despite Bradley's 63-57 win Jan. 3 at JQH Arena, Missouri State remains the only active Valley member to lead the all-time series against the Braves, boasting a 25-15 advantage in the first 40 meetings.
? A Bradley win Tuesday, coupled with one more loss by next week's Drake/SIU winner, will secure the Braves a spot in the quarterfinals of the State Farm MVC Tournament.
? A win Tuesday also would assure the Braves of finishing at least .500 in The Valley for the fourth consecutive year.
105th Season
? Now in its 105th men's basketball season, Bradley is 26th in NCAA Division I history with 1,530 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.
Style Of Play
? 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 sixth nationally with 845 3-pointers the last three years and finish among the two highest-scoring teams in The Valley 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.
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, both of whom have missed games this season due to injury.
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.
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), will not play this season due to a stress fracture in his right 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 underwent season-ending surgery Dec. 18.
? Senior center Sam Singh suffered a broken nose Dec. 14 and missed the next two games after undergoing corrective surgery Dec. 17.
? The injury losses left the Braves with just three returning scholarship players during Singh's absence and Singh is now the only scholarship player with as many as two full seasons of experience in the program.
Newcomer Impact
? With junior guard Andrew Warren (foot) and sophomore forward Will Egolf (knee) unavailable, Bradley's rotation now features six newcomers and four returning players.
? The six newcomers -- Dodie Dunson (28.1 mpg), Eddren McCain (24.7), Chris Roberts (24.7), Darian Norris (12.2), Taylor Brown (11.8) and Anthony Thompson (4.6) -- have combined for 2672 of the team's 5200 total minutes played -- 51.4 percent.
? The six rookies also combine to average 32.2 points per game, compared to 33.3 ppg by the four returning players in the current rotation.
Shooting For 500th Valley Win
? Now in its 57th year of Missouri Valley Conference membership, Bradley enters Tuesday's game against Missouri State with a 499-374 (.572) all-time league record.
? Drake, which was a charter Valley member in 1907 and is playing its 97th MVC season overall, owns the record for the most MVC victories with 511 league wins.
All-Time MVC Victories
Rk. Team Wins 1st Year Yrs.
1. Drake 511 1908 97
2. Bradley 499 1949 57
3. Wichita State 468 1946 64
4. Creighton 425 1929 51
5. Tulsa 400 1935 62
6. Southern Illinois 315 1976 34
7. Illinois State 282 1982 29
8. Saint Louis 239 1938 36
9. Oklahoma State 220 1926 32
10. Kansas 210 1908 21
11. Indiana State 201 1978 33
12. Missouri State 194 1991 19
13. Missouri 178 1908 21
14. Washington (Mo.) 160 1908 40
15. Nebraska 155 1908 20
16. UNI 146 1992 18
17. Cincinnati 128 1958 13
18. Louisville 121 1965 11
19. Kansas State 115 1914 15
20. Evansville 114 1995 15
21. New Mexico State 92 1973 11
22. Iowa State 89 1908 21
23. Grinnell 83 1919 21
24. Oklahoma 78 1920 9
25. West Texas State 67 1973 14
26. North Texas 54 1958 18
27. Houston 46 1951 10
28. Memphis 35 1968 6
29. Detroit 33 1950 8
30. Washburn 31 1935 7
31. Butler 18 1933 2
Bradley Star Watch
Theron Wilson ? Sr. ? F ? Topeka, Kan.
? The only player in The Valley to rank among the league's top six in scoring (13.7 ppg, sixth), rebounding (7.3 rpg, third) and steals (1.8 spg, third).
? Leads The Valley by averaging 7.1 free throw attempts per game and is tied for 14th nationally with 184 free throw attempts.
? Coming off one of the best all-around games of his career Saturday against Evansville: 26 points, seven rebounds, five assists and two steals.
? Recorded his fifth double-double of the season Wednesday at Creighton (15 points, 11 rebounds).
