For Starters
Bradley (7-8 overall, 3-2 MVC) is riding a three-game win streak after defeating Northern Iowa 74-62 last Friday at Lorene Ramsey Gym and hits the road for two games against teams near the top of the Missouri Valley Conference standings.
The Braves are one of the hottest teams in the league after winning five of the last seven overall, but are still looking for their first conference road win of the season and will be facing a pair of teams which have both been on good runs of their own.
Creighton (10-5 overall, 5-1 MVC) has won five of six and the preseason Missouri Valley Conference favorite sits atop the league standings with a 5-1 mark in Valley play. The Bluejays are 5-2 at home with the two losses coming against 15th-ranked Oklahoma and Missouri State. Creighton has won each of its last two games and has limited opponents to 52.8 points per game in Valley action.
Drake enters this Friday's home game against Northern Iowa with an 11-5 overall mark and is tied with Missouri State for third in the MVC standings at 4-2. The Bulldogs have won four of their last five after falling at Illinois State to open MVC play and Drake is undefeated at home (6-0) so far this season.
On The Radio
Sunday's game against Drake will be carried on 1290 AM WIRL. The game against the Bulldogs is the second of five contests scheduled to air of WIRL this season. Ed Hammond (play-by-play) and Jim Rea (analyst) will call the action from the Drake Knapp Center.
About Creighton
The preseason favorite to win the Missouri Valley Conference, Creighton is 10-5 overall and off to a league-best 5-1 start to Valley play. The Bluejays returned seven of 11 letterwinners, including four starters from last year's team which finished 22-12 overall and advanced to the second round of the WNIT. Creighton was second in the MVC at 14-4 in 2008-09.
The Bluejays lead the MVC in scoring defense, surrendering a league low 58.7 points per game and scoring margin (+8.3 ppg). Creighton also averages a league-best eight three-pointers per contest and is shooting 35.8 percent from beyond the arc.
Senior Megan Neuvirth was the preseason pick for Valley Player of the Year and leads the Bluejays in scoring at 12.7 points per game. She is hauling down 7.1 rebounds per outing and was the 2008-09 MVC Defensive Player of the Year.
Junior guard/forward Sam Schuett is second on the team in scoring at 11.9 per tilt and her 7.9 rebounds per game average leads the team. Schuett is shooting a team-best 40.8 percent from three-point range. Junior guard Kelsey Woodard is also a threat from outside, shooting 38.9 percent from beyond the arc and is tossing in 11.8 points per game.
Junior center Kellie Nelson earned MVC Player of the Week honors this week and is averaging 11.2 points per outing, while shooting 54.3 percent from the field.
Creighton is 5-2 at home this season, but has lost two of its last three played at D.J. Sokol Arena.
About Drake
Drake has won four of its last five games after opening Missouri Valley Conference play with a 77-58 loss at Illinois State. The Bulldogs (11-5 overall, 4-2 MVC) returned seven of 11 letterwinners, including three starters from last year's team which finished 19-12 overall and was third in the Valley at 12-6.
Leading the way for Drake is senior guard Jordann Plummer, who leads the team in scoring (16.3 ppg) and assists (4.7 apg). Plummer also averages 3.3 steals per game, while playing 35.1 minutes per contest.
Sophomore Rachael Hackbarth is adding 12.2 points per game. Junior guard Kristin Turk has missed four games this season due to injury, but is averaging 11.8 points per game. Senior forward Monique' Jones adds 11.1 points per tilt and leads the team in rebounding at 6.7 boards per game.
Drake is second in the Missouri Valley Conference in scoring at 70.9 points per game and the Bulldogs are shooting a league-leading 44.6 percent from the field. Drake also leads the MVC in three-point field goal percentage (.365), in addition to leading the Valley in assist-to-turnover ratio (0.9) and turnover margin (+3.25).
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 four of its top eight scorers from 2008-09 and one of the top inside players in the Missouri Valley Conference, the Braves roster features just two seniors and a total of four upperclassmen (two juniors) to go along with five sophomores and three freshmen.
Headlining a group which represents 50 percent of last year's scoring and 56 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 as a sophomore in 2008-09. 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. This season, she is averaging 7.5 points, 9.7 rebounds and 2.2 blocked shots per game on the young season after reaching double figures in rebounds in nine of the first 15 games. In addition leading the conference in blocked shots, Harris is second in the league in rebounding.
