1985–86 Bradley Braves men's basketball team

American college basketball season March 2026 August 2023 1985–86 Bradley Braves Basketball 150 Missouri Valley Conference MVC 13 14 32–3 16–0 Dick Versace 8th Rudy Keeling Willie Cox Tony Massimino Carver Arena MVC Regular Season Champions NCAA tournament Second Round The 1985–86 Bradley Braves men's basketball team represented Bradley University during the 1985–86 NCAA Division I men's basketball season. The Braves were members of the Missouri Valley Conference and played their home games at Carver Arena. The team rode a 22–game winning streak on their way to a new school record for wins by finishing the season at 32–3. After sweeping through MVC regular season play with a 16–0 league mark – finishing ahead of the pack by a 6-game margin – Bradley lost in the championship game of the MVC tournament. The Braves earned an at-large bid to the NCAA tournament as No. 7 seed in the West region. The Braves defeated UTEP to open the tournament, but fell to Louisville, the eventual national champions, in the second round. Roster 1985 Bradley Braves y yes Mike Williams y basketball 3 C 6 8 250 SR Chicago, IL De La Salle Anthony Manuel y 12 G 5 11 185 FR Chicago, IL Crane Jeff Anthony 14 G 6 0 SO East St. Louis, IL East St. Louis Jim Les y 15 G 5 11 185 SR Niles, IL Notre Dame Jerry Thomas 21 F 6 6 210 SO Chicago, IL Collins Paul Wilson 23 F 6 6 FR Lorain, OH Lorain Catholic Donald Powell 24 FC 6 8 215 SO Nowata, OK Nowata Keith Berry 25 C 6 9 JR Chicago, IL Dunbar Greg Jones 32 F 6 5 SO Chicago, IL Robeson Hersey Hawkins y 33 G 6 3 185 SO Chicago, IL Westinghouse Trevor Trimpe 40 G 6 7 SO Havana, IL Havana Len Bertolini 44 G 6 3 SO Chicago, IL St. Patrick's Bruce Mordini 52 F 6 7 JR Highland Park, IL Highland Park Dick Versace Willie Cox Rudy Keeling Tom Massimino https://bradleybraves.com/sports/mens-basketball/roster/1985-86 https://www.sports-reference.com/cbb/schools/bradley/1986.html 1985–86 Bradley Braves Roster and Stats Sports Reference Schedule 1985-86 NCAA Division I men's basketball rankings 1986 yes yes |- !colspan=9 style=Bradley Braves| Regular season Nov 22, 1985 yes yes 1985 men Loyola Ramblers Loyola Chicago Alumni Gym Chicago, IL 94–84 5,308 1–0 Nov 25, 1985 yes 1985 men Chicago State Cougars Chicago State Carver Arena Peoria, IL 80–53 7,643 2–0 Nov 27, 1985 yes 1985 men Toledo Rockets Toledo Carver Arena Peoria, IL 69–57 6,984 3–0 Nov 30, 1985 yes 1985 men Northwestern Wildcats Northwestern Carver Arena Peoria, IL 76–72 7,347 4–0 Dec 2, 1985 yes yes 1985 men Western Illinois Leathernecks Western Illinois Western Hall Macomb, IL 76–62 3,241 5–0 Dec 7, 1985 yes yes 1985 men Marquette Warriors Marquette MECCA Arena Milwaukee, WI 66–64 10,461 6–0 Dec 13, 1985 yes Loyola Chicago Carver Arena Peoria, IL 76–75 8,358 7–0 Dec 21, 1985 yes yes Colorado CU Events Center Boulder, CO 79–69 3,827 8–0 Dec 23, 1985 yes 1985 men Saint Louis Billikens Saint Louis Carver Arena Peoria, IL 81–67 8,791 9–0 Dec 27, 1985 yes yes Clemson Neal S. Blaisdell Center Honolulu, HI Rainbow Classic 76–81 3,153 9–1 Dec 28, 1985 yes yes Villanova Neal S. Blaisdell Center Honolulu, HI Rainbow Classic 58–56 OT 2,080 10–1 Dec 30, 1985 yes yes 1985 men Wake Forest Demon Deacons Wake Forest Neal S. Blaisdell Center Honolulu, HI Rainbow Classic 86–72 1,556 11–1 Jan 4, 1986 1985 men Southern Illinois Salukis Southern Illinois Carver Arena Peoria, IL 65–62 9,255 12–1 1–0 Jan 6, 1986 1985 Illinois Wesleyan University