PEORIA, Ill. – The Bradley women's basketball team will open the Missouri Valley Conference portion of the schedule on the road for the seventh time in the last eight years and 11th time in 14 seasons Thursday when the Braves head to Carbondale, Ill., for a matchup with Southern Illinois.
Thursday's 2 p.m. game against the Salukis kicks off a two-game road swing to start the Valley slate, which also includes a Saturday afternoon (3:30 p.m.) game at Evansville.
Bradley (3-8 overall) is trying to snap a four-game losing streak in Valley openers, which dates back to the 2008-09 season and the Braves will be playing five of the first seven league games on the road for the first time since that same 2008-09 campaign.
Thursday's Valley opener between Bradley and Southern Illinois (2-9 overall) will be the first time the Braves and Salukis will meet in the first conference game of the year since 1993-94 and BU will be kicking off a league schedule with a game in Carbondale, Ill., for the first time in program history.
Bradley has managed at least a split on the Southern Illinois-Evansville road swing in seven consecutive seasons and 12 of the last 13 years overall.
Southern Illinois is coached by Richwoods High School and Illinois Central College product Cindy Stein. The Salukis have lost three consecutive games heading into Thursday's contest, which is the fifth of a season-long six-game home stand for SIU.
Evansville (5-6 overall) is 4-1 at home heading into a Thursday home tilt with Loyola in the MVC opener for both squads. Saturday's game against the Purple Aces features the top two scoring teams in the Missouri Valley Conference this season, with both squads averaging better than 71 points per game.
BradleyBraves.com will provide links to live stats for both games. A free audio stream is available at 1290wirl.com and subscription video streams are available through both schools respective web sites.
Three of Bradley's last four non-conference opponents boast records of 9-3 or better and the last four foes have combined for a 35-16 (.680) mark. The last six squads on the non-conference schedule own a 52-23 (.693) cumulative record through Monday.
Sunday's home game against DePaul was Bradley's second home contest in the month of December and the Braves have just three home contests in January after opening MVC play with five of seven on the road. Starting with the Nov. 21 game at Northern Illinois, the Braves will play 10 of 14 games away from home.
Senior Kelsey Budd (Prairie du Sac, Wis./Sauk Prairie) is coming off a 17-point and eight-assist effort against pre-season Big East Conference favorite DePaul Sunday. Budd scored her 800th career point against the Blue Demons and also dished out the 275th assist of her career. One of eight individuals in school history with 800 career points, 275 assists and 125 or more steals, Budd needs 15 assists to move into Bradley's career top 10.
Bradley returns to Renaissance Coliseum next week, facing Missouri State Jan. 10 (7 p.m.) in the first Missouri Valley Conference home game of the season.
