LAS VEGAS - Junior guard Andrew Warren (Indianapolis, Ind./Brebeuf Jesuit Prep) hit a go-ahead 3-pointer with 36 seconds remaining and led five Bradley players in double-figures with 16 points as the Braves (4-2) beat #20 Illinois (4-2) for the first time since Jan. 24, 1974 in the final round of the 2009 HoopTV Las Vegas Invitational Saturday night at the Orleans Arena.
Bradley led for long stretches of the game and held a game-high nine-point advantage, 47-38, with less than 13 minutes remaining. Illinois fought its way back and appeared to be ready to take control with possession of the ball and a five-point lead, 66-61, with less than three minutes left.
Illinois forward Mike Davis was called for an illegal screen on the possession and Bradley sophomore forward Will Egolf scored inside to narrow the gap to 66-63 with 2:13 left. Davis then missed a baseline jumper on the next Illinois possession and Egolf, who finished with career-bests of 12 points and nine rebounds, scored on a putback basket to make it 66-65 with 1:20 left.
The Illini committed a turnover on the ensuing possession when Demetri McCamey could not complete a pass to Tisdale on the baseline, setting up Bradley's go-ahead possession as Warren curled off a screen and buried his fourth 3-pointer of the night.
Peoria native DJ Richardson missed a 3-point try, but McCamey came up with the offensive rebound to give the Illini another shot at a tie. Davis was fouled, but missed the front end of a 1-and-1. Egolf rebounded the miss and quickly passed to junior guard Sam Maniscalco, who made two free throws with 19 seconds and 2.6 seconds left around two Tisdale free throws to complete the game's scoring. Although he was just 1-fo7 from the field, Maniscalco made all nine of his free throw attempts.
In addition to Warren and Egolf, senior guard Chris Roberts contributed 13 points, while Maniscalco and sophomore forward Taylor Brown each scored 12 points. Brown, who was named to the all-tournament team, also added seven rebounds.
Both teams finished the game by shooting 40 percent from the field, but Bradley drained nine 3-pointers and limited the Illini to 4-for-18 (.222) shooting from behind the arc. And after making just 14-of-24 free throw attempts in Friday's 68-57 loss to Oklahoma State, Bradley made 15-of-19 charity shots. Although Illinois won the rebounding battle, 45-32, Bradley forced the Illini into 15 turnovers, while committing just 10 of their own.
The Braves will remain on the road for their next game, a Wednesday night tussle against another in-state rival, Northern Illinois, in DeKalb. Bradley will return home Dec. 7 to host Western Carolina in a 7:05 p.m. game at Carver Arena.
