Next game- Sat. Feb. 20- BU vs. Drexel- 7:05 pm

[DUBrave5]

i really hope we are well represented with 9000+

I like thinking that we look like a great program to players who have never played in peoria.

Haha keep dreaming. We can hardly draw 9000 for a home conference game let alone a bracketbuster game that nobody really cares about because it honestly doesn't do anything for us win or lose

[Da Coach]

I think the attendance will be good. This is the first Saturday night game all year. Bradley was stuck with a bunch of 1:00, 2:00, and 4:00 games on weekends, which a lot of people don't like. Some people have to work during the day, even on weekends, others just can't get together with their friends to get to a game that early. It's a problem with the shared arena, and it's too bad. Bradley needs to insist the Civic Center people give them more Saturday night games in the future.

[BradleyBrave]

I think the attendance will be good. This is the first Saturday night game all year. Bradley was stuck with a bunch of 1:00, 2:00, and 4:00 games on weekends, which a lot of people don't like. Some people have to work during the day, even on weekends, others just can't get together with their friends to get to a game that early. It's a problem with the shared arena, and it's too bad. Bradley needs to insist the Civic Center people give them more Saturday night games in the future.

Agree 100%! I was very disappointed to see that there were no Saturday night games this year. They're always great opportunities, especially for those from out of town, to plan an overnight trip and to bring people to games who have never been to one before. I am bringing 4 people who have wanted to go (mostly because of me always talking about them) this Saturday. Hopefully we get a couple next year.

[LittleBrave]

I hope our fans continue to support this team, even if it may be a rather meaningless game. However, no game should be approached like that.
At the very least, let's give JE and MK some more minutes. I like MK's enthusiasm and really gets into the games and encourages those on the floor even though he doesn't get to join them. I'm pulling for him to have a nice BU career!

[LittleBrave]

At the very least, let's give JE and MK some more minutes.

Of course, none of US can do anything about this.
I will think more highly of Coach Les if he takes advantage of this opportunity to develop the young guys.

[Da Coach]

Pregame notes from BradleyBraves.com-

http://www.bradleybraves.com/ViewArticle.dbml?DB_OEM_ID=3400&ATCLID=204890123

Bradley Basketball Pregame Notes
Game 27 -Drexel Dragons (15-13) at Bradley Braves (13-13)
Saturday, Feb. 20 - 7:05 p.m. CST - Peoria, Ill. - Carver Arena (11,164)
Series History - Bradley leads 1-0

