For Starters
Bradley (11-12 overall, 4-8 MVC) has dropped back-to-back games after Drake rallied from a 15-point second-half deficit to edge the Braves 67-65 Thursday night. BU is looking to avenge a 73-58 loss to Creighton from earlier this season when the two teams met in Omaha last month.
Bradley has not lost back-to-back home games since the non-conference portion of the 2009-10 season and the Braves will attempt to avoid consecutive home loses in league play for the first time since early in the 2007-08 Valley schedule.
Saturday's game is Bradley's annual Pink Zone contest. The Braves will wear comemorative pink uniforms with the first 1,000 fans receiving pink Bradley t-shirts.
Creighton (15-8 overall, 9-3 MVC) is also coming off a loss, after league-leading Northern Iowa snapped a season-long five-game win streak for the Bluejays Thursday in Cedar Falls, Iowa.
About Creighton
Creighton (15-8 overall, 9-3 MVC) is second in the Missouri Valley Conference standings heading into Saturday's afternoon tilt at Renaissance Coliseum after a 52-60 loss at league-leading Northern Iowa. The Bluejays are two games behind the Panthers and a half-game ahead of third-place Illinois State in the standings.
The Bluejays are one of the youngest teams in the conference boasting six freshmen and a total of eight underclassmen. Creighton returned six of 10 letterwinners, including three starters from last year's WNIT team which finished 21-11 overall and was second in the MVC at 13-5.
Senior guard Kelsey Woodard is the leading scorer for the Bluejays with a 13.0 points per game and is making two three-pointers per game. Freshman Carli Tritz has been named the MVC's Newcomer of the Week six times this season and is adding 10.9 points per game, while dishing out a team-best 3.1 assists per outing. Senior forward Sam Schuett pulls down a team-best 7.5 rebounds per contest to go along with her 10.2 points per game scoring average.
About The Braves
Bradley (11-12 overall, 4-8 MVC) is 3-3 in its last six games after a 1-5 start to Missouri Valley Conference play, but have dropped back-to-back games heading into Saturday's annual Pink Zone matchup.
The Braves posted a 7-4 non-conference record, which is tied for the third most non-conference wins in program history and own a 5-2 record in their last seven home games.
BU returned nine of 12 letterwinners, including three starters from last year's team which tied the school records for conference wins (12-6) and best league finish (tied for third) in addition to making the first postseason appearance in program history.
The Braves have their top two scorers back from the 2009-10 squad which finished with a 17-14 overall record and advanced to the second round of the inaugural Women's Basketball Invitational. Sophomore guard Katie Yohn returned to the court Nov. 26 after missing two games due to a concussion and earned all-tournament honors at the Cancun Thanksgiving Classic.
Bradley's leading scorer as a freshman in 2009-10 with a 10.2 points per game average, Yohn is scoring a team-best 13.3 points per outing this season and has reached double figures in 18 of her last 24 games.
Bradley's lone senior, Raisa Taylor is averaging 12.4 points per game and is shooting 47.7 percent from the field. Taylor has scored in double figures in 22 of her last 28 games dating back to last season and leads the team in assists (3.6 per game). She ranks 14th in school history with 1,025 career points and needs eight points to move into 12th on the all-time scoring chart.
Junior forward MacKenzie Westcott has heated up as of late, scoring 9.8 points and pulling down 6.6 rebounds per outing in Missouri Valley Conference play. Westcott has scored in double figures in each of the last three games and is averaging 17.7 points and 8.0 rebounds during that stretch.
The Coaches
The dean of Missouri Valley Conference Women's Basketball coaches, Paula Buscher (Missouri State, '86) is in her 11th year at Bradley and has a record of 145-168 (.463) at BU. The 2008-09 Rawlings Missouri Valley Conference Coach of the Year, Buscher owns a 188-206 (.477) career record and is in her 14th year as a collegiate head coach. She is the all-time wins leader in program history with her 145 victories at BU and is 10th all-time in Missouri Valley Conference history in victories (overall) and Missouri Valley Conference games. During the 2008-09 and 2009-10 seasons, she led BU to a 23-13 (.639) conference record, marking the most conference wins in consecutive years for BU in program history. 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 ninth season as head coach at his alma mater and as a collegiate head coach. Flanery has led the Bluejays to a 167-111 (.601) record in that time. Creighton has advanced to the postseason in six of his eight seasons as head coach including a WNIT title (2004). The Bluejays have finished first or second in the Valley in five of his eight seasons.
