Bradley BRAD 14-2,5-0 MVC

Valparaiso Valpo 10-7,2-4 MVC

Bradley BRAD

14-2,5-0 MVC

Final

Jan. 19, 2020

Valparaiso Valpo

10-7,2-4 MVC

Score By Periods
Team	1	2	3	4	F
Bradley BRAD	20	13	26	16	75
Valparaiso Valpo	17	12	20	12	61

Box Score

Duane Zehr

Braves 5-0 In MVC After 75-61 Road Win At Valpo

BU16

Game Recap: Women's Basketball | 1/19/2020 3:53:00 PM

VALPARAISO, Ind. – Junior Gabi Haack reached 1,000 career points, scoring a game-high 21 to pace four Bradley players in double figures as the Braves remained alone atop the Missouri Valley Conference standings at 5-0 after a 75-61 win at Valparaiso Sunday.

Bradley (14-2 overall, 5-0 MVC) is 5-0 to open league play for the first time in program history, while the team's 14-2 overall start to the year is also the best in school history through 16 games. The five-game MVC win streak is now the third longest for the Braves, behind only two other Valley win streaks of six games.

Haack became the 19^th player in program history in the 1,000-point club, burying a three-pointer near the six-minute mark of the fourth quarter to reach the mark. She passed fourth-year Bradley Head Coach Andrea Gorski for 19^th on the school's all-time scoring list with her first bucket of the contest and is now just the ninth Bradley junior to reach 1,000 career points.

Finishing with 21 points on 6-of-8 shooting, including 4-of-6 from beyond the arc, Haack also added five rebounds, two assists and two steals to lead the Braves. Junior Nyjah White was in double figures for the fourth consecutive game, scoring a season-best 19 points on 9-of-12 from the field and was a rebound short of her first double-double of the year. Joining the duo in double figures was sophomore Lasha Petree (17 points) and senior Chelsea Brackmann (14 points) as the Bradley starters combined for 71 of the team's 75 points.

"I'm proud of the way this team battled today," said Gorski. "We came out aggressive in the second half and we were able to get to the line. Gabi had some big three's and it was nice to see her score her 1,000^th point."

Bradley was 9-for-11 from the field in the first quarter, scoring 14 points in the paint in the opening 10 minutes. The Braves committed five first-quarter turnovers, however, and Valparaiso shot 47 percent in the opening period as BU held a 20-17 lead at the end of the first stanza.

Foul trouble and turnovers slowed down Bradley in the second quarter. Valparaiso had its only lead of the game on a layup by Ella Ellenson as the Crusaders went in front 29-28 nearing the two-minute mark. Bradley held Valpo scoreless the remainder of the period and scored the final five points of the half to take a 33-29 lead into the locker room at the break.

Bradley took advantage of Valparaiso foul trouble in the third quarter, making 13 trips to the line in the period. An 8-2 run which included all eight Bradley points from the charity stripe pushed what was a five-point BU advantage to 55-44 with just under three minutes left in the third. Haack scored 10 points and Lasha Petree added seven during a 26-point third quarter for the Braves, who led 59-49 heading to the fourth.

Valparaiso cut the Bradley lead to eight twice in the opening minutes of the fourth only to have Bradley answer with baskets each time to keep the advantage in double digits. With Bradley leading 65-55, Haack's three-pointer near the six-minute mark which gave her 1,000 career points sparked a 7-0 run for the Braves to put the game out of reach. Petree had a steal and layup with just under five minutes to play and Brackmann followed a Haack steal with a jumper nearing 2:30 on the clock to give BU its largest lead of the contest at 72-55 as the Braves improved to 4-1 on the year on the road with the 75-61 victory.

Bradley shot a season-best 57.8 percent from the field in the game, while holding Valparaiso to just 39 percent shooting and the Braves held a 31-25 rebounding advantage.

Caitlin Morrison led Valparaiso with 15 points, while Grace Hales added 13 of her own.

Bradley returns to Renaissance Coliseum Friday, hosting Northern Iowa in a 7 p.m. game Friday to open a two-game home stand.

Print Friendly Version