Freshman Katie Yohn has led the team in scoring in five of her first 15 games and has started 10 contests. A versatile player with the ability to shoot from the outside or penetrate, she is averaging a team-best 10.1 points per outing and her 30 three-pointers is the third-best total by a Bradley freshman. Yohn has averaged 12.4 points per game in conference play and has been named MVC Newcomer of the Week twice.
Junior Raisa Taylor is second on the team in scoring at 9.1 points per game. She is 34-for-59 from the field over the last eight games (57.6 percent) and is averaging 11.5 points, 5.4 rebounds, 2.9 assists and 1.6 steals per game during that stretch.
Senior co-captain Jenny Van Kirk is the only player to start all 15 games this season and is adding 6.5 points and 4.6 boards per game, while leading the team with a 1.52 assist-to-turnover ratio.
Bradley picked up where it left off last year, outrebounding 13 of the first 15 opponents on the schedule by an average margin of +7.13. The Braves lead the Valley in both rebounding (43.1 rpg) and rebounding margin. BU also leads the MVC in field goal percentage defense (.370) and blocked shots (5.4 bpg), while ranking third in the league in field goal percentage (.429).
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 124-150 (.453) 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 167-188 (.470) career record and is in her 13th year as a collegiate head coach. She is the all-time winningest coach in program history with her 124 wins at BU and is 11th all-time in Missouri Valley Conference history in victories. 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.
Jim Flanery (Creighton '87) is in his eighth season as head coach at his alma mater and as a collegiate head coach. Flanery has led the Bluejays to a 141-97 (.592) record in that time. Creighton has advanced to the postseason in five of his seven seasons as head coach including a WNIT title (2004). The Bluejays have finished first or second in the Valley in four of his seven seasons.
Amy Stephens (Nebraska '91) is in her seventh year as head coach at Drake and 15th season as a collegiate head coach. She has led the Bulldogs to a 114-89 (.562) record in her time in Des Moines, Iowa. Stephens owns a 311-132 (.702) career record, which includes eight seasons as head coach at Nebraska-Kearney.
Last Time Out
Freshman Katie Yohn scored a game-high 18 points as she connected on 6-of-8 three-point attempts and the Braves shot a season-best 55.6 percent from beyond the three-point arc as they topped Northern Iowa 74-62 to pick up their third consecutive victory. Yohn hit a pair of three-pointers to highlight a 20-0 first-half run for the Braves and sophomore Hanna Muegge made four late free throws to help Bradley hold off any late rally attempt by UNI. Renee Frericks and Raisa Taylor each added 13 points.
Creighton Series
Bradley will play at preseason conference favorite Creighton on Friday, Jan. 22. The Braves and Bluejays split the regular-season series last year and BU has won two of the last three meetings overall with both wins coming in Peoria, but Creighton holds a 32-6 edge in the all-time series. The Bluejays are 15-3 all-time in meetings in Omaha, Neb. Bradley is 3-15 against Creighton under head coach Paula Buscher, including a 1-8 record in games played in Omaha.
Drake Series
A brief two-game road swing concludes with a Sunday contest at Drake. Bradley split the regular-season series with Drake last season, topping the Bulldogs 87-80 in double overtime in the last meeting in Peoria. Drake has won three of the last four meetings overall. The Bulldogs hold a 43-12 advantage in the all-time series, including a 22-4 edge in games played in Des Moines. The Braves are 1-15 in their last 16 trips to Des Moines, with the lone victory coming in 2006-07. Bradley is 4-17 against Drake under head coach Paula Buscher, including a 1-8 record in games played in Des Moines.
Buscher Breaks BU Win Mark
Head coach Paula Buscher became the all-time winningest coach in program history with Friday's 74-62 victory against Northern Iowa, picking up her 124th win as head coach of the Braves. She entered the game against UNI with an identical record to Boyer's 123-150 (.451) mark as head coach of the Braves. Buscher is 124-150 (.453) as head coach of the Braves and is 11th in Missouri Valley Conference history with 124 victories. She and Boyer have accounted for 247 of BU's 423 all-time wins or 58 percent.
On The Road Again
Bradley posted a 74-62 victory Friday against Northern Iowa to wrap up a season-long three-game homestand. The Braves will play five of the next seven games on the road starting with Friday's contest at preseason Valley favorite and league-leading Creighton. Bradley is 3-5 on the road this season and the Braves' eight road games is tied for the most in the Missouri Valley Conference with Creighton and Northern Iowa.
