The Bradley Braves men's basketball team lands sixth in Valley preseason poll

The Bradley Braves men's basketball team has been ranked sixth in the Missouri Valley Conference in the preseason poll for the upcoming 2026-27 season. Murray State and Illinois State were ranked first and second, respectively, in the preliminary results. The conference only released rankings for the top six teams in the 11-team conference.

While some argue that lower-tier programs hide the complete rankings to protect their egos and ticket sales, the preseason poll's relevance has diminished due to the Valley's new postseason tournament format. Only the top two regular-season finishers receive byes at Arch Madness, with the rest facing elimination in St. Louis. The Braves have consistently been a top three pick in the poll for the past four seasons, finishing in the top three each year. Head coach Brian Wardle remains confident in his team's ability to compete at a high level.