After splitting its last two games against Evansville and Illinois State, Bradley now travels to Coralville, Iowa, to compete in the Missouri Valley Conference (MVC) tournament.
The Braves are set to face Northern Iowa in the quarterfinals on Friday and could face Murray State in the semifinals and Belmont in the final, if they get that far.
For the first time since 2020, the Braves have completed a season with 20 wins or more, a fresh sight from recent rebuilding years.
However, with a great record comes great responsibility, and if Bradley is to be a contender, they will have to play the best basketball they have all season.
Sports Co-Editor Mark Wagner details five keys to making that dream a reality.
1. Defense, defense, defense
Head coach Kate Popovec-Goss considers herself a defensive-minded coach. And that strategy has been working. The Braves have consistently outrebounded or matched their opponents’ rebounds, especially over the past few months. While on the campus of Northern Iowa, this wasn’t the case for Bradley, but they got their own back during the home leg with a rebound total of 38-33.
However, that raises concerns, since UNI will be closer to home. With that in mind, will we see a defensive result like their game in January?
2. Limit early fouls
While this hasn’t been a problem for some players, it will be much more important to be careful on Friday. When it comes down to crunch time, you don’t want any of your better starters in foul trouble, which has affected the Braves before. Most specifically, in their away game against Illinois State, the team had 27 total fouls, including five each from guards Maya Foz and Mya Wardle. They should still play aggressively, but make sure their on-court decisions are calculated.
3. Make the arc home
Offensively, Bradley has been known for one thing all year: making buckets from downtown. This season’s team even broke the program record for the most three-pointers in a single season with 245. During last Thursday’s game against Evansville, the Braves went 11-for-22 from beyond the arc, but when facing ISU in their next outing, they were limited to five-for-18. While it can be scary for fans, they should still have plenty of gas left in the tank for those threes they’ll need to make.
4. The upperclassmen factor
Bradley honored their five seniors before their game against Illinois State on Sunday, three of whom are getting important minutes on the court. Fifth-year guard-forward Kaylen Nelson is on the All-MVC first team for a reason; graduate Tamia Perryman has had some solid rebounding performances for playing more of a guard role, and senior forward Amy O’Hara can start for you at the five or come off the bench and give you great defensive outputs night after night.
5. Unleash the youngsters
For all the experience on their roster, the Braves also have some newer talent who have played a big part in where they are now. Most specifically, freshman Maya Foz, who won MVC Freshman of the Year, becoming the fourth Bradley player to ever receive the honor. Her all-around scoring has been evident in the statistics, as she’s currently 11th in the nation among freshmen. Other names include sophomore Mya Wardle, who has played the traditional point guard role to a tee, and sophomore forward Ellie McDermid, a tall, but speedy athlete who can play big when called upon.
