CARBONDALE — Brian Wardle’s climb in the Bradley Braves record book reached the top in one coaching category Sunday.
The Bradley Braves head coach passed former BU coach Jim Molinari for most coaching victories in Missouri Valley Conference games.
The Braves’ 70-60 win at Southern Illinois gave Wardle his 111th Valley win at BU’s helm, breaking a tie with Molinari, who coached on the Hilltop from 1991-92 through 2001-02.
“I always liked to study the history and legacy of a program,” said Wardle, who took over the program in 2015-16. “I knew coach Joe Stowell, and I knew Jim Les, Jim Molinari and Stan Albeck, and Dick Versace was always really good to me and we talked a lot.
“All the former Bradley coaches embraced me, and they were wonderful, and they loved Peoria and loved Bradley, all of them. They had such high praise and high things to say about the school. You always know you’re in a good spot when you hear that from former coaches. Even from some of them that were let go.”
Wardle took over scorched earth from Geno Ford, who was gone after a 9-24 fourth season finished in 2014-15.
Wardle came over from Green Bay, and has built a program that produced six 20+ win seasons in the last eight years and earned a pair of NCAA tournament bids.
His 18-9 Braves could put up another 20-win campaign with four regular-season conference games, plus postseason, remaining.
“You do your homework, you obviously want to know the history and tradition and embrace that,” Wardle said. “I have long term goals and it’s really never about me, it’s about the team and getting back to the NCAA Tournament and winning games and things like that.”
He has watched a young team develop down the stretch around sophomore point guard Jaquan Johnson and senior guard Alex Huibregtse and a team defensive effort that looks improved.
“Anytime there’s individual accolades you think about the team effort that helped you get to where you are,” Wardle said. “You’re in gratitude toward the administration, your staff, your players that you’ve coached. This is a total team game, even for head coach, and I’m just so grateful for everyone I’ve been surrounded with, and keep trying to add on to that.
“It’s something I’ll reflect on, maybe, when the season is done.”
Here’s a look at the Bradley leaders in MVC coaching wins:
Missouri Valley Conference Wins
Bradley resumes action Wednesday with a 6 p.m. game at Valparaiso.
The Braves victory Sunday, coupled with a loss by Murray State, put BU alone into second place in the Valley, a half-game ahead of the Racers.
There are five teams separated by two games in slots 3-7 in the Valley standings.
Among them is BU rival Illinois State, which is clinging to a tie for fifth place and the final first-round tournament bye just as they are due to arrive in Carver Arena for a huge rivalry rematch Saturday with Bradley.
Dave Eminian is the Journal Star sports columnist, and covers Bradley men’s basketball, the Rivermen and Chiefs. He writes the Cleve In The Eve sports column for pjstar.com. He can be reached at 686-3206 or deminian@pjstar.com. Follow him on X.com @icetimecleve.
This article originally appeared on Journal Star: How Bradley Braves men’s basketball coach made his mark in program’s record book
Reporting by Dave Eminian, Peoria Journal Star / Journal Star
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