Braves Play at Miami (Ohio) Saturday

Men's Basketball 12/20/2019 9:30:00 AM

Bradley (8-3) at Miami (5-6)
Game Details	Saturday, Dec. 21 • 1 p.m. CT • Oxford, Ohio • Millett Hall
Television	ESPN+
Radio	1470 WMBD
Game Notes	Bradley \| Miami
Game Coverage	Live Stats \| Twitter: @bradleyumbb \| Instagram: @bradleyumbb

Bradley basketball team looks to continue its recent strong play with a road non-conference game at Miami (Ohio) on Saturday afternoon. First tip is set for 1 p.m. CT on ESPN+.

ABOUT THE BRAVES
• Bradley is 8-3 during the 2019-20 campaign after three-straight victories by at least 30 points.
• The Braves earned an 81-51 win against Georgia Southern in its most recent game last Sunday.
• However, during the victory, Bradley's top scorer and rebounder, Elijah Childs, suffered a hand injury and is out for 3-6 weeks. Childs is averaging 14.5 points and 9.4 rebounds this season.
• Seniors Darrell Brown and Nate Kennell also average in double figures for the Braves.
• Brown is second on the team with 12.5 points, while also leading BU with 5.4 assists per game.
• Kennell is third with 11.7 points, making 47.6 percent of his 3-point attempts.
• Koch Bar is the team's active leader in rebounds with 7.9 per game.
• The Braves are averaging 73.6 points per game, while allowing 62.4 defensively.

SERIES HISTORY
• The Braves and RedHawks are meeting for the first time on the basketball court.

BRAVES VERSUS MAC
• Bradley is 27-7 all-time against schools in the Mid-American Conference.
• The Braves are meeting a MAC team for the first time since a home-and-home series against Ball State in 2015 and 2016. Both schools won on their own court, including Coach Wardle's first Bradley victory in 2015.

ABOUT THE REDHAWKS
• Miami is 5-6 during the 2019-20 season, having lost its most recent game at No. 3 Louisville, 70-46, on Wednesday.
• Nike Sibande leads Miami with 14.0 points per game, while Dalonte Brown is second with 12.8 points to go with a team-leading 7.0 rebounds.
• Mekhi Lairy leads the RedHawks with 3.4 assists per game to go with 8.2 points.
• Miami averages 72.2 points per game, while allowing 72.9 defensively.

DOMINANT VICTORIES
• The Braves have dominated opposition as of late, posting wins against North Carolina A&T, 83-52, Maryville, 91-58, and Georgia Southern, 81-51, in their last three games.
• It marks the first time that Bradley has won three-straight games by at least 30 points since the first three games of the 1958-59 season (61 years).
• BU is shooting 55.6 percent during its winning streak with a 52.2 percent mark from 3-point range, while holding foes to just a 30.9 percent mark.
• Add in its 34-point win against IUPUI, Bradley has four 30-point victories overall this year – a first for the team since 1973-74.

THREE-POINT SURGE
• Bradley has excelled from beyond the arc during its three-game winning streak.
• The Braves have made 52.2 percent of their 3-pointers in the last three games (24-of-46).
• BU was making just 32.1 percent prior to the winning streak and has seen its national rank rise from 221st to 66th during the run (now at 36.6%).
• In BU's most recent win versus Georgia Southern, the Braves made 12-of-18 from distance.
• The 66.7 percentage is tied for the eighth-best in BU history and the highest since a 6-for-8 game against Missouri State in 1998. It is also the team's highest-ever mark with at least 10 makes.

A TRIPLE THREAT IN KENNELL
• Senior sharpshooter Nate Kennell is the man behind the team's 3-point success this season.
• Kennell ranks 17th nationally with a 3-point percentage of 47.6 percent, while placing 81st with 2.73 triples per game.
• BU is a perfect 8-0 when Kennell makes at least two 3-pointers in a game with the senior shooting 53.7 percent from beyond the arc in wins (29-of-54).
• However, in the team's three losses, Kennell has made just 1-of-9 from 3-point range (11.1%).
• Kennell owns career-best totals in scoring (11.7), field goal (46.4) and 3-point percentage (47.6).

OFFENSIVE HIGH
• Overall, the Braves are enjoying one of their best offensive seasons in years.
• Bradley is averaging 73.6 points per game through 11 games. The last time Bradley averaged more points through the season's first 11 games was 2007-08 when it owned a 74.9 scoring average.
• BU has not finished the season with a scoring offense of at least 70 points since 2007-08 (73.8).

SHARING THE BALL
• The Braves have done a good job of passing the ball, leading to the improved scoring offense.
• BU ranks 34th nationally with 16.5 assists per game after averaging 12.1 a season ago. Bradley is also 28th nationally by posting an assist on 60.2 percent of its baskets in Division I games this year.
• In a win against Maryville, Bradley collected 27 assists – its most since recording 30 against Florida A&M on Nov. 21, 2006.
• Darrell Brown leads BU with 5.4 assists per game, leading the MVC and ranking 44th in the NCAA.

TURNING POINT
• Bradley has also excelled at taking care of the ball.
• The Braves rank 86th nationally in turnovers per game (12.5) and 30th with an assist-to-turnover ratio of 1.31.
• In its last game, BU had 23 assists and just 10 turnovers against at team that ranked fifth in the NCAA at forcing turnovers.

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