For Starters
Bradley (13-14 overall, 6-10 MVC) looks to end a three-game home losing skid Thursday when the Braves welcome I-74 rival Illinois State for a 7:05 p.m. contest Thursday at Renaissance Coliseum. Thursday's game will be televised on WTVP World and will also be broadcast on 1290 AM WIRL.
BU has won two of its last three and is 5-5 in its last 10 games, but the Braves have lost three consecutive home games and are looking for their first home victory since topping Evansville 65-58 on Jan. 23. Bradley fell at Illinois State 83-69 in the conference opener for both teams back on Dec. 30 at Redbird Arena. Thursday's game is the second of a season-long three-game homestand for the Braves.
Illinois State (19-8 overall, 11-5 MVC) is coming off back-to-back home victories and the Redbirds are 9-2 in their last 11 games. ISU is third in the Valley standings, a full game ahead of fourth-place Missouri State and a half-game behind third-place Creighton.
About Illinois State
Illinois State (19-8 overall, 11-5 MVC) closed out the home portion of its schedule with a 14-0 record last week with an 87-62 win against Southern Illinois. The Redbirds have locked up a top four seed in next week's conference tournament and have a shot at finishing second in the Valley standings.
The Redbirds returned nine letterwinners, including two starters, from last year's team which finished 28-8 overall and won its third consecutive regular-season MVC title with a 16-2 league record.
Senior forward Emily Hanley is the leading scorer for Illinois State at 14.5 points per game and is shooting a conference-best 52.7 percent from the field. Junior guard Katie Broadway adds 12.5 points per game and is shooting 38 percent from three-point range. Senior forward Kenyatta Shelton is the team's leading rebounder at 7.0 boards per outing to go along with a 6.7 points-per-game average. Senior Shala Jackson is scoring 9.9 points per tilt and is one of six ISU players scoring 6.1 points or more per game. Amanda Clifton is dishing out a league-high 5.1 assists per game.
About The Braves
Bradley (13-14 overall, 6-10 MVC) is 5-5 in its last nine games and looks to end a three-game home streak Thursday against I-74 rival Illinois State. The Braves are wrapping up the regular season at home for the fifth consecutive year and ninth time in the last 11 seasons.
The Braves posted a 7-4 non-conference record, which is tied for the third most non-conference wins in program history and closes out the regular season with a season-long, three-game homestand where BU is 6-5 this season.
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 22 of her last 28 games.
Bradley's lone senior, Raisa Taylor is averaging 12.1 points per game and is shooting 47 percent from the field. Taylor has scored in double figures in 24 of her last 32 games dating back to last season and leads the team in assists (3.4 per game). She ranks 11th in school history with 1,064 career points and needs 54 points to move into 10th on the all-time scoring chart.
Junior forward MacKenzie Westcott has heated up as of late, scoring 8.9 points and pulling down 6.1 rebounds per outing in Missouri Valley Conference play. Westcott has scored in double figures in three of the last seven games and is averaging 11.1 points, 6.1 rebounds and 2.1 steals per game 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 147-170 (.464) at BU. The 2008-09 Rawlings Missouri Valley Conference Coach of the Year, Buscher owns a 190-208 (.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 147 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.
Stephanie Glance (Rollins College '85) is in her first season as head coach at Illinois State and has led the Redbirds to a 19-8 (.704) record. A long-time assistant coach at North Carolina State, Glance also served as an assistant coach to Hall of Fame Head Coach Pat Summitt for one season prior to taking over as head coach of the Redbirds.
Illinois State Series
Bradley continues a season-long, three-game homestand Thursday, March 3, welcoming I-74 rival Illinois State to Renaissance Coliseum for a 7:05 p.m. game. The Redbirds topped the Braves 83-69 in the Missouri Valley Conference opener for both teams in December and have won 11 consecutive games in the series. Bradley trails the all-time series with ISU 23-45, which includes a 10-23 record in home games against the Redbirds. Illinois State has won each of the last four games played in Peoria in the series.
Last Time Out
Bradley suffered a 61-71 loss to Northern Iowa as the Panthers used a 15-2 run to open the second half and take control of a four-point game at the half. The Panthers locked up their first Missouri Valley Conference regular-season title with the victory. The Braves committed just 14 turnovers, but shot just 34.4 percent from the field; while UNI shot 46 percent and held a 19-10 advantage in points off turnovers. Junior Hanna Muegge led BU in scoring with 13 points and sophomore guard Katie Yohn added 10 points. Northern Iowa had four players score in double figures, led by Rachel Madrigal's career-high 18 points.
