2025-26 early season tournaments

[Da Coach]

Drake will participate in the 2025 Emerald Coast Classic, along with Georgia Tech, LSU, and DePaul - https://x.com/JonRothstein/status/1910040002286997788

Interesting. Too bad this year's Drake team couldn't have gotten a shot at a couple Power Conference teams.
For the record, these were not the cream of the crop in those Power Conferences.
Georgia Tech was 17-17 and 10-10 in the ACC (8th place out of 18 teams).
LSU was 14-18, 3-15, and 15th place in the SEC out of 16 teams.
And DePaul was 14-20, 4-16 and 10th out of 11 Big East teams.

[yoda]

Too bad this year's Drake team couldn't have gotten a shot at a couple Power Conference teams.....

Drake played more Power Conference opponents in 2024-25 than some MVC teams do in a decade-
they beat Miami, FAU, Vanderbilt, Kansas State and in the post-season beat Mizzou and lost to Texas Tech.
But the system is still rigged and their NET probably would have sent them to the NIT had they not won the autobid.

[Tommy]

But the system is still rigged and their NET probably would have sent them to the NIT had they not won the autobid.

Correction, absolutely WOULD have sent them to the NIT!

[Braves2006]

Drake played more Power Conference opponents in 2024-25 than some MVC teams do in a decade-
they beat Miami, FAU, Vanderbilt, Kansas State and in the post-season beat Mizzou and lost to Texas Tech.
But the system is still rigged and their NET probably would have sent them to the NIT had they not won the autobid.

Absolutely....one of the better schedules I've seen from a Valley team in a while.

[64NIT]

Northern Iowa is one of 15 teams (to date; don't know if more will be added or some removed) in something called the Acrisure Series which will be held November 25-28 in Palm Desert, CA.

bloggingthebracket.com

[Nashville Cat]

Would BU ever consider a Peoria based MTE as in the past? Maybe focused on midwest based teams.

[Da Coach]

Would BU ever consider a Peoria based MTE as in the past? Maybe focused on midwest based teams.

If Bradley had a larger on-campus arena that could accommodate 5000-6000+ fans with adequate parking, facilities, and concessions, it might be worth considering. But with the rental price of the Carver Arena, and the fact Bradley doesn't get any revenue from ancillary services, makes it a certain money-loser.

[egib52]

If Bradley had a larger on-campus arena that could accommodate 5000-6000+ fans with adequate parking, facilities, and concessions, it might be worth considering. But with the rental price of the Carver Arena, and the fact Bradley doesn't get any revenue from ancillary services, makes it a certain money-loser.

Just out of curiosity, why do you think they would need that much more capacity? Most of these MTEs would barely fill small high school gyms.

[MacabreMob]

Yea - I don't understand why Bradley wouldn't consider a MTE in the Renaissance Center and bring in some decent midwestern mid-majors. But then again, the River City Shootout was a bunch of ugly teams. I remember as a kid feeling excited Bradley was in the championship game of the tournament until I learned Alcorn State (and North Texas State and East Carolina) were pretty much garbage competition. Lol.

[Nashville Cat]

Just out of curiosity, why do you think they would need that much more capacity? Most of these MTEs would barely fill small high school gyms.

Agreed. I saw <1200 attendance routinely at smaller MTEs thus fall.

[Da Coach]

Just out of curiosity, why do you think they would need that much more capacity? Most of these MTEs would barely fill small high school gyms.

You're right. But they would need to make it part of the season ticket package for the home fans to make it profitable

[BU1982]

Does anyone know when approximately Bradley’s non-conference schedule will be published?

[Da Coach]

No telling for sure. In past years it has been released as early as late June and as late as late September.
Last season, the official non-conference schedule was announced on August 16, 2024 - https://www.bradleyfans.com/forum/sp...398#post521398

Here is the thread about last year's non-conference schedule - https://www.bradleyfans.com/forum/sp...adley-schedule
The first known game was leaked out quite early, on April 24, 2024 - https://x.com/madeformarch/status/1783143939735695613
Most of the games were known by late July - https://www.bradleyfans.com/forum/sp...247#post521247

[BU1982]

Thanks Coach. Side note, it would be great if there were an event in the summer to meet the new coaches/families and players.

[64NIT]

Would BU ever consider a Peoria based MTE as in the past? Maybe focused on midwest based teams.

BU hosted four-team in-season tourneys, before the MTE concept took hold, for a few years in the '70s and '80s. My dad and I attended the second day of a tourney which featured WIU and EIU in the third place game (don't remember who won) and IlSU vs. BU for the championship, which IlSU won.