PEORIA, Ill. -- Tickets for a quintet of Bradley men's and women's basketball events are currently on sale at the box office in the University's new arena. The first public basketball event in the University's new on-campus arena will be the Hoopla on the Hilltop introduction of the Bradley men's and women's basketball teams on the first official men's basketball practice day Oct. 15.
Both teams will take the floor in a competitive environment Oct. 24 when Bradley hosts the annual Red-White Scrimmage. The women's team will face outside competition for the first time when the Braves host Quincy in a Nov. 1 exhibition game and both teams will play exhibition games Nov. 6, the women at 2:05 p.m. versus Washington (Mo.) and the men at 7:05 p.m. against Quincy. All of the preseason basketball events will take place in the University's new on-campus arena.
While tickets for the first four events are currently available to all, tickets for the men's basketball exhibition Nov. 6 versus Quincy currently are available only to the Red Sea student fan group, Bradley University faculty and staff, PSO owners and Braves Scholarship Society members. Remaining student body members and men's basketball season-ticket holders may begin purchasing tickets to the men's Quincy exhibition Oct. 4 and any remaining tickets will go on sale to the general public Oct. 18.
2010-11 Bradley Basketball Preseason Events
Friday, Oct. 15 - Hoopla on the Hilltop
For the first time in more than a decade, Bradley will tip-off the start of the official practice season by hosting an hour-long Midnight Madness-style event, Hoopla on the Hilltop, in the University's new on-campus arena. The basketball activity will be a featured event during Bradley University's Homecoming schedule and will include spotlighted introductions of the 2010-11 men's and women's basketball teams, a halfcourt shot at $10,000 for a lucky contestant and games involving the current players and fans. Hoopla on the Hilltop will begin at 9 p.m. and tickets for the event are $5 for the general public and free for Bradley University students, faculty and staff.
Saturday, Oct. 23: Bids-for-the-Braves Athletic Benefit
The Bradley Braves Club will host the seventh annual Bids-for-the-Braves Athletic Benefit Oct. 23 at the Par-A-Dice Hotel in East Peoria. Combining many of the popular elements of the former Bradley Basketball Preseason Gala and the Bids for the Braves Auction, the Bids for the Braves Athletic Benefit is the largest single fund-raising event benefitting Bradley Athletics. Last year's event was a sell out and helped generate more than $90,000.
The 2010 Bids for the Braves Athletic Benefit will feature the introduction of the 2010-11 Bradley men's and women's basketball teams, remarks from head coaches Jim Les and Paula Buscher and viewing of Dave Snell's popular preseason videos, as well as live and silent auctions featuring a wide range of unique items. Seating is limited and tickets for the 2010 event are $90 for Braves Club members and $100 for the general public. To make reservations, donate an item or for more information, visit the Braves Club page online at BradleyBraves.com or call the Braves Club Office at (309) 677-2667.
Sunday, Oct. 24: Red-White Scrimmage
The opening of Bradley University's new on-campus arena allows the athletic department to bring two annual events back to campus, the Red-White Scrimmage and a men's basketball exhibition game. The Red-White Scrimmage will cap a busy day of activity for Bradley Athletics: following the 2 p.m. Missouri Valley Conference soccer game between the Braves and league preseason favorite Evansville at Shea Stadium, Bradley will host the popular Chili Supper beginning at 4:30 in the new arena. The Red-White Scrimmage will follow at 6 p.m. and will feature intrasquad games by both the men's and women's basketball teams. Tickets for the Red-White Scrimmage are $10 for the general public, $5 for Bradley University faculty and staff and free for Bradley University students; and the basketball tickets also may be used for free admission to the Oct. 24 soccer game versus Evansville.
Saturday, Nov. 6: Exhibition Doubleheader
The Bradley men's and women's basketball teams both will host exhibition games Nov. 6 at the University's new on-campus arena. The Bradley women will tipoff the twin bill with a 2:05 p.m. exhibition versus NCAA Division III Washington (Mo.) and the men's basketball game versus NCAA Division II Quincy will follow at 7:05 p.m. The men's exhibition will be the program's first game on campus since the Braves hosted Saint Ambrose in a 2007 preseason game that marked their final competition at Robertson Memorial Fieldhouse. Tickets for the men's basketball exhibition against Quincy are $15 for the general public, $10 for Bradley University faculty and staff and $1 for Bradley University students, while women's basketball tickets are $8 for the general public, $4 for faculty and staff and free for Bradley University students.
Bradley announced a Personal Seat Option ticket plan for all events in the new arena in May and the maximum 500 seats in the plan will be available to PSO owners for purchase for the three men's basketball events played on campus. Individual PSO's in the arena's main seating bowl are available for $500 each, while PSO Gold seats on the arena floor are available for $1,000 each. A PSO, which includes women's basketball and volleyball season tickets, allows the owner the opportunity to purchase tickets for all events, excluding commencement ceremonies, in the new arena from Aug. 1, 2010 through July 31, 2011 in the same seats. In addition to the volleyball and women's basketball games, events available in the PSO plan to date include Hoopla on the Hilltop, Jay Leno's Oct. 16 Homecoming performance, the Oct. 24 Red-White Scrimmage and the Nov. 6 men's basketball exhibition versus Quincy.
