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Former Bradley basketball coach Dick Versace dies at 81

Former Bradley University men's basketball coach Dick Versace died Friday at age 81.
Courtesy Bradley University
Former Bradley University men's basketball coach Dick Versace died Friday at age 81.

Dick Versace, one of the most successful men’s basketball coaches at Bradley University, died Friday at the age of 81.

Bradley announced Versace’s death in a news release Saturday morning, hours before the Braves finished the regular season with a 79-55 win over Valparaiso at Carver Arena. No cause of death was given.

In his eight seasons with the Braves, Versace led the team to three regular-season Missouri Valley Conference championships, two Valley titles and NCAA Tournament appearances, and the 1982 National Invitation Tournament crown.

He was named the MVC Coach of the Year twice (’80, ’86), and his 156 coaching victories rank fifth in Bradley history.

In his second season at Bradley, Versace became the first coach in Valley history to win the conference title after finishing in last place the season before. Two years later, he guided the Braves to wins over Oklahoma and Purdue to win the NIT.

His most successful season at Bradley came in 1985-86, when the Braves cracked the Top 10 in the AP poll, finished with a 32-3 record and a perfect 16-0 mark in the MVC, and defeated No. 20 UNLV in the first round of the NCAA Tournament before losing to eventual champion Louisville.

Following his Bradley career, Versace served as an assistant coach with the NBA’s Detroit Pistons before being named head coach of the Indiana Pacers in 1990. He posted a 73-87 record over parts of three seasons with the Pacers. He finished his basketball career as an executive with the Vancouver/Memphis Grizzlies.

Versace leaves behind two adult children.

Braves to face Loyola in MVC Tourney

With their season-ending win over Valparaiso, the Braves finished with a 17-13 overall record and placed fifth in the Missouri Valley Conference at 11-7. Bradley will open play in the MVC Tournament against defending champion Loyola at 2:30 p.m. Friday.

The Ramblers (22-7, 13-5) slipped from first to fourth after dropping their final game to Northern Iowa. UNI claimed the top seed and will face either Illinois State or Indiana State in Friday’s first game, with the winner advancing to face the Bradley-Loyola winner.

The Braves and Ramblers split their two regular-season matchups, with Bradley dropping a 78-71 overtime decision on Jan. 8 in Chicago and claiming a 68-61 victory on Feb. 9 at Carver Arena.

Bradley and Loyola have each won two of the last four MVC Tournament titles.

Contact Joe at jdeacon@ilstu.edu.