CAPE GIRARDEAU, Mo. – Bradley trailed by as many as 18 points Monday at Southeast Missouri State, but the Braves held the Redhawks without a field goal for over six minutes and BU rallied for a 72-68 victory at the Show Me Center.

Senior Kelly Frings (Milwaukee, Wis./Pius XI) put the Braves ahead with a three-pointer from the corner with 1:21 to play and later sealed the victory with a pair of free throws with 5.6 seconds left as Bradley is 2-0 to start a season for the first time since 2008-09.

Bradley struggled from the field in the first half, shooting just 25.8 percent and trailed 36-30 at the break.  Southeast Missouri State (1-1 overall) opened the second half with a 16-4 run to push the advantage to 18 points with 14:45 to play, before the Braves would mount their largest rally for a win since coming from 20 points down against Tennessee Tech in the opening round of the 2012 Women's Basketball Invitational.

Frings opened a 14-1 Bradley run with a layup and senior Catie O'Leary (Janesville, Wis./Parker/Wisconsin), who scored seven points during the spurt, added a layup of her own with 13:48 remaining.  Fantasia Vine (Wheaton, Ill./Wheaton North) had a steal and fastbreak hoop and O'Leary followed a SEMO free throw with a three-pointer to trim the Redhawk advantage to 53-43 with 11:32 on the clock. 

Junior Michelle Young (Woodbury, Minn./Woodbury) split a pair of free throws nearing the 11-minute mark and an O'Leary layup midway through the second half pulled the Braves within seven (53-46). 

Young, who finished with a game-high 20 points, ended the Bradley run with a put-back basket with 8:38 left as SEMO's lead stood at 53-48 before the Redhawks were able to end their lengthy scoring drought.

The Braves pulled even with SEMO at 62-62 with three minutes left on a pair of Young free throws, but the Redhawks went back in front with two free throws of their own on the next possession. 

A Frings three-pointer with 1:21 left gave Bradley its first advantage since the 15:40 mark of the first half at 65-64.  After getting a defensive stop on the next SEMO possession, Frings found fellow senior Kelsey Budd (Prairie du Sac, Wis./Sauk Prairie) for a three to put BU in front 68-64 with just over 30 seconds to play.  Budd made a pair of free throws and Frings also made a pair with 5.6 seconds left to seal the 72-68 victory for the Braves.

Young made 12-of-14 free throws and led four Bradley players in double figures with a game-high 20 points.  Budd added 17 points and O'Leary had a double-double for the second consecutive game with 13 points and 12 boards.  Frings collected 12 points and eight rebounds to help highlight the win.

Kara Wright paced SEMO in scoring with 14 points and also had game highs of four assists and three assists.  Allyson Bradshaw finished with 12 points and Connor King turned in a double-double with 10 points and 12 boards to lead the Redhawks in their home opener.

Bradley opens a two-game home stand Friday with a 9:30 p.m. game against Stony Brook as part of a men's and women's basketball doubleheader at Carver Arena.  The Bradley men's basketball squad will open the evening with a 7 p.m. game against Chicago State.