Series History
Bradley and SIUE have previously met 23 times in men's soccer, with SIUE holding a slim two-game edge over the Braves with a record of 11-9-3. However, the Braves have fared better in the last five encounters, boasting a 3-1-1 record. SIUE and Bradley played to a 1-1 draw in their last meeting during the 2023 season in Peoria.

About the Braves
The Braves have dropped their last two road games but still have plenty of reasons to be optimistic about this matchup against SIUE. Headed into their last game against MVC powerhouse Missouri State, they had scored at least one goal in each of their first six games of the season for the first time since 2012. During the Missouri State game, the Braves demonstrated their ability to defend effectively in tight situations and for extended periods. In the second half of the matchup with Missouri State, they played the final 34 minutes down a man after Joao Saraiva was sent off for accumulating his second yellow card. Despite this, the Braves managed to hold Missouri State scoreless until the Bears finally scored in the 80th minute. Offensively, the Braves present a lot of unique matchup possibilities. BU has had eight different goal scorers this season and 10 different players record an assist, making it difficult for teams to identify all the attacking threats throughout the game.

About the Cougars
Don't judge the Cougars solely by their 1-2-2 start to the 2024 season. SIUE is coming off an NCAA Tournament appearance in 2023 and has been tested early this season by facing Ohio State, Michigan State, St. Louis, Dayton, and Memphis. So far this season, SIUE has scored three goals, with each goal coming from a different player: Nacho Abeal, Nic Muench, and Yasha Schaerer. In goal, the Cougars are most likely to rely on fifth-year GK Rob Gjelaj, who has made five starts this season with a GAA of 2.13 and a total of 29 saves against 89 shots faced.