Bradley BRAD 15-12, 7-7 MVC

Illinois State ILS 14-13, 7-7 MVC

Bradley BRAD

15-12, 7-7 MVC

Final

Feb. 16, 2019

Illinois State ILS

14-13, 7-7 MVC

Score By Periods
Team	1	2	F
Bradley BRAD	33	32	65
Illinois State ILS	30	29	59

Box Score

Braves Basketball Completes Sweep of Redbirds

Box Score (PDF)

Game Recap: Men's Basketball | 2/16/2019 10:32:00 PM

Normal, Ill. – For the first time in 12 seasons, the Bradley men's basketball team owns the I-74 rivalry as the Braves completed a sweep of Illinois State with a 64-59 victory at Redbird Arena on Saturday night. BU continues its hot stretch with its fourth-straight win and seven in the last nine to improve to 15-12 and 7-7 in Missouri Valley Conference action. The Redbirds, meanwhile, drop to 14-13 and 7-7 in league play.

Four Braves scored in double figures to lead BU in the winning effort. Junior Nate Kennell tallied a team-best 15 points and four assists. Classmate Darrell Brown added 13 points, while senior Dwayne Lautier-Ogunleye and freshman Ja'Shon Henry each chipped in 11 points.

Sophomore Elijah Childs added eight points to go with team-leading totals in rebounds (eight) and blocks (three).

The Braves had to tough out this victory as Illinois State came out strong and raced to an 11-0 lead. The Redbirds made four of their first five shots – including three 3-pointers – before Childs got BU on the boards three minutes into the game.

The Braves would not give in, however, and trailing 18-7, BU used a 9-2 run to pull within four, 20-16, with 12:39 remaining in the opening half. Kennell scored five points during the stretch and then later capped a final 8-0 spurt to finish the half with his fourth triple of the period, giving Bradley a 33-30 advantage at the break.

Bradley shot 45.5 percent during the opening 20 minutes and used a 7-of-10 performance from 3-point range to grab the lead. BU also held Illinois State to just 33.3 percent shooting and a 4-of-17 clip from beyond the arc.

🔊 Hear what Coach Wardle had to say after Bradley completes sweep of I-74 rivals Illinois State! pic.twitter.com/Va93sOF12B
— Bradley Basketball (@bradleyumbb) February 17, 2019

🔊🔊 Junior Nate Kennell breaks down Bradley's 64-59 win at Redbird Arena! pic.twitter.com/81omCWab5K
— Bradley Basketball (@bradleyumbb) February 17, 2019

Kennell's 3-pointer right before the break proved to be the only lead change of the game as the Braves never trailed in the second 20 minutes of action. Twice, Illinois State pulled within one but back-to-back 3-pointers from Luuk van Bree and Brown put Bradley in front by seven, 41-34.

The Bradley lead then stretched to as many as 10 points before the Redbirds made one final push. Illinois State pulled to within four, 59-55, with 90 seconds remaining but Lautier-Ogunleye converted on a driving layup before the Braves broke a press on the next possession and Childs slammed home Bradley's first win at Redbird Arena since 2007.

Bradley made 42.3 percent of its field goals in the winning effort on Saturday, making 50.0 percent beyond the arc (9-18). The Braves also held Illinois State to just 35.4 percent shooting with a 6-of-26 mark from 3-point range (23.1 percent).

The Braves, who move to fourth place in the Valley standings with the victory, look to carry their momentum to Drake on Tuesday with the road contest tipping off at 7 p.m.

Game Notes: Bradley's last win (and season sweep) at Redbird Arena was in 2007, ending an 11-game losing streak on the road in the rivalry … The Braves have won four road games in conference for the first time since 2007-08, while also winning three-straight away from Carver Arena in MVC play for the first time since 2008-09 … The Braves made at least 50 percent of their field goals for the sixth time in the last 11 games (shot above 40 percent only once in the first 16 games of the year) … Bradley won first the first time this season in Valley play when losing the battle on the boards (now 1-5) … Henry has scored in double digits twice in the last three games (had not reached the figure in any of his first 18 collegiate games).

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