Bradley Hosts UW-Parkside in Season Opener

Bob Hunt - Photographer

Men's Basketball 11/6/2018 11:00:00 AM

Bradley vs. UW-Parkside
Game Details	Wednesday, Nov. 7 • 7 p.m. • Peoria, Ill. • Carver Arena
Television	ESPN+
Radio	1470 WMBD
Game Notes	Bradley \| UW-Parkside
Game Coverage	Live Stats \| Twitter: @bradleyumbb \| Instagram: @bradleyumbb
Tickets	Ticketmaster \| (309) 677-2625

The Bradley men's basketball team officially begins its 115th season with a home game against UW-Parkside. Game time for the 2018-19 opener is set for Wednesday at 7 p.m. at Carver Arena.

PROMOTIONS
• Wednesday's game is Peoria Night. Any fan with a Peoria address can present their driver's license at the box office on game day for two white level tickets for 50% off.
• Fans can pick up the 2018-19 BU Basketball schedule poster in Kaboom!'s Korner in the Coke Lobby near the merchandise stand.
• Also in Kaboom!'s Korner is inflatables from Fun on the Run, including a Bounce House.

ABOUT THE BRAVES
• The Braves are coming off a 20-13 season one year ago – improving their win total by at least seven games for the second-straight season.
• The Braves return 7-of-8 players that averaged at least 3.0 points per game last season.
• Darrell Brown led BU with 13.5 points per game last year, while Nate Kennell and Elijah Childs are the second and third-leading returning scorers at 9.2 and 8.4 points per game.
• Childs is also the top returner in rebounds with 6.2 per game, while Brown led BU with 4.3 assists per game.

EXHIBITION RECAP
• Bradley earned its most dominant win in an exhibition game against a college team with an 81-31 victory versus Carroll University on Nov. 1.
• The 50-point margin of victory surpasses the previous mark of 42 by the Braves, set in 1958 against Western Ontario.
• Freshman Ja'Shon Henry led BU with 15 points and nine rebounds, while juniors Koch Bar and Nate Kennell each added 14 points.
• Bradley raced to a 21-2 lead in the game and never looked back. Overall, BU shot 52.7 percent from the field, while holding the Pioneers to 19.6 percent. BU also held a 34-6 edge in points in the paint and 35-5 advantage in points off turnovers.

SERIES HISTORY
• The Braves and Rangers are meeting for the first time in a regular-season contest.
• The schools have faced each other twice in exhibition games with Bradley earning an 87-77 victory in 2011 and 70-42 win in 2012.

ABOUT THE RANGERS
• UW-Parkside posted a 9-19 record and is picked fifth in the GLIAC North Division.
• The Rangers have qualified for the NCAA Division II Tournament in four of the last five seasons.
• UW-Parkside must replace their top two scorers from last season with Adam Bonk as the top returner after averaging 11.4 points per game.
• Joe Borcia is the team's top returning rebounder at 5.1 per game, while Bonk is the team's top returner in assists at 1.6 per game.

BRAVES IN SEASON OPENERS
• Bradley is set to begin its 115th season of play.
• Nov. 7 is the earliest opener in team history as the previous earliest start was Nov. 8, 2012 with a 72-65 win versus Jacksonville State.
• The Braves are 82-32 all-time in season openers with a 3-0 mark under Brian Wardle.
• In addition, Bradley is 73-9 in season openers that have been played at home, including a 20-2 record at Carver Arena.
• Bradley has won its last three openers. Last season, Nate Kennell led the Braves with 19 points as BU defeated IUPUI, 68-53.
• Overall, the Braves have won seven of their last eight openers.

2017-18 RECAP
• The Braves improved their win total by seven games during the 2017-18 campaign, posting a 20-13 overall record to go with a 9-9 MVC mark.
• Bradley reached the 20-win mark for the first time since 2009 last year.
• The Braves also placed fifth in the final Valley standings before advancing to the MVC Semifinals for the first time since 2010.

TRENDING UPWARD
• The seven-win increase from a season ago wasn't a one-year trend. The Braves also increased by eight wins from 2015-16 (5) to 2016-17 (13).
• Bradley is one of four schools nationally to improve its win total by at least five games in each of the last two seasons, joining Auburn, Utah Valley and UTSA.

BRAVES RETURN 10
• Don't expect the trend of improved wins to slow down any time soon as the Braves return 10-of-13 letterwinners and 4-of-5 starters from last season.
• Overall, the Braves bring back 79.2 percent of points, 73.5 percent of rebounds and 89.0 percent of assists.
• The only significant contributor (and Brave averaging at least 3.0 points per game) to depart is the graduated Donte Thomas. He averaged 11.7 points and 7.2 rebounds last year en route to second-team All-Valley accolades.

PITTMAN BACK IN LINEUP
• One familiar face in the lineup this year that BU fans haven't seen in a while is redshirt junior guard Antoine Pittman.
• Pittman elected to redshirt the 2017-18 campaign to continue to develop his offensive game.
• A defensive standout his first two seasons on campus, Pittman has appeared in 60 career games with 45 starts. He has scored 412 points (6.9 per game) with 123 rebounds, 62 assists and 43 steals.

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