2015–16 Bradley Braves men's basketball team

2015–16 Bradley Braves men's basketball
ConferenceMissouri Valley Conference
Record5–27 (3–15 MVC)
Head coach
Assistant coaches
  • Drew Adams
  • Mike Bargen
  • Jimmie Foster
Home arenaCarver Arena
Seasons
2015–16 Missouri Valley Conference men's basketball standings
Conf Overall
Team W   L   PCT W   L   PCT
Wichita State 16 – 2   .889 26 – 9   .743
Evansville 12 – 6   .667 25 – 9   .735
Illinois State 12 – 6   .667 18 – 14   .563
Southern Illinois 11 – 7   .611 22 – 10   .688
Northern Iowa † 11 – 7   .611 23 – 13   .639
Indiana State 8 – 10   .444 15 – 17   .469
Missouri State 8 – 10   .444 13 – 19   .406
Loyola Chicago 7 – 11   .389 15 – 17   .469
Bradley 3 – 15   .167 5 – 27   .156
Drake 2 – 16   .111 7 – 24   .226
† 2016 MVC tournament winner

The 2015–16 Bradley Braves men's basketball team represented Bradley University during the 2015–16 NCAA Division I men's basketball season. The Braves were led by first year head coach Brian Wardle, who was hired in the offseason to replace Geno Ford.[1] The Braves were members of the Missouri Valley Conference and played their home games at Carver Arena in Peoria, Illinois. They finished the season 5–27, 3–15 in Missouri Valley play to finish in ninth place. They lost in the first round of the Missouri Valley tournament to Loyola–Chicago.

Previous season

The Braves finished the 2014–15 season with an overall record of 9–24. The team finished in last place in the Missouri Valley Conference with a conference record of 3–15. Following a first round upset of No. 7 seed Drake in the MVC tournament, the Braves season ended with a loss to Northern Iowa.

On March 22, 2015, Bradley fired head men's basketball coach Geno Ford, who compiled a 46–86 (19–53) record in four seasons at Bradley.[2] Ford was replaced less than a week later by UW–Green Bay head coach Brian Wardle.[3]

Departures

Name Number Pos. Height Weight Year Hometown Notes
Warren Jones 2 G 6'3" 190 Junior Centralia, IL Graduate transferred to Wisconsin–Parkside
Auston Barnes 4 F 6'8" 215 Senior Lansing, MI Graduated
Tramique Sutherland 5 G 5'11" 175 Junior Toronto, ON Transferred to UT Permian Basin
Darrion Harris 12 G 5'10" 155 Junior St. Louis, MO Left the team for personal reasons
Kendahl Amerson 13 G 6'3" 180 Junior Detroit, MI Transferred to Central Oklahoma
Josh Cunningham 21 F 6'7" 180 Freshman Chicago, IL Transferred to Dayton
Xazavier Taylor 22 F/C 6'9" 225 Sophomore Chicago, IL Transferred to IPFW
Omari Grier 24 G 6'4" 180 RS Junior Erial, NJ Graduate transfer to Rutgers
Nate Wells 52 C 7'1" 260 Junior Davenport, IA Graduate transfer to Ball State

Incoming Transfers

Name Number Pos. Height Weight Year Hometown Previous School
Alex Foster 34 F 6'8" 225 Junior Joliet, IL Transferred from Texas Tech. Under NCAA transfer rules, Foster will have to sit out for the 2015–16 season. Will have two years of remaining eligibility.

2015 recruiting class

College recruiting information
Name Hometown High school / college Height Weight Commit date
Joel Okafor
PG 		Richmond, IN Richmond High School 5 ft 11 in (1.80 m) 175 lb (79 kg) Apr 20, 2015 
Star ratings: Scout:3/5 stars   Rivals:3/5 stars   247Sports: N/A    ESPN grade: 77
Ronnie Suggs
SG 		Washington, MO Vermont Academy 6 ft 4 in (1.93 m) 170 lb (77 kg) Apr 19, 2015 
Star ratings: Scout:2/5 stars   Rivals:3/5 stars   247Sports: N/A    ESPN grade: POST
Dwayne Lautier-Ogunleye
SG 		Briston, England Stroud College 6 ft 3 in (1.91 m) 190 lb (86 kg) N/A 
Star ratings: Scout: N/A   Rivals: N/A   247Sports: N/A    ESPN grade: NR
Scottie James
SG 		Tarpon Springs, FL Tarpon Springs High School 6 ft 7 in (2.01 m) N/A May 17, 2015 
Star ratings: Scout: N/A   Rivals: N/A   247Sports: N/A    ESPN grade: NR
Overall recruiting rankings: Scout: –   Rivals: –
  • Note: In many cases, Scout, Rivals, 247Sports, and ESPN may conflict in their listings of height and weight.
  • In these cases, the average was taken. ESPN grades are on a 100-point scale.