Creighton Series
Bradley closes out a two-game homestand Saturday with a 2:05 p.m. game against Creighton. Creighton holds a 33-8 lead in the all-time series with Bradley after topping the Braves 73-58 last month in Omaha. The Bluejays win ended a three-game BU win streak in the series. Bradley has won each of the last three home games in the series, but owns a 4-17 home record against Creighton. The Braves are 4-2 in the last six games against CU and 5-5 in the last 10 meetings between the two teams.
Last Time Out
Junior Leah Kassing came off the bench to turn in the first double-double of the career as she matched a career-high with 16 points and pulled down a career-best 12 boards to pace four Bradley players in double figures, but Drake rallied from a 15-point second-half deficit to edge BU 67-65. The Bulldogs used a late 15-1 run to build a 66-62 lead with 26 seconds to play and held on for the 67-65 win to complete the regular-season series against the Braves. Sophomore Katie Yohn had 12 points, while Raisa Taylor and MacKenzie Westcott each scored 10 points to help pace Bradley.
Pink Zone Game
Saturday's home game against Creighton will mark the eighth annual Pink Zone Game sponsored by Bradley with proceeds from the contest benefitting the Susan G. Komen for the Cure Foundation. Bradley raised nearly $7,000 for the Komen Foundation during last year's event and nearly $52,000 over the previous seven years of the event. Fans are encouraged to wear pink to the game and first 1,000 fans will receive pink Bradley t-shirts. Head coach Paula Buscher has donated $25 per BU three-pointer in each of the previous seven Pink Zone games. The Braves have made 49-of-122 (40.2 percent) three-point attempts in Pink Zone games and Bradley has gone 6-1 in those contests. For information on how to participate in the Coaches' Challenge please call (309) 677-3617.
Kassing Turns In Career Night
Junior Leah Kassing had a career-night Thursday in the loss to Drake. In addition to recording the first double-double of her career, she tied her career-best scoring output with 16 points on 7-of-13 shooting off the bench. Kassing also pulled down a career-high 12 rebounds to help Bradley to a 40-30 rebounding advantage. Over her last three games, Kassing is shooting 57.9 percent (11-for-19) and is averaging 8.7 points and 5.7 rebounds.
Heating Up From Long Range
A trio of Braves have been hot from three-point range of late, combining to make 23 of their last 39 three-point attempts (58.9 percent). Freshman Kelly Frings is shooting a team-best 45.5 percent from three-point range and has connected on 8-of-13 three-point attempts over her last 10 games. Junior MacKenzie Westcott has also heated up, making 7-of-12 three-point attempts (58.3 percent) over the last seven outings and is shooting 42 percent from beyond the arc in Missouri Valley Conference play. Fellow junior Hanna Muegge has made eight of her last 13 (61.5 percent), including 6-of-10 over the last three games; and her 39.6 percent career three-point percentage would rank as the third best in school history.
UNI Home Game Moved To Feb. 25
Bradley was originally scheduled to host league-leading Northern Iowa on Sunday, Feb. 27, but the game was moved to Friday, Feb. 25 and will be televised as part of the Missouri Valley Conference television package. The Braves and Panthers will tip things off at 5:30 p.m. on Friday, Feb. 25 at Renaissance Coliseum. The game will appear live on Fox Sports Midwest, Sports Kansas City, Fox College Sports and Comcast SportsNet Plus. It will also be shown on tape-delay at 7 p.m. on Comcast SportsNet Chicago. The Braves will have two regular-season appearances as part of the Valley regional television package for the first time since the 2002-03 season.