Rare Occurrence
Senior Raisa Taylor became the 15th player in program history to score 1,000 career points earlier in the year, but may join Eileen Yerkes in very rare company. Yerkes is currently the only player in program history to score 1,000 career points and not lead the Braves in scoring in any of her seasons on The Hilltop. She averaged better than 10 points in each of her final three seasons as a Brave, including a career-best 13.1 points per game as a senior, but did not lead the team in scoring in any of her four years. Taylor is currently second on the team with a 12.1 points-per-game average and is 11th in career scoring behind Yerkes with 1,067 career points. She was fourth on the squad in scoring her freshman and sophomore seasons and ranked second on the team in scoring last year as a junior.
Repeat Scoring Champ?
Sophomore Katie Yohn is averaging a team-best 13.3 points per game and is looking to become the first player since Sara Bailey to lead the team in scoring in back-to-back seasons. Bailey led BU in scoring in 2000-01, 2001-02 and 2002-03. Yohn would be the eighth player in program history to lead the team in scoring in two or more seasons and would join Connie Griffith as the only players in program history to pace Bradley in scoring both her freshman and sophomore seasons.
Senior Day
Saturday's home game against Indiana State will mark the final home contest for Bradley senior Raisa Taylor. The only player in program history to play home games at Robertson Memorial Field House, Bradley's temporary home of Lorene Ramsey Gym in 2008-09 and 2009-10 and Renaissance Coliseum; Taylor ranks 11th in school history with 1,067 career points. She is tied for third in career games played with 115 and needs three made free throws to break Shelli Braud's school record of 328 career free throws. In addition, Taylor ranks 23rd in MVC history with a BU record 490 career free throw attempts and is ninth at BU with 55 career blocked shots.
Game On
Senior Raisa Taylor moved into a tie with Jen Brown for third in career games played at Bradley, appearing in the 115th contest of her BU career last week against Northern Iowa. The 28th player in program history to play in 100 games, Taylor needs four games to catch Kelly Krumwiede and Ashley Chelleen for the career record of 119 games played. Bradley would have to play at least two games in next week's State Farm Missouri Valley Conference Tournament for Taylor to have a chance to tie for the all-time mark.
Senior Night Revenge
Bradley has not had a lot of success on senior day, going 13-22 (.371) in the final regular-season home game of the season, but will be looking for a little revenge when the Braves host Indiana State. BU has played in Terre Haute, Ind., on the Sycamores' senior day each of the last two years and three of the last four seasons overall with Indiana State taking each of those three contests. Saturday's meeting will mark the seventh time Indiana State has visited Peoria for Bradley's senior day festivities. The Braves posted a 97-83 win against the Sycamores the last time Indiana State visited for BU's senior day on March 6, 2004.
Making Them Count
Bradley has made a habit of getting to the free throw line, making 15.5 shots from the charity stripe this season. BU's season total of 418 made free throws is the sixth best season total in program history and most by Bradley since connecting on 430 free throws in 2006-07. In fact the 15.5 made free throws per game is the third best average in school history and most since making a school-record 18.1 per game in 1982-83. BU's 72.8 team free throw percentage is the fourth best in school history and best since Bradley shot 75.8 percent in 20006-07. Leading the way to the line has been senior Raisa Taylor, who is 116-for-163 from the line on the season. Her 116 makes is the sixth best season total in program history her 163 attempts ranks as the fifth highest season total at BU.
Taylor Breaks Career Mark; Eyeing Another
Senior guard Raisa Taylor tied a Bradley single game record she already shared with Tammy Van Oppen and Val Wancket for free throw attempts with 17 trips to the line at Southern Illinois (Feb. 19) and broke the BU career free throw attempts mark in the process. Taylor, whose 13 free throws against SIU is tied for the third best total in program history, broke the Bradley career free throw attempts record and is 23rd in MVC history with 490 career free throw attempts. Karin Nicholls held the previous BU career record of 480 career free throw attempts. With at least three games remaining, Taylor needs just three made free throws to break Shelli Braud's school record of 328 free throws. She needs nine assists to join Van Oppen as the only players in program history with 300 points, 100 made free throws, 150 rebounds, 100 assists and 30 steals in a season.