? Has scored in double-figures in 23 of Bradley's 26 games.
? Leads The Valley by averaging 1.9 steals in league play.
? Needs two steals to reach 50 for the season and extend Bradley's streak of consecutive seasons with a player with at least 50 steals to seven years.
? In position to join Mitchell Anderson (1979, 1981) as the only front-court players in school history to lead Bradley in steals for a single season.
About Missouri State
? If any team has been bitten as hard by the injury bug as Bradley, it could be Missouri State.
? Concussions have been the primary culprit, holding leading scorer Chris Cooks out of three games, including the season's first game against Bradley, and likely ending the career of senior guard Shane Laurie, who has suffered four concussions the last two seasons.
? After winning seven of its first 10 games, including a 62-57 victory against Arkansas in the JQH Arena opener, Missouri State has lost 13 of its last 16 games, including six of the last seven.
? The Bears are last in The Valley in scoring (61.2 ppg), field goal percentage (.398) and assists (11.4 apg), as well as field goal percentage defense (.444).
? Senior forward Chris Cooks leads the Bears in scoring (13.2 ppg), rebounding (6.3 rpg) and steals (1.2 spg) and is second with 62 assists.
Bradley-Missouri State Series
? Tuesday's game will be the 41st meeting in the all-time series between Bradley and Missouri State, which did not begin until the Bears joined The Valley for the 1990-91 season.
? Missouri State remains the only Valley team to lead the all-time series against Bradley as the Bears own a 25-15 advantage.
? Having already earned a 63-57 win Jan. 3 at JQH Arena, Bradley will be shooting for just its second regular-season series sweep against Missouri State in the 19 years they have been league rivals.
? The Braves also swept Missouri State during the 1997-98 regular-season by sneaking out a 63-62 win Jan. 6 at Carver Arena and a 69-65 overtime decision Feb. 19 at the Hammons Student Center.
Playing the Percentages
? The Braves are 13-1 (.929) this season when they shoot at a better percentage than their opponents and 1-11 (.083) when colder from the floor.
? Along those shooting percentage lines, Bradley is 6-0 when shooting at least 50 percent from the floor and 9-0 when limiting the opposition to less than 40 percent.
First Half Momentum
? Bradley is 12-2 (.857) this season when leading at the half and 2-10 when trailing at the break.
Surprising Trend
? Bradley is 8-5 (.615) this season when the Braves commit more turnovers than their opponents.
? The Braves are 5-6 (.455) when they win the turnover battle.
Defensive Magic Number is 60
? Bradley is 7-0 when allowing fewer than 60 points.
? Bradley is 7-12 this season when allowing at least 60 points.
? Missouri State is 3-7 and has lost six straight when scoring fewer than 60.
Offensive Magic Number is 66
? The Braves are 8-2 this year when scoring at least 66 points and have won 12 of their last 15 overall when hitting for at least 66.
? Bradley has won four straight when scoring at least 66 points.
? Missouri State is 1-13 when allowing at least 66 points.
Scoring In Threes
? Bradley is sixth nationally with 845 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.
Changing Gears
? Bradley entered the season as one of the nation's most proficient 3-point shooting teams the last two years and the Braves still rank sixth nationally with 845 3-pointers since the start of the 2006-07 campaign.
? During a 5-5 start to the season, the Braves were averaging 21.3 3-point field goal attempts per game, but were shooting just 28.6 percent from behind the arc.
? During the last 16 games, however, the Braves have become more selective with their long range shooting, averaging only 15.4 3-point attempts per game, but are connecting on 36.0 percent of those tries.
Bradley's 3-Point Shooting Breakdown
1st 10 Last 16
Record 5-5 9-7
3FGA/gm 21.3 15.4
3FGM/gm 6.1 5.6
3FG% .286 .360
FG% .412 .455
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 will enter Tuesday's game versus Missouri State with a 293-94 (.757) record at Carver Arena.