Sources:

  • "Bradley Commit List for 2015". Rivals.com. Retrieved May 1, 2015.
  • "Men's Basketball Recruiting". Scout.com. Retrieved May 1, 2015.
  • "ESPN – Bradley Braves Basketball Recruiting 2015". ESPN.com. Retrieved May 1, 2015.
  • "Scout.com Team Recruiting Rankings". Scout.com. Retrieved May 1, 2015.
  • "2015 Team Ranking". Rivals.com. Retrieved May 1, 2015.

Roster

2015–16 Bradley Braves men's basketball team
Players Coaches
Pos. # Name Height Weight Year Previous school Hometown
G 0 Ka'Darryl Bell 6 ft 1 in (1.85 m) 200 lb (91 kg) Sr Oak Park-River Forest HS Chicago, IL
F 1 Donte Thomas 6 ft 7 in (2.01 m) 217 lb (98 kg) So Thornwood HS Calumet City, IL
G 3 Anthony Fields 6 ft 0 in (1.83 m) 160 lb (73 kg) RS Sr Quality Education Academy
Wake Forest 		Detroit, MI
G 4 Joel Okafor 5 ft 11 in (1.8 m) 175 lb (79 kg) Fr Richmond HS Richmond, IN
C 5 Davante Cooper 6 ft 10 in (2.08 m) 215 lb (98 kg) Fr West Oaks Academy Atlanta, GA
G 10 Jackson Kane (W) 5 ft 10 in (1.78 m) 175 lb (79 kg) Sr Monmouth-Roseville HS
Southeastern CC 		Roseville, IL
F 13 Luuk van Bree 6 ft 8 in (2.03 m) 210 lb (95 kg) Fr Canarias Basketball Academy Venray, Netherlands
F 14 Peter Hanley (W) 6 ft 6 in (1.98 m) 200 lb (91 kg) Fr Notre Dame HS Peoria, IL
G 22 Ronnie Suggs 6 ft 6 in (1.98 m) 185 lb (84 kg) Fr Vermont Academy Washington, MO
G 23 Dwayne Lautier-Ogunleye 6 ft 3 in (1.91 m) 195 lb (88 kg) Fr Bristol Academy Flyers London, England
F 24 Scottie James 6 ft 8 in (2.03 m) 215 lb (98 kg) Fr Tarpon Springs HS Tarpon Springs, FL
F 30 Callum Barker 6 ft 9 in (2.06 m) 240 lb (109 kg) Fr Notre Dame Prep Hobart, Australia
F 32 Mike Shaw 6 ft 8 in (2.03 m) 230 lb (104 kg) RS Sr De La Salle Institute
Illinois 		Chicago, IL
F 34 Alex Foster (I) Current redshirt 6 ft 8 in (2.03 m) 225 lb (102 kg) Jr Seton Academy
Texas Tech 		Joliet, IL
Head coach
Assistant coach(es)
Legend
  • (C) Team captain
  • (S) Suspended
  • (I) Ineligible
  • (W) Walk-on