Stepping Up
Junior MacKenzie Westcott turned in arguably two of the best performances of her career last weekend, and has scored in double figures in three consecutive games for the first time in her career after a 10-point effort Thursday against Drake.Westcott entered last week's game at Missouri State scoring 7.2 points per game in Valley play and had averaged 5.8 points over the last six games, but scored career highs in each of the two games last week. She tossed in a then career-best 19 points on 6-of-8 shooting and also had 10 rebounds and three steals to help Bradley end Missouri State's eight-game home win streak. Westcott followed it up with a career-high 24 points against Wichita State, scoring 17 points in the second half to help fuel a BU rally attempt. Over her last three games, she is averaging 17.7 points and 8.0 rebounds, while shooting 51.7 percent from the field.
Taylor Moves Into 14th On Scoring List
Senior guard Raisa Taylor scored 10 points Thursday against Drake to move into 14th on Bradley's career scoring list and has a chance to move up two more spots on the scoring chart Saturday against the Bluejays. Taylor passed Carol Baresch (1,018 career points) for 14th on the career list, pushing her career total to 1,025 Thursday with a 10-point effort against Drake. She needs six points to pass Dena Williams for 13th place and eight points to overtake former teammate Devyn Flanagan (1,032 career points) for 12th place. At her current season average of 12.4 points per game, Taylor is on pace to finish the regular season with 1,099 career points, which would be 11th on Bradley's scoring chart behind Eileen Yerkes (1,120 points).
Getting To The Line
Junior MacKenzie Westcott made a living at the free throw line last weekend, combining to make 17-of-21 free throw attempts (81 percent) against Missouri State and Wichita State. The 17-for-21 effort equaled her season total for free throws made and attempted from the first nine games of Valley play. In addition, her 12 made free throws against Wichita State were the most by a BU player since Kelly Krumwiede made 12 free throws against Illinois-Chicago on Nov. 18, 2005 and is tied for the fourth best total in program history. Her 15 free throw attempts is tied for the seventh best single-game total at Bradley. BU's 29 made free throws at Wichita State were the most by the Braves since Feb. 3, 2000 and is tied for the 10th highest game total in program history.
Home Sweet Home
After opening Missouri Valley Conference play with seven of the first 11 league games away from home, Bradley will closes out the 2010-11 Valley slate with five of the final seven games at home. The Braves are 6-3 at Renaissance Coliseum this season after Thursday's two-point setback to Drake and boast a 27-8 (.771) home mark over the last three seasons. In fact, BU is 18-5 (.783) in home conference games since the start of the 2008-09 season.
Super Bowl Sunday
Sunday's game at Wichita State marked the third consecutive year Bradley played on Super Bowl Sunday and was the sixth time overall the Braves have taken the court on the same day as the Super Bowl. In fact, BU has played on Super Bowl Sunday five times during head coach Paula Buscher's 11-year tenure and is 2-3 in those contests. Bradley is 3-3 all-time in games played on the same day as the Super Bowl after Sunday's 74-81 loss at Wichita State and the Braves are 2-2 in road games on Super Bowl Sunday.
Second Half Team
The Braves have posted a 6-3 record in the second half of league play in each of the last two years and have fared better in the second half of conference play in four of the last five years overall. In fact during head coach Paula Buscher's previous 10 seasons at BU, the Braves have been better the second time through the league in seven of the 10 years. Bradley is 35-64 (.354) under Buscher in the first half of Valley play, compared to a 46-47 (.495) mark in the second half.
Enjoying JQH
Bradley is 2-1 in its first three games at Missouri State's JQH Arena, and while the team has had success; senior Raisa Taylor has also enjoyed playing at the new home of the Lady Bears. Taylor has scored in double figures in each of her three games in the facility and averaged 14.0 points per game in those contests. In fact BU's lone senior is shot 64 percent (14-for-26) in three games at JQH and averaged 3.3 assists, 2.0 blocks and 1.7 steals per game at Missouri State.
Controlling The Boards
Bradley has outrebounded eight consecutive opponents after posting a 40-30 edge on the glass Thursday against Drake. In fact, BU has only been outrebounded twice this season and the Braves have matched or outrebounded their opponent in 69 of the last 85 games. Bradley is 44-25 (.638) during that stretch when controlling the glass, compared to a 5-11 (.313) record when the opponent has an edge on the glass. The Braves lead the Missouri Valley Conference in rebounding margin at +6.0 per contest.
From Downtown
Sophomore Katie Yohn enters Saturday's game against Creighton with 102 career three-pointers and is the 12th player in program history to connect on 100 three-pointers as a Brave.
