Northern Iowa UNI 2-4, 0-1 MVC

Bradley BRAD 3-5, 1-0 MVC

Northern Iowa UNI

2-4, 0-1 MVC

Final

Dec. 01, 2021

Bradley BRAD

3-5, 1-0 MVC

Score By Periods
Team	1	2	F
Northern Iowa UNI	28	41	69
Bradley BRAD	39	32	71

Box Score

Braves Claim Valley Opener, 71-69, Over Northern Iowa

Box Score (PDF)

Game Recap: Men's Basketball | 12/1/2021 10:22:00 PM

Peoria, Ill. – Junior Terry Roberts scored the go-ahead basket with 4.5 seconds left to lead the Bradley men's basketball team to a 71-69 victory against Northern Iowa on Wednesday night. With the win, the Braves improve to 3-5 on the season, while claiming their Missouri Valley Conference opener. The Panthers, meanwhile, drop to 2-4 overall.

Roberts' game-winning basket was part of a 20-point performance for the junior to go along with three assists – leading Bradley throughout the night. Junior Ville Tahvanainen added 14 points thanks to a season-best four 3-pointers, while freshman Connor Hickman also scored in double figures with 12 points.

Terry Roberts for the win! @iamterrryy 🅱️🏀 pic.twitter.com/zTMZi9syln
— Bradley Basketball (@bradleyumbb) December 2, 2021

Sophomore Rienk Mast led BU on the glass with 11 rebounds, while graduate student Mikey Howell and junior Malevy Leons matched Roberts for a team-best three assists.

Bradley took control of the contest midway through the first half thanks to a strong start from Tahvanainen. The junior sunk three triples in the first 12 minutes of the game, including back-to-back 3-pointers that ignited an early Bradley run. Trailing by three, 22-19, Tahvaninen's six points on consecutive possessions kicked off a 13-0 BU stretch as the Braves moved in front by double digits, 32-22. Roberts then added seven points in the final 2:30, including a last-second triple of his own, as Bradley headed into the locker room ahead by 11, 39-28.

The Braves' advantage reached as many as 14 points early in the second stanza before Northern Iowa used a 10-0 run of its own to cut the deficit to three, 44-41 with 15:59 remaining. The early spurt by the Panthers set up an exciting finish between the schools as neither team was able to string together long runs the remainder of the game.

Northern Iowa finally squared the game at 51 with 11:32 remaining in regulation only for Tahvanainen and Howell to sink back-to-back triples to quickly push the lead back to six. Bradley remained in front and led by five points, 69-64, with just under two minutes remaining only for AJ Green to sink a 3-pointer for three of his game-high 30 points before squaring the contest at 69 with a turnaround jumper with 12 ticks remaining.

After a Bradley timeout, however, Roberts was able to drive the lane and finish with just 4.5 ticks left and Northern Iowa's desperation heave at the buzzer was off as BU secured the 71-69 victory.

The Braves shot 45.8 percent in the winning effort with a 9-of-26 clip from 3-point range. Northern Iowa, meanwhile, made 44.6 percent of its baskets and 10-of-26 from beyond the arc.

Bradley returns to non-conference action on Saturday, hosting SIU Edwardsville. First tip at Carver Arena is set for 2 p.m.

Game Notes: Roberts eclipsed 20 points for the second time this season – also scored 24 against Colorado State … Tavhanainen's 14 points are a season high as he played his fifth game since returning from injury … The Braves outscored Northern Iowa in fast-break points, 13-0 … Mast has collected at least 10 rebounds in 5-of-8 games this season … Bradley improved to 38-32 all-time in Valley openers, 28-9 at home, 3-7 versus Northern Iowa and 3-4 under Coach Wardle.

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