After a long regular season with a 24-7 record, Bradley begins their postseason journey at Arch Madness in St. Louis at the Enterprise Center this weekend. The Braves enter the tournament as the No. 2 seed and will try to win the Missouri Valley Conference Tournament for the first time since they won back-to-back titles in 2019-2020.
In preparation for Bradley’s quarterfinal game at 6 p.m. on Friday, Sports Editor Latif Love and Assistant Sports Editor Owen Dimpfl give five keys for Bradley to go dancing into March Madness.
1. Limit turnovers
Taking care of the ball is a key to winning for every team in the country, but it is essential for Bradley. The Braves turn the ball over 12 times a game, which ranks 208th in Division I and have a turnover percentage of 14.9, which ranks 243rd.
In its losses, Bradley’s turnover numbers jumped to 14 per game, a significant factor in the Braves’ three-game losing streak earlier in the year. Turnovers have been detrimental because Bradley can’t get into the flow of their offense and often don’t get back on defense, leading to points for the opponents.
2. Defend the three-point line
The Braves players may still have nightmares of Belmont junior guard Tyler Lundblade’s 25-point performance, in which he made eight-of-13 from behind the arc in their loss to the Bruins on Feb. 5. Freshman guard Jack Daugherty had a similar 25-point performance where he made seven-of-ten from the three to snap Illinois State’s six-game losing streak against Bradley. The Braves struggled to defend the three-point line in January and February after starting the season as one of the best teams at limiting threes.
Bradley lost five games in 2025, and in four of those losses, the team allowed three or more three-pointers per game, and their opponents shot 44.6%. The MVC features a few of the best three-point shooting teams in college basketball, so it is essential for their NCAA tournament hopes that they defend the three-point line.
3. Let Deen control the game
Senior point guard Duke Deen is widely regarded as Bradley’s best player, and the numbers back it up. Deen leads the team in points, assists and three-point makes. Looking deeper into the numbers provides more context into how important Deen is for the Braves.
The guard has been great in the majority of Bradley’s wins. However, in their losses, Deen has averaged 9.9 points per game and has shot 32.9% from the field and 29.8% from three. Deen must be aggressive, make smart plays and continue to be the Braves’ vocal leader if he wants to make his first NCAA tournament appearance.
4. Avoid slow starts
Bradley’s offense is capable of exploding at any point in a game. Between the three-point efficiency and fast-break points in transition, the Braves are a team that thrives when they start fast. However, when the gas pedal isn’t to the floor at tip-off, it can cause issues and unwanted deficits. Of their seven losses, the Braves trailed their opponent at halftime in six of them.
They have proven they’re never out of any game, look no further than their 16-point comeback against Murray State on Feb. 22, but Arch Madness creates a different animal when the situation is win or go home. Playing with a lead will help Bradley win tough games at any point in the tournament.
5. Be physical
Arch Madness is played at the Enterprise Center, home of the Blues (St. Louis’ NHL team), and it leaves teams black and blue when they exit the court. Of all conference basketball tournaments in the nation, Arch Madness is well known for how difficult it is to win games, let alone the entire tournament.
The teams that physically dominate are the ones that survive and advance. Teams will not be bailed out by whistles, nor should players expect to be. Bradley must play aggressively, to an extent, and establish their physical strength in each game if they want to achieve their biggest goal all season.
