PEORIA, Ill. -- Bradley junior point guard Daniel Ruffin (Peoria, Ill./Central H.S.) scored 21 points and added 14 assists, while senior center Zach Andrews (Rancho Cordova, Calif./Cordova H.S.) added a game-high 26 points and 10 rebounds, leading the Braves to a 90-77 exhibition men's basketball victory versus NCAA Division II national champion Winona State (1-1) in their preseason opener Wednesday night at Robertson Memorial Field House.
Winona State had won 23 consecutive games, including an 88-86 exhibition victory Tuesday night against Bradley's Missouri Valley Conference rival Drake. The Warriors were led by preseason All-American forward Jon Smith, who also turned in a double-double with 20-points and a game-high 12 rebounds. Winona State's three starting guards all scored in double-figures: Zach malvic with 17 points, Quincy Henderson with 15 and Jonte Flowers with 10 points to go along with his 10 rebounds, five assists, four blocked shots and four steals. The Braves matched the three-guard attack with 18 points from junior guard Jeremy Crouch and 14 from reserve senior guard Will Franklin to go along with Ruffin's effort.
A preseason candidate for the Bob Cousy Award presented by The Hartford, the 5-foot-10 Ruffin drained 9-of-11 field goal attempts. After scoring 13 points in the first half, Ruffin looked to pass more in the second stanza, dishing out nine of his 14 assists after the break. Taking over the starting center position from current Golden State Warrior Patrick O'Bryant, the 6-foot-8 Andrews heated up in the second half, contributing 18 points and six boards after the break.
Winona State shot 57.7 percent (15-26) from the field in the first half and trailed just 37-36 when Brandon Stromer scored with 1:21 left in the first period. Ruffin found Andrews for a dunnk and a 39-36 lead with 1:10 left, though, and then dished to Franklin for a 3-pointer with 39 seconds left to complete the first-half scoring and send the Braves into the locker room with a 42-36 lead.
Although Bradley did force 17 first-half turnovers by its visitor, the Braves locked in on Winona State's shooters in the second half, limiting the Warriors to a 15-of-40 (.375) effort after the break. And after shooting 50 percent themselves in the first half, Bradley got even warmer in the second period, drainng 20-of-36 (.556) second-half field goal attempts. Led by Crouch (4-5), the Braves were particularly hot from behind the arc, draining 9-of-13 3-point field goals in the game.
After closing the first-half with its 5-0 spurt, Bradley carried the momentum into the second half and opened a 51-40 lead when Ruffin completed a 3-point play with 17:44 left. A 7-0 run that started with a layup and 3-pointer from Crouch and ended with an Andrews jumper pushed Bradley's lead to 62-47 with 15:08 left. Bradley never led by more than 16 after that point, but the Warriors also got no closer than nine the rest of the way.
Bradley will have just two days to prepare for its next exhibition game. The Braves will host Northwest Missouri State Saturday at 2:05 p.m. at Carver Arena. While Winona State is the defending D-II national champion, Northwest Missouri State is preseason No. 7 in the D-II ranks and is coming off a NCAA Division II national tournament Sweet 16 appearance.
Bradley season-ticket holders are reminded that Saturday's game is the first in the 17-game Bradley season-ticket package and that the ticket is located on the cover of the season-ticket booklet.
