The Bradley Braves have their opponents set for the non-conference portion of the 2025–26 season. The Braves will play 10 non-conference games, in addition to two public exhibitions. Here's a look at their schedule:

Exhibition at Green Bay | October 11
The Braves will visit Green Bay, Wisconsin, to take on the Phoenix in the first of their two exhibition games to open the season. Last season, Green Bay went 4–28 overall and 2–18 in the Horizon League during Doug Gottlieb's first year as head coach. The Phoenix have added eight newcomers to their roster for the 2025–26 season.

Exhibition vs. Saint Louis | October 23
The Braves will host a public exhibition game against the Saint Louis Billikens at Carver Arena on October 23. This exhibition will not follow a traditional game format. Last season, the Billikens finished 19–15 overall and 11–7 in the Atlantic 10. Bradley will see some familiar faces, as Saint Louis is now coached by Josh Schertz, the former head coach of the Indiana State Sycamores. Former Sycamore forward Robbie Avila is also entering his senior season with the Billikens.

vs. St. Bonaventure | November 3 (Rock Hill, SC)
Bradley opens its regular season by participating in the Field of 68's Opening Day Marathon against the St. Bonaventure Bonnies. Both teams qualified for the 2025 NIT, with Bradley advancing to the quarterfinals and St. Bonaventure losing in the first round to Kent State. The Bonnies are led by head coach Mark Schmidt, entering his 19th season. Under Schmidt, St. Bonaventure has recorded seven 20-win seasons, including back-to-back years.

vs. Central Michigan | November 8
The Braves will host their first of two Mid-American Conference opponents when the Central Michigan Chippewas visit Carver Arena. Last season, CMU went 14–17 overall and 7–11 in MAC play. The Chippewas begin a new era under head coach Andy Bronkema, who was hired as the 22nd head coach in program history. Bronkema enjoyed a successful 12-year tenure at Division II Ferris State, compiling a 278–105 record, nine NCAA Tournament appearances, six Sweet Sixteens, and a 2018 national championship.

vs. UT-Martin | November 12
Bradley's third game of the season will be against the UT Martin Skyhawks from the Ohio Valley Conference. It was a rebuilding year for the Skyhawks, who finished 14–19 overall and 9–11 in OVC play under first-year head coach Jeremy Shulman. UT Martin showed promise late in the season, upsetting the #5 seed Tennessee Tech in the OVC Tournament and nearly defeating #4 seed Little Rock in an 82–77 loss.

at San Francisco | November 15
The Braves' first true road game will take them to the West Coast to face the San Francisco Dons. San Francisco had a strong 2024–25 season, winning 25 games and reaching the second round of the NIT, where they lost by one point to Loyola Chicago. The Dons return two of their top four scorers—Tyrone Riley IV and Ryan Beasley—who averaged 9.6 and 9.0 points per game, respectively. San Francisco also boasts one of the best home-court advantages in the West Coast Conference, going 17–3 at home last season and 42–10 over the last three years.

vs. UMass-Lowell | November 19
After returning home from the West Coast, Bradley will have four days to prepare for the UMass Lowell River Hawks. The River Hawks finished 17–14 overall and 6–10 in the America East Conference. Despite their record, they were competitive, losing 10 games by five points or fewer. Last season, UMass Lowell had one of the higher-scoring offenses in the America East, with four players averaging over 10 points per game.

at 2025 ESPN Events Terry's Chocolate Invitational | November 24–26 (Orlando, FL)
Bradley will travel to Orlando, Florida, to participate in the Terry's Chocolate Invitational as part of ESPN's Feast Week. The Braves' first matchup will be against Princeton and will then see either UC San Diego or Temple as their next opponent, the full "Adventure Bracket" field includes Liberty, Princeton, Rhode Island, Temple, Towson, UC San Diego, and Vermont.

vs. Washington State | December 2
Bradley will host Washington State in Peoria, returning the favor after visiting Pullman, Washington, last season. The Cougars, formerly of the Pac-12, are in the final year of a two-year grace period with the West Coast Conference for men's basketball. Washington State has produced several high-level players in recent years, including Cedric Coward, who was selected in the 2025 NBA Draft. Their 2024–25 postseason included a trip to "The Crown" tournament in Las Vegas, where they lost to Georgetown in the first round.

vs. Northern Illinois | December 6
The Braves will conclude their non-conference slate with an in-state matchup against the Northern Illinois Huskies. Last season, Bradley defeated NIU 76–60 in Peoria. NIU played several Missouri Valley Conference opponents last year, including Bradley, Illinois State, Northern Iowa, and Valparaiso. This will be NIU's final season in the MAC before moving to the Horizon League for all non-football sports beginning July 1, 2026.