Roster

Schedule and results

Date
time, TV 		Opponent Result Record Site (attendance)
city, state
Exhibition
11/04/2015*
7:00 pm 		Edgewood College W 78–42 
Carver Arena (5,829)
Peoria, IL
11/09/2015*
7:00 pm 		Saint Joseph's (IN) W 84–65 
Carver Arena (4,957)
Peoria, IL
Non-conference regular season
11/13/2015*
7:00 pm, ESPN3 		Ball State W 54–53  1–0
 Carver Arena 
Peoria, IL
11/16/2015*
7:00 pm, P12N 		at No. 12 Arizona L 60–90  1–1
 McKale Center (14,238)
Tucson, AZ
11/19/2015*
8:30 pm, ESPN2 		vs. No. 6 Virginia
Charleston Classic quarterfinals 		L 57–82  1–2
 TD Arena (2,517)
Charleston, SC
11/20/2015*
6:00 pm, ESPNU 		vs. Seton Hall
Charleston Classic consolation round 		L 59–67  1–3
 TD Arena (2,820)
Charleston, SC
11/22/2015*
12:30 pm, ESPN3 		vs. Towson
Charleston Classic 7th place game 		L 60–62  1–4
 TD Arena (1,553)
Charleston, SC
11/25/2015*
7:00 pm, ESPN3 		New Orleans L 51–64  1–5
 Carver Arena (5,379)
Peoria, IL
11/28/2015*
1:00 pm, ESPN3 		Ole Miss
Charleston Classic 		L 54–67  1–6
 Carver Arena (5,603)
Peoria, IL
12/01/2015*
6:00 pm 		at Delaware L 47–70  1–7
 Bob Carpenter Center (1,361)
Newark, DE
12/05/2015*
7:00 pm, ESPN3 		North Dakota L 59–65 2OT 1–8
 Carver Arena (5,557)
Peoria, IL
12/08/2015*
7:00 pm 		at Texas–Arlington L 61–97  1–9
 College Park Center (1,833)
Arlington, TX
12/17/2015*
7:00 pm 		Maryville W 61–53  2–9
 Carver Arena (5,601)
Peoria, IL
12/20/2015*
1:00 pm, ROOT 		at Boise State
MW–MVC Challenge 		L 70–90  2–10
 Taco Bell Arena (4,405)
Boise, ID
12/23/2015*
7:00 pm, ESPN3 		TCU L 49–53  2–11
 Carver Arena (5,560)
Peoria, IL
Missouri Valley Conference regular season
12/30/2015
7:00 pm, ESPN3 		at Northern Iowa L 44–80  2–12
(0–1) 		McLeod Center (5,230)
Cedar Falls, IA
01/03/2016
1:00 pm, ESPN3 		Wichita State L 58–85  2–13
(0–2) 		Carver Arena (6,597)
Peoria, IL
01/06/2016
7:00 pm, ESPN3 		Southern Illinois L 44–65  2–14
(0–3) 		Carver Arena (5,639)
Peoria, IL
01/09/2016
3:00 pm, ESPN3 		at Evansville L 35–67  2–15
(0–4) 		Ford Center (5,873)
Evansville, IN
01/13/2016
6:00 pm, ESPN3 		at Loyola–Chicago W 54–53  3–15
(1–4) 		Joseph J. Gentile Arena (1,386)
Chicago, IL
01/16/2016
8:00 pm, ESPN3 		Missouri State L 42–61  3–16
(1–5) 		Carver Arena (6,076)
Peoria, IL
01/20/2016
7:00 pm, ESPN3 		Illinois State L 52–55  3–17
(1–6) 		Carver Arena (7,300)
Peoria, IL
01/23/2016
2:00 pm, ESPN3 		at Wichita State L 54–88  3–18
(1–7) 		Charles Koch Arena (10,506)
Wichita, KS
01/27/2016
8:00 pm, ESPN3 		Northern Iowa L 50–68  3–19
(1–8) 		Carver Arena (5,334)
Peoria, IL
01/30/2016
2:00 pm, ESPN3 		at Drake L 70–80  3–20
(1–9) 		Knapp Center (3,524)
Des Moines, IA
02/02/2016
7:00 pm, ESPN3 		at Missouri State L 71–77  3–21
(1–10) 		JQH Arena (3,723)
Springfield, MO
02/06/2016
7:00 pm, ESPN3 		Indiana State W 63–58  4–21
(2–10) 		Carver Arena (6,028)
Peoria, IL
02/10/2016
7:00 pm, ESPN3 		Loyola–Chicago L 43–54  4–22
(2–11) 		Carver Arena (5,400)
Peoria, IL
02/14/2016
3:00 pm, ESPN3 		at Illinois State L 60–75  4–23
(2–12) 		Redbird Arena (7,888)
Normal, IL
02/17/2016
7:00 pm, ESPN3 		at Southern Illinois L 59–71  4–24
(2–13) 		SIU Arena (5,002)
Carbondale, IL
02/20/2016
7:00 pm, ESPN3 		Drake W 73–70  5–24
(3–13) 		Carver Arena (7,149)
Peoria, IL
02/23/2016
8:00 pm, ESPN3 		Evansville L 55–67  5–25
(3–14) 		Carver Arena (5,523)
Peoria, IL
02/27/2016
1:00 pm, ESPN3 		at Indiana State L 58–77  5–26
(3–15) 		Hulman Center (3,700)
Terre Haute, IN
Missouri Valley tournament
03/03/2016
6:00 pm, ESPN3 		vs. Loyola–Chicago
First round 		L 66–74  5–27
 Scottrade Center (6,929)
St. Louis, MO
*Non-conference game. #Rankings from AP Poll. (#) Tournament seedings in parentheses.
All times are in Central Time[4].

References

  1. ^ "Brian Wardle New Bradley Basketball Coach - BRADLEYBRAVES.COM—Official Web Site of Bradley University Athletics". Bradleybraves.com. Retrieved April 6, 2015.
  2. ^ Wise, Brandon. "Report: Bradley fires coach Geno Ford". CBSSports.com. Retrieved April 6, 2015.
  3. ^ "Bradley hires Green Bay's Wardle". Sporting News. March 27, 2015. Retrieved February 7, 2017.
  4. ^ "Basketball (M) - Schedule/Results - BRADLEYBRAVES.COM—Official Web Site of Bradley University Athletics". Bradleybraves.com.