Bradley Braves basketball — program history
Bradley's basketball program began in 1902 in Peoria, Illinois, and the Braves compete in the Missouri Valley Conference. The program enjoyed its golden era in the 1950s, reaching two NCAA Championship games in 1950 and 1954. Bradley has remained a competitive MVC program throughout its history.
The name
The Braves nickname grew out of the Native American imagery used by Bradley's athletic teams in the 1920s, when they were often called the Indians, and was officially adopted in 1937 to give the school a more distinctive identity than the many programs already using the Indians name.
Signature moment
Reaching two NCAA Championship games in 1950 and 1954, with the 1950 team losing a heartbreaker to CCNY in the final.
Bradley's Carver Arena in downtown Peoria seats over 11,000, making it one of the largest home venues in the Missouri Valley Conference relative to the school's enrollment.
The Bradley Braves compete in the MVC and hold an all-time record of 1818–1287 (.586 winning percentage) across 122 recorded seasons dating back to 1902-03. The program has reached 2 Final Fours.
Season-by-season results
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