Braves Off To 3-2 Start To Valley Play
A three-game win streak has helped Bradley push its Missouri Valley Conference record to 3-2 and the Braves are currently fifth in the Valley standings. The 3-2 start to league play is just the ninth start of 3-2 or better for the Braves, who are now in their 27th season of conference membership. Bradley opened MVC play with a 4-1 record last year and has posted a 3-2 start or better to league action in back-to-back seasons for the first time since opening the 1988-89, 1989-90 and 1990-91 conference slates with 4-1 records. Bradley has finished 9-9 or better in five of the eight previous times BU has started out the conference schedule with at least a 3-2 mark.
From Downtown
Bradley shot a season-best 55.6 percent from three-point range against Northern Iowa on Jan. 15, hitting 10-of-18 from beyond the arc. The 55.6 percent three-point shooting was BU's best shooting performance in a league game since knocking down 7-of-11 triples at Indiana State (63.6 percent) on Jan. 10, 2008 and best three-point percentage in a conference home game since Jan. 3, 2005 against Wichita State (8-for-14 - 57.1 percent).
Freshman Bomber
Freshman Katie Yohn has connected on a team-best 30 three-pointers this season after knocking down 6-of-8 from beyond the arc Friday against UNI. It marked the second time this season Yohn has hit six three-pointers in a game. She is just the seventh player in program history with two outings with six trey's or more in the same season and joins Michelle Lund as the only freshmen in program history to accomplish the feat. Yohn's 30 three-pointers is the third best total by a BU freshmen behind Lund's 75 three-pointers last season and Genny Mueller's 33 triples in 2001-02.
Hot Hands
Junior Raisa Taylor has had a hot hand as of late, connecting on 32-of-56 (57.1 percent) shots from the field over the last seven games and averaging a team-best 12.6 points per game during that stretch. Taylor is 40-of-71 (56.3) over the last 10 games and is a combined 29-for-52 (.558) in BU's eight road games. Senior Jenny Van Kirk is shooting 60 percent (18-for-30) over the last six games, while fellow senior Renee Frericks is 13-for-29 from three-point range (44.8 percent) during that stretch.
Heating Up
After connecting on 46-of-144 three-point attempts (31.9 percent) during the first eight games of the season, Bradley has heated up from long range over the last seven games and gone 5-2 during that stretch. BU is shooting 38 percent from beyond the arc (41-for-108) over the last seven games.
Up Next
Bradley wraps up the first-half of Missouri Valley Conference play with a two-game homestand beginning with a Jan. 28 contest against Indiana State. The Braves won two of three meetings with the Sycamores last season, including a 70-49 victory in the quarterfinals of the State Farm MVC Tournament. Bradley has won three of the last four meetings overall, but Indiana State holds a 36-21 lead in the all-time series. BU is 13-14 all-time in home games in the series. The Braves are 5-15 vs. the Sycamores under head coach Paula Buscher, including a 4-5 record in home games.
Bring On The Salukis
Junior Raisa Taylor has turned in some of the best performances of her career against Southern Illinois, and last time against SIU was no different as she collected a season-high 20 points and career-best 11 rebounds against the Salukis. Both of her two career double-doubles have come against SIU and she scored a career-high 28 points at SIU Arena as a freshman. In six career games against the Salukis, Taylor is averaging 15.2 points and 6.3 rebounds while shooting 57.4 percent from the floor and 77.1 percent from the free throw line.
Bench Coming Up Big
Bradley has had at least one player come off the bench and score in double figures in 11 of 15 games this season. BU's reserves have accounted for 47 percent of the team's offense this season and the Braves' bench has been outscored by the opponent's counterparts in just two of 15 outings. Bradley's bench is averaging 30.7 points per game and boasts an average scoring margin of +13.7 per game compared to the opponents' reserves.
Pounding The Boards
After leading the league in rebounding in 2008-09 with a 41.5 rebounds per game average, Bradley is once again dominating the glass. The Braves lead the Missouri Valley Conference in rebounding (43.1 rpg) and boast a league-best +7.1 average rebounding margin. Bradley is looking to become the first team to lead the MVC in rebounding in back-to-back seasons since Northern Iowa in 1997-98 and again in 1998-99. Bradley has outrebounded 13 of 15 opponents this season and has matched our outrebounded its foe in 38 of the last 46 games.
Balanced Attack
Through 15 games, Bradley has had nine different players lead the squad in scoring after senior Renee Frericks scored a season-best 18 points against Evansville on Jan. 7. Ten of Bradley's 12 players which have seen the floor have scored in double figures this season and seven players are averaging 5.4 points per game or more. A total of 12 players have seen action in at least 12 contests this season and nine players have started multiple games. In addition, 11 different players are averaging 12.6 minutes or more per outing.