From Downtown
Sophomore Katie Yohn enters Thursday's game against Illinois State tied with Jen Brown for sixth in career three-pointers at Bradley with 111 career trey's. Yohn's 54 triples this season are a school sophomore record and she is the first player in program history with 100 career three-pointers before the start of their junior season. She needs two more three-pointers to move into fifth place all-time at Bradley.
More On Free Throws
Raisa Taylor ranks second in the Missouri Valley Conference in free throw attempts with 163 shots from the charity stripe this season and is averaging a career-best 6.0 free throw attempts per game. Her 116 makes from the line this season is the sixth best season total in program history and are the most by a Bradley player since Tammy Van Oppen made 127 free throws in 1996-97. Taylor's 163 attempts are the fifth most in program history.
Home, Sweet Home
Bradley closes out the regular-season with a season-long, three-game homestand. BU needs one home victory to lock up its fourth consecutive season with a winning record at home. Bradley has not had four straight seasons with a winning record at home since going eight straight years from 1984-85 through the 1991-92 season with winning home records. BU has won nine or more home games each of the previous three years and the Braves are 36-15 (.706) at home since the start of the 2007-08 season, including a 23-11 (.676) home record in Missouri Valley Conference play during that time.
Road Warriors
Bradley has played a Missouri Valley Conference leading 14 road games to date and the Braves have played 16 of 27 games away from home this season. BU is the only team in the Missouri Valley Conference with six or more road wins in each of the last three years and is a combined 20-24 (.455) in true road games since the start of the 2008-09 season. Bradley's 20 road wins in that span is tied with Creighton for second in the Valley behind Illinois State's 27 road victories and BU's .455 road winning percentage is third in the league during that span.
Winning Ways
Senior Raisa Taylor will finish out her Bradley career as one of the winningest players in program history. BU's victories at Southern Illinois and Evansville pushed the Braves' win total to 63 over the last four years, marking the most victories in a four-year period for BU since the 1982-83 squad finished off a four-year run with 72 victories. If the Braves can win both of their final regular-season games, Bradley will close out the first four-year stretch with a winning conference record since the 1992-93 senior class posted a 36-34 record in league play. Bradley's current junior class has helped the Braves to a 51-38 (.573) overall record and 29-23 (.558) league mark.
High Scoring Duo
Senior Raisa Taylor and sophomore Katie Yohn have carried the bulk of the scoring load for the Braves this season, combining for nearly 40 percent of the team's points. The duo has combined for 659 points on the year and Bradley has two players with more than 300 points in the same season since 2006-07. In fact, BU has not had two players average in double figures in scoring since that 2006-07 season and a pair of Braves have not scored 12.0 points per game or more in the same season since 2004-05 when Dena Williams (13.3 ppg) and Genny Mueller (12.8 ppg) paced the team in scoring.
Leading The D
Junior MacKenzie Westcott has surpassed her career scoring output from her first two seasons, but her effort on defensive end may put her in rare company in program history. Westcott currently leads the team with 30 blocked shots and 46 steals after coming away with a career-best seven takeaways last week against Northern Iowa. She has joined Dena Williams, Heather Best and Eileen Yerkes as the only players in program history with 150 rebounds, 30 blocks and 40 steals in a season. She could join Bradley Hall of Fame members Shelli Braud and Heather Best as the only players in program history to lead the team in blocks and steals in the same season.
Series Marks
Senior Raisa Taylor finished out her career against Southern Illinois with a 13.9 points per game average against the Salukis. Taylor, who averaged 15.3 points in four career games at SIU Arena, scored 125 points in nine career outings against Southern Illinois. The 125 points is 10 more than any other Bradley player in the series history with SIU and Taylor's 43 made free throws against the Salukis is also the most in series history by a Brave.
Pink Zone Game
Bradley's Feb. 12 home game against Creighton marked 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 $2,500 for the Komen Foundation during this year's event and nearly $55,000 over the eight years of the function. Head coach Paula Buscher donated $25 per BU three-pointer in each of the previous seven Pink Zone games. The Braves have made 53-of-135 (39.3 percent) three-point attempts in Pink Zone games and averaged 6.6 trey's per Pink Zone contest. BU is 6-2 in Pink Zone games all-time.
