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Braves bag Redbirds at home

The Bradley men’s basketball team had two very different results this past week – a 74-57 loss on the road against Southern Illinois University Carbondale on Sunday, and a 70-58 home win against Interstate 74 rival Illinois State University on Wednesday.

Sunday’s Missouri Valley Conference game started out evenly for the Salukis and the Braves, as both teams tried to gain dominance over one another. SIU was able to gain an early 9-point run, but the Braves were able to cut down their opponent’s lead to four points, 15-11.
The first half finished at a 29-29 tie, which included 12 lead changes and eight ties.

The second half took a different tempo as the Braves found themselves at the mercy of SIU’s 19-4 shooting run that gave the Salukis the 52-40 lead. It’s worth noting that five 3-point attempts converted perfectly in SIU’s favor during this run.

Bradley was able to bring the game within seven points, at 56-49, but SIU wasn’t done showcasing its shooting succession by going on a 12-2 run.
The Salukis were able to defeat the Braves at the SIU Arena, 74-57. As a result of their third consecutive loss, the Braves fell to 17-10 overall and 7-7 in MVC play.

According to Bradley sophomore guard Jayden Hodgson, the poor defense as well as second-half efforts have led to their recent losses.
“[Bradley’s] defense and energy has been slipping the last three games, and we’ve been losing especially in the second half,” Hodgson said. “We made conscious effort to come in and [made] sure we were on point with everything.”

Wednesday’s I-74 rival matchup would prove to be a much-needed boost for the Braves after they lost their 14-game win streak at Carver Arena to Drake University last week.

BU’s defensive work dominated the first six minutes of the game to gain an uncontested 7-0 lead against ISU. During the first seven minutes, the Braves forced the Redbirds to miss a total of nine shots and commit two vital turnovers.

The Braves were able to secure a 16-5 run shortly after, going up 25-13. The Redbirds, while never grabbing the lead, brought the score within seven at the half, 29-22.

The second half started in Bradley’s advantage as the Braves acquired a 17-point lead with 12:28 remaining. ISU was able to get comfortable on the court, however, and go on a 15-4 run as Bradley’s defense began to lose its composure. The Redbirds brought the game within six points, 53-47, with six minutes left on the clock.

The Braves were able to stop the ISU comeback as sophomore guards Nate Kennell and Darrell Brown each hit a 3-pointer with under four minutes remaining in the game.

Bradley concluded the game, 70-58, with its first victory in three games in front of 7,731 fans at Carver Arena. This was senior forward Donte Thomas’ first I-74 win against rival ISU as the Redbirds had won the previous eight meetings.

Thomas said he was ecstatic with the result, especially with this being his first-ever win against the Redbirds.

“Whoever thought this day would come [where I would win against rival ISU],” Thomas said. “I’m glad my senior year is going out this way.”
With this win, the Braves extend their overall record to 18-10 and 8-7 in the conference.

Bradley head coach Brian Wardle wasn’t shy to say how happy he was with his team’s performance and believes the I-74 rivalry can continue to be exciting.

“I was proud with how we defended and rebounded for most of the game,” Wardle said. “I do think [Bradley’s basketball] program is moving in the right direction and [our I-74 rival game against ISU] can be fun for years to come.”

Bradley will play Valparaiso University at 8 p.m. on Saturday, Feb. 17.

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