Climbing The Charts
Junior Sonya Harris pulled down her 500th career rebound at Wichita State (Jan. 2) and moved into 14th place on Bradley's career rebounding list against Evansville (Jan. 7) with three boards. Harris passed Heidi Nelson for 14th on the career list and needs nine rebounds to pass Lora Weber for 13th place. Harris is the Braves active career leader in rebounding (529) and is second among active players in scoring with 557 career points.
Getting Defensive
After surrendering an average of 73.0 points per game in the first five games of the season, Bradley has limited its last nine opponents to 60.9 points per game and 34.4 percent shooting from the floor. The Braves limited Air Force to 29.3 percent shooting and the Falcons managed just 45 points against BU's defense, marking the second time Bradley held an opponent to less than 30 percent shooting. BU has not held two opponents to less than 30 percent shooting in the same season since 2002-03 and the 45 points by the Falcons are the fewest surrendered by the Braves since posting a 70-44 victory at Chicago State on Dec. 20, 2007.
Non-Conference Finale
Ending the non-conference schedule on a high note has been a habit for the Braves. Bradley has won its final non-conference game six of the last seven years and boasts an 8-2 record in the final non-conference game of the season under head coach Paula Buscher. In fact BU is 16-3 (.842) in the final non-league game of the season over the last 19 years and 21-6 (.778) overall since joining the Gateway Conference for the 1983-84 season.
Braves Rally For Win
The Braves rallied from a halftime deficit to post a win for the first time this season with a 72-66 win at Saint Louis to wrap up the non-conference schedule. Bradley, which is now 2-6 when trailing at the half, had lost 35 consecutive road games in which it trailed at the break. BU's last road win in a game in which it trailed at halftime, was a 72-69 victory at Missouri State on March 3, 2005.
Success Against The Mountain West
Bradley is 3-5 on the road this season, with two of three road wins coming on the home courts of Mountain West Conference foes after a 62-45 victory at Air Force (Dec. 19). The Braves have won four consecutive games against current members of the Mountain West Conference and own a 4-1 overall record against the league.
Tinkering With The Lineup
Sophomore Hanna Muegge became the 10th different player to start a game for the Braves this season, earning her first career start at Saint Louis on Dec. 29. Head coach Paula Buscher and the Braves have used a total of seven different starting lineups through the first 14 games of the season. The lineup of Hanna Muegge, Raisa Taylor, Katie Yohn, Jenny Van Kirk and Leah Kassing is the most used lineup (four times), while the most recent lineup of Van Kirk, Kassing, Frericks, Muegge and Taylor is 2-0 on the season. Bradley is 4-2 with Hanna Muegge in the starting lineup and 5-2 overall with Leah Kassing gets the starting nod.
Non-Conference Home Win Streak Snapped
Arkansas-Little Rock snapped Bradley's 10-game non-conference home win streak with a 58-51 victory against the Braves on Dec. 5 at Woodruff High School. The 10-game non-conference home win streak is the longest since Bradley joined the Gateway Conference for the 1983-84 season. The Braves still boast an eight-game home win streak against in-state non-conference foes. Bradley is 28-13 (.683) at home against non-conference opponents under 10th-year head coach Paula Buscher.
The Young And The Restless
All three freshmen have paced the Braves in scoring at least once and frosh Katie Yohn has led BU in scoring a team-best five times. Three of Bradley's top eight scorers are freshmen, led by Yohn's team-best 10.1 points per game scoring average. Olivia Allen has reached double figures three times and is adding 5.4 points per game, while Brooke Bisping is scoring 4.1 points per game. The Braves' freshmen class has combined for 29.4 percent of the team's scoring this season.
High Scoring Freshman
Freshman Katie Yohn scored a team-best 25 points to help lead Bradley to a victory at UNLV (Nov. 29). Yohn's 25 points is the most scored by a BU freshman since Raisa Taylor had 28 at Southern Illinois on Feb. 28, 2008 and is the second most points contributed by a freshman under head coach Paula Buscher. Judy Burns scored 25 or more points twice as a freshman in 1981-82. Since Burns' freshman season, only five different BU freshman have scored 25 or more points in a game.