Heating Up
Junior MacKenzie Westcott scored in double figures in three consecutive games for the first time in her career after a 10-point effort against Drake (Feb. 10) and has had 10 or more points in three of the last seven games. Westcott finished the first half of conference play scoring 7.2 points per game in Valley play and had averaged 5.8 points over the last six games, but is averaging 11.1 points per game in the second half of the league schedule. 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 seven games, she is averaging 11.5 points, 6.1 rebounds and 2.1 steals per game.
Taylor Moves Into 11th On Scoring List
Senior guard Raisa Taylor moved up three spots on Bradley's career scoring list with a pair of 17-point efforts in BU's road games at Evansville and Southern Illinois and is now 11th all-time in scoring at BU with 1,067 career points. She passed Dena Williams (1,030 points), Devyn Flanagan (1,032 points) and Val Wancket (1,048) and is now 53 points behind Eileen Yerkes (1,120 points) for 10th on the all-time scoring chart. With at least three games remaining, Taylor is on pace to have 1,103 points after BU's opening game at next week's State Farm Missouri Valley Conference Tournament.
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 BU has already matched its win total from the first half of league play with a 3-4 record. With one more win, Bradley can post a better record in the second half of conference play for the fifth time in the last six seasons. 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 and matched the first-half record in two other seasons. Bradley is 35-64 (.354) under Buscher in the first half of Valley play, compared to a 48-49 (.495) mark in the second half.
Controlling The Boards
Bradley leads the Missouri Valley Conference in rebounding margin at +5.5 boards per game and the Braves have been outrebounded just four times in 2010-11. In fact, BU has matched or outrebounded their opponent in 71 of the last 89 games. Bradley is 45-26 (.634) during that stretch when controlling the glass, compared to a 6-12 (.333) record when the opponent has an edge on the glass.
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 (Feb. 4), overtaking former Illinois State Robin Pingeton for 10th on the career chart. Buscher has 147 career victories as head coach of the Braves and her 83 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.
Leading The Way
Senior Raisa Taylor has been one of the team's top scorers all season and currently ranks second on the squad with a 12.1 points-per-game average. The lone senior on the roster, leads the team in assists (3.4 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 eighth player in program history to score 600 career points before the start of their junior season. With a minimum of three 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. Each of the seven previous players who have scored 600 or more points by the end of their sophomore season currently rank in the top seven in career scoring at BU. Yohn's 332 points is the eighth highest scoring total by a Bradley sophomore and most by a BU sophomore since Sara Bailey scored 521 in 2000-01. Yohn's 317 points as a freshman was the fifth best scoring total by a BU frosh.
Getting To The Stripe Is Key
Senior guard Raisa Taylor ranks second in the Missouri Valley Conference in free throw attempts with 163 and her 116 makes from the charity stripe this season is more than all but eight players in the Valley have attempted through games of Feb. 19. Taylor is averaging 4.3 made free throws and a career-best 6.0 attempts per game. Bradley is 12-17 in her career when Taylor has two or less free throw attempts per game, but is 44-26 (.629) when she goes to the line four or more times. In fact, BU owns an 18-10 (.643) record in the last 28 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 252-184 (.578) all-time record in home games, which includes an 85-57 (.599) home mark under head coach Paula Buscher. The Braves are 36-15 (.706) at home since the start of the 2007-08 season.
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 317 career games coached behind fifth-place DiCecco (344 games). Creighton head coach Jim Flannery is second among active Valley coaches with 283 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.
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 17-6 (.739) in their last 23 games in which the final margin was 10 points or fewer after last week's 71-61 setback to Northern Iowa. BU is 19-9 (.679) in games decided by 10 points or less since the start of the 2009-10 season and 28-10 (.737) 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.
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 27-10 (.730) in "home" games since leaving Robertson Memorial Field House and own a 36-15 (.706) record in home contests since the start of the 2007-08 season.
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 29-23 (.557) in league play over the last two-plus seasons. The 29-23 record is the fourth best mark in The Valley since the start of the 2008-09 season, behind only Illinois State (42-10), Creighton (39-14) and Northern Iowa (32-18).
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 147 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 closes out the 2010-11 regular season at home, hosting Indiana State Saturday at 2:05 p.m. The Sycamores own a 38-22 lead in the all-time series, but the Braves are 4-3 in the last seven meetings. BU has won each of the last three home games against Indiana State to pull even in the series at 14-14 in games played in Peoria.
