How do these Bradley Braves compare to their recent tournament teams?
PEORIA — Ja'Shon Henry has seen this Bradley Braves team before.
The fifth-year forward was part of BU teams that earned NCAA Tournament bids in 2018-19 and 2019-20.
How do the 2022-23 Braves compare?
"This team feels very similar to those (NCAA Tournament) teams, we're a very connected group," Henry said of the 10-5 Braves who are off to a 3-1 start in the Valley. "We love each other and love going to work together.
"We hold each other accountable and that's growing. But the biggest similarity I see is the unselfishness. This team has that, like the other ones did."
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Henry and the Braves take a walk back in time when they face Murray State on Wednesday in Kentucky.
The Racers are one of the Missouri Valley Conference newcomers this season, and they last shared the floor with Bradley in an NIT duel in 1994.
It will be a tough, important road test for the Braves as they try to continue gauging how good they might be.
"Are we as good as (BU's two tournament teams)? I don't know yet," Bradley coach Brian Wardle said. "It has the potential to be. We've got to continue to get better and continue to learn and grow.
"And you got to have some luck along the way."
Basketball analytics expert Dan Hackman released his initial version of projected Missouri Valley Conference tournament seeds on Thursday, and the Braves came away from 100,000 season simulations as the runaway No. 1, finishing in the top spot in 42% of them.
Indiana State was next at 29% (top spot) and 24% (No. 2 seed), while Bradley also held the highest probability for the No. 2 seed at 25%.
Missouri State pulled the No. 3, Southern Illinois was at No. 4 and Drake at No. 5 and Belmont No. 6.
Bravely Speaking
Bradley is 7-7 all-time against Murray State. The Braves won the first six meetings, lost seven straight, then tied the series with a 66-58 win in the NIT in 1994. … The Braves are 7-2 in the nine games center Rienk Mast has played since returning from a right knee injury. They've held opponents to 55 points or less in seven of those games. … Mast's double-double on Saturday was the 15th of his career, moving him into a tie for 17th on the program's all-time list. … Bradley guard Ville Tahvanainen is on a free throw shooting roll. He has made 27 consecutive free throws starting from a year ago. He's one short of joining Daniel Ruffin's 28 in a row (2005-06) in the 10th spot all-time in Bradley history. Tahvanainen's last missed free throw was a second attempt with 16:38 left in the second half against Indiana State in a Jan. 2, 2022 loss at Carver Arena. His current streak started on Jan. 5, 2022 at home in a buzzer-beater loss to Missouri State. That's also the last home game Bradley lost before starting a 15-game win streak. Tahvanainen is 11-of-11 at the line this season. If he can extend his run to 32, he'll own a top 5 spot in the BU record book. … The Braves rank No. 1 in the MVC in scoring defense, allowing 58.7 points per game. … Bradley's two-point shot defense (41%) is seventh-best in the nation. … The Braves are second in the Valley in made 3-point percentage at 35.9. … The Braves lead the Valley in steals (112) and opponent field goal percentage (38%). … Murray State coach Steve Prohm is on his second stint at the Racers' helm. His first time through he went 104-29. ... Bradley returns home on Saturday for a 2 p.m. game against Valparaiso.
Bradley at Murray State
When: 7 p.m. Wednesday
Where: CFSB Center, Murray, Kentucky
Watch: ESPN+.
Listen: WMBD-AM 1470, FM 100.3
Records: Bradley, 10-5 (3-1), 2nd in MVC. Murray State, 8-6 (3-1), 2nd in MVC.
All-time series: Bradley, 7-7.
NET ranking: Bradley, No. 61. Murray State, No. 180.
KenPom ranking: Bradley, No. 79. Murray State, No. 172.
MVC preseason poll: Bradley, No. 2. Murray State, No. 8.
Coaches: Bradley, Brian Wardle (8th season). Murray State, Steve Prohm (5th season).
Players to watch: Bradley Braves: C Rienk Mast 13.6 ppg and MVC-best 9.0 rpg; F Malevy Leons 10.8 ppg, 5.8 ppg and MVC-best 26 blocks and 27 steals; F Ja'Shon Henry 10.0 ppg, 4.2 rpg; G Duke Deen 11.2 ppg, team-best 44a, 38.9% from 3. Murray State Racers: 6-4 G Rob Perry team-best 15.9 ppg, 39.2% from 3; 6-8, 230-pound F Jamari Smith 13.2 ppg; G JaCobi Wood 11.2 ppg, team-bests in assists (67) and steals (22); 6-7, 220 F DJ Burns 9.2 ppg, 7.7 rpg.
Dave Eminian is the Journal Star sports columnist, and covers Bradley men's basketball, the Rivermen and Chiefs. He writes the Cleve In The Eve sports column for pjstar.com. He can be reached at 686-3206 or deminian@pjstar.com. Follow him on Twitter @icetimecleve.
This article originally appeared on Journal Star: Bradley basketball: How do 2022-23 Braves compare to recent NCAA teams