Television: None
Radio: 1470 AM WMBD -- Dave Snell (play-by-play), Chuck Buescher (analyst), Joe Stowell (analyst) and Dan DiOrio (pregame host)
Online: www.BradleyBraves.com for subscription video streams, free audio streams and live stats.
BracketBusters Matchup
With only three games left in the regular season, Bradley will step out of conference for a Saturday night matchup against Colonial Athletic Association member Drexel...Saturday's game was created through both teams' participation in the annual BracketBusters series...Bradley owns a 5-1 record in its five February BracketBusters games and the Braves have won four straight overall February games in the series, as well as all three home games in the event.
Uncommon Opponent
Bradley and Drexel are meeting for just the second time on the hardwood...Bradley earned a 66-53 victory March 12, 1997 in the first round of the NIT at Carver Arena...The last time the Braves drew a CAA member in the BracketBusters, Bradley ventured to Richmond, Va., in 2007 and earned a 73-64 win at eventual CAA regular-season and tournament champion VCU, only to see the Rams even the score with a 79-64 win Dec. 22, 2007 in Peoria...Bradley is 11-5 all-time against the current 12-team CAA membership, 8-2 at home...The two home losses, however, have come in Bradley's last two games against the CAA, the 2007 loss to VCU and last year's 66-62 defeat to Old Dominion in the championship game of the CollegeInsider.com Postseason Tournament.
With A Win...
Bradley will improve to 6-5 in the non-conference, ensuring at least a .500 record against non-Valley competition for a seventh consecutive season - the program's longest such streak since a nine-year run from 1977-78 through 1985-86...Bradley will win for the fourth time in six games.
With A Loss...
Bradley will drop to 5-6 in the non-conference and would need two postseason tournament wins to achieve a .500 non-conference record for a seventh consecutive season...The Braves will drop to 8-6 at home, equalling the most home losses in a season since Jim Les' first season in 2002-03 (7-7) -- Bradley was 13-6 at Carver Arena in 2007-08.
2,000-Point Backcourt
By combining for 28 points Tuesday at Indiana State, the Bradley junior guard duo of Sam Maniscalco (1,069 points) and Andrew Warren (946) pushed their collective career scoring total to 2,015 points...Maniscalco and Warren are the first pair of Bradley juniors to reach 2,000 combined points since the "G-Men" combo of Phillip Gilbert and James Gillingham during the 2002-03 season...Gilbert (1,352 points) and Gillingham (964) ended the 2002-03 season with 2,316 career points and eventually pushed their final overall career total to 3,105 combined points.
Maniscalco In Century Club
Having ended the 2008-09 season by equalling the Missouri Valley Conference record for the most games ever played by a second-year player (74), Bradley junior guard Sam Maniscalco hit the 100-game mark Tuesday at Indiana State...Maniscalco became the third three-year Bradley player ever to appear in 100 career games, following Billy Mann (103) and Gene "Squeaky" Melchiorre (102), both from 1947-50...Maniscalco is on pace to equal Southern Illinois' Randal Falker (104, 2004-07) for The Valley record for the most games played by a three-year player in league history during Bradley's first game of the 2010 State Farm MVC Tournament.
Career Games by 3-Year MVC Players
1. 104 Randal Falker, Southern Illinois, 2004-07
2. 103 Billy Mann, Bradley, 1947-50
3. 102 Matt Shaw, Southern Illinois, 2004-07
102 Gene Melchiorre, Bradley, 1947-50
5. 100 Sam Maniscalco, Bradley, 2007-10
100 Osiris Eldridge, Illinois State, 2006-09
Power of the Post
Bradley is 11-5 (.688 ) this season when the quartet of sophomore forward Taylor Brown, sophomore center Will Egolf and reserve centers Sam Singh and Anthony Thompson combine for at least 20 points and 10 rebounds...The Braves are 2-8 (.200) when the post quartet falls below the 20-10 standard.
Triple Threat
The Bradley trio of junior guard Andrew Warren (14.3 ppg), sophomore forward Taylor Brown (13.7) and junior guard Sam Maniscalco (12.4) combine to score 40.4 ppg...Individually, Warren ranks third, Brown sixth and Maniscalco 12th among Valley players in overall scoring this year...The Valley's next best scoring trio are Illinois State seniors Osiris Eldridge (15.6 ppg), Dinma Odiakosa (13.0) and Lloyd Phillips (10.8 ) at 39.4 ppg...The Bradley trio also tops The Valley by combining for 43.1 ppg in conference play: Maniscalco (3rd, 14.8 ppg), Warren (4th, 14.7) and Brown (7th, 13.6)...In the 33 games Brown has played this year, the Braves are 8-5 (.615) when the trio combines for at least 40 points, but 4-6 (.400) when they fail to reach 40.
Top Heavy From The Stripe
The high-scoring trio of Andrew Warren, Taylor Brown and Sam Maniscalco pace Bradley's free throw shooting effort this season...Each member of the trio has attempted at least 90 free throws this year and together account for 62.1 percent (229-of-369) of the team's overall free throws made this year...The trio also has combined to make 83.0 percent of their 276 free throw attempts this year, while the team's other 12 players have combined to shoot just 58.3 percent (140-240) from the stripe:
Andrew Warren 80-92 .870
Taylor Brown 78-94 .830
Sam Maniscalco 71-90 .789
Other 12 Players 140-240 .583
Brown's Improvement
Bradley sophomore forward Taylor Brown ranks among the nation's leaders in improved scoring from 2008-09 to this season...After averaging 3.4 ppg last year, Brown is The Valley's sixth-leading scorer at 13.7 ppg...His scoring increase of 10.3 ppg is the best in The Valley and ranks among the nation's top 10 improvements from a year ago.
Maniscalco's Accuracy
Junior guard Sam Maniscalco is shooting 52.2 percent from the field in 16 Valley games...The 6-foot Maniscalco currently is seventh in the league in field goal percentage in league play...Maniscalco is the only player standing less than 6-foot-6 inches to rank among the league's top seven most accurate shooters in league play.
How Hot Is Maniscalco?
So just how hot has Sam Maniscalco been from inside the 3-point line this season?..The 6-foot guard is shooting 60.6 percent (66-109) from inside the arc on the season, including a scorching 67.5 percent (56-83) in MVC play...Maniscalco's season 2-point field goal percentage currently ranks as the seventh-best in the history of Bradley Basketball for any player with at least 50 2-pointers made...He has a chance to become just the sixth, and easily the shortest, individual in program history with at least 50 2FGM to shoot at least 60 percent from 2-point range for an entire season.
Bradley Season 2-Point FG Pct. (50 FGM)
Luke Jackson, 1987-88 .675 127-188
Roosevelt Davison, 1983-84 .661 111-168
*Joe Allen, 1967-68 .655 258-394
Zach Andrews, 2006-07 .640 155-242
Roosevelt Davison, 1982-83 .638 104-163
Joe Allen, 1966-67 .622 232-373
Sam Maniscalco, 2009-10 .606 66-109
Jerome Robinson, 1998-99 .600 51-85
* NCAA statistical national champion
Shooting 67.5 percent from inside the arc, Maniscalco also easily paces The Valley in 2-point field goal percentage through 16 rounds of conference play by a margin of 13 points better than the second-most accurate shooter, Southern Illinois' Gene Teague (66.2 percent).
2009-10 MVC 2-FG Pct. (MVC only)
Minimum 2.5 2FGM/Game
1. Sam Maniscalco, BU .675 56-83
2. Gene Teague, SIU .662 45-68
3. Will Creekmore, MSU .621 59-95
4. Dinma Odiakosa, ILS .594 79-133
5. Jermaine Mallett, MSU .575 46-80
6. Harry Marshall, INS .565 52-92
6. Jordan Eglseder, UNI .554 72-130
8. Will Egolf, BU .553 57-103
9. Jackie Carmichael, ILS .541 46-85
10. Justin Carter, CU .525 42-80
Big Media Numbers
Now in his 31st year as the radio Voice of the Braves, Dave Snell has participated in 947 Bradley Basketball game broadcasts, all in succession, on WMBD AM 1470 since taking over play-by-play duties for the 1979-80 season...Snell was inducted into the Bradley Athletics Hall of Fame Jan. 23...Snell's longtime radio sidekick, Joe Stowell, has been witness to 1,541 Bradley Basketball games in his various roles as player (103, 1947-50); assistant coach (250, 1956-65); head coach (344, 1965-78 ); assistant athletic director (107, 1978-85); and radio analyst (737, 1985-present)...Peoria Journal Star beat writer Dave Reynolds has covered 610 consecutive Bradley Basketball games since taking over the beat for the start of the 1990-91 season.
Looking Ahead
Following Saturday night's BracketBusters game, Bradley will close out the regular-season with its final two Missouri Valley Conference tilts...Bradley will host second-place Wichita State in the regular-season home finale Wednesday, then visit Creighton Feb. 27...Wednesday's game will be the final regular-season home game in the careers of walk-on Ryan Phillips, second-year transfer Chris Roberts and sixth-year senior Sam Singh...The trio will be recognized in a pregame ceremony at approximately 6:45 Wednesday night, then will address the crowd immediately after the game.
Magic Number: 1
As Bradley prepares for those final two Valley games, its magic number to clinch one of the top six seeds in the State Farm MVC Tournament is 1...Among the many existing scenarios, one Bradley win or a final day loss by Wednesday's Drake-Missouri State winner will put the Braves into the March 5 quarterfinals as a top 6 seed.