Yohn is the only player in school history with 100 or more career three-pointers before the start of their junior season and she needs two more trey's to pass former teammate Renee Frericks for 10th on Bradley's career three-point list. She is averaging 2.1 three-pointers per game and with a minimum of seven games remaining this season, Yohn is on pace to finish the regular season with 115 three-pointers which would rank fifth in school history.
Buscher Cracks Valley Top 10
Bradley head coach Paula Buscher moved into sole possession of 10th on the Missouri Valley Conference career wins list with BU's victory at Missouri State, overtaking former Illinois State Robin Pingeton for 10th on the career chart. Buscher has 145 career victories as head coach of the Braves and her 81 career Missouri Valley Conference wins is also 10th on the Valley's career list. Buscher also passed Pingeton for 10th place in MVC victories with the win against the Lady Bears.
Sophomore Bomber
Sophomore guard Katie Yohn heads into Saturday's game against Creighton averaging 2.1 three-point baskets per game this season and has hit a team-leading 45 triples. Yohn's 45 three-pointers is the most by a Bradley sophomore and she is two trey's from cracking Bradley's career top 10 in three-point makes.
Leading The Way
Senior Raisa Taylor has led Bradley in scoring most of the season and currently ranks second on the squad with a 12.4 points-per-game average. The lone senior on the roster, leads the team in assists (3.6 apg) and is looking to become the first player since Jenn Jolley in 1999-2000 to lead the team in both categories. Only five players have led the team in scoring and assists in the same season. Three of those players went on to earn First-Team All-Missouri Valley Conference honors in the years they led the squad in both categories - Tammy Van Oppen (1996-97), Val Wancket (1990-91) and Judy Burns (1982-83). In addition, Karin Nicholls went on to earn honorable mention all-conference recognition during the 1989-90 season after pacing the team in both categories.
High Scoring Sophomore
Sophomore guard Katie Yohn is scoring a team-leading 13.3 points per game this season and is looking to become the first player to lead the team in scoring in back-to-back years since Sara Bailey led the squad each of her final three seasons (2000-01, 2001-02 & 2002-03). The first freshman to pace the team in scoring since Connie Griffith in 1977-78, Yohn is the 12th player in program history to score 500 career points before the start of their junior season. With a minimum of seven games remaining on the schedule, she is on pace to finish the season with 689 career points which would rank as the fourth-best career total by a BU player entering their junior season. Of the 11 previous players who have scored 500 or more points by the end of their sophomore season, all but one has gone on to finish with 1,000 career points or more; including each of the top nine scorers in program history.
Getting To The Line Is Key
Senior guard Raisa Taylor ranks second in the Missouri Valley Conference in free throw attempts with 134 and her 96 makes from the charity stripe this season is more than all but eight players in the Valley have attempted through games of Feb. 8. Taylor is averaging 4.2 made free throws and a career-best 5.8 attempts per game. Bradley is 12-16 in her career when Taylor has two or less free throw attempts per game, but is 42-25 (.627) when she goes to the line four or more times. In fact, BU owns a 16-9 (.640) record in the last 25 games in which Taylor has attempted four or more free throws.
Braves Get Home Win #250
Bradley's win against Wichita State in the Missouri Valley Conference home opener was the 250th home victory in program history. The Braves own a 252-182 (.581) all-time record in home games, which includes an 85-55 (.607) home mark under head coach Paula Buscher. The Braves are 36-13 (.735) at home since the start of the 2007-08 season and
On The Rebound
The Braves have led the Missouri Valley Conference in rebounding each of the last two seasons and BU has apparently picked up where it left off in 2009-10. Bradley is third in the Valley in rebounds per game (40.6 per game), but the Braves lead the league in rebounding defense (34.6 per game) and pace the conference in rebounding margin, owning an average margin of +6.0 on the glass this season.
Game On
Bradley's MVC opener at I-74 rival Illinois State on Dec. 30 was senior Raisa Taylor's 100th game in a Bradley uniform. She is the 28th player in program history to reach 100 games played and is currently tied for seventh in school history in games played, having appeared in 111 contests. With at least seven games remaining on the slate, Taylor should rank third in school history in games played heading into the MVC Tournament, needing only five games to overtake Jen Brown for the #3 spot. Bradley would have to advance to the MVC Tournament semifinals for Taylor to have a chance tie Kelly Krumwiede and Ashley Chelleen for the all-time mark of 119 games played.
