Playing Bradley?

[WIU0812]

I have been curious about this and wanted to ask, does anyone know why we don't schedule games against Bradley in Peoria? Peoria has to be one of our bigger markets for students being that it is only 1.5 hours away and Bradley has to be one of the closest Division 1 schools to us. I always wondered why we don't strive to play Bradley every year or every other year, I am sure it would be a likely tough game being that Bradley is MVC and has a good basketball program, but we play a few games that are tough like this every year and usually travel much farther. Since it is a close journey and they play in a big arena (Carver Arena) the alumni association could use it as a chance to reach out to the Peoria market Alumni & would be good for Peoria exposure. Just seems like a missed opportunity. 

[vatusay]

I don’t know anything but it just feels like Bradley doesn’t want to schedule WIU. Looks like they haven’t played each other since 2001.

[sealhall74]

Our chances were probably better when Mo and Billy were on the bench. I wonder if schools engage in multi-sport scheduling agreements.  I.E., we will play you home and home in mens basketball and baseball and soccer during a 2 or 3 year span or whatever.  Sweeten the pot, so to speak, maybe they would be more agreeable?
 

[WIU0812]

I am not sure how scheduling works or how they actually come to agreements with schools it would make sense if they have a history. I believe if we played Bradley it would always be an away game which isn't the end of world as it gives us another short drive away game and as I mentioned an opportunity for the alumni association to reach out. Maybe there is a reason they don't play each other anymore, but they played every year from 1994-2001. 

[ST_Lawson]

I was thinking maybe they had something against playing non-MVC Illinois schools, but they had a 3-game series with SIUE this year and the two previous years (one game at Bradley, one at SIUE, one at Bradley). I'd be more than happy to have something similar set up with us and them. Travel would be pretty easy for both teams.

[WIU0812]

We would be approx an hour closer than SIUE, seems like it would be a simple financial decision from team travel stand point to have a  playing agreement for multiple years.  

[may know]

Bradley has played 2-for-1's with EIU and SIUE. ISU has played a 2-for-1 with EIU. 

My guess is that it came down to preexisting relationships between staff members. Perhaps EIU/SIUE staff were friends with the coaching staffs at those schools when those agreements were made. 

 

[leatherneckcountry]

Bradley has played 2-for-1's with EIU and SIUE. ISU has played a 2-for-1 with EIU. 

My guess is that it came down to preexisting relationships between staff members. Perhaps EIU/SIUE staff were friends with the coaching staffs at those schools when those agreements were made. 

 

 

SIUE coach was an assistant at Green Bay when Wardle was the head coach there 
 

[meganeck]

I agree it would make sense to play Bradley, I would hope if anything we could do a 2 for 1, 2 at Bradley and 1 at Macomb. A couple thoughts, maybe when Mo and Billy were here they didn't want to play Bradley due to their connections there. Also maybe Bradley doesn't want to play us for whatever reason. Then maybe WIU would only agree to play them if they come to Macomb and Bradley said no. No idea why just throwing a couple things out there.