Braves Square Off at Valparaiso Saturday

Men's Basketball 2/21/2020 12:09:00 PM

Bradley (19-9, 10-5 MVC) at Valparaiso (14-14, 7-8 MVC)
Game Details	Saturday, Feb. 22 • 7 p.m. • Valparaiso, Ind. • Athletics-Recreation Center
Television	ESPN+
Radio	1470 WMBD
Game Notes	Bradley \| Valparaiso
Game Coverage	Live Stats \| Twitter: @bradleyumbb \| Instagram: @bradleyumbb

The Bradley men's basketball team looks to continue its winning ways with a road trip to face Valparaiso. Winners of four-straight games, the Braves face the Crusaders on Saturday with a 7 p.m. tip.

ABOUT THE BRAVES
• Bradley has won four-straight games and is now in third place in the Missouri Valley standings – just one game shy of first.
• Overall, the Braves are 19-9 during the 2019-20 campaign with a 10-5 conference record.
• Bradley is coming off an 83-79 overtime victory against Missouri State on Wednesday with five Braves scoring in double figures.
• Junior Elijah Childs leads Bradley with 14.8 points and 9.1 rebounds per game.
• Senior Darrell Brown scored a team-best 19 points Wednesday. He ranks second with 14.7 points to go with a team-leading 4.4 assists.
• Senior Nate Kennell also averages in double figures with 12.3 points – ranking 10th nationally in 3-point percentage (44.4).
• The Braves are averaging 71.4 points per game this season, while allowing 65.0 defensively.

SERIES HISTORY
• The newest member of the Valley, Valparaiso is playing the Braves for just the ninth time.
• The home team has won all eight prior games in the series, including all five in MVC play.
• Earlier this season, Bradley posted an 80-69 win over the Crusaders in Peoria. Ja'Shon Henry led BU with a career-best 21 points in the victory.

ABOUT THE CRUSADERS
• Valparaiso is currently tied for seventh in the MVC standings at 7-8 and just one game back of fifth and the final two spots for a first-round bye.
• Overall, the Crusaders are 14-14 this season.
• Valpo saw its two-game winning streak snapped Wednesday, falling at Drake in overtime, 77-75.
• Javon Freeman-Liberty leads the Crusaders with 19.4 points, 5.9 rebounds and 2.3 steals per game.
• Ryan Fazekas is second on the team with 10.1 points in 11 games this season, shooting 45.6 percent from 3-point range.
• Daniel Sackey leads Valpo with 3.6 assists.
• The Crusaders are averaging 71.6 points per game, while allowing 70.8.

SEASON RETURNS
• Fresh off its first Missouri Valley Tournament title in 31 years, Bradley is continuing to rewrite its recent history during the 2019-20 season.
• At 10-5 during the MVC campaign, the Braves own their best conference record through 15 games since the 2000-01 team also started 10-5.
• In fact, Bradley has already clinched a winning conference record with 10 Valley wins for the first time since the 2008-09 campaign. BU has not won 11 conference games since 2005-06.
• Bradley is also just one win shy of reaching 20 victories before the MVC Tournament for the first time since 2006-07.

ARCH MADNESS LOOK AHEAD
• If the season ended today, Bradley would claim the third seed and play sixth-seeded Drake in the MVC Tournament Quarterfinals.
• Bradley can clinch a first-round bye and top-six seed with a victory on Saturday.

BRAVES ARE STREAKING
• The Braves are currently enjoying their best basketball in Valley play in years.
• Bradley has won four-straight games to climb the MVC standings into third place and just a game out of first.
• The Braves have not won five-straight MVC games since a six-game run during the 2007-08 season.
• Overall, Bradley is shooting 49.5 percent from the field during its winning streak, while holding teams to just 37.3 percent shooting.

THE CHILDS EFFECT
• Bradley's four-game winning streak has coincided with the return of junior Elijah Childs.
• In four games since returning from a hand injury, Childs leads the Braves with 16.8 points and 9.3 rebounds per game, shooting 56.3 percent from the field.
• Overall, Childs leads Bradley with 14.8 points and 9.1 rebounds – shooting 52.1 percent.

OFFENSIVE OUTPUT
• Bradley is enjoying one of its better seasons in years shooting the ball as BU owns its best marks in more than a decade from the field, 3-point range and free-throw line.
• The Braves' 44.4 percent mark from the field is their best since 2006-07 (45.9).
• BU's 3-point percentage of 37.2 is its highest since making 37.4 in 2007-08.
• Finally, Bradley's 72.9 percent clip from the charity stripe is its highest since 2009-10 (74.4).
• Overall, Bradley's 71.4 points per game is the team's highest since averaging 73.8 in 2007-08.

CONSISTENTLY TOUGH DEFENSE
• The Braves have consistently made it difficult for their opponent to score this season.
• In just 28 games, Bradley has held its opponent to under 40 percent shooting 18 times, including the last four contests – posting a 14-4 record in those games (Drake is second in the Valley with 12 games).
• BU has also accomplished the feat 10 times in MVC play (with an 8-2 record) – four more than any other school (Drake and Missouri State).

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