CHICAGO, Ill. – Junior Chelsea Brackmann turned in her second 20-20 performance of the season, scoring a career-best 24 points and pulling down 20 rebounds to help power Bradley Women's Basketball to a 69-56 victory over Loyola Sunday afternoon at Gentile Arena.
Brackmann notched her 10th double-double of the year in the victory, becoming the only player in school history to have a pair of 20-20 outings. Almost a month to day from her last 20-20 effort, Brackmann had a career-best 24 points on 8-for-19 shooting and also collected 20 boards, three blocks and a steal. In addition, she pulled down her 600th career rebound in the road win to become the second fastest player in school history to reach the 600-rebound mark.
Sophomore Gabi Haack added 16 points of her own, scoring in double figures for the 18th consecutive game. She was 4-for-9 from three-point range as she extended her streak of consecutive games with a three-pointer to 14.
Bradley overcame a sluggish start, making just 1-of-16 shots over the first 11 minutes of the game, but was 20-for-48 to close the contest. The Braves (15-5 overall, 5-4 MVC) took over sole possession of fourth in the MVC standings, finishing the first half of league play with a 5-4 record for the first time since 2009-10 (6-3).
Bradley was just 1-for-14 from the field in the first quarter and missed its final 10 shots of the period. The Braves were solid defensively early on, however, with Loyola shooting just 3-of-15 in the opening frame as the score was knotted at 7-7 at the end of the stanza.
An 8-0 run, which featured a pair of Haack three-pointers, midway through the second quarter gave Bradley a 17-11 lead. The Ramblers (10-10 overall, 4-5 MVC) answered with a pair of Allison Day hoops to pull within two (17-15) with 4:21 left in the half. After Loyola pulled even at 19-19, Bradley rattled off a 7-0 run capped by Haack's third three-pointer of the day as the Braves took a 28-24 lead into the half.
Brackmann had her double-double of the season by halftime, collecting 13 points, 10 boards and three blocks. Haack scored 11 of her 16 points in the opening half as only three Braves scored in the opening 20 minutes.
Sophomore Emily Marsh broke a 34-34 tie early in the third quarter with her first three-pointer since mid-November and followed up a Loyola hoop with another three as Bradley took a 40-36 lead midway through the third. The Bradley lead was 45-42 heading to the fourth quarter.
Marsh entered the game with six career three-pointers, but connected on her third triple of the game early in the fourth to give Bradley a 50-45 advantage. Back-to-back Brackmann baskets extended the lead to eight (54-46) with just under six minutes left to play. Loyola got no closer than six points down the stretch as Bradley improved to 4-1 on the road in Valley play with the victory.
Day led Loyola with 18 points and 11 rebounds, while Abby O'Connor also had double-double (17 points & 11 rebounds) for the Ramblers.
Bradley returns to Renaissance Coliseum Friday to host Indiana State in a 7 p.m. game in the first of a two-game home stand.