Bradley University Athletics

Valley Releases 2017-18 Men's Basketball Conference Schedule

Duane Zehr, Bradley University ITPS

Men's Basketball 9/5/2017 12:00:00 PM

The Missouri Valley Conference released its men's basketball slate on Tuesday, completing the 2017-18 Bradley schedule.

The Braves will once again host all nine MVC schools in the league's traditional 18-game round-robin format. Home games on New Year's Eve and Valentine's Day with four home weekend contests highlight the slate for BU.

The @ValleyHoops conference schedule is out, completing the 2017-18 Bradley schedule
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— Bradley Basketball (@bradleyumbb) September 5, 2017

Bradley opens conference play at Drake on Dec. 28 – marking the fourth time the schools meet in a 10-game span against conference schools for the Braves. Last year, BU swept all three meetings with the Bulldogs, including a 67-58 victory in the MVC Tournament.

The Braves then return to Peoria for its first MVC game of the season at Carver Arena on Dec. 31 against Northern Iowa. The New Year's Eve contest marks the first at home for Bradley since the 1996-97 campaign. Bradley then remains in Peoria for its first-ever conference matchup with Valparaiso on Jan. 3. The Braves own a 2-1 all-time advantage versus the MVC's newest member with the last meeting occurring in 1983.

Other highlights of the 2017-18 slate include a pair of midweek matchups in the I-74 Rivalry against Illinois State, playing at Redbird Arena on Jan. 17 before a home match on Feb. 14. The Braves wrap up the regular season on Feb. 24 with its Senior Day contest versus Indiana State.

Bradley also hosts Southern Illinois (Jan. 9), Evansville (Jan. 20), Missouri State (Jan. 23), Loyola (Jan. 31) and Drake (Feb. 3) in MVC action to go with six additional home non-conference games for a 15-game slate at Carver Arena (plus one exhibition) during the 2017-18 campaign. Season tickets are currently on sale online (CLICK HERE) or via the Bradley Ticket Office at (309) 677-2625.

The Braves finished the 2016-17 season among the top 25 most improved teams in the nation, winning eight more games last year compared to the 2015-16 campaign. Bradley returns 11 letterwinners and all five starters next season, including 96.8 percent of its points, 95.8 percent of its rebounds and 98.4 percent of its assists.

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