Stepping Up
Junior MacKenzie Westcott has played a much bigger role this season, starting 22 of 23 games this season and already has season career-highs for points, rebounds, assists, blocks and steals heading into Saturday's game against Creighton. She is third on the team in scoring (8.4 ppg), rebounding (6.4 rpg) and assists (1.9 apg) and leads the squad in both blocks (1.1 bpg) and steals (1.5 spg).
MVC Openers
Bradley opened Missouri Valley Conference play on the road for the fifth consecutive year and kicked off league action away from home for the ninth time in the last 11 seasons overall. The Braves are 9-19 (.321) all-time in Valley openers, including a 4-13 (.235) mark when opening league play on the road. Bradley has played Illinois State in its conference opener a total of five times and is now 1-4 in those contests.
Non-Conference Success
Bradley finished the non-conference portion of the schedule with a 7-4 record, marking the second time in the last three years the Braves posted a winning record in non-league action. BU finished the 2008-09 season tying a school record with nine wins (9-2 overall). This year's seven non-conference victories is tied for the third best win total in school history. Bradley has finished with a winning record each of the three previous times the Braves won seven or more non-conference contests.
Game No. 300 And Counting
Bradley's game against Northern Illinois (Dec. 18) was BU head coach Paula Buscher's 300th game on the BU bench. Only five other coaches in the history of the Missouri Valley Conference have been on their team's respective bench for 300 games or more and the last coach to reach the 300-game mark was Northern Iowa's Tony DiCecco during the 2005-06 season. Buscher is sixth in Valley history with 313 career games coached behind fifth-place DiCecco (344 games). Creighton head coach Jim Flannery is second among active Valley coaches with 278 games as head coach of the Bluejays.
On The Mark
Bradley shot a blistering 61.7 percent from the field against Saint Louis (Dec. 4) to down the Billikens 81-64. SLU entered the game giving up just 56 points per game, but Bradley raced out to a 45-35 halftime lead after shooting 69.6 percent in the opening half and finished the game with the third-best field goal percentage in program history. The 61.7 percent shooting is the best by a Bradley squad since shooting 64.9 percent (37-for-57) at Western Illinois on Feb. 22, 1986.
Cleaning The Glass
Junior Latasha Hollingshed snagged a career-high 20 rebounds in Bradley's overtime win at Wisconsin-Milwaukee (Dec. 1), marking the most boards by a Bradley player since Carrie Coffman had 22 at Wichita State on Feb. 9, 1995. Hollingshed's 20 rebounds is tied for the fifth-best total in program history and her nine offensive boards against the Panthers is tied for the eighth-best single game effort in school history. Hollingshed who averaged just 9.0 minutes and 2.2 rebounds per game last year, is averaging 8.3 points and 7.0 rebounds per game.
Overtime Wins
Bradley improved to 19-17 all-time in overtime games with the 72-70 overtime victory at Wisconsin-Milwaukee on Dec. 1. The Braves own an 8-5 record in overtime road contests and BU is now 7-4 in overtime contests under head coach Paula Buscher. Bradley has won three of its last four overtime road tilts and is 5-0 in overtime contests against non-conference opponents during Buscher's coaching tenure.
Winning The Close Ones
Bradley's 74-65 loss at Illinois-Chicago (Dec. 21) ended a five-game win streak for the Braves in games decided by 10 points or less and the Braves now stand at 16-5 (.800) in their last 21 games in which the final margin was 10 points or fewer after splitting a pair of tightly contested games last week. BU is 18-8 (.692) in games decided by 10 points or less since the start of the 2009-10 season and 27-9 (.750) in those contests since the beginning of the 2008-09 campaign.
Happy Homecoming
Freshman Kelly Frings had a happy homecoming as the Milwaukee, Wis., native helped Bradley pull out a 72-70 overtime victory at Wisconsin-Milwaukee. Frings scored seven of her season-high 10 points after halftime to help the Braves to the victory. With BU trailing by four and less than 90 seconds left in the overtime, she had a basket with 1:13 to play and made a pair of free throws with 51.7 seconds remaining to tie the game at 70-70.
