Bradley women’s basketball (8-6, 2-1 MVC) hosted Indiana State (2-12, 0-3 MVC) in their second game of a four-game homestand.
For the first time this season, the Braves had a change to their starting lineup, with sophomore guard-forward Claire McDougall stepping in for junior forward Amy O’Hara, who missed Sunday’s game.
Bradley got off to a good start, hitting two shots in the first minute to take an early 5-0 lead. After a 3:32 scoreless drought, in which the defense was able to hold the Sycamores to just three points, the Braves were able to get back on track with two free throws from senior guard Soleil Barnes.
Senior forward Tamia Perryman followed that up with six points, and a three-point shot from fellow senior guard-forward Kaylen Nelson led Bradley to a 16-9 lead at the end of the first quarter.
Indiana State came out hot in the second quarter, scoring seven of the first 10 points to cut the Braves’ lead to just three. Bradley recovered quickly and went on a 10-2 run to put the game firmly in their control. Their defensive play held the Sycamores to just four points after their run, as the Braves entered halftime with a 34-22 advantage.
The third quarter saw less offense from Bradley as they played more defensively with the lead while Indiana State attempted to mount a comeback. Nelson scored five crucial points for the Braves, as the Sycamores outscored them 14-8 through the first 9:34 of the quarter.
It appeared Bradley would enter the final quarter looking to defend just a six-point lead, but Barnes knocked down a buzzer-beater three to extend the lead to nine and give the Braves a crucial boost going into the fourth.
Indiana State’s offensive attack was intense in the fourth quarter, but Bradley answered with its own buckets to hold off the comeback effort. The Braves’ defense also stepped up in big spots to create key turnovers and opportunities to keep the Sycamores from going on a run.
Eventually, Indiana State was forced to begin fouling, and senior guard Ruba Abo Hashesh went four-for-four from the free throw line in the final minute to seal a 65-52 victory for Bradley, matching their conference win total from last year in just three games.
Barnes led the Braves in scoring with 21 points, continuing her stellar season. Perryman scored 12 points off the bench, and Nelson added 11 points. Bradley won the rebound battle 36-30, led by freshman forward Ellie McDermid with six.
The Braves’ final two games of their homestand are opportunities to prove they can be a threat in the Valley. They welcome Drake on Friday and Northern Iowa on Sunday, the only two teams undefeated in MVC play so far. The game against the Bulldogs will tip off at 6 p.m., and Bradley looks to pull off an upset.
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