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Path is set: Bradley men's basketball gets its Missouri Valley Conference schedule

dave eminian, journal star
·4 min read
Bradley's Rienk Mast (51) heads to the basket as Loyola of Chicago's Chris Knight (23) defends during the first half of an NCAA college basketball game in the quarterfinal round of the Missouri Valley Conference tournament Friday, March 4, 2022, in St. Louis. (AP Photo/Jeff Roberson)
Bradley's Rienk Mast (51) heads to the basket as Loyola of Chicago's Chris Knight (23) defends during the first half of an NCAA college basketball game in the quarterfinal round of the Missouri Valley Conference tournament Friday, March 4, 2022, in St. Louis. (AP Photo/Jeff Roberson)

PEORIA — The Bradley Braves will open their 2022-23 Missouri Valley Conference schedule against Northern Iowa and close it with a duel against Drake.

Both those games are at Carver Arena, the first on Nov. 30 and the latter a potential national TV battle between what is expected to be two top Valley foes on Feb. 26.

In between, coach Brian Wardle and the Braves will go about the business of chasing their first regular-season title in the Missouri Valley Conference since they went 22-8 (15-3 in conference) under Jim Molinari in 1995-96.

Full 2022-23 MVC men's basketball schedule: Click here

The Braves will play newcomers Murray State and Belmont twice each in traditional home-away series. They will play Indiana State once, on the road, and Evansville once, at Carver Arena.

Bradley's annual rivalry series with Illinois State opens with a game at Carver Arena on Jan. 25, and a rematch at Normal on Feb. 8.

Tipoff times for the conference games, and TV assignments, will be announced in late September or early October.

More:Built to challenge: Inside Bradley's nonconference basketball schedule

Bradley in the Valley

Here is the 2022-23 Missouri Valley Conference schedule for the Bradley men's basketball team:

  • Nov. 30: Northern Iowa at Bradley, Carver Arena

  • Dec. 3: Bradley at Missouri State, Springfield, Mo.

  • Dec. 28: Bradley at Belmont, Nashville, Tenn.

  • Dec. 31: UIC at Bradley, Carver Arena

  • Jan. 4: Bradley at Murray State, Murray, Ky.

  • Jan. 7: Valparaiso at Bradley, Carver Arena

  • Jan. 11: Evansville at Bradley, Carver Arena

  • Jan. 14: Bradley at Drake, Des Moines, Iowa

  • Jan. 18: Bradley at Indiana State, Terre Haute, Ind.

  • Jan. 21: Belmont at Bradley, Carver Arena

  • Jan. 25: Illinois State at Bradley, Carver Arena

  • Jan. 29: Bradley at UIC, Chicago

  • Feb. 1: Southern Illinois at Bradley, Carver Arena

  • Feb. 4: Bradley at Northern Iowa, Cedar Falls, Iowa

  • Feb. 8: Bradley at Illinois State, Normal

  • Feb. 11: Murray State at Bradley, Carver Arena

  • Feb. 15: Missouri State at Bradley, Carver Arena

  • Feb. 19: Bradley at Southern Illinois, Carbondale

  • Feb. 22: Bradley at Valparaiso, Valparaiso, Ind.

  • Feb. 26: Drake at Bradley, Carver Arena

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Here is a look at the complete Bradley non-conference, conference and exhibition schedules combined for the 2022-23 season:

● Nov. 2, Exhibition: Illinois Wesleyan at Bradley, Carver Arena, 7 p.m.● Nov. 7: Wisconsin-Parkside at Bradley, Carver Arena, 7 p.m.● Nov. 11: Bradley at Utah State● Nov. 15 Cancun Challenge: Eastern Michigan at Bradley, Carver Arena, 7 p.m.● Nov. 19: Southeast Missouri State at Bradley, Carver Arena, 3 p.m.● Nov. 22 Cancun Challenge: Bradley vs Auburn, Cancun, Mexico, 5 p.m. (CBSSN)● Nov. 23: Cancun Challenge: Bradley vs Liberty/Northwestern, Cancun, Mexico, 5:30/7:30 p.m. (CBSSN)● Nov. 26: Merrimack at Bradley, Carver Arena, 3 p.m.

● Nov. 30: Northern Iowa at Bradley, Carver Arena● Dec. 3: Bradley at Missouri State, Springfield, Mo.● Dec. 6: Bradley at SIU-Edwardsville, Edwardsville, 7 p.m.● Dec. 17: Bradley at Arkansas, North Little Rock, Ark., 3 p.m.● Dec. 19: Stonehill at Bradley, Carver Arena, 7 p.m.● Dec. 22: Akron at Bradley, Carver Arena, 4 p.m.

● Dec. 28: Bradley at Belmont, Nashville, Tenn.● Dec. 31: UIC at Bradley, Carver Arena● Jan. 4: Bradley at Murray State, Murray, Ky.● Jan. 7: Valparaiso at Bradley, Carver Arena● Jan. 11: Evansville at Bradley, Carver Arena● Jan. 14: Bradley at Drake, Des Moines, Iowa

● Jan. 18: Bradley at Indiana State, Terre Haute, Ind.● Jan. 21: Belmont at Bradley, Carver Arena● Jan. 25: Illinois State at Bradley, Carver Arena● Jan. 29: Bradley at UIC, Chicago● Feb. 1: Southern Illinois at Bradley, Carver Arena● Feb. 4: Bradley at Northern Iowa, Cedar Falls, Iowa● Feb. 8: Bradley at Illinois State, Normal

● Feb. 11: Murray State at Bradley, Carver Arena● Feb. 15: Missouri State at Bradley, Carver Arena● Feb. 19: Bradley at Southern Illinois, Carbondale● Feb. 22: Bradley at Valparaiso, Valparaiso, Ind.● Feb. 26: Drake at Bradley, Carver Arena

2023 Missouri Valley Conference tournament

March 2: First round, Enterprise Center, St. Louis, MVC TVMarch 3: Quarterfinals, Enterprise Center, St. Louis, MVC TVMarch 4: Semifinals, Enterprise Center, St. Louis, MVC CBSSNMarch 5: Championship, Enterprise Center, St. Louis, CBS, 1 p.m.

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: College basketball: Bradley Braves learn 2022-23 Missouri Valley schedule