There will be no postseason for the Bradley Braves men’s basketball team this year.
Coach Jim Les announced his decision in a news release late Tuesday afternoon.
“While we have had good experiences in the CBI and CIT the last two years, our focus right now needs to be on preparing the team for next season,” Les said in the release.
The Braves finish the 2009-10 season with a 16-15 record after being beaten by champion Northern Iowa in the semifinals of the Missouri Valley tournament on Saturday. It’s their lowest victory total since going 13-15 in 2004-05.
Bradley went to the NCAA as an at-large team in 2006 and advanced to the Sweet 16, beating Kansas and Pitt. The Braves followed that with an NIT bid in 2007, beating Providence and losing to Mississippi State.
They earned a bid to the inaugural College Basketball Invitational in 2008 and advanced to the championship round against Tulsa, which won the best-of-3 series. In 2009, the Braves went to another new postseason event, the CollegeInsider.com Postseason Tournament, and finished second to Old Dominion.
Another invitation to either the CBI or CIT was considered likely, especially given Bradley’s current rank among the RPI top 100 teams.
“I like the nucleus of experienced players that will return (next season),” Les said in the statement, which included mention of tri-captains Dodie Dunson, Sam Maniscalco and Andrew Warren, in addition to forward Taylor Brown. “I think we will be best served by putting our efforts into preparing for next year.”
Les was unavailable for comment beyond the prepared statement.
“I’m comfortable with his decision,” Bradley athletics director Michael Cross said, “and I’m supportive of it.”
Kirk Wessler can be reached at 686-3216 or kwessler@pjstar.com.
