How Bradley Braves basketball lost road opener at Davidson, prep for Coppin State duel next

DAVIDSON, N.C. — The Bradley Braves had a cold-shooting first half and could not make up a deficit in the second half against the Davidson College Wildcats on Tuesday.

The Braves lost their season road opener, 62-45, before 2,036 at Belk Arena in Davidson, N.C.

The Braves slipped to 1-2 on the season, while Davidson moved to 3-0. Bradley, an 11.5-point underdog heading into the game, chipped a deficit down to four points in the second half before fading.

The game marked the opening of a three-game trip this week, which continues with matchups against Coppin State and George Mason on Thursday and Saturday, respectively, in the Showdown in St. Pete at St. Petersburg, Fla.

The Braves scored 20 points in the first half at Davidson, shot 26.9% from the field and 1 of 10 from 3-point range.

In the home opener against Pacific last weekend, Bradley scored 19 points in the first half, shot 21.4% from the field and 3 of 13 from 3-point range.

"Obviously our offense is really struggling right now," Bradley head coach Brian Wardle said. "We tweaked some things after our last game ... it's gonna take a little time, so we're going to have some growing pains with it, play more five-out, more of a motion. That's what the players felt comfortable with, so I'm willing to adjust. But just careless passing, decision making, foul trouble hurt us in the first half."

"We need to rise above it"

Veteran guard/forward Timoty van der Knaap made his regular-season debut, returning from a foot injury and jumping into the starting lineup.

He struggled to an 0 of 11 shooting night.

Bradley continues to be without its starting guard tandem in Dietrich Richardson and Georgi Gerganov, the latter out for the season with a major knee injury suffered in the summer.

Richardson is fighting a foot injury, and missed his second straight game.

"We have to get a specialist to look at Dietrich," Wardle said. "We've had an X-ray and an MRI, and so he's out this week, and we'll look at next week and figuring out what the next step is with him.

"It's unfortunate, because we miss his playmaking, and miss his paint touch ability and his ability to get to the rim. But you know, that's part of the season, next man up. There's no excuses. We are not gonna fall victims to our consequences at all. We need to rise above it and figure this out."

What the Braves said

◾Bradley head coach Brian Wardle: "Shot making ... we gotta find some guys that can make some shots and string together some buckets for us so that we can take some pressure off our defense. It's going to take a little time, and that's all I can say. We have a ton of new people."

◾Wardle, on his rebuilt roster: "Everyone is trying to take a step up in roles. It's big pressure and big adjustment for a lot of these guys. They weren't the No. 1 or No. 2 guys last year. Some of them are the three, four, five or six guys on their (previous) team. So we're trying to get them, you know, who's gonna be our No. 1 and No. 2? I don't know yet."

◾Wardle: "We have pieces here. We got guys that have talent, and we got guys who can make shots and make plays. We just haven't shown it yet. I don't think we have a superstar, obviously. So it's going to have to come all playing unselfish and playing the right way of basketball for us to win."

◾Bradley guard Trevon Payton: "Me and Josh (Ibukunoluwa) definitely have bigger roles than our teams last year, we've got to do more to step up this year."

◾Josh Ibukunoluwa, when asked what the team needs in Florida leg of trip: "We got to go down there and win them both."

Bravely Speaking

The 45 points were the lowest single-game output by Bradley since a 55-44 loss to Liberty on Nov. 23, 2022. ... Bradley's Xander Alerie picked up his fourth foul just five minutes into the second half. ... BU guard Trevon Payton had a team-best 11 points and 3 steals. ... BU big man Josh Ibukunoluwa had a team-high nine rebounds. ... Davidson 7-footer Ian Platteeuw had a game-high 14 rebounds. ... The Braves finished up 31.5% from the field and 5 of 20 from 3. ... Bradley head coach Brian Wardle has led the Braves to at least 20 wins in four straight seasons and seven of the last nine. Now in his 12th season, Wardle's BU team has twice earned NCAA Tournament berths and gone to the NIT the last four seasons.

Poll position and Arch Madness

The Bradley Braves men's basketball team has been picked to finish sixth in the Missouri Valley Conference in the 2026-27 preseason poll.

Murray State and Illinois State were picked one-two. The conference released only partial results, naming only the top six vote-getters in the 11-team lineup.

