Penn State PSU 3-2

BRADLEY BRAD 5-1

Penn State PSU

3-2

Final

Nov. 21, 2018

BRADLEY BRAD

5-1

Score By Periods
Team	1	2	F
Penn State PSU	33	23	56
BRADLEY BRAD	32	27	59

Box Score

Braves Top Penn State to Win Cancun Challenge

Box Score (PDF)

Game Recap: Men's Basketball | 11/21/2018 11:23:00 PM

Cancun, Mexico – For the first time since in 35 years – and the first time away from Peoria in 52 years – the Bradley men's basketball team won its regular-season tournament with a 59-56 victory over Penn State in the championship game of the Cancun Challenge. The Braves improve to 5-1 during the 2018-19 season, while the Big Ten's Nittany Lions drop to 3-2.

Sophomore Elijah Childs was named the Cancun Challenge Most Valuable Player after leading the Braves with 18 points. The sophomore forward made 8-of-13 field goals and scored 13 of his 18 points in the second half as Bradley surged past Penn State. He also added two assists, two steals and one block, averaging 19.5 points in BU's two victories in Mexico.

Junior Darrell Brown was also named to the All-Tournament Team after scoring 16 points to go with a game-high five assists. Senior Dwayne Lautier-Ogunleye and junior Koch Bar added eight points, while Bar led the team with eight boards.

After a first half that featured 13 lead changes and eight ties, Bradley took control early in the second stanza with a 9-0 run. Childs scored the first seven points of the surge as Bradley turned a 35-32 deficit into a 41-35 lead. The Braves' lead then quickly ballooned to 11 points, 53-42, with 10:40 remaining after Brown made his third triple of the game.

An 8-1 run by the Nittany Lions pulled the team within four, 54-50, before cutting the gap to two, 57-55, with just under three minutes left following a 3-pointer. Childs responded on the next possession with a jumper and pushed the lead back to four, 59-55. The Braves defense, like it did all night, came up big and forced the Nittany Lions into missing their final six field goals. Penn State added a free throw with 1.5 ticks remaining but its final attempt missed as Bradley emerged victorious, 59-56.

How you celebrate your first regular season tournament title in 35 years and first away from Peoria in 52 years #TheArrival pic.twitter.com/oJFl6981P0
— Bradley Basketball (@bradleyumbb) November 22, 2018

While the Braves made 42.9 percent of their field goals on Wednesday, it was the defense that held Penn State to just 28.8 percent shooting – and 14.8 percent from beyond the arc – that led the team to victory.

Bradley looks to continue its winning ways on Saturday when it hosts Chicago State. Tipoff at Carver Arena is set for 1 p.m.

Game Notes: Bradley last won a regular-season tournament during the 1983 River City Shootout and last won away from Peoria at the 1966 Sugar Bowl Tournament … Bradley earned its first win against a Big Ten school since defeating Illinois in 2009, ending a four-game losing streak to the conference … Brown scored in double figures for the sixth-straight game – the longest streak by a Brave to start a season since 2007 – while Childs failed to lead the team in rebounding for the first time this campaign … Bar improved his field goal percentage to 85.7, while also making 4-of-6 free throws.

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