Illinois Wesleyan Titans Illinois Wesleyan Carver Arena Peoria, IL 74–64 6,573 13–1 Jan 9, 1986 yes 1985 men Wichita State Shockers Wichita State Levitt Arena Wichita, KS 57–55 10,386 14–1 2–0 Jan 11, 1986 yes 1985 men Drake Bulldogs Drake Veterans Memorial Auditorium Des Moines, IA 69–67 5,750 15–1 3–0 Jan 13, 1986 yes yes 1985 men Dayton Flyers Dayton University of Dayton Arena Dayton, OH 79–77 OT 11,371 16–1 Jan 16, 1986 20 1985 men West Texas State Buffaloes West Texas State Carver Arena Peoria, IL 78–53 8,245 17–1 4–0 Jan 18, 1986 20 Tulsa Carver Arena Peoria, IL 71–58 9,266 18–1 5–0 Jan 23, 1986 17 Illinois State Carver Arena Peoria, IL I-74 Rivalry 67–63 OT 10,450 19–1 6–0 Jan 25, 1986 yes 17 1985 men Creighton Bluejays Creighton Omaha Civic Auditorium Omaha, NE 74–56 7,541 20–1 7–0 Jan 30, 1986 yes 13 West Texas State WT Fieldhouse Canyon, TX 63–54 3,038 21–1 8–0 Feb 1, 1986 yes 13 Tulsa Tulsa Convention Center Tulsa, OK 54–51 8,523 22–1 9–0 Feb 8, 1986 13 Creighton Carver Arena Peoria, IL 79–59 10,450 23–1 10–0 Feb 10, 1986 yes 13 Illinois State Horton Field House Normal, IL 74–67 7,745 24–1 11–0 Feb 13, 1986 yes 13 1985 men Indiana State Sycamores Indiana State Hulman Center Terre Haute, IN 54–52 5,648 25–1 12–0 Feb 15, 1986 yes 13 Southern Illinois SIU Arena Carbondale, IL 61–60 6,550 26–1 13–0 Feb 20, 1986 12 Drake Carver Arena Peoria, IL 88–79 10,450 27–1 14–0 Feb 22, 1986 12 Wichita State Carver Arena Peoria, IL 74–64 10,450 28–1 15–0 Feb 27, 1986 11 Indiana State Carver Arena Peoria, IL 71–51 10,450 29–1 16–0 |- !colspan=12 style=Bradley Braves| MVC Tournament Mar 4, 1986 yes yes 9 West Texas State Tulsa Convention Center Tulsa, OK MVC Tournament Quarterfinal 61–55 1,556 30–1 Mar 5, 1986 yes yes 9 Illinois State Tulsa Convention Center Tulsa, OK MVC Tournament Semifinal 65–64 5,469 31–1 Mar 6, 1986 yes yes 9 Tulsa Tulsa Convention Center Tulsa, OK MVC tournament championship 58–74TULSA STOPS BRADLEY'S 22-GAME STREAK https://www.nytimes.com/1986/03/06/sports/college-basketball-tulsa-stops-bradley-s-22-game-streak.html The New York Times March 7, 1986 May 18, 2019 6,313 31–2 |- !colspan=12 style=Bradley Braves| NCAA Tournament Mar 13, 1986 yes yes 14 7 W UTEP 20 10 W Dee Events Center Ogden, UT NCAA tournament first round 83–65 9,978 32–2 Mar 15, 1986 yes yes 14 7 W Louisville 7 2 W Dee Events Center Ogden, UT NCAA tournament second round 68–82LOUISVILLE WEARS BRADLEY DOWN, OUT https://www.chicagotribune.com/news/ct-xpm-1986-03-16-8601200010-story.html Chicago Tribune March 16, 1986 May 18, 2019 10,061 32–3 AP Poll Central Time W West Source:Final 1986 Division I Men's Basketball Statistics Report - Bradley University http://web1.ncaa.org/app_data/statsPDFArchive/MBB1/A/Men's%20Basketball_Men's_Division%20I_1986_72_Bradley%20University.pdf NCAA Rankings 1985–86 NCAA Division I men's basketball rankings AP 0 16 20 17 13 13 13 12 11 9 14 Coaches 0 16 19 17 13 13 12 12 9 9 13 Awards and honors Jim Les – Frances Pomeroy Naismith Award, MVC Player of the Year Dick Versace – Henry Iba Award, MVC Coach of the Year Team players in the 1986 NBA draft 1986 NBA draft Bradley Braves Round Pick Player NBA Club 3 51 Mike Williams Golden State Warriors 3 70 Jim Les Atlanta Hawks https://www.basketball-reference.com/draft/NBA_1986.html 1986 NBA Draft Basketball-reference.com May 17, 2019 References Category:Bradley Braves men's basketball seasons Bradley Bradley Bradley Braves men's basketball Bradley Braves men's basketball