EVANSVILLE, Ind. -- Senior forward Lawrence Wright put Bradley ahead with a baseline jumper with 9.7 seconds remaining and Marcellus Sommerville came up with a steal at midcourt and two free throws with 2.7 seconds remaining to cap a 28-point performance, leading the Braves (12-7, 6-5) to a 79-76 Missouri Valley Conference men's basketball victory in overtime Saturday night at Evansville (5-14, 1-10).
Bradley battled back from a 17-point deficit midway through the first half to end a 14-game Valley road losing streak and earn its third consecutive win. The Braves had not won a Valley road game since Feb. 25, 2004, a 60-59 victory at Indiana State.
Sommerville matched his career scoring high by making 9-of-11 field goal attempts after halftime en route to 23 points in the game's final 25 minutes. Sophomore center Patrick O'Bryant added 16 points and nine rebounds off the bench, while Wright chipped in with 11 points and nine boards. Kyle Anslinger led Evansville with 20 opints, followed by Jason Holsinger with 19 points and Matt Webster with 17.
Bradley entered Saturday night's game allowing only 5.4 3-point field goals per game, but Evansville hit six triples in the first 11-minutes, 53-seconds. Holsinger hit four of those first six 3-pointers, and when Anslinger drained his second trey with 8:07 left in the first half, Evansville owned a 28-11 lead.
Bradley sophomore point guard Daniel Ruffin hit a 3-pointer with 7:02 left in the half to start a 10-0 run that got the Braves back in the game. Bradley closed to within five points, 35-30, on the second dunk of the half by the 5-foot, 10-inch Ruffin, but two Anslinger free throws with no time on the clock gave the Purple Aces a 37-30 halftime advantage.
Still facing a 45-38 deficit following a Shy Ely 3-pointer with 15:57 left in the second half, Bradley launched an 18-4 run over the next 6:25 to take a 56-49 lead. Sommerville scored 10 during the run, including a putback basket to get the surge started. He also drained a 3-pointer with 12:08 left to give the Braves their first lead of the game, 49-47.
A layup by O'Bryant with 3:23 left in regulation gave the Braves a 66-58 lead, but the Purple Aces scored the final eight points of the period to force overtime.
The extra period included seven lead changes, the last one when Wright drained a 15-footer from the left baseline with 9.7 seconds left. Sommerville poked the ball away as the Purple Aces tried to cross midcourt and forced a jump ball that favored Bradley on the alternating possession rule with just under five seconds left. Sommerville then took the inbounds pass and was fouled in the backcourt while trying to run out the clock. He drained both free throws for the game's final margin and Wright stole the ensuing inbounds pass to clinch the win.
The Braves will try for a fourth consecutive win Wednesday night when they host Interstate 74 Illinois State (8-11, 3-8) in a 7:35 p.m. contest at Carver Arena. Only a limited number of tickets remain for the 101st meeting in the all-time series between the Central Illinois rivals.