? The Braves own a 165-64 (.721) Valley record at Carver Arena.
? The Braves are 9-3 at home so far this year.
? Bradley is 15-4 all-time when playing in front of a home crowd in excess of 11,000, including 2-0 this year.
Softer Finish Ahead
? Having completed a five-game stretch against teams with a 90-42 (.682) combined record, Bradley will finish the regular-season with four games against teams that begin the week with a combined 53-53 (.500) record.
? Bradley will host Missouri State (10-16) Tuesday, play consecutive road games at Loyola-Chicago (13-15) and Evansville (15-10), then will host Drake (15-12) to end the regular season.
Balanced Distribution
? Bradley is getting a remarkably even distribution of shots among its top three scorers.
? Leading scorer Theron Wilson has attempted 229 field goal attempts, second-leading scorer Dodie Dunson 228 and third-leading scorer Sam Maniscalco 227.
? While only three points separate the scoring totals of Dunson (298) and Maniscalco (295), Wilson has added 184 free throw attempts, leading to 357 total points.
Scoring Big
? A player standing no taller than 6-foot-5 has led Bradley in scoring in 78 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.
? The streak has been extended by 11 different players the last two-and-a-half years, most recently by Theron Wilson's 26 points Saturday against Evansville.
Bench Provides A Lift
? Although the Braves have used eight different starting lineups throughout the season, the lineup shuffle has not prevented the players from being contributors off the bench.
? Bradley's bench has outscored the opposition reserves by 94 points (+3.6 ppg) so far this year, 519-425.
? The Bradley bench has been particularly strong of late, winning the reserve scoring battle in six of the last 10 games by a combined total of 208-140.
Winning The Close Games
? Despite a recent four-game slide in such games, the Braves are 6-4 in games decided by six points or less this season.
? In the last six years, Bradley is 36-22 (.621) in games decided by six points or less.
Free Throw Differential
? Bradley enters Wednesday's game second in The Valley by averaging 22.8 free throw attempts per game.
? Bradley is 8-0 this year when it makes at least six more free throws than its opponent.
? The Braves have been on the short end of charity shots in five of the last nine games, however, by a combined 20 attempts.
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 already has surpassed that total with 184 charity shots through 26 games (7.1 FTA/gm).
? Wilson already has been fouled 157 times in 26 games, drawing 30 percent of the total fouls (524) committed against the Braves.
? The number of trips Wilson makes to the free throw line is a good gauge of Bradley's overall success this season: Wilson has averaged 8.7 free throw attempts in the 14 wins, compared to 5.2 attempts in the 12 losses.
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.
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.
? Averaging 21.2 ppg and 9.9 rpg through 22 games.
? 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).
? Averaging 23.4 ppg and 12.6 rpg through 22 games.
? Averaged 19.5 ppg and 11.7 rpg as a junior.
? Recently became the all-time leading scorer in Eureka boys basketball history.
Upcoming Promotions
Feb. 28 Drake 7:05 pm
Fan Appreciation Night: everyone in attendance will receive a Bradley Basketball t-shirt, sponsored by Maui Jim, Methodist and Prairie Home Alliance.
Senior Night: Bradley's four seniors will be honored in pre- and post-game ceremonies.
Big Media Numbers
? Now in his 30th year as the radio Voice of the Braves, Dave Snell has participated in 911 Bradley Basketball game broadcasts, all in succession, on WMBD AM 1470 since taking over play-by-play duties for the 1979-80 season.
? Snell's longtime radio sidekick, Joe Stowell has been witness to 1,519 Bradley Basketball games in his various roles as player (103, 1947-50); assistant coach (250, 1956-65); head coach (344, 1965-78); assistant athletic director (107, 1978-85); and radio analyst (715, 1985-present).
? Peoria Journal Star beat writer Dave Reynolds has covered 575 Bradley Basketball games, all in succession, since taking over the beat for the start of the 1990-91 season.
