PEORIA, Ill. -- Bradley freshmen Patrick O'Bryant (Blaine, Minn./Blaine H.S.) and Daniel Ruffin (Peoria, Ill./Peoria H.S.) each turned in double-double performances leading the Braves (8-2, 1-1) to a 76-66 Missouri Valley Conference men's basketball victory versus Indiana State Sunday night in front of 10,241 at Carver Arena.
O'Bryant, a 7-foot center, pulled down a game-high 13 rebounds to go with his 10 points for his fourth double-double of the season. Ruffin, a 5-foot-10 point guard, scored 11 points and dished out 10 assists for his first career double-double. Junior forward Marcellus Sommerville (Peoria, Ill./Peoria H.S.) led Bradley's offensive attack with 14 points, while reserve forward Lawrence Wright (Beale A.F.B., Calif./Wheatland H.S.) added 13 points and junior guard Tony Bennett (Chicago, Ill./Westinghouse H.S.) chipped in with 10 points.
Indiana State had three players score in double figures, led by senior forward Amani Daanish's 17. Tyson Schnitker scored all of his 15 points in the first half and David Moss added 14.
Bradley led by as many as 11 points in the first half, but 12 first-half turnovers allowed Indiana State to stay in the game. After O'Bryant's layup with 8:43 left in the half gave the Braves a 28-17 lead, Schnitker answered with a 15-foot jumper that launched a 13-0 Sycamore run. A Daanish layup at the buzzer gave Indiana State a 39-36 halftime lead.
The lead changed hands twice in the early going of the second half until the Braves took the lead for good, 47-45, on a Wright rebound basket with 13:56 remaining. Wright added another athletic move through the lane for a basket with 11:16 left that capped a quick 9-2 Bradley run. Indiana State got no closer than four points the rest of the way.
Daanish made 3-of-4 free throws on consecutive Sycamore possessions to trim Bradley's lead to 63-59 with 3:55 left, but Ruffin drained a 3-pointer from the right wing for a 66-59 advantage with 3:05 left. Ruffin added a circus shot in the lane with 1:19 to go for a 70-61 lead that all but sealed the outcome. He and Bennett combined to make all six of their free throw attempts in the final 28 seconds to secure the win.
The Braves, who have won 12 consecutive home games, will try to extend the streak Wednesday when they host Southwest Missouri State in a 7:05 p.m. tilt at Carver Arena. Wednesday's game will be preceeded by the second Chiefs Club Gameday Luncheon of the season. SMS head coach Barry Hinson will be the featured speaker during the noon luncheon at the Michel Student Center. For ticket information, contact the Bradley Chiefs Club at 309/677-2667.