Lund Takes Leave
Sophomore guard Michelle Lund has taken a leave of absence from the team citing personal reasons following Bradley's game at Illinois. Lund missed the Braves first exhibition game with the flu and sat out the season opener at Northern Illinois, before returning to the lineup and averaging 6.0 points per game in two appearances. She has missed the last 12 games.
In-State Opponents
Bradley opened the season with three consecutive games against in-state opponents, marking the second consecutive year the Braves started a season with three in-state foes. BU is 26-16 (.619) against in-state non-conference opponents under 10th-year head coach Paula Buscher, including a 10-4 (.714) mark since the start of the 2007-08 season. Bradley is 46-33 (.582) against in-state foes during Buscher's tenure, which includes a 21-18 combined mark against Illinois State and Southern Illinois.
Yohn Earns MVC Newcomer of the Week Again
Freshman Katie Yohn earned MVC Newcomer of the Week honors for the second time this season after scoring a game-high 18 points on 6-of-8 shooting against Northern Iowa (Jan. 15). One of three players to earn the award multiple times this season, she also earned the distinction on Nov. 16 after scoring in double figures in each of her first two games. Yohn averaged 14.5 points, 4.5 rebounds and 5.0 assists over her first two games and is the first Bradley freshman to score in double figures in her first two games since Judy Burns in 1981-82. She leads the team in scoring at 10.1 points per game.
Double Trouble
Junior Sonya Harris collected her team-leading third double-double of the year (13 points & 11 rebounds at Wichita State), pushing her career total to 17. Harris, who had eight double-doubles last year as a sophomore, is tied for fourth in school history with her 17 career double-doubles. She has the most double-doubles by a Bradley player since Dena Williams collected 19 from 2001-05. 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 and is contributing 7.5 points and 9.7 rebounds per game this season.
Strong Debuts
Freshmen guards Katie Yohn and Olivia Allen both reached double figures in scoring in each of their first two games. Just the ninth and 10th freshman in school history to score 10 or more points in their debut, they joined Judy Burns as the only players to score in double figures in each of their first two outings as a Brave. Burns accomplished the feat during the 1981-82 season. Yohn leads the team in scoring at 9.6 points per game, while Allen is third on the team in scoring at 6.9 points per game. Yohn's 16 points in the season opener against NIU ranks as the third best scoring output by a freshman in their first game and Allen's 15 points vs. the Huskies is the fourth-highest point-total in a debut since 1981-82. Below is a chart detailing the top-10 scoring efforts by Bradley freshman in their debuts.
10 Or More Boards
Junior Sonya Harris is one of the top returning rebounders in the Missouri Valley Conference and she picked up where she left off in 2008-09, pulling down 9.7 boards per game this season. She has reached double digits in rebounds in 27 games in her two-plus seasons, including nine of 15 outings to open the 2009-10 slate. Her 27 career double-digit rebounding efforts is tied for the third most in program history and just five short of Dena Williams' career mark of 32. Harris had 12 outings with 10 or more boards in 2008-09 and averaged better than 10 rebounds per game in Missouri Valley Conference play last year.
Home Away From Home
The Braves will once again call Illinois Central College's Lorene Ramsey Gym home as construction of a new on-campus facility continues and 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 which was played at Richwoods High School. 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. The Braves are an impressive 15-3 (.833) at Lorene Ramsey Gym including this season's 4-1 record in the facility.
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
Feeling Rejected
Junior Sonya Harris is currently 13th in Missouri Valley Conference history with 146 career blocked shots. Currently leading the Valley in blocked shots, she is averaging 2.2 rejections per outing this season. Last season she had a school-record 79 blocks and averaged 2.7 per tilt as a sophomore. Harris is currently third in school history in rejections, needing eight blocked shots to overtake Heather Best for second place (9th in MVC history).
Lowe's Senior CLASS Award
Senior forward Jenny Van Kirk is one of 30 national candidates for the Lowe's Senior CLASS Award. To be eligible for the award, a student-athlete must be classified as a NCAA Division I senior and have notable achievements in four areas of excellence - classroom, character, community and competition. Van Kirk joins former teammate Kelly Krumwiede, who was a candidate last season, as the only players in program history to serve as national candidates for the honor. Van Kirk owns a 4.0 cumulative grade point average and was a second-team MVC Scholar-Athlete last year. She 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.
On The Rebound
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. This season she is pulling down an average of 9.7 boards per game and is on pace to finish the regular season with 271 rebounds. She needs 85 rebounds to join Roxanne Grabow as the only players in program history with two seasons with 230 rebounds or more.
