2024-25 Bradley schedule

[Da Coach]

From Jim Mattson - https://x.com/hoijim/status/1820931429867413777

At today's MVC media conference call, Coach Wardle announced that Bradley is still looking for a couple games (one home and one away).

Here is an audio file of the segment of the MVC Media Conference call with Coach Wardle yesterday - https://soundcloud.com/mvcsports/bri...dley-873968402

In addition to the above comments about the schedule, Coach Wardle comments on advantages of having player continuity. Bradley lost about 30% of their scoring from last year with the players who departed, including starters Malevy Leons and Connor Hickman. But he talks about the advantage of having Duke and Darius return, along with contributors like Davis, Atlason, Burch, etc,, and having Zek to return. They are all familiar with his coaching and the culture at Bradley, so he doesn't have to teach that as much.

[Bradley3342]

Here is an audio file of the segment of the MVC Media Conference call with Coach Wardle yesterday - https://soundcloud.com/mvcsports/bri...dley-873968402

In addition to the above comments about the schedule, Coach Wardle comments on advantages of having player continuity. Bradley lost about 30% of their scoring from last year with the players who departed, including starters Malevy Leons and Connor Hickman. But he talks about the advantage of having Duke and Darius return, along with contributors like Davis, Atlason, Burch, etc,, and having Zek to return. They are all familiar with his coaching and the culture at Bradley, so he doesn't have to teach that as much.

Agree totally! Should be a fun year!

[BUfan14]

It seems to me we used to have 2-3 year scheduling deals often with teams, and now we don't seem to get those as much. It seems like the schedule is starting from stratch almost every year now. Is there a reason for that change? Is that true of everyone right now?

[Da Coach]

It's just a guess, but maybe it is related to other changes like the transfer portal and the excessive player movement. Teams don't know what they roster will be like from year to year. Will they be an experienced team with a lot of returning players, or will they be totally rebuilding like a lot of MVC teams are this coming season? The uncertainty might be why teams don't want to lock into 2 or 3 year scheduling commitments, or agree to large payouts for "buy games" 2 or 3 years ahead..

[LittleBrave]

So why all the softies in their schedule?

GREAT question! They should feel confident with Kent and Larry - will be cool to look out for Cincy (Hick) and Texas next season, but hope we smash them both if we meet them down the road!

[BengalFan14]

I agree.

[yoda]

...
Saturday, Nov. 16, 2024- Home game vs. Northern Illinois

NIU's best player just landed at Kansas after portaling- 21ppg scorer on a large volume of shots (492 shots in 29 games)
NIU lost their top 8 players & don't appear to return anyone that averaged more than 3.8 ppg

https://www.si.com/college/kansas/kansas-basketball-lands-northern-illinois-transfer-guard-morning-call-august-12-01j53jwfnejm

They are in a massive rebuild this year and currently have SIXTY offers already out for players in 2025 & 2026, some of whom
also hold Bradley offers.

Could this be the Connor Hickman effect? Cincy completely sold out season tickets---> https://x.com/GoBEARCATS/status/1823404223955894576

[Da Coach]

....Cincy completely sold out season tickets---> https://x.com/GoBEARCATS/status/1823404223955894576

That's pretty impressive. In this era where most college programs are seeing declining attendance, Cincinnati appears to be doing very well. It is the first time in 5 seasons, they have sold out their season tickets. - https://www.cincinnati.com/story/spo...t/74787090007/

They return most of their roster from last year's NIT team that beat Bradley in the second round.
ESPN ranks them # 19 in their early preseason Top 25 - https://www.espn.com/mens-college-ba...2024-25-season
FoxSports ranks them # 20 - https://www.foxsports.com/stories/co...rly-top-25-3-0
And CBSSports Gary Parrish ranks them # 25 - https://www.cbssports.com/college-ba...ankings/top25/

[Da Coach]

Murray State apparently having trouble scheduling games. They will open the 2024-25 season on Nov. 4 against NAIA Bethel University. - https://x.com/AKAJeffBidwell/status/1823481117665845670

Bethel Univ. is a small, private Presbyterian-affiliated University located in McKenzie, Tennessee. They were 14-15 last season, and 3-9 in the NAIA Mid-South Conference.

[64NIT]

They are in a massive rebuild this year and currently have SIXTY offers already out for players in 2025 & 2026, some of whom
also hold Bradley offers.

NIU has been rebuilding for the better part of 50 years. I graduated from there in 1976 and they sucked then and they suck now. I don't know why they've been unable or unwilling to turn their program around. They are lucky if they draw 1000 people to their games. Most times, it's a lot less. They apparently concentrate on football which was turned around by Joe Novak and is competitive every year no matter the coach. They've beaten Alabama, Maryland, Georgia Tech, Nebraska, and BYU, among others, and went to the Orange Bowl. Basketball? What an embarrassment.

[yoda]

here's an odd bit of info on the home schedule for Pitt of the ACC
They state they are hosting "A Missouri Valley Opponent" on November 8. Bradley would appear to have that date available.
I guess we have to wait to see who it is.

[Da Coach]

here's an odd bit of info on the home schedule for Pitt of the ACC
They state they are hosting "A Missouri Valley Opponent" on November 8. Bradley would appear to have that date available.
I guess we have to wait to see who it is.

