Braves Open Valley Play at Drake

Men's Basketball 12/27/2017 11:39:00 AM

Bradley (10-3, 0-0 MVC) at Drake (6-7, 0-0 MVC)
Game Details	Thursday, Dec. 28 • 7 p.m. • Des Moines, Iowa • Knapp Center
Television	ESPN3
Radio	1470 WMBD
Game Notes	Bradley \| Drake
Game Coverage	Live Stats \| Twitter: @bradleyumbb \| Instagram: @bradleyumbb

After a 10-win non-conference season, the Bradley basketball team looks to carry that success into Missouri Valley Conference action as it opens league play at Drake. Tipoff is set for 7 p.m. on Thursday.

ABOUT THE BRAVES
• Bradley finished the non-conference season with a 10-3 record – the team's most wins out of league in 11 years.
• Sophomore Darrell Brown leads the Braves with 13.2 points and 3.9 assists per game.
• A balanced team with eight players averaging at least five points, Nate Kennell and Donte Thomas are second and third on BU in scoring with 9.2 and 8.5 points, respectively.
• Freshman Elijah Childs leads Bradley with 6.3 rebounds, while Thomas is second at 5.8.
• BU is averaging 69.1 points, shooting 43.8 percent from the floor and 39.9 percent from 3-point range.
• The strength of the team so far is on defense where BU features the nation's ninth-ranked unit, allowing only 60.9 points per game, 37.6 percent of field goals and 29.1 percent from 3-point range.

SERIES HISTORY
• In a series that dates back to 1942, Bradley has played Drake more than any other school in the program's history as the teams are set to meet for 149th time.
• The Braves own an 86-62 advantage against the Bulldogs, marking the most wins for Bradley against any one school.
• Last season, the Braves won all three games versus Drake, including the first round of the MVC Tournament. It marked the first time since the 2000-01 season that BU defeated a school three times in one season (Northern Iowa).
• Donte Thomas dominated for the Braves in the three-game sweep last year, averaging 19.3 points and 10.3 rebounds, while shooting 80.0 percent (24-of-30) from the floor.
• Overall, the Braves have won the last four games in the series – the team's longest winning streak versus Drake since 2000-02. Bradley hasn't won five straight in the series since a 12-game run from 1993 to 1998.

ABOUT THE BULLDOGS
• Drake posted a 6-7 record during the non-conference campaign but was a perfect 4-0 at home.
• The Bulldogs ended a three-game losing streak in their most recent appearance with an 81-57 win against Maryland Eastern Shore on Friday.
• Reed Timmer leads all scorers in the MVC with 19.4 points per game, shooting 45.5 percent overall and 50.0 percent from 3-point range.
• De'Antae McMurray is second with 12.0 points as four Bulldogs overall average in double figures.
• C.J. Rivers leads the team with 5.5 rebounds and 3.4 assists per game.
• Overall, the Bulldogs own the top scoring offense in the MVC at 79.5 points per game but are last in scoring defense at 77.6 points allowed.

BRAVES IN MVC OPENERS
• Beginning its 67th season in the Missouri Valley Conference, Bradley is 36-30 all-time in openers.
• The two-longest tenured members of the MVC, Bradley will open against Drake for the 10th time. The Braves are 8-1 all-time in openers against the Bulldogs, including a 3-1 mark in Des Moines.
• Last season, the Braves posted a 60-57 win at Carver Arena versus Southern Illinois to open the 2016-17 Valley schedule.
• Overall, Bradley is 10-22 in MVC openers away from home and is attempting to get off to a 1-0 start with a road win for the first time since 2009-10 (at Drake).

10-WIN NON-CONFERENCE
• The Braves are hoping that their 10-win non-conference season continues during MVC play.
• Bradley won 10 games against non-league foes for the first time since 2006-07 and just the fifth time in the last 50 seasons (also in 1973-74, 1985-86 and 1987-88).
• Overall, Bradley won 10 non-league games for the 18th time in 67 years as a member of the MVC (accomplished the feat in 13 of its first 15 years in the league).
• In the previous 17 times BU won at least 10 non-conference games, the Braves averaged an MVC placement of 2.4 with 11 top-two finishes (only in 1955-56 did Bradley finish worse than fourth).

NON-CONFERENCE COMPARISON
• Bradley has seen a steady rise in its performance under the three years with Coach Wardle.
• With the nation's youngest team in 2015-16, BU was 2-11 before a 5-8 non-conference mark last year with the NCAA's fourth-youngest squad.
• The biggest difference from last year (other than wins) is an improved scoring defense of 9.5 points.

TOP-RANKED DEFENSE
• The key to the team's success during the 2017-18 non-conference season has been owning one of the nation's top defenses.
• Bradley is allowing only 60.9 points per game, ranking ninth in the country.
• The Braves also place in the top 20 in both field goal percentage defense (15th at 37.6%) and 3-point defense (20th at 29.1%).
• The defense will be challenged on Thursday as Drake owns the top MVC offense at 79.5 points. Last season, Bradley held the Bulldogs to 68.0 points in its three-game season sweep.

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