Braves Host Southern Illinois Saturday and Sunday

Men's Basketball 2/5/2021 12:00:00 PM

Bradley (9-10, 3-7 MVC) at Southern Illinois (8-6, 2-6 MVC)
Game #1 Details	Saturday, Feb. 6 • 3 p.m. • Peoria, Ill. • Carver Arena
Television	FOX Sports Midwest Plus / Indiana / Kansas City Plus / NBC Sports Chicago
Webcast	FOX Sports Go \| ESPN3

Game #2 Details	Sunday, Feb. 7 • 3 p.m. • Peoria, Ill. • Carver Arena
Television	ESPN3

Radio	1470 & 100.3 WMBD
Game Notes	Bradley \| Southern Illinois
Game Coverage	Live Stats \| Twitter: @bradleyumbb \| Instagram: @bradleyumbb

The Bradley basketball team returns to Carver Arena and hosts in-state foe Southern Illinois. The two-game series is set to begin on Saturday afternoon with a 3 p.m. tipoff.

ABOUT THE BRAVES
• Bradley is 9-10 during the 2020-21 campaign with a 3-7 record in Valley play.
• The Braves have dropped their last six contests after a 3-1 start to the Valley season.
• Senior Elijah Childs leads the Braves with 14.7 points, 8.2 rebounds and 1.21 blocks per game.
• Two additional Braves average in double figures with Terry Nolan Jr. posting 10.7 points per game and Ja'Shon Henry adding 10.5.
• Sean East II chips in 8.5 points, while also leading the Braves with 4.0 assists per game.
• The Braves are averaging 70.7 points per game in 2020-21, while ranking 49th nationally with a scoring defense of 64.4.

SERIES HISTORY
• Bradley and Southern Illinois are meeting for the 100th time on Saturday in a series that dates back to the 1927-28 season.
• Southern Illinois will become the fifth school that Bradley has played 100 times – joining Drake (156 games), Wichita State (142), Illinois State (130) and Tulsa (102).
• Overall, Bradley leads the series, 52-47, with a 31-15 edge in Peoria.
• The Braves swept three games versus the Salukis last season, including a 64-59 win in the MVC Quarterfinals en route to the title.
• Bradley is aiming for its first four-game winning streak against Southern Illinois since a 10-game run from 1984 to 1989.

ABOUT THE SALUKIS
• Southern Illinois enters the weekend with an 8-6 record and a 2-6 mark in Valley play.
• The Salukis snapped a six-game losing streak on Sunday, defeating Northern Iowa, 71-68.
• Marcus Domask leads the Salukis with 16.3 points per game to go with 4.5 rebounds and 3.2 assists.
• Lance Jones is second with 13.4 points in addition to a team-leading 3.4 assists per game.
• Kyler Filewich leads SIU with 4.7 rebounds.
• The Salukis average 70.4 points per game in 2020-21, while allowing 69.6.

NO REST FOR THE WEARY
• Bradley finished a tough stretch in January where the Braves had eight games during a 17-day span.
• The Braves went 2-6 during the stretch as the team now looks to regroup with their four-day break prior to the Southern Illinois series their longest since beginning a series versus Evansville Jan. 16.
• Bradley's 3-point shot suffered the most during the crowded stretch as the Braves made just 22.9 percent over the final six games, compared to 33.9 percent in the first 13 games of the year.
• BU will now need to be well-rested as Saturday starts another five games in nine days for Bradley.

CHILDS PLAY
• Elijah Childs is enjoying a superb senior season.
• Childs leads the Braves with 14.7 points, 8.2 rebounds and 1.21 blocks.
• Childs is aiming to be the first Brave to lead the team in both scoring and rebounding since Andrew Warren in 2010-11.
• Additionally, Childs' 8.2 rebounds per game are the most by a Brave since Patrick O'Bryant posted 8.3 during the 2005-06 campaign.
• Overall, Childs ranks fifth in the Valley in scoring, second in rebounds and fifth in blocks.

CHILDS ON LOU HENSON WATCH LIST
• Elijah Childs was recognized for his strong year by being named to the Lou Henson Award Watch List.
• The award is presented annually to the nation's top Division I mid-major player.
• The senior is one of four Valley players on the 40-man midseason watch list.

FIELD GOAL PERCENTAGE DEFENSE
• The Braves have become known for their defense and 2020-21 is no different.
• Bradley owns the nation's 49th-ranked scoring defense – allowing just 64.4 points per game.
• The key to BU's success is its field goal percentage defense. BU ranks 11th nationally by allowing teams to make just 38.7 percent of its shots and seventh with a 2-point defense of 42.6 percent.
• The Braves have held their opponent to under their season average in shooting in 15-of-19 games and under 40 percent overall in 12 contests.

WINNING THE FREE THROW BATTLE
• One key to Bradley's success is winning the battle at the free-throw line.
• The Braves are 7-1 this season when attempting more free throws in a game. On the opposite end, Bradley is 2-9 when its opponent has more.
• Overall, opponents are making 8.8 free throws in BU's nine wins, compared to 14.1 in its 10 losses.
• During its current six-game losing streak, BU's foes have attempted 70 more free throws as Bradley is 40-of-68 and opponents are 93-of-138.

STRIVE FOR 65
• With as strong as the Bradley defense has been this season, the goal on the offense is just to score 65 points in a game.
• BU is 8-2 this season when scoring 65 or more points in regulation. However, the Braves are 1-8 in nine games when held under the number.
• In its nine wins, BU is shooting 50.0 percent from the field and 35.4 percent from 3-point range.
• In the team's 10 losses, the Braves are making just 41.1 percent of their field goals with a 26.3 percent clip from 3-point range.
• Overall, the Braves are scoring 70.7 points per game this season.

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