Yohn Named To All-Tournament Team
Sophomore guard Katie Yohn made her return to the court in the opening game of the Cancun Thanksgiving Classic against William & Mary after missing the previous two games due to a concussion. Yohn went on to earn all-tournament honors at the event, averaging 12.5 points, 2.5 rebounds, 2.0 assists, 1.0 block and 3.5 steals per game. She came off the bench in both contests, collecting 11 points and trying a career-high with five steals against William & Mary, before capping the week with team highs of 14 points, three assists, two blocks and two steals against Arizona.
Closing In On Career Mark
Senior Raisa Taylor became just the fifth player in program history to make 300 career free throws and is third in school history with 306 career makes from the charity stripe. Taylor has a chance to break the Bradley career mark for made free throws. Currently owning a season-average of 4.17 made free throws per game, Taylor is on pace to surpass Shelli Braud's career record of 328 free throws during Bradley's final regular-season game against Indiana State. In addition to joining BU's 1,000-point club, Taylor recently moved into a tie with Karin Nicholls for ninth in school history in blocked shots (53) and is tied for eighth in program history in games played (111).
International Trip
Bradley's trip to Cancun, Mexico, for the Cancun Thanksgiving Classic marked the third international trip in program history for Bradley. The Braves last trip out of the country was in the summer of 2004 when BU made an exhibition tour through Western Europe. The only regular-season trip out of the United States was in 1989-90 when BU opened the season with three games in the Aruba Sunshine Classic. The Braves are 4-6 in games played outside the United States after going 0-3 on the trip to Aruba and 3-2 during the European exhibition tour.
Braves Open New Home
Bradley played its first game on campus since the end of the 2007-08 season, opening Renaissance Coliseum with a 77-63 victory against WNIT participant Butler on Nov. 13. Renaissance Coliseum is the sixth different venue Bradley has called a home court and the Braves are 5-1 in their first games in a new home venue. BU played its first home game in 1975-76 in Haussler Hall, picking up a victory. The next season, Bradley relocated across the street to Robertson Memorial Field House and opened the 1976-77 campaign with a win against Carl Sandburg. The Braves topped Northeastern Illinois in overtime at Carver Arena in 1984-85 in the first of 13 games Bradley has played in the downtown facility. During construction of Renaissance Coliseum, BU was a 67-60 winner against Loyola-Chicago in the 2008-09 season opener in the team's first game at Illinois Central College's Lorene Ramsey Gym. In addition to the games at ICC, Bradley played two games at area high schools during construction, beating Air Force at Richwoods High School during the 2008-09 season and suffering a 58-51 loss to Arkansas-Little Rock at Woodruff High School.
Return To Campus
Bradley's season opener against Butler marked BU's first game on campus since the end of the 2007-08 season. Bradley's Renaissance Coliseum officially opened in August and the $50-million, 4,200-seat facility serves as home court for the Bradley women's basketball and volleyball teams. The Braves played home games at Illinois Central College's Lorene Ramsey Gym in East Peoria each of the last two seasons, while construction of Renaissance Coliseum was in progress. The facility was dedicated on Oct. 15 during Bradley's annual homecoming festivities.
See You Next Year
In addition to welcoming three true freshmen to the roster, Bradley women's basketball head coach Paula Buscher added Wisconsin transfer Catie O'Leary during the summer. O'Leary, who will have to sit out the 2010-11 season due to NCAA transfer rules, will have three years of eligibility remaining. A native of Janesville, Wis., O'Leary was the state scoring champ as a junior at Parker High School and was a three-time Big 8 Conference Player of the Year selection.
Postseason Success
Bradley made the first postseason appearance in program history in 2009-10, receiving a bid to the inaugural Women's Basketball Invitational (WBI). The Braves posted a 69-59 win against Louisville at Freedom Hall in the final home contest for any Louisville program in the historic venue. The Cardinals, which were a year removed from a national runner-up finish in the 2008-09 NCAA Tournament, were a combined 129-23 (.849) at Freedom Hall over the last 13 years in the facility. The win also snapped a 13-game losing streak for Bradley Athletics programs at Freedom Hall. The Bradley women lost their only other game in the building during the 1990-91 season and the Bradley men's basketball team had lost 12 consecutive games at Freedom Hall since edging the Cardinals 80-79 on Feb. 10, 1962.
