PEORIA, Ill. -- Bradley junior guard Jeremy Crouch (Pekin, Ill./Pekin H.S.) scored a game-high 21 points and junior point guard Daniel Ruffin (Peoria, Ill./Central H.S.) added 19 points and seven assists, leading the Braves (8-3) to an 82-73 non-conference men's basketball victory versus in-state rival Loyola-Chicago (8-4) Tuesday night at Carver Arena.
By pressuring Loyola into 22 turnovers, including 18 in the first half, Bradley won its 13th consecutive home game and its 23rd straight non-conference tilt at Carver Arena.
Junior forward Matt Salley (Charlotte, N.C./North Mecklenburg H.S.) chipped in 18 points in 28 minutes off the bench, registering a career scoring high for the third consecutive game, and senior guard Will Franklin (Houston, Texas/Alief Hastings H.S.) drained a career-best five 3-pointers in a 17-point effort for the Braves. Loyola also put four players in double-figures, led by J.R. Blount's 17. Forward Andy Polka added 12 points, while Leon Young and Blake Schilb each finished with 11. Bradley senior guard J.J. Tauai (Verona, Mo./Verona H.S.) drew the primary defensive assignment against Schilb and pressured the Horizon League Player of the Year into a 3-for-14 shooting effort and a game-high six turnovers.
Although Loyola shot a better field goal percentage than the Braves in both halves and finished the game at 48.2 percent, compared to 41.8 percent for Bradley, the hosts got off 11 more field goal attempts and again used the 3-pointer to swing the momentum. After Bradley stretched a 41-30 halftime lead to 53-37 in the first 4:37 of the second half, Loyola quickly went on a 7-0 run to trim its deficit to 53-44 with 13:35 left and then sliced the deficit down to seven points, 58-51, on a Polka layup with 9:44 remaining.
Crouch hit two free throws with 9:31 left then Ruffin, Franklin and Crouch all drained 3-pointers on consecutive Bradley possessions, before Salley completed a 13-0 Bradley blitz with two free throws for a 71-51 lead with 6:35 left. The lead grew to as many as 22 points, 82-60, with 3:50 remaining, before Loyola scored the game's final 13 points to make the final score more respectable.
Bradley will play its final non-conference tuneup Saturday when the Braves host Southern Miss in a 7:05 p.m. contest at Carver Arena. Fans may purchase half-priced tickets in Priority III ($6) and Priority IV ($4) sections throughout the week at the Robertson Fieldhouse Box Office or by calling 309-677-2625. In addition, Saturday's game will be Military Appreciation Day and all active members of the military may receive up to four complimentary tickets by presenting a valid military identification card this week at the Robertson Fieldhouse Box Office.
