Women’s Basketball In Search Of SEMO Classic Title

Daryl Wilson

Women's Basketball 11/25/2017 10:00:00 AM

CAPE GIRARDEAU, Mo. – Bradley Women's Basketball will try to win an in-season tournament title for the first time since 2008-09 Saturday afternoon as the Braves face Southeast Missouri State in a 3:15 p.m. game to wrap up the SEMO Thanksgiving Classic.

A 75-65 Bradley victory over Nicholls State Friday afternoon to open the two-day event coupled with a 72-60 win by tournament-host Southeast Missouri State over Evangel makes Saturday's already scheduled meeting between the Braves and the Redhawks the tournament championship.

The game will be streamed on the Ohio Valley Digital Network, while BradleyBraves.com will provide links to the WIRL 1290 AM broadcast.

The last time the Braves claimed an in-season tournament title was during the 2008-09 season at the Northern Arizona Thanksgiving Classic in Flagstaff, Ariz. Coincidentally, the Braves are 3-1 to start a season since that same 2008-09 campaign (6-1 start).

Junior guard Shunseere Kent turned in her first career double-double with 13 points and 10 rebounds to lead the Braves in Saturday's win against Nicholls State. She was joined in double figures by freshman Gabi Haack, who made 3-of-4 three-pointers against the Colonels, with 11 points off the bench for the second consecutive outing. Haack has made 6-of-10 three-point attempts over the last two games.

Bradley has been stingy on the defensive end so far this season with teams scoring just 59.8 points per game. BU's opponents have shot 33.5 percent from the field through four games and the Braves have yet to allow a team to shoot over 30 percent from beyond the arc. In fact, Bradley has held its four opponents to a conference-best 17.1 percent from three-point range (13-for-76). The last six regular-season games for the Braves dating back to last season have resulted in the opponent shooting under 30 percent from long range.
A newcomer has scored in double figures in all four games this season and a player new to the roster in 2017-18 has paced the team in scoring in each of the last three games. Junior college transfer Shunseere Kent and Bradley's five freshman combined for 39 points, 23 rebounds, 11 assists, three blocks and three steals Saturday against Nicholls State. On the season the group has averaged 34.5 points, 20.1 boards and 8.3 assists per game.
While underclassmen have certainly shared in the scoring effort, Bradley's seniors have helped Bradley rank among the best in the league in taking care of the ball. Senior Anneke Schlueter has 12 assists with just three turnovers and fellow senior Madison Dellamuth is right behind with 11 assists and four turnovers. BU's seniors have combined for 29 assists and just 17 turnovers on the young team. As a team the Braves boast a 1.15 assist-to-turnover ratio after the team owned a 0.84 assist-to-turnover ratio last year.
Bradley is looking for consecutive victories away from home for the first time since concluding the 2016-17 non-conference schedule with wins at Valparaiso and Illinois-Chicago. The Braves have not won consecutive games played outside the state of Illinois since winning the final two road regular-season road games of 2011-12 (at Wichita State & at Missouri State) in addition to posting a MVC Tournament opening-round win over Southern Illinois in St. Charles, Mo.

Following Saturday's game at Southeast Missouri State, Bradley finishes a season-long, four-game road swing Wednesday with a 6 p.m. contest at Northern Illinois.

Print Friendly Version