Welcome Home
After calling Illinois Central College's Lorene Ramsey Gym home for each of the last two years, Bradley returned to campus for the 2010-11 season. The Braves opened the new $50-million, 4,200-seat Renaissance Coliseum Nov. 13 against WNIT participant Butler with a 77-63 victory. The facility sits on the exact site of historic Robertson Memorial Field House which served as the Braves home until the building was razed following the 2007-08 season. Despite playing home games across the river in East Peoria, Bradley was an impressive 20-4 (.833) at Lorene Ramsey Gym over the last two seasons. The Braves are 27-8 (.771) in "home" games since leaving Robertson Memorial Field House and own a 36-13 (.735) record in home contests since the start of the 2007-08 season.
Road Warriors
Bradley has played a Missouri Valley Conference leading 12 road games to date and the Braves have played 14 of 22 games away from home this season. The Braves are a combined 18-24 in true road games since the start of the 2009-10 season and Bradley's 14 combined road victories between the 2008-09 and 2009-10 seasons are the most road wins in back-to-back seasons in program history.
Braves Among The Tops In The Valley
Bradley matched a school record with 12 conference victories in 2009-10, while also matching the best league finish in school history (tied for third). BU's 23 Valley wins during the 2008-09 and 2009-10 seasons are the most in back-to-back seasons in school history and the Braves are 27-21 (.563) in league play over the last two-plus seasons. The 27-21 record is the fourth best mark in The Valley since the start of the 2008-09 season, behind only Illinois State (39-8), Creighton (36-12) and Northern Iowa (30-18).
Senior Leadership
Raisa Taylor is the lone senior on the roster for Bradley in 2010-11 and has a chance to finish her career among the winningest players in program history. During her time on The Hilltop, the Braves own a 61-54 (.530) overall record and 33-33 league mark. Bradley has not finished a four-year period with a winning conference record since the 1992-93 senior class closed out their careers with a 36-34 mark. The only other class to post a winning league record was the 1991-92 senior class, which finished with a 38-34 conference record. Last year's senior class (Jenny Van Kirk & Renee Frericks) finished their careers with a 62-61 overall record, marking the most wins for BU during a four-year period since the 1982-83 team was 72-39. Bradley's current junior class has helped the Braves to a 49-36 (.576) overall record and 27-21 (.563) league mark.
Buscher Breaks BU Win Mark
Head coach Paula Buscher is in her 11th year on The Hilltop and is the all-time wins leader in program history. The dean of Missouri Valley Conference coaches, Buscher broke Lisa Boyer's school record of 123 victories on Jan. 15, 2010 with a 74-62 win against Northern Iowa and also broke Boyer's hold as the longest tenured coach in program history this season, with her 11th on the bench in Peoria. Buscher is tied for 10th in Missouri Valley Conference history with 145 wins.
Braves Picked Sixth In Preseason Valley Poll
For the second consecutive year Bradley was picked to finish sixth according to a vote of league coaches, sports information directors and media. Missouri State was the preseason favorite to win the regular-season league title after receiving 27 of 40 first-place votes. The Braves received 204 points in the poll and were 22 points behind fifth-place Wichita State. Bradley was 24 points ahead of seventh-place Drake in the preseason ranking. BU has finished higher than its predicted finish in each of the last four years and eight of the last 10 years overall under head coach Paula Buscher.
Up Next
Bradley kicks off the final road swing of the 2010-11 regular-season Thursday with a 7:05 p.m. game at Evansville. The Braves will be making their final trip to Roberts Stadium as the Purple Aces move into a new facility in 2011-12. Bradley holds a 19-15 lead in the all-time series with UE after posting a 65-58 win against the Purple Aces in Peoria earlier this season and the Braves have won three consecutive games in the series. BU is 7-9 all-time in road games in the series and is 3-1 in its last four trips to Evansville. Bradley is 12-10 against UE under head coach Paula Buscher, which includes a 5-5 mark in road games.
