First, Bradley is the quintessential NIT program. The Braves have won the NIT four times (1957, 1960, 1964, and 1982) and finished as runner-up twice. Loyola has made the title game twice and finished third once.

I would have preferred facing Iowa in Iowa City, Butler in Indy, Indiana State in Terre Haute, or Cincinnati in Cincy. But the NIT has always bent the metrics to get rival matchups at the venue that draws more. There's some toxicity between Bradley and Loyola fan bases, which I think the selection committee might have wanted to exploit. History would have been there for the Loyola-Butler, Loyola-Cincy matchups. Bradley always draws well at home, so that's another consideration.

Bradley probably wouldn't have had a home game if Indiana, Memphis, Oklahoma, St. John's, Washington, Pitt, and Ole Miss hadn't rejected NIT invites. Same with Butler, probably.

Loyola is 0-1 against MVC teams this year (home loss to UIC with Alston and Dawson injured), and Bradley is 0-1 against A-10 teams (they lost to Duquesne).

As we've always known, Bradley has been very good at home (13-3 this season). The Ramblers have been pretty good on the road (7-4).

Loyola defeated Bradley to end their seasons in 2014, 2016, 2018, and 2022.

Loyola is 2-1 against Bradley since Drew Valentine became head coach. Bradley is 5-13 against Loyola since Brian Wardle became their coach.

Bradley got two great wins in their first two games this season. They beat UAB on the road in overtime to open the season, and five days later they beat Utah State in overtime. Utah State, famously, didn't have ANY returning points from the previous season, and their loss to Bradley in OT was the first time any of their players had played with each other in a Division I game. That was a pretty masterful bit of scheduling by the Braves. Since then (the second game of the year in early November), Bradley's BEST WIN according to KenPom was a home win over Vermont (KenPom 104). They lost home and road to Indiana State and Drake, and were eliminated at Arch Madness by a strong Drake team (0-3 on the season against Drake).

Bradley has been streaky, starting the season with 6 wins, then losing 5 in a row, then winning 9 in a row. But they're 7-6 in their last 13 games, including losses to Evansville and Northern Iowa.

Everyone knows it's going to come down to how the refs call the game at a rowdy, boiserous Carver Arena. I will be there.

Hey-- if you can get Wednesday off work, head down there.... and help cheer on the Ramblers. Tickets are only $20.

We got lucky with a regional matchup. Bradley really isn't a 3 seed and we should be playing a true 1 or 2 seed.

from my other post:

San Francisco (NET 66) and Cincinnati (NET 37) are both higher than Loyola Chicago (NET 85), so I presume absent arena conflicts round 2 is on the road. In fact, the only team in our "quad" with a lower NET is Minnesota (NET 89.)

So its looks like a trip to Cincinnati or S.F. for the Ramblers (can't stand the term "B'Lers") for round 2 if they beat Bradley.

Just talked to my brother who is a season ticket holder. He said Duke Deen, the 5"8 guard is what makes the Braves go...Connor Hickman who I think was the only remaining guy from our last game against Bradley is a streaky 3 pt shooter. He described their bigs as decent and good rebounders. They play 10 guys who go at least 9 minutes.
Always seems that NIT has a lot to do with who has motivation. How have teams responded to disappointing losses in tournament games or snubs to the NCAA tournament. I wonder if the officials will be from a neutral conference ?
For those of you who have not been to Bradley b4 the arena is downtown and there are several hotels with in walking distance. The cheaper hotels are across the river in East Peoria where there is also a casino, The Paradise, where you can stay as well.
Hope to see some Ramblermaniacs down in Peoria.

Well, technically we are a higher seed than USF. They are playing the #2 Seed and We are playing the #3 Seed. If we win and USF wins, we should be the home team in a Friday match-up. Of course, its the NIT so who knows what they would do.

That's not how it works. We are unseeded.

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