PEORIA, Ill. – Bradley Men's Basketball returns home this weekend for a game with Belmont on Saturday at 1 PM. 

Series History

Belmont holds a 2-0 lead over Bradley after their two wins last season. At home last year, the Bruins defeated the Braves in a close game with a final score of 78-76. Malevy Leons had a double-double in that game with 12 points and 10 rebounds. 

About the Bruins

At the midway point of the season, Belmont is 11-7 with a 4-3 Missouri Valley Conference record. The Bruins are on a two-game losing streak after matchups with Indiana State and Northern Iowa. Earlier this season, Belmont defeated MVC-favorite Drake at home with a score of 87-65. 

Belmont was picked to finish fifth in the MVC this season, two spots behind Bradley. Last season, they went 14-6 in the MVC but fell to Indiana State 91-94 in the MVC Tournament. Cade Tyson was named to the Preseason All-MVC First Team. Malik Dia is fourth in the Valley in scoring with 14.3 points per game. 

About the Braves

Bradley is 13-5 with a 5-2 conference record this season. They are coming off their biggest comeback in Braves history at Southern Illinois after they were down by 23 points. Connor Hickman, Duke Deen and Darius Hannah all tallied 15 points in that game. 

Malevy Leons is second in the MVC in rebounds (7.4), second in steals (1.9) and fourth in minutes played (34.4). The Braves defense is third in the conference in allowed points at 66.2. Bradley is also tied for second in the MVC in three-pointers made per game at 8.7. 

Game Information

Bradley Braves (13-5, 5-2 MVC) vs. Belmont Bruins (11-7, 4-3 MVC)
Date & Time: Saturday, January 20, 2024 • 1 PM
Location: Carver Arena
Live Coverage: Radio | ESPN+ | Live Stats

What's Next

The Braves stay at home for a game with Murray State on Jan. 24 at 6 PM. They go back on the road to face Indiana State on Jan. 27 at 5 PM CT. They return to Carver Arena on Jan. 31 to play Northern Iowa.