Final Score (W-L)        1   2   F
Bradley(3-20, 1-9 MVC)  35  35  70
Drake (6-16, 1-9 MVC)   38  42  80
Attendance: 3,254 | Officials: Terry Oglesby, Ed Crenshaw, Brad Ferrie

Second-Half Shooting
After Bradley enjoyed one of its best shooting halves of the season to start the game, the Braves went cold in the second half and Drake took advantage for its first Missouri Valley Conference win of the season. Bradley hit 13-of-25 (.520) first-half field goal attempts, including 4-of-8 from 3-point range, but the Braves started the second half 5-for-21. Drake started the second half by making nine of its first 13 field goal attempts and used a 15-1 run to stretch a 50-48 lead.

Bradley cut a 16-point deficit with 7:04 left down to 74-68 after a Callum Barker putback layup with 1:04 left, but Reed Timmer hit his 10th and 11th free throws of the game with 1:00 left for a 76-68 lead. After Bradley missed two 3-point tries on the ensuing possession, Drake closed out the game at the free throw line.

Leaders
Graham Woodward matched his career-best with a game-high 23 points by making 7-of-11 field goal attempts, including 4-of-5 from 3-point range. Reed Timmer added an 11-for-12 effort at the free throw line in a 19-points effort, while Kale Abramhamson chipped in 13 for the Bulldogs. Antoine Pittman led four Braves in double figures with a career-best 17 points before fouling out with 7:04 left. Luuk van Bree added 13 points, Dwayne Lautier-Ogunleye 12 and Donte Thomas 11. Bradley guard Ronnie Suggs snared a career-best nine rebounds, while Ore Arogundade matched him with a career-best nine boards of his own for the Bulldogs.

Series Update
The most-played series in Bradley Basketball history, Saturday's game was the 144th matchup between the Braves and Bulldogs. With Saturday's win, Drake now trails in the all-time series, 82-62, but improves to 39-28 all-time at home against Bradley. The Bulldogs have won nine of the last 12 meetings and 17-of-29 since the start of the 2003-04 season.

First-Half Recap
Drake got a loose ball, putback basket at the buzzer by Billy Wampler to take a 38-38 lead into halftime. The Bulldogs opened the game by scoring the first seven points and pushed their lead to 13-5 on a Dominik Olejniczak layup with 12:45 left in the half. Bradley answered with a 13-4 rush to take its first lead and the remainder of the half was a see-saw affair with eight lead changes in the opening 20 minutes. Bradley freshman guards Antoine Pittman and Dwayne Lautier-Ogunleye each scored 10 points in the first half, while Drake got 10 points from Graham Woodward.

The Braves shot 52.0 percent (13-25) in the first half, including 4-for-8 from 3-point range, while Drake was 12-for-28 (.429) from the floor and 4-for-9 (.444) from beyond the arc. Drake held an 18-13 first-half rebounding advantage and used a 5-1 edge in offensive boards for a 4-0 margin in second-chance points. The Bulldogs also committed eight first-half turnovers and Bradley took advantage with a 9-6 margin in points off turnovers in the first half.

Lineup Change
Bradley used its ninth different starting lineup of the season Saturday, bringing freshman guard Dwayne Lautier-Ogunleye off the bench for the first time this season. Freshman center Callum Barker had played in a reserve role in the last six games, but returned to the starting lineup for the 17th time this year. Lautier-Ogunleye responded with 10 points and three assists in 18 first-half minutes and his 12 points were his most of the conference season.

Van Bree for Three
Freshman forward Luuk van Bree made his first 3-point attempt with 16:23 left in the first half for Bradley's first points of the game. Van Bree entered the game leading the team and all Missouri Valley Conference freshmen with 31 treys and pushed his season total to 34 with a 3-for-4 day. He ranks fifth all-time among Bradley freshmen with his 34 3-point field goals.

Free Throw Story
Taking advantage of 29 Bradley fouls, Drake converted 27-of-36 (.750) free throw attempts. Bradley continued its improved shooting at the free throw line by turning 18 Drake fouls into a 12-for-15 (.800) effort at the stripe, but the -15 points differential from the free throw line proved too much to overcome.

Youthful PT
With only one non-freshman available to play for the eighth consecutive game and the ninth time overall, Bradley once again played the entire 40 minutes Saturday with no fewer than four freshmen on the floor together. Sophomore forward Donte Thomas is the only non-freshman currently on Bradley's active roster – senior center Mike Shaw has not played at all this season due to chronic back pain and senior guard Ka'Darryl Bell has missed the last eight games with a fractured right hand. In 930 minutes of game time, Bradley now has played 100 percent of the season with no fewer than three freshmen on the floor together, 85.8 percent of the season (797:30) with at least four freshmen on the court together and 31.0 percent (288:40) with five freshmen playing together.

Up Next
Bradley will return to the road for a Tuesday night visit to Missouri State, before returning home for a 2-game home stand. The Braves will host Indiana State next Saturday (7 p.m.) in the annual Hall of Fame Game. The Bradley Athletics Hall of Fame will welcome four new members Saturday – men's basketball star Phillip Gilbert, softball slugger Julie Jehle Barnett, soccer All-American Hamid Mehreioskouei and volleyball star Jenna Passman Regan. The quartert will be the featured guests at Friday's Braves Club Game Day Luncheon, presented by Busey Bank.