EAST PEORIA, Ill. -- The Bradley women's basketball team rebounded from last week's loss to Missouri with a 66-57 victory against NCAA Division I newcomer SIU Edwardsville Thursday night at Lorene Ramsey Gym in the first regular-season meeting between the in-state foes since the 1982-83 season.
The Braves (7-2 overall) struggled offensively, committing 30 turnovers for the second consecutive outing and made just 1-of-10 three-point attempts. Bradley capitalized at the free throw line, making 17-of-25 attempts and outrebounded the Cougars 46-38.
Bradley led most of the game, but didn't seize control until late in the contest. With just under four minutes to play and BU clinging to a 56-54 lead, senior Monica Rogers (Forsyth, Ill./St. Teresa/Hampton) made a pair of free throws and followed up with a steal and a layup to extend the Braves lead to 60-54 with just under two minutes to play. Junior Skye Johnson (Olympia Fields, Ill./Marian Catholic) connected on a jumper from the corner and came away with a steal on the next SIUE possession.
Johnson made a pair of free throws with 46.8 seconds remaining to put the Braves comfortably ahead 64-56 en route to the 66-57 victory.
The Braves got off to a slow start, committing nine turnovers in the first 11 minutes of the game and trailed by as many as six points in the first half. Bradley held SIU Edwardsville scoreless for a near six and a half minute stretch and freshman MacKenzie Westcott (Williamsburg, Iowa/Williamsburg) sparked a 10-0 BU run with a jumper in the lane.
Westcott scored six of her 10 first-half points in the final 6:15 of the period to help Bradley to a 37-30 lead at the break as the Braves outscored the Cougars 15-3 to close the half. SIU Edwardsville held Bradley's top two scorers to a combined three points in the first half.
SIUE (1-11 overall) cut the deficit to four points (50-46) midway through the second half, but the Cougars would go scoreless for more than four minutes. The Braves would fail to capitalize on SIUE's struggles, however, scoring just four points during the SIU Edwardsville drought to push the lead to 54-46. SIUE used an 8-2 run to trim the BU advantage at 56-54, before Rogers and Johnson helped put the game out of reach.
Westcott led all players with a season-high 15 points and also grabbed a season-best 10 rebounds for her first career double-double. Rogers joined Westcott in double figures with 13 points and a game-high 11 boards. Junior forward Jenny Van Kirk (Waconia, Minn./Waconia) matched her second-high for points with 10 and grabbed six rebounds.
Melia Duncan led SIUE with 13 points off the bench, while Chillicothe, Ill., native and Illinois Central College alum Jessie Stapleton added nine points and a team-high 10 rebounds.
Bradley returns to action Monday when the Braves play Toledo in the final non-conference road game of the season. The Braves and Rockets will tip off at 6:05 p.m. (CST) at Savage Arena.
