Box Score EAST PEORIA, Ill. - Junior Raisa Taylor (Decatur, Ill./Eisenhower) celebrated her birthday by turning in her third career double-double as she collected 19 points and 11 rebounds to help Bradley to a 58-55 victory over Wichita State Thursday at Lorene Ramsey Gym.
With Bradley trailing 52-51, Taylor scored four of her game-high 19 points in the closing 1:38 to highlight the win. The Braves improved to 15-12 overall and 11-6 in the Valley while locking up one of the top four seeds in next week's State Farm Missouri Valley Conference Tournament. Bradley is fourth in the Valley standings after the victory, one game behind Creighton and Missouri State which both improved to 12-5 in the league with wins Thursday night.
Bradley scored the first 11 points of the game and led by as many as 14 points in the first half, before Wichita State (16-12 overall, 8-9 MVC) would rally. The Braves led 28-15 with 5:37 remaining in the first half when Wichita State capitalized on a four-and-a-half minute BU scoring drought.
The Shockers used an 11-0 run of their own to pull to within two points (28-26) with two minutes left before halftime. Bradley scored its final five points of the half from the free throw line and did not make a field goal in the final 6:23 of the period, but managed to hold a 31-28 lead at the break.
The Braves opened the second half with a 10-2 spurt to build a 41-30 lead in the opening minutes of the second half. Wichita State heated up, connecting on 6-of-9 second-half three-point attempts and chipped away at BU's lead. Bradley held a 51-42 lead after sophomore MacKenzie Westcott (Williamsburg, Iowa/Williamsburg) made a jumper in the lane near the seven-minute mark.
The Shockers took their only lead of the contest when Chynna Turner connected on a three-pointer with 1:45 to play to cap a 10-0 WSU run which put Wichita State in front 52-51.
Taylor made a pair of free throws with 1:38 to go to put Bradley back in front 53-52 and freshman Katie Yohn (Elgin, Ill./St. Edward) followed a Shocker turnover with her only three-pointer of the night to give Bradley a four-point edge (56-52) with 1:07 on the clock.
Wichita State answered with its ninth three-pointer of the game to pull to within one point (56-55), but Taylor sealed the game with a driving layup with 24 seconds remaining to put the game out of reach as the Shockers came up empty on their final two possessions.
Taylor matched a career-high with 11 rebounds and scored a game-high 19 points. Senior Jenny Van Kirk (Waconia, Minn./Waconia) grabbed a career-high 11 boards and also added 13 points and three assists for the second double-double of her career. Harris added six points, nine rebounds, six blocked shots and two steals to help highlight the win.
Four Wichita State players scored in double figures, paced by Haleigh Lankster's 12 points off the bench. Marisah Henderson dished out six assists and came away with four steals to go along with her 11 points. The Shockers turned 22 Bradley turnovers into a 25-11 edge in points off turnovers, but the Braves dominated the glass. BU outrebounded the Shockers 46-28 and scored 14 second-chance points.
Bradley closes out the regular season Saturday with a 2:05 p.m. game against Missouri State at Lorene Ramsey Gym. Seniors Jenny Van Kirk and Renee Frericks will be recognized in a pre-game ceremony prior to the contest against the Bears.
