ST. CHARLES, Mo. – Freshman Tamya Sims (Milwaukee, Wis./Oak Creek) scored 15 of her season-high 19 points in the second half to help Bradley pull within six points with just under six minutes to play, but #9 seed Loyola held on to end the season for the Braves with a 67-55 victory in the opening round of the Missouri Valley Conference Tournament Thursday afternoon.

Bradley struggled offensively in the first half at Family Arena, making just four baskets in the opening 20 minutes and going over 16 minutes without a field goal.  Despite the offensive struggles, the Braves held Loyola to 36 percent shooting and forced 17 first-half turnovers for the Ramblers.  Loyola led 27-18 at halftime.

The Ramblers opened the second half with a 10-4 spurt to push the lead to 15 points (37-22) and Loyola's lead was 18 points (44-26) with just under 12 minutes left.  Bradley trailed 52-35 with just under eight minutes remaining, when an 11-0 run by the Braves in just over two minutes pulled the Braves within six. 

Freshman Danielle Brewer (Coatesville, Ind.) had a pair of free throws to open the run and senior Michelle Young (Woodbury, Minn./Woodbury) followed a Shareece Burrell (Des Moines, Iowa/East) steal with a hoop in the lane.  Junior Sameia Kendall (Kansas City, Mo./Raytown/Johnson C.C.) had a driving layup and Young had a pull-up jumper just outside the lane after a Loyola miss to make it a nine-point deficit at 53-42. 

Sims had a steal on the next Loyola possession and made her first free throw of a two-shot foul to pull Bradley within eight (52-44).  She then tracked down the offensive rebound after missing the second shot from the charity stripe and capped an 11-0 run, which cut the Ramblers lead to 52-46, with a layup with 5:43 on the clock.

Bradley missed its next four shots from the field and Loyola was able to push the advantage back to double digits (57-46) with just under four minutes to play. 

A Sims hoop in the lane cut it to nine and she banked in a three from the wing after another Kendall steal to once again pull the Braves within six (57-51) nearing the three-minute mark.  Bradley got no closer, however, as Loyola's Becca Smith hit a three on the next trip down the floor and Loyola went on to end the Braves season for the second straight year with a 67-55 victory.

Sims was 8-for-12 from the free throw line and added one assist, four blocks and one steal to go with her 19 points and nine boards.  The four blocks gave Sims 45 for the year, which ranks as the eighth best season total in school history.

Young scored eight of her nine points in the second half as she wrapped up her Bradley career 13th in scoring at Bradley with 1,062 points.  In addition, Young also finished her career tied for sixth in school history with 276 made free throws.  Kendall collected six steals, five assists and seven points. 

Loyola shot 63 percent in the second half and outrebounded Bradley 41-36 in the contest.  Four Ramblers scored in double figures, led by Taylor Johnson's 16 points.  First-Team All-MVC pick Taylor Manuel had 15 points, nine boards, three blocks and two steals.  Bailey Farley added 13 points, while Destiny Washington scored 11 points off the bench for the Ramblers.