Bradley Basketball Hosts Illinois Springfield in Exhibition Contest

Men's Basketball 11/3/2021 1:24:00 PM

Bradley vs. Illinois Springfield
Game Details	Thursday, Nov. 4 • 8 p.m. • Peoria, Ill. • Carver Arena
Radio	1470 & 100.3 WMBD
Game Notes	Bradley
Game Coverage	Live Stats \| Twitter: @bradleyumbb \| Instagram: @bradleyumbb
Tickets	Ticketmaster \| (309) 677-2625

Bradley tips off the 2021-22 season with its exhibition game against Illinois Springfield on Thursday. The team's lone preseason contest is part of a doubleheader at Carver Arena and tips at approximately 8 p.m.

For updated Peoria Civic Center protocols, click here

EXHIBITION HISTORY
• Thursday's game versus Illinois Springfield marks BU's 87th preseason exhibition contest all time.
• The Braves own a 70-16 (81.4%) all-time record in exhibition games, including a 32-3 (91.4%) record against other college programs (listed below).
• Bradley head coach Brian Wardle is 12-0 in exhibition games with a 6-0 mark at Green Bay and 7-0 record at Bradley.

SERIES HISTORY
• The Braves and Prairie Stars have met on only prior occasion, opening the 2016-17 season.
• Bradley defeated UIS, 70-55, that night with Dwayne Lautier-Ogunleye leading a balanced attack with 12 points.

ABOUT THE PRAIRIE STARS
• Illinois Springfield has played one exhibition game already – falling at Western Illinois, 92-80.
• Chase Robinson, who led UIS in scoring a year ago with 17.4 points, tallied a team-best 17 points against the Leathernecks in the close defeat.
• Illinois Springfield posted an 8-12 record last year.

DUO NAMED PRESEASON ALL-MVC
• Bradley landed two players on the All-Missouri Valley Conference Preseason Team for only the second time since 2013.
• Ja'Shon Henry earned third-team honors after averaging 10.9 points and 4.6 rebounds last year.
• Rienk Mast joined Henry on the third team and is the only underclassmen on any of the league's three units.
• Mast averaged 8.6 points and 5.8 rebounds during his rookie season of 2020-21.

BRAVES SLATED SIXTH
• Bradley was selected sixth in the annual preseason poll by coaches, SIDs and media.
• Drake ranked first in the preseason poll, followed by Loyola, Northern Iowa, Missouri State and SIU.

2020-21 RECAP
• Bradley saw its two-year run atop the MVC come to an end last season, falling in the first round of the MVC Tournament to Southern Illinois.
• BU featured an inconsistent lineup during the season as all but four players missed at least five games – only Rienk Mast played in all 28 contests.
• Overall, the Braves posted a 12-16 record with a 6-12 record in league play.

RETURNING AND LOST NUMBERS
• The Braves return eight letterwinners and two starters from a season ago, while they look to replace seven players and three starters.
• Overall, BU brings back 47.4 percent of minutes, 48.7 percent of scoring, 56.1 percent of rebounds and 30.3 percent of assists from last season.

NEW ROLE FOR JA'SHON HENRY
• Ja'Shon Henry looks to have a strong senior year in a new role with the Braves.
• Henry is slated to be an opening day starter for the first time in his career after succeeding coming off the bench.
• Last season, Henry averaged 10.9 points – the most by any Valley player with fewer than five starts since Creighton's Terrell Taylor in 2001-02.
• Overall, Henry has appeared in 83 career games with 18 starting assignments (most due to injury).

FROM ROOKIE TO SOPHOMORE
• Another player the Braves will look toward to take a step this season is sophomore Rienk Mast.
• Mast led all Valley freshmen with 5.8 rebounds last season, while ranking second with 8.6 points.
• In fact, Mast's 8.6 points are the most by a BU freshman post since NBA Lottery selection Patrick O'Bryant averaged in 2004-05.
• Mast became the first Brave in three years to earn MVC All-Freshman Team honors during the postseason.

Braves Club Packet Pick-Up
If you have already picked up printed season tickets or received digital season tickets for the 2021-2022 men's basketball season, Braves Club packets are now available for pick-up. Braves Club packets will include Braves Club membership cards, Braves Club hospitality area credentials (Carver Arena), Men's Basketball parking passes and Bradley Athletics All-Sport passes. All Braves Club benefits are based on current Braves Club giving level and donations made to Bradley Athletics June 1, 2021 to present. Braves Club packet pick-up times, dates and locations are listed below:

Wednesday, November 3 • 10:30am - 7:00pm Renaissance Coliseum Ticket Office
Thursday, November 4 • 10:30am - 4:30pm Renaissance Coliseum Ticket Office
Thursday, November 4 • 5:00pm - 8:300pm Peoria Civic Center Will Call

Season Ticket Pick-Up
If you requested printed season tickets and have yet to pick them up, you can still do so in person at the times, dates and locations listed above. Both printed season tickets and Braves Club packets will be available for pick-up at the same time.

Braves Club Packet & Season Tickets Mail-Out
If you are unable to make any of the pick-up dates and would just like your season tickets and Braves Club items mailed out at first opportunity, please request here, by contacting the Bradley Athletics Ticket Office at (309) 677-2625 during normal business hours or e-mailing BravesClub@fsmail.bradley.edu and including your name and best mailing address. Please note, mailed Braves Club packets are not guaranteed to arrive to donors before the November 4 Men's and Women's Basketball exhibition games.

Digital Ticket Access
Please access the Online Ticket Management Packet to walk you through account setup, account invoices, account receipts, payment options, viewing tickets, transferring tickets and additional frequently asked questions. Tickets are already loaded into your account and available to view or transfer now. If you are having issues, please contact the Bradley Athletics Ticket Office during normal business hours or reference the online ticket management packet.

To have your Braves Club items shipped or have ready for pick-up, please request here.
• ACCOUNT MANAGER by TICKETMASTER to sign-in

** For any additional questions on how to access your digital tickets, call the Bradley Ticket Office at (309) 677-2625 **

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Players Mentioned

#22 Ja'Shon Henry: F; 6' 6"; Senior

#51 Rienk Mast: F; 6' 9"; Sophomore

Players Mentioned

#22 Ja'Shon Henry
: 6' 6"; Senior
: F

#51 Rienk Mast
: 6' 9"; Sophomore
: F

Bradley Basketball Hosts Illinois Springfield in Exhibition Contest

Players Mentioned

#22 Ja'Shon Henry

#51 Rienk Mast

Players Mentioned

#22 Ja'Shon Henry

#51 Rienk Mast