Bradley Braves (12-20, 4-14)
Projected starting five:
Jr. G Dyricus Simms-Edwards
Sr. F/C Will Egolf
So. F Jordan Prosser
Sr. F Taylor Brown
So. G Walt Lemon Jr.
Important departures:
Andrew Warren: 18.8 ppg, 5.5 rpg
Dodie Dunson: 10.5 ppg, 3.9 rpg
Sam Maniscalco: 9.7 ppg, 3 rpg
Percent returning:
Starts: 56.9 percent
Minutes: 56.0 percent
Scoring: 48.1 percent
Rebounding: 63.6 percent
Additions:
Bradley will bring in 6’6” forward Shayok Shayok from Pendleton School at IMG Academies in Bradenton, Fla., where he averaged 18 points and 10 rebounds per game. Freshman guard Donivine Stewart, a four-time Illinois all-state selection, also joins the Braves. Stewart racked up almost 2,300 points in four years at Limestone Community High School.
Toughest nonconference match ups:
Nov. 22 vs. Wofford
Nov. 25 vs. No. 14 Wisconsin
Dec. 17 at Drexel
Dec. 22 at No. 18 Michigan
Outlook:
“Disappointment” was the word to describe last season for Bradley, although injuries did have a great deal to do with the last-place finish. Considered a contender for the conference title before the season began, BU’s 4-14 struggle ended up costing head coach Jim Les his job. The obstacle for the Braves and new head coach Geno Ford in 2011-12 will be filling in the void from the departures of Andrew Warren, Dodie Dunson and Sam Maniscalco. Almost 40 points a game departed with those seniors. A bright spot in the lineup will be the return of senior forward Taylor Brown. Brown was forced to sit out last season to undergo a series of cardiac tests, but he has been cleared to play this winter. He was the captain of the MVC Most Improved Team in 2009-10 after increasing his points and rebounds from 3.4/3.0 per game the previous season to 13.5/6.9. Bradley does have the talent left for an upper-half finish if they can find a way to fill in for the large losses of last season’s seniors.
