PEORIA, Ill. -- Sophomore Michelle Young (Woodbury, Minn./Woodbury) and senior Katie Yohn (Elgin, Ill./St. Edward) each had 18 points and five steals to pace five Bradley players in double figures and the duo helped the Braves pull away down the stretch to top Drake 93-84 Thursday at Renaissance Coliseum.

Bradley (11-13 overall, 5-8 MVC) found itself down early as Drake (8-17 overall, 3-11 MVC) opened the game with a 10-2 spurt and built an 18-6 lead less than four minutes into the contest.  The Braves chipped away at the Bulldog advantage and trailed 44-42 at the half.

Drake maintained the lead through most of the second half, but Bradley stayed within striking distance and took its first lead since the midway point of the second half when Yohn grabbed a defensive rebound and went coast-to-coast for a layup to give Bradley a 75-73 lead with 5:35 to play. 

The score was knotted at 83-83 closing in on the two-minute mark, when junior Catie O'Leary (Janesville, Wis./Parker/Wisconsin) opened a 10-1 BU run to close the game with a put-back basket.

The teams traded free throws as Bradley took an 86-84 lead into the final minute of the game.  Sophomore Shronda Butts (Des Moines, Iowa/East) followed with a driving layup and Young came up with one of her career-high five steals and split a pair of free throws with 51.8 seconds left to push the BU advantage to 89-84.  Young came up with another steal on the ensuing Drake possession and Yohn made a pair of free throws with 39.7 seconds left to make the Bradley lead 91-84. 

Drake missed a shot on the next trip down the floor and sophomore Kelsey Budd (Prairie du Sac, Wis./Sauk Prairie) sealed the victory with a pair of free throws with 24.2 seconds on the clock as Bradley ended a five-game losing streak in the series with the 93-84 victory.

The Braves forced 24 Drake turnovers and came up with a season-high 15 steals.  Young was 7-for-10 from the field and had career highs of 18 points and five steals to help lead the Braves, who earned their third consecutive home victory.

Yohn had 12 of her 18 points in the second half and added six rebounds, four assists and five steals.  Butts scored 16 points off the bench and tied for game-high honors with six assists.  O'Leary added 14 points and eight rebounds, while freshman Jenny Smith (Pewaukee, Wis./Arrowhead) was also in double figures with 11 points in 17 minutes off the bench.

Kyndal Clark led Drake with 22 points, six assists and four steals, while Morgan Reid had a double-double (19 points & 11 rebounds) to go with her four assists, four blocks and three steals.  Liza Heap added 12 points for the Bulldogs, who scored a season-best 84 points in the loss.

Bradley returns to the court Saturday, hosting pre-season Valley favorite Creighton in a 2 p.m. game at Renaissance Coliseum.  Saturday's game will be the Braves' annual "pink" game, helping promote breast cancer awareness.  For more information about Saturday's Go Pink, Go Bradley promotions visit - http://www.bradleybraves.com/ViewArticle.dbml?DB_LANG=C&DB_OEM_ID=3400&ATCLID=206195662&SPID=1498&SPSID=25965