It won't be Bradley at Pitt on Nov. 8. BU has not announced it yet, but they have a game scheduled Friday, Nov. 8 at Washington State in Pullman, Washington. - https://wsucougars.com/sports/mens-basketball/schedule

Updated unofficial 2024-25 non-conference schedule, so far-
Monday, Nov. 4, 2024- Home game vs. SEMO - https://x.com/madeformarch/status/1783143939735695613
Friday, Nov. 8, 2024- Road game at Washington State - https://wsucougars.com/sports/mens-basketball/schedule
Tuesday, Nov. 12, 2024- Home game vs. UTSA
Saturday, Nov. 16, 2024- Home game vs. Northern Illinois
Thursday, Nov. 21, 2024-Sunday, Nov. 24- Myrtle Beach Invitational -8 teams/3 games-
...........Teams- Bradley, Middle Tennessee, Ohio U., Portland, Princeton, South Florida, Louisiana-Monroe, and Wright State
Friday, Nov. 29, 2024- Home game vs. Judson University (NAIA)
Saturday, Dec. 14, 2024- vs. Santa Clara in the Jack Jones Classic at Lee's Family Forum, Henderson, NV - https://x.com/JonRothstein/status/1795519713944150253
Wednesday, Dec. 18, 2024- home game vs. University of San Francisco (Bradley to play return game at USF in 2025-26 season)
Saturday, Dec. 21, 2024- home game vs. Canisius College

[yoda]

It won't be Bradley at Pitt on Nov. 8. BU has not announced it yet, but they have a game scheduled Friday, Nov. 8 at Washington State in Pullman, Washington. - https://wsucougars.com/sports/mens-basketball/schedule

Updated unofficial 2024-25 non-conference schedule, so far-
Monday, Nov. 4, 2024- Home game vs. SEMO - https://x.com/madeformarch/status/1783143939735695613
Friday, Nov. 8, 2024- Road game at Washington State - https://wsucougars.com/sports/mens-basketball/schedule
Saturday, Nov. 16, 2024- Home game vs. Northern Illinois
Thursday, Nov. 21, 2024-Sunday, Nov. 24- Myrtle Beach Invitational -8 teams/3 games-
...........Teams- Bradley, Middle Tennessee, Ohio U., Portland, Princeton, South Florida, Louisiana-Monroe, and Wright State
Saturday, Dec. 14, 2024- vs. Santa Clara in the Jack Jones Classic at Lees Family Forum, Henderson, NV - https://x.com/JonRothstein/status/1795519713944150253
Wednesday, Dec. 18, 2024- home game vs. University of San Francisco (Bradley to play return game at USF in 2025-26 season)
Saturday, Dec. 21, 2024- home game vs. Canisius College

I am hearing it is Murray State at Pitt Nov. 8

Washington State this year is in the West Coast Conference, the Pac-12 no longer exists.
CSM just got done ranking Washington State at 88- two spots worse than Bradley-
but they are rebuilding with a dozen new players and only one returning player who averaged 3.7ppg

https://collegesportsmadness.com/article/23088

still gotta be maybe 2 or 3 more non-conference games that we don't know about yet- ?figure maybe one will be a DII

[Da Coach]

One of Washington State's new incoming freshman players is former Bradley recruit from Iceland, Tomas Thrastarson - https://www.bradleyfans.com/forum/sp...581#post520581

Original post about Tomas Thrastarson - 2/16/2024 - https://www.bradleyfans.com/forum/sp...581#post520581


Bradley now has 9 scheduled non-conference games- 4 home games (SEMO, NIU, USF, Canisius), 1 road game (at WSU), and 4 neutral site games (3 in the Myrtle Beach Invitational and 1 vs. Santa Clara at Lee's Family Forum in Henderson, Nevada).

Coach Wardle mentioned in last week's MVC Conference call, they are still looking to schedule 2 more games (1 home & 1 road). - https://www.bradleyfans.com/forum/sp...330#post521330

Monday, Nov. 4, 2024- Home game vs. SEMO - https://x.com/madeformarch/status/1783143939735695613
Friday, Nov. 8, 2024- Road game at Washington State - https://wsucougars.com/sports/mens-basketball/schedule
Saturday, Nov. 16, 2024- Home game vs. Northern Illinois
Thursday, Nov. 21, 2024-Sunday, Nov. 24- Myrtle Beach Invitational -8 teams/3 games-
...........Teams- Bradley, Middle Tennessee, Ohio U., Portland, Princeton, South Florida, Louisiana-Monroe, and Wright State
Saturday, Dec. 14, 2024- vs. Santa Clara in the Jack Jones Classic at Lee's Family Forum, Henderson, NV - https://x.com/JonRothstein/status/1795519713944150253
Wednesday, Dec. 18, 2024- home game vs. University of San Francisco (Bradley to play return game at USF in 2025-26 season)
Saturday, Dec. 21, 2024- home game vs. Canisius College

Note- the Lee's Family Forum events schedule web page (formerly The Dollar Loan Center) still does not show anything about the Jack Jones Classic, nor is there anything scheduled for Dec. 14 yet. - https://leesfamilyforum.com/events-filter/

[yoda]

I have heard the Washington State game is the front end of a home & home series Bradley has with the Cougars,
and they will play in Peoria next season, according to sources.