Bradley Braves (6-11, 1-3 MVC)
at
#5 Wichita State (17-0, 4-0 MVC)
When: Tuesday, Jan. 14, 2014 | 7:05 p.m.
Where: Wichita, Kan. | Koch Arena
Game Coverage
TV: KS22 in Wichita and WAOE (My59) in Peoria
Radio: 1470 WMBD | Dave Snell (play-by-play), Chad Kleine (analyst) and Dan DiOrio (Braves Plus pregame)
Video Streaming: ESPN3
Audio Streaming: 1470wmbd.com
Live Stats: StatBroadcast.com
Twitter: @BradleySIDLive | #BRADvWICH
Bradley Pregame Notes (PDF)
Coaches
Bradley: Geno Ford | 31-53 in 3rd year at Bradley; 150-122 in 9th year overall
Wichita State: Gregg Marshall | 156-70 in 7th year at Wichita State; 350-153 in 16th year overall
Series History
Bradley leads overall 71-62 | Wichita State leads in Wichita, 42-20
Streak: Wichita State has won seven straight in the series
Tip-Off
Bradley will face its highest-ranked opponent in a Missouri Valley Conference road game since 1975 Tuesday when the Braves visit #5 Wichita State at Koch Arena ... The Braves have not visited a Valley opponent ranked so high since an 82-80 overtime loss at #4 Louisville Jan. 4, 1975 ... Bradley brings a 7-game losing streak in true road games to Wichita, where the Shockers have won 10 straight by an average of 16.6 points ... Bradley has dropped seven straight in the series against the Shockers, Wichita State's longest winning streak in the 133-game series ... Bradley has lost seven straight road games to nationally-ranked opponents since a 72-71 victory at #16 Drake Feb. 19, 2008 ... The Braves are 2-13 all-time in road games against top five teams with wins at #5 Oklahoma State (71-57) March 13, 1954, and at #5 Saint Louis (57-56) in double-overtime Jan. 8, 1952.
Series History
Tuesday's game will be the 134th meeting in the all-time series between Bradley and Wichita State, which dates back to a 72-63 Braves win March 6, 1948 at Peoria Armory ... The Shockers own a 42-20 home advantage against Bradley, including an 8-2 record at Koch Arena since it re-opened in 2003 ... Third-year Bradley head coach Geno Ford (0-4) is in search of his first win against Wichita State, while Shockers coach Gregg Marshall is 9-4 against the Braves.
Lineup Shuffle
Bradley has used eight different starting lineups through the season's first 17 games ... The lineup of Auston Barnes (F), Tyshon Pickett (4), Chris Blake (C), Omari Grier (G) and Walt Lemon, Jr. (G) has started eight games (3-5), but no other lineup has been together for more than two games ... The Braves had used a different starting five in six straight games before the quintet of Barnes, Pickett, Xzavier Taylor (C), Grier and Lemon started together for each of the last two games.
Tough Five-Game Start
Bradley easily drew the toughest 5-game start to the MVC season, facing five teams that now boast a 61-20 (.753) overall record, including three road games against a trio of squads that begin the week with a combined 22-0 home mark.
Bradley's first five Valley opponents own the league's five best overall records.
January's Final Four
Following Tuesday's game at #5 Wichita State, Bradley will close out the month of January with four games against teams with a combined 31-35 (.470) overall record ... Three of the final four January games will be played at home against teams with a combined 4-15 (.211) road record ... The fourth game is Jan. 26 at Evansville, which is 6-4 at home.
Exclusive Club
Senior guard Walt Lemon, Jr. has joined an exclusive Bradley Basketball club, sharing the company of just five other players in program history ... During Wednesday's game versus Missouri State, when he had 25 points and four assists, Lemon became the sixth player in program history to eclipse both 1,400 career points and 300 assists ... After adding 22 points and six assists Saturday at Indiana State, Lemon now boasts 1,437 points and 309 assists and is on pace to join Hersey Hawkins and Anthony Parker as the only Bradley players with 1,500 career points and 300 assists.
Chart Climber
Senior guard Walt Lemon, Jr. has climbed to 16th on Bradley's all-time scoring list with 1,437 career points, the most among The Valley's active players ... Currently averaging 17.1 ppg, Lemon is on pace to climb to eighth on the school's all-time scoring list by season's end ... If he maintains his current average for at least 15 more games, he will become the highest-scoring Brave since Hersey Hawkins graduated in 1988 ... Lemon also has into a tie for ninth in school history with 180 career steals and he is second among The Valley's active players with his 309 career assists.
Looking Ahead
Bradley returns home to Carver Arena for three of the next four games, beginning Friday night versus Southern Illinois ... Friday's game against the Salukis will be preceded by the third Bradley Braves Club Gameday Luncheon, presented by Herget Bank ... Southern Illinois head coach Barry Hinson will be the featured speaker Friday and tickets may be purchased by contacting the Braves Club Office at 309-677-2677.
