A Century of Triumphs and Trials: The Bradley Braves Basketball Story

The Bradley Braves men's basketball team, representing Bradley University in Peoria, Illinois, has a rich and storied history in NCAA Division I competition. As a member of the Missouri Valley Conference (MVC), the Braves have experienced both remarkable success and periods of adversity, contributing significantly to the landscape of college basketball.

Early Years and the Robertson Era (1920-1948)

The foundation of Bradley basketball was laid by Alfred J. Robertson, who took the reins as coach of both the football and basketball teams in 1920. Robertson's tenure lasted until 1948, during which he became the university's all-time winningest coach with 316 victories over 26 seasons. A significant moment in the program's history occurred in 1939 when Bradley, with a 19-3 record, received invitations to both the inaugural NCAA Tournament and the second National Invitation Tournament (NIT). The Braves declined the NCAA Tournament bid, a decision that allowed Oregon, a team Bradley had previously defeated, to participate and ultimately win the championship.

The Anderson Era and the Point-Shaving Scandal (1948-1955)

Following Robertson's death, Forrest "Forddy" Anderson was hired from Drake. In 1950, the Braves achieved a 32-5 record and won the MVC, securing a bid to the NCAA tournament. However, the program's trajectory was severely impacted by a point-shaving scandal in 1951. Several Bradley players, including Gene Melchiorre, Bill Mann, Bud Grover, Aaron Preece, and Jim Kelly, admitted to accepting bribes from gamblers to manipulate scores in games against St. Joseph's and Oregon State. While Melchiorre, Mann, and George Chianakos pleaded guilty to a misdemeanor and avoided jail time.

Bob Vanatta briefly coached the Braves, leading them to the NCAA tournament Elite Eight in 1955 as an independent team.

The Orsborn Era: NIT Dominance (1956-1965)

Chuck Orsborn, a Bradley alum, assumed the head coaching role in 1956 after serving as an assistant for nine years. Orsborn's impact was immediate, as he led the Braves to their first NIT championship in 1957, defeating Memphis State. The team continued to excel, making NIT appearances in 1958 and reaching the NIT championship game in 1959, where they lost to St. John's. In 1960, Bradley secured its second NIT championship, triumphing over Providence in the title game. During Orsborn's first six seasons, the Braves consistently ranked among the top 20 in the final AP Poll. A return to the NIT in 1964 resulted in the Braves' third NIT championship.

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The Stowell and Versace Eras (1965-1986)

Joe Stowell, an assistant coach under Orsborn, became Bradley's ninth head coach in 1965. His 13-year tenure saw only two postseason appearances: the 1968 NIT and the 1974 National Commissioners Invitational tournament.

Dick Versace, known for his involvement in recruiting Magic Johnson, took over in 1978. Versace guided Bradley to the MVC regular season and tournament championships in 1980, with the Braves losing to Texas A&M in the NCAA tournament. In 1986, Versace led the Braves to a 32-3 record and a #7 national ranking, capturing the MVC title before falling to eventual national champion Louisville in the NCAA tournament second round. His back court players included future NBA All Star Hersey Hawkins and future NBAer and Bradley Head Coach Jim Les.

The Albeck and Molinari Eras (1986-2002)

Bradley alumnus and former Chicago Bulls head coach Stan Albeck was hired in 1986. In 1988, Albeck led the Braves to the MVC regular season and tournament titles behind National Player of the Year Hersey Hawkins, and finished #11 in the final Associated Press Poll before losing to Auburn in the NCAA tournament.

Jim Molinari took over in 1991. After NIT appearances in 1994 and 1995, the Braves, led by Anthony Parker, captured the MVC championship in 1996 and advanced to the NCAA tournament.

The Jim Les Era and the 2006 Sweet Sixteen Run (2002-2011)

Another alum, Jim Les, became head coach. In 2006, the Braves finished fifth in MVC play and received an at-large bid to the NCAA tournament as a No. 13 seed, their first trip to the Tournament since 1996. The Braves upset No. 4-ranked Kansas in the first round and upset No. 5-ranked Pittsburgh to advance to the Sweet Sixteen for the first time since 1955.

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The Ford and Wardle Eras (2011-Present)

Kent State head coach Geno Ford was hired to replace Les. Ford's teams struggled, and he was eventually replaced by Green Bay head coach Brian Wardle. In Wardle's first year, the Braves finished the season 5-24. In 2017, the Braves improved to a 13-20 record. In 2018 the Braves finished 20-13 while going 9-9 in the conference. In 2019 Wardle led the Braves to the Cancun Challenge championship over Penn State. After this the Braves slumped and went 0-5 in conference play. The Braves regrouped and finished 5th in MVC play at 9-9. They beat Missouri State and upset Loyola-Chicago. Bradley looked to capture their first MVC tournament title since 1988. They played UNI, the 6 seed, and were down by 18 points in the second half. Bradley rallied and cut the deficit to 6 with a 12-0 point run. The Braves went on to win the game. They entered March Madness for the first time since 2006 but lost to Michigan State 76-65 in the opening round. Wardle led the Braves to another improved season in 2019-20. Bradley finished with an overall record of 23-11 and 11-7 in Missouri Valley Conference play. Bradley won the MVC tournament title for the second year in a row.

Postseason History

Bradley has appeared in nine NCAA Tournaments, including two Final Fours and national championship games in 1950 and 1954. The Braves have also appeared in the National Invitation Tournament 23 times with an all-time NIT record of 27-20 and have won four NIT championships (1957, 1960, 1964, and 1982). The Braves have participated in one College Basketball Invitational in 2008 and two CollegeInsider.com Postseason Tournaments (CIT). Bradley participated in the 1974 National Commissioners Invitational Tournament. The Braves appeared in, and hosted, the only National Campus Basketball Tournament.

Team of the Century

The Bradley athletic department celebrated 100 years of Braves basketball in the 2003-04 season. Fans were given the opportunity to select the greatest players from each of seven specific timelines, resulting in a total of 60 players. Throughout the 2002-03 season, those 60 players were honored at selected games. Fans were given the opportunity to help select the 15 greatest players in the program's history, creating the team of the century. The team was honored during a ceremony at the Peoria Civic Center on November 21, 2003. In addition to the “Team of the Century,” Braves fans also selected a “Game of the Century” by voting games through a 16-entry, tournament format.

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