Missouri State MSU 13-15, 7-8 MVC

Bradley BRAD 19-9, 10-5 MVC

Missouri State MSU

13-15, 7-8 MVC

Final

Feb. 19, 2020

Bradley BRAD

19-9, 10-5 MVC

Score By Periods
Team	1	2	OT 1	F
Missouri State MSU	32	40	7	79
Bradley BRAD	41	31	11	83

Box Score

Braves Win Fourth-Straight after Overtime Win Against Missouri State

Box Score (PDF)

Game Recap: Men's Basketball | 2/19/2020 11:30:00 PM

Peoria, Ill. – The Bradley men's basketball team fought its way to an 83-79 victory over Missouri State on Wednesday night. The Braves' fourth-straight win moves to the team to 19-9 during the 2019-20 campaign with a 10-5 record in Missouri Valley Conference action, while the Bears slip to 13-15 overall and 7-8 in league play.

Senior Darrell Brown led the Braves with 19 points and five assists in the winning effort, while junior Elijah Childs added a double-double with 15 points and 10 rebounds. Overall, five Braves scored in double figures as freshman Ville Tahvanainen, senior Koch Bar and sophomore Ja'Shon Henry added 12, 11 and 10 points, respectively.

The Braves gained the early advantage in the contest and led for most of the first half. Bradley scored the first five points of the game and led by as many as six in the opening minutes, 10-4, before Missouri State used a 7-0 run to pull in front by two, 17-15. With the score knotted at 24, Childs would lead a late surge in the half. The junior forward scored seven points in a 17-8 run to finish the period and send the teams into the locker room with the Braves in front by nine, 41-32.

The Bradley advantage reached 11 early in the second frame, 43-32, only for the Bears to respond with a 10-2 run to quickly pull within three, 45-42 – setting up a close finish at Carver Arena.

Bradley maintained its close lead until the Bears finally went ahead by one, 54-53, with 8:28 remaining. The teams traded the advantage on the next two possessions before Brown came up with big baskets when the Braves needed him the most. The senior scored six points during a 7-0 run, making a pair of triples to put Bradley back in front by six, 62-56 with 6:51 left in regulation.

The Braves moved ahead by as many as eight points but again, Missouri State made its move with a 7-0 spurt for a 66-65 contest with 4:32 left in the second half. The Bears would eventually pull ahead by two on two different occasions but both times, Bradley answered by drawing a foul and pulling even, the last time by Henry with just 60 ticks on the clock. Both teams forced a turnover in the final minute of play to send the game into overtime all square at 72.

Are we done?

We're hungry 🅱️🏀 pic.twitter.com/nOlryBOIjo
— Bradley Basketball (@bradleyumbb) February 20, 2020

Bradley won the opening tip in the extra session and Henry quickly gave the Braves the lead with a layup on the opening possession. Missouri State scored the next three points – going 1-for-2 from the charity stripe to go with a transition layup on the next possession for a one-point edge. The Braves then scored the next five points only for the Bears to answer with four-straight for a 79-79 contest with 57 seconds left.

Childs finally gave the Braves the lead for good by sinking a pair of free throws with 37 seconds left. The Braves then forced a missed shot on the other end and Henry finished off the victory with a dunk for the four-point victory. Henry scored eight of the team's final 13 points in the last six minutes of the game as Bradley earned its fourth-straight win.

Bradley finished the game shooting 49.1 percent from the field, while holding the Bears to just a 35.5 percent clip and 5-of-23 mark from 3-point range.

The Braves look to extend their winning streak on Saturday, playing at Valparaiso with a 7 p.m. first tip.

Game Notes: Bradley has clinched a winning Missouri Valley Conference record and posted its first 10-win conference season since 2008-09 … The Braves played a home overtime game for the first time since 2015-16 against North Dakota with its first overtime Valley game since 2014-15 at Missouri State … Bradley won its 15th home game of the season – its most since 1993-94 and its most in the regular season since 1967-68 … The Braves held their opponent to under 40 percent shooting for the 18th time this season (and fourth-straight) … Henry scored eight points in the final six minutes of the game after scoring two in the first 39 … Bradley has won three-straight games against Missouri State.

Print Friendly Version