[SFP]

The game will be streamed on BU.tv and probably you guys no where else!

BTW besides not streaming a few key games like the UNI game the quality has improved! It is not world class yet but the hard work to get it where it is at right now is appreciated.

[Future Walk-On]

BU by 17+

[DUBrave5]

BU by 17+

Until the 2nd half

[DeltaBrave03]

Haha keep dreaming. We can hardly draw 9000 for a home conference game let alone a bracketbuster game that nobody really cares about because it honestly doesn't do anything for us win or lose

If only we had booked Brett Michaels to play after the game instead of those Rivermen

[Future Walk-On]

Rumor has it that there is standing room only left. Also a real dragon will be on display during halftime at center court.

[Da Coach]

There are plenty of good tickets left for tomorrow's game.

[DUBrave5]

I know I posted this in the TB thread, but since half the article is about the Drexel Dragons, I thought I'd post the link to this article on here as well...

http://www.bradleyhoops.com/homepage/x640758059/Problems-for-Braves-on-and-off-the-court?utm_source=twitterfeed&utm_medium=twitter

[Da Coach]

The BU starters will have to turn it up a notch against Drexel tomorrow.

[AZ BU Fan]

The BU Home Crowd will also have to step it up again tomorrow. BU will need all the help it can get from their home crowd!

The BB this year is important to the MVC in an otherwise off year. MVC needs to win big this year (8 out of 10 or better) to show the College Basketball world the conference is still relevant on the national scene. Winning big will get the press to talk up the Valley and will help the Valley leading into next year in positioning itself as the premeir Mid Major. Helps with recruiting, scheduling and additional places at the March Madness Table.

Valley teams have to get it done, particularly at the top of the conference, UNI, WSU, ISU, CU, BU, ISU...