The Vibe is Right at Bradley

Convincing Opening Night Win

(St. Louis, MO) – Season ticket sales are up, there is a new scoreboard, really good players on the roster and the vibe is right at Bradley. Brian Wardle’s team is the runaway favorite to win the Missouri Valley Conference regular season title, and the fans are all in.

Monday’s 88-60 win over Southeast Missouri demonstrated so much of what gives this team and PROGRAM a special feel. Bradley is deep, talented, long, determined and not satisfied.

After a relatively easy opening night win, Wardle was connected to the idea that his team has to get better. When his players were asked what the goal for this season is, Almar Atlason, Christian Davis and Jaquan Johnson, said, in unison “Championships”. You notice they didn’t say ‘a championship’.

Every part of Bradley basketball is aimed at championships. Wardle and his players want to win the regular season title, but that won’t be enough. They want to cut down nets in St. Louis at Arch Madness and play in the NCAA Tournament.

The vibe is right.

Fans feel it. The players expect it and Wardle is focused on multiple championships this season.

The Game

Bradley opened the game in perfect fashion. Before the first media timeout, the Braves led 15-2. They made six of their first seven shots and the rout was on. Southeast fought back and played a very sound game. While both teams turned the ball over too often, for an opening night, it was fairly clean.

Wardle likes the way his team started the game, but didn’t like the turnovers or the beginning of the second half.

Bradley fans were engaged from the very beginning. I spoke with many of them prior to tip off and there is legitimate excitement, but not smug excitement in the fan base. Once Darius Hannah was announced as in the starting lineup there was even a collective sigh of relief. The knowledgeable fans knew he had been battling a knee issue.

Bradley players, led by Atlason made seven of 13 first half three-point attempts. The Iceland native made all three of his long distance shots. Christian Davis scored the first five points of the game and season and his activity was noticeable.

Wardle says he is one of the team’s most consistent players.

Davis and Johnson led the Braves with 15 points each and Atlason finished with 13. Nine different Braves scored. Eleven grabbed at least one rebound.

The Vibe is Right

Bradley is chronicling the season with a running documentary called “All We Need”, and their social media hashtag of #ProveEm has this team pointed at achieving great things. Wardle says the program was headed in this same direction until the covid pandemic derailed some of the program’s progress.

Wardle describes the fact that Duke Deen is back to win championships and he feels like the team and fanbase have finally reached were they collectively were in 2020.

Deen’s seven Monday night points, pushed his career total over 1,100 (1,101).

Sturdy competition lies before the Braves. Friday, Bradley travels to Pullman, Washington for a game with Washington State for a game with the Cougarss before UT San Antonio visits Carver Arena next week. Wardle has scheduled in a way that his team can build an impressive ‘at-large bid’ case.

Washington State won 25-games last year and Bradley has the opportunity to play as many as three top-100 teams (KenPom.com preseason rankings) during the nonconference schedule. Four other potential matchups (including potential Myrtle Beach Invitational games) are with top-150 teams.

Bradley’s length, athleticism, skill, depth and defensive passion make them a dangerous draw for any team. This year’s team has more effective size than last year and so many of the players on this roster have played meaningful games together and in the Valley.

The vibe is right at Bradley.

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