Bradley Braves basketball: How to watch, odds, everything to know about duel with Pacific

PEORIA — The Bradley Braves men’s basketball team opens a two-game series against Pacific on Saturday at Carver Arena.

No, it’s not time-machine ride back to the COVID era scheduling in the Missouri Valley Conference.

The Braves went a little outside the box to fill their non-conference schedule in 2026-27, agreeing to a two-game home-and-home contract with Pacific.

They’ll play each other twice, the first game Saturday, Nov. 7 in Carver Arena, the second a rematch in 14 days at Stockton, Calif.

“It’s a home-and-home in the same year, as both teams were struggling to find good opponents to play them, so this worked out for us,” Bradley head coach Brian Wardle said in late August when the schedule was announced. “It worked out well. Around the Missouri Valley Conference and other leagues, a lot of teams are starting to do these series.”

The Braves tip at 7 p.m. in what will be the second game for both teams.

How to watch, odds and predictions, lineups and live updates during the game will all be here at pjstar.com.

We’ll bring you the schedule, pictures, video highlights and more, serving as a coverage experience for BU fans via pjstar.com.

Bradley’s likely starters

Ben Thornbrue emerged as an impact player off the bench, playing starter’s minutes and netting a game-high 17 points and adding four rebounds and three assists in Bradley’s win over Monmouth on Nov. 2.

If Thornbrue remains in that role, then the starting lineup for Bradley against Pacific could be big men Josh Ibukunoluwa, Xander Alarie, wing Noah Williams and guard Trevon Payton and Dietrich Richardson.

An international melting pot

The Braves added Georgi Gerganov (Bulgaria) and Max Gaspa (Spain) to the program during the offseason, deepening the program’s history with foreign player during coach Brian Wardle’s era.

Bradley has had players from Australia, Bahamas, Brazil, Cameroon, Canada, China, England, Finland, France, Gambia, Haiti, Iceland, Italy, Netherlands, Nigeria, Serbia, South Sudan, and St. Marteen.

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.

Bravely Speaking

Pacific’s Jaylen Thompson is a Stanford transfer who had a career-high 21 points on 70% shooting. … Bradley is 33-17 in November games over the last four years. … Pacific had 8 blocks in its 55-point win over Bethesda. … 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.

2025-26 Missouri Valley:Final standings

Bradley-Pacific score updates

Starting lineups

Bradley: TBA. Pacific: TBA.

Bradley vs Pacific by the numbers

• Kenpom ranking: Bradley No. 172. Pacific No. 139.
• EvanMiya ranking: Bradley, No. 182. Pacific, No. 155.
• Kenpom says: Bradley 72, Pacific 70 (confidence (55%).
• Massey computer says: Bradley 74, Pacific 67 (73%)
• 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. Pacific No. 5 of 10 in West Coast Conference.
• Records: Bradley 1-0 (0-0), T-4th in MVC. Pacific 1-0 (0-0), 5th West Coast Conference.
• All-time series: Bradley, 3-1.
• In 2025-26: Bradley 21-13, NIT berth. Pacific, 18-15.
• Coaches: Bradley, Brian Wardle, 12th year (208-160). Pacific, Doug Smart (28-39).

What time does Bradley play Pacific today?

• Date:  Nov. 7, 2026
• Time:  7 p.m. CT
• Location: Carver Arena, Peoria, Illinois

What channel is the Bradley vs Pacific game on today? 

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

Bradley vs Pacific live stream options 

Bradley vs Pacific will be streaming on ESPN+.

Play-by-play: Brian Bedo.

Analyst: Kristof Kendrick

Bradley basketball vs Pacific betting odds 

Game lines and odds for this matchup Bradley vs Pacific courtesy Bovada as of Saturday morning: 

• Spread:  Bradley by 1.5.
• Over/under: 143.5.
• Moneyline:  Pacific +105. Bradley -125.

Bradley basketball schedule

Record: 1-0, 0-0

• Nov. 2: Bradley 85, Monmouth College 41
• Nov. 7: Bradley vs Pacific, Carver Arena, Peoria, Illinois, 7 p.m. | ESPN+
• Nov. 10: Bradley at Davidson, Belk Arena, Davidson, North Carolina, 6 p.m. | TBA
• 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: Bradley Braves basketball: How to watch, odds, everything to know about duel with Pacific

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