Braves Put Home Winning Streak on the line versus Missouri State

Men's Basketball 1/22/2018 5:56:00 PM

Bradley (14-7 , 4-4 MVC) vs. Missouri State (15-6, 5-3 MVC)
Game Details	Tuesday, Jan. 23 • 7 p.m. • Peoria, Ill. • Carver Arena
Television	ESPN3
Radio	1470 WMBD
Game Notes	Bradley \| Missouri State
Game Coverage	Live Stats \| Twitter: @bradleyumbb \| Instagram: @bradleyumbb
Tickets	Ticketmaster \| (309) 677-2625

The Bradley basketball team puts the MVC's longest home-court winning streak on the line when it hosts preseason favorite Missouri State on Tuesday. Tipoff at Carver Arena is scheduled for 7 p.m.

PROMOTIONS
• The State Farm Good Neighbor Crew is giving away Bradley draw-string backpacks prior to the game in Kaboom!'s Korner.
• Also in Kaboom!'s Korner is a Bounce House and inflatables from Fun on the Run.
• Tuesday's game is during Coaches vs. Cancer Suits and Sneakers Week. Following the game, Coach Wardle's signed shoes and tie will be auctioned off to support cancer.
• Bradley will recognize all student-athletes for their athletic and academic achievement during the fall semester at halftime on Tuesday.

ABOUT THE BRAVES
• Bradley is 14-7 during the 2017-18 season with a 4-4 record in Missouri Valley Conference action.
• The Braves are 4-0 at home in MVC play but 0-4 on the road in conference action – coming off a 66-53 win against Evansville on Saturday.
• Sophomore Darrell Brown leads Bradley with 13.3 points and 4.0 assists per game.
• Senior Donte Thomas and sophomore Nate Kennell are second and third on BU in scoring with 10.3 and 8.8 points, respectively.
• Thomas also leads the Braves with 7.0 rebounds per game, while Elijah Childs is second with 5.9.
• BU is averaging 67.3 points, shooting 43.0 percent from the floor and 36.7 percent from 3-point range.
• The strength of the team is on defense where BU features the nation's 14th-ranked unit, allowing only 62.7 points per game, 39.0 percent of field goals and 31.5 percent from 3-point range.

SERIES HISTORY
• The Braves and Bears have played 57 times since Missouri State joined the MVC in 1990.
• Missouri State owns a 37-20 advantage versus the Braves, while winning 11 of the last 14 meetings between the schools.
• The teams split a pair of games last year with each winning on their home court. After falling on the road, 76-62, BU responded a 77-68 home win despite leading scorer Darrell Brown missing the game with an injury. Four Braves – led by Luuk van Bree's 17 – scored in double figures.

ABOUT THE BEARS
• The preseason conference favorite, Missouri State is tied for third in the MVC standings with a 5-3 record and is 15-6 overall.
• The Braves and Bears finished tied for sixth in the final MVC standings one year ago.
• Preseason Player of the Year, Alize Johnson averages a double-double with 15.2 points and 11.9 rebounds per game.
• Four additional Bears average between eight and nine points per game.
• Tuesday's matchup is also between two of the nation's top defenses as Missouri State ranks 12th in the NCAA by allowing 62.3 points.
• Offensively, the Bears average 70.1 points.

CARVER STREAKING
• Bradley puts its undefeated home record on the line against Missouri State as BU has opened the 2017-18 season a perfect 10-0 at Carver Arena.
• In fact, Bradley has won its last 12 home games dating back to last season – the longest active streak in the MVC and BU's longest since a 15-game run in 2006.
• Bradley's second win in the 12-game run was over Missouri State, 77-68, on Feb. 22, 2017.
• The Braves secured their first unblemished home mark in non-conference play since the 2006-07 season with a 6-0 record,
• BU then followed by winning its first four MVC home games for the first time since 2004-05.

SENIOR LEADERSHIP
• The lone senior on the roster, Donte Thomas is determined to finish his career on a strong note.
• Thomas has raised his game during conference play with 13.3 points per game in his first eight MVC games, while shooting 59.1 percent.
• The 13.3 points per game for Thomas mark a 4.8-point improvement from non-conference.
• In MVC games only, Thomas is 13th in points, second in rebounds, third in field goal percentage and seventh in free throw percentage.
• Thomas now ranks second on the team with 10.3 points, while leading Bradley with 7.0 rebounds.

MULTI-TALENTED
• Junior Dwayne Lautier-Ogunleye has been a do-it-all player for the Braves this season.
• In two games last week, Lautier-Ogunleye posted 12.5 points, 7.5 rebounds and 4.0 assists, while also holding the Valley's top scorer to less than half his season average and 4-of-17 shooting.
• Overall, he is second on the team with 2.5 assists and third with 5.1 rebounds to go with 6.1 points.
• Lautier-Ogunleye has led the team in assists six times and boards five times – including the first three 10+ rebound games of his career.

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