Monmouth (IL) vs Bradley prediction: Bradley's new backcourt gets its first look against Monmouth College
With its projected starting point guard lost for the season and Timoty van der Knaap in a boot, Bradley's Nov. 2 home date with a Division III opponent is mostly about who handles the ball.
- Bradley should control a Division III opponent at Carver Arena. The real interest is in how Brian Wardle's reshuffled rotation looks without two expected key pieces.
- Watch Bradley's guards. Last season the Braves turned it over on just 13.9% of possessions, 18th nationally, and the point guard who was projected to lead that group is gone.
- No spread or total had been posted as of Oct. 20. The schools also list the game differently, so check whether it counts before treating it as a regular-season opener.
A depleted opening night
Bradley went 21-13 last season, finished second in the Missouri Valley and ended in the NIT with an 80-66 first-round loss to Dayton. This year the league's coaches picked the Braves sixth, and the injury news since then explains some of that caution.
Projected starting point guard Gerganov tore his ACL and was ruled out for the season in late June. Timoty van der Knaap, a 6-8 forward/guard and one of the key returners, has a foot injury that was announced Oct. 13 with an estimated four-to-six-week recovery. He was still in a boot at the Oct. 17 Red-White Showcase. That timeline makes him unlikely to play Nov. 2. He is expected back well before conference play.
What carried over, and what didn't
Ball security was last season's calling card. Bradley's 13.9% turnover rate (giveaways per 100 possessions) ranked 18th of 365, and its defense forced turnovers on 19.5% of opponent possessions, 52nd. Without Gerganov, the first question is whether that care with the ball survives a new set of guards.
The weak spot was perimeter defense. Opponents hit 36.4% from three, which ranked 341st. Last season's final adjusted net rating of +4.7, which compares points scored and allowed per 100 possessions and adjusts for opponents, ranked 120th. Because so much of the roster is new, those figures are only a loose guide to this group. The listed incoming transfers include Noah Williams, Kyle Grill, Xander Alarie, Ben Thornbrue, Josh Ibukunoluwa and Trevon Payton. Wardle, now in his 11th season, will be sorting out roles in real time.
The opponent and the status question
This is Monmouth College, the Fighting Scots of the Division III Midwest Conference, not Monmouth University in New Jersey. The Scots lost last season's Midwest Conference title game after winning it the year before. Junior guard Cameron Thomas is on this year's roster.
Tip is set for 8:00 p.m. ET at Carver Arena. The schools disagree on what the game is. Monmouth College lists it as an exhibition, while Bradley's September schedule release called it the regular-season opener. Bradley then hosts Pacific on Nov. 7.
Numbers that matter
| Bradley turnover rate, last season | 13.9% | It ranked 18th nationally, and the guard expected to sustain it is out for the year. |
|---|---|---|
| Opponent 3-point %, last season | 36.4% | It ranked 341st of 365, the defensive flaw this new roster has to fix. |
| Adjusted net efficiency, last season's final | 4.7 | It ranked 120th, a solid mid-major baseline that is only a loose guide after heavy roster change. |
| MVC preseason pick | 6th | That is down from a second-place finish last season. |
Monmouth (IL) vs Bradley: quick answers
When is Monmouth (IL) vs Bradley?
Monday, November 2, 2026 at 8:00 PM ET.