Bradley women’s basketball continued their out-of-conference slate with games against Division II opponent Quincy (4-8) and Big Ten foe Northwestern (4-7). The Braves split the games with a 79-73 win against the Hawks and a 86-66 loss to the Wildcats.
Junior guard Alex Rouse led the Braves in scoring, finishing both games with 15 points, adding to an impressive start to the season. Rouse has now scored in double digits over the last four games.
Locking down vs Quincy
Bradley won the first quarter due to a stifling defensive effort. The Braves held the Hawks early causing them to shoot 0-7 from beyond the arc and 26% overall. On the offensive side of the ball, Bradley used quick and concise passes to move the ball and find open shots. Heading into the second quarter, the Braves led Quincy 21-12.
Heating up
The second quarter was an offensive showcase. Both teams pushed the pace, getting up and down the court and finding open shots. The Braves improved on their first-quarter effort shooting 10-15 from the field and 4-5 from the stripe. The Hawks followed suit, shooting a much improved 45% and knocking down three 3-pointers. Quincy outscored Bradley 26-25 in the second quarter but trailed by eight going into halftime.
More of the same
The third quarter was eerily similar to the first.
The Braves started hot, opening the half on a 12-6 run. As Bradley dominated the paint, outscoring Quincy 10-2, the Hawks struggled to find good looks and finished the quarter 3-17. The third quarter was tight, but the Braves won the quarter 14-10 and maintained a 12-point lead heading into the final period.
Finishing the job
While the Hawks battled down the stretch, cutting Bradley’s lead to six with six minutes to go. The Braves responded with a 6-0 run of their own and took a commanding 12-point lead with four minutes to play. Quincy fought hard down the stretch, but Bradley held the Hawks at bay and won the game 79-73.
Starting strong against the Wildcats
The Braves arguably played their best basketball of the season in the first frame of their game against Northwestern, shooting 56% from the field and 66% from beyond the arc. The offensive explosion allowed the Braves to take an early lead of 24-19.
Defensive clash
Going into the second quarter, both teams adjusted with the defense on both sides improving drastically. Both teams combined for 34.4% shooting, while generating offense via the free-throw line. After the Braves hot start, the Wildcats were able to cut the deficit to one, trailing 39-38 at the half.
Coming out flat
Bradley’s offensive struggles carried over to the second half of the game, in contrast to Northwesterns increase in efficiency. The Wildcats rattled off a 13-0 run spanning four minutes while shooting 78% for the frame.
On the offensive end, the Braves struggled to knock down shots, as they settled for threes and struggled to get out in transition. Heading into the fourth frame, Bradley trailed by 11 for the first time in the game.
Continued struggles
In the fourth quarter, the Braves continued to struggle as Northwestern dominated the boards scoring seven second-chance points. On the other hand, Bradley’s offense continued to stagnate, registering 33% from the field and going 1-5 from three point land.
Aftermath
With the loss, Bradley falls to 4-6 this season with one more non-conference game on the schedule against South Dakota (9-3).
