BRADLEY BRAVES (2-11, 0-0 MVC) at UNI PANTHERS (8-5, 0-0 MVC) Wednesday, Dec. 30, 2015 | 7:00 p.m. CST | Cedar Falls, IA | McLeod Center (6,650)

Braves Head Coach: Brian Wardle at Bradley:  2-11 (1st year) Career:  97-76 (6th year) vs. UNI:  1st meeting

Panthers Head Coach:  Ben Jacobson at UNI:  205-110 (10th year) Career:  Same vs. Bradley:  18-5

OPENING TIPS
•  The youngest team in college basketball will open its 18-game, double round-robin Missouri Valley Conference schedule Wednesday by visiting Northern Iowa in a 7 p.m. clash at McLeod Center.
•  After playing the toughest non-conference schedule by opponent winning percentage in The Valley, Bradley opens league play by facing the league's two 30-game winners from a year ago in its first two conference games.
•  In addition, Bradley's first five Valley games come against the five teams to post the best non-conference records to start the season.
•  Wednesday's game will be the 56th meeting in the all-time series against UNI and Bradley will be trying to maintain its series advantage: the Braves lead 28-27.
•  Missouri State (34-19) is the only active Valley member with a winning all-time record against Bradley.
•  Wednesday's game also matches four of The Valley's top five players in improved scoring from a year ago: Bradley sophomore forward Donte Thomas is third among Valley players by boosting his scoring average 7.2 points per game this season, while the Panthers boast three of the league's top five most improved scorers.

SERIES HISTORY
•  Wednesday's game will be the 56th meeting in the all-time series between Bradley and UNI.
•  Bradley owns a 28-27 all-time series advantage, though UNI has won 18 of the 23 meetings since Ben Jacobson took over as Panthers head coach to start the 2006-07 campaign.
•  UNI is 17-7 all-time at home in the series, including 8-1 at McLeod Center, where they have won eight in a row against the Braves since a 75-73 Bradley win Jan. 12, 2008.
•  First-year Braves head coach Brian Wardle is facing UNI for the first time in his career.
•  Jacobson's 18 wins against Bradley are the most against any team in his 10-year career as a head coach.

ONLY THE BEARS
•  Missouri State is the only current Missouri Valley Conference member to own a winning record against Bradley.
•  By winning 18 of the last 23 meetings, UNI can pull even in the all-time series against Bradley with a victory Wednesday.
MVC Members         W-L
Drake              82-61
Evansville         26-20
Illinois State     63-57
Indiana State      50-32
Loyola Chicago     32-20
Missouri State     19-34
Southern Illinois  46-42
UNI                28-27
Wichita State      71-66

LOOKING AHEAD
•  Bradley will return home for its next two games, beginning with a Sunday afternoon tilt against Wichita State.
•  Bradley's first five Valley games are being played against the league's five teams with winning non-conference records.
•  Following Sunday's game against the Shockers, the Braves will host Southern Illinois (11-2) Jan. 6 and will visit Evansville (11-2) Jan. 9.