But the annual pre-season poll feels a bit less relevant now with the Valley's new postseason tournament format. The only numbers that matter in the standings are the top two. The best two regular-season finishers get byes at Arch Madness. Everyone else is dropped into the wash down in St. Louis.

2025-26 Missouri Valley:Final standings

Bradley vs Davidson score updates

Projected starting lineups

BRADLEY: Timoty van der Knaap, Xander Alarie, Max Gaspa, Trevon Payton, Josh Ibukunoluwa. COPPIN STATE: Jamari Piercy, Camaren Sparrow, Tafare Gapare, Brendan Johnson, Favour Aire.

Bradley vs Coppin State by the numbers

• Kenpom ranking: Bradley, No. 221. Coppin State, No. 359.
• EvanMiya ranking: Bradley, No. 207. Coppin State, No. 341.
• Kenpom says: Bradley 72, Coppin State 61 (BU win probability 18%).
• Massey computer says: Bradley 68, Coppin State 60 (71%)
• NET ranking: N/A.
• CollegeInsider.com Mid-Major Ranking: Bradley NR.
• MidMajorBasketball.com Mid-Major Ranking: Bradley NR
• BracketBustersHoops.com Mid-Major Ranking: Bradley NR
• Basketball.realgm.com Mid-Major Rankings: Bradley NR
• Preseason poll: Bradley No. 6 of 11 in MVC. Coppin State No. 6 of 8 in MEAC.
• Records: Bradley 1-2 (0-0), 7th in MVC. Coppin State 1-2 (0-0), T-4th in MEAC.
• All-time series: First meeting. All-time vs MEAC: Bradley, 8-2
• In 2025-26: Bradley 21-13, NIT berth. Coppin State, 7-24.
• Coaches: Bradley, Brian Wardle, 12th year (208-162). Coppin State, Larry Stewart, 4th year (16-77).

What time does Bradley play Coppin State on Thursday, Nov. 12?

• Date: Nov. 12, 2026
• Time: 5 p.m. CT
• Location: McArthur Center, St. Petersburg, Fla.

What channel is the Bradley vs Coppin State game on Thursday?

• TV channel: None.
• Radio: WMBD radio 1470 AM, 100.3 FM
• Play-by-play: Dave Snell
• Analyst: Chad Kleine

Bradley vs Coppin State live stream options

Bradley vs Coppin State will be streaming on YouTube.

Play-by-play: TBA

Analyst: TBA

Sideline reporter: TBA

Bradley basketball vs Coppin State betting odds

Game lines and odds for this matchup, Bradley vs Coppin State, not yet available:

• Spread: TBA.
• Over/under: TBA.
• Moneyline: TBA.

Bradley basketball schedule

Record: 1-2, 0-0

• Nov. 2: Bradley 85, Monmouth College 41
• Nov. 7: Pacific 63, Bradley 52
• Nov. 10: Davidson 62, Bradley 45
• Nov. 12: Bradley vs Coppin State, McArthur Center, St. Petersburg, Florida, 5 p.m. | TBA ((Showdown in St. Pete)
• Nov. 14: Bradley vs George Mason, McArthur Center, St. Petersburg, Florida, noon | TBA ((Showdown in St. Pete)
• Nov. 18: Bradley vs Purdue Fort Wayne, Carver Arena, Peoria, Illinois, 7 p.m. | ESPN+
• Nov. 21: Bradley at Pacific, Alex G. Spanos Center, Stockton, California, 9 p.m. | ESPN+
• Nov. 28: Bradley vs Chicago State, Carver Arena, Peoria, Illinois, 1 p.m. | ESPN+
• Dec. 1: Bradley vs Loras, Carver Arena, Peoria, Illinois, 7 p.m. | ESPN+
• Dec. 4: Bradley at North Texas, UNT Coliseum, Denton, Texas, 7 p.m. | TBA
• Dec. 8: Bradley vs Green Bay, Carver Arena, Peoria, Illinois, 7 p.m. | ESPN+A
• BEGIN MISSOURI VALLEY CONFERENCE SCHEDULE

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Dave Eminian is the Journal Star sports editor and former Bradley Braves men's basketball beat writer. Reach him via email at deminian@pjstar.com. Follow him on X.com @icetimecleve.

This article originally appeared on Journal Star: How Bradley Braves basketball lost road opener at Davidson, prep for Coppin State duel next

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