Peoria, IL -- The Bradley Braves 17-3 (8-1 MVC) defeated the Belmont Bruins 14-6 (6-3 MVC) 89-77 in Nashville, TN, giving BU their first ever win on the road against Belmont.
Looking Back
Bradley held off a late charge from Belmont to earn an 89-77 victory in a hard-fought Missouri Valley Conference battle at the Curb Event Center on January 21, 2025. With the win, Bradley improved to 17-3 on the season and 8-1 in MVC play, while Belmont fell to 14-6 overall and 6-3 in the conference.The game was a back-and-forth affair, with both teams trading leads nine times and the score knotted up on nine occasions. Bradley ultimately showed greater efficiency on both ends of the floor, particularly in the second half, where they shot 47.5% from the field for the game and 39.3% from three-point range. In contrast, Belmont struggled with its shooting, finishing the game with just 38.2% from the field and a disappointing 29.7% from beyond the arc.
Bradley's Christian Davis was a standout performer, recording a double-double with 19 points and 10 rebounds. His presence in the paint helped the Braves maintain their lead throughout the game. He was supported by a balanced scoring effort from teammates Zek Montgomery, Duke Deen, and Darius Hannah, who all chipped in 12 points apiece. Jaquan Johnson also played a key role off the bench, scoring 17 points, including a perfect 8-for-8 from the free-throw line.
Despite a solid first-half shooting performance of 48.3% from the field, Belmont struggled after the break, particularly from the three-point line. The Bruins shot just 40.6% from the field in the second half, and their shooting woes from distance—where they connected on just 6-of-20 attempts (29.7%)—kept them from mounting a consistent challenge. Carter Whitt led Belmont with 15 points and 7 rebounds, but he didn't receive much support from his teammates. Jonathan Pierre, who had been a key contributor for the Bruins this season, had a rough outing, finishing with just 11 points on 3-of-12 shooting, including 3-of-8 from three-point range.
Free-throw shooting was another area where Bradley excelled. The Braves were nearly perfect from the line, finishing 22-of-23 (95.7%), compared to Belmont's 14-of-17 (82.4%). This efficiency from the charity stripe proved critical, especially in the final minutes as Bradley was able to close out the game. Additionally, Bradley's bench outscored Belmont's reserves 25-32, with Jaquan Johnson's 17 points leading the way for the Braves' second unit. Belmont did manage to win the battle of second-chance points, 20-19, and had a slight advantage in points off turnovers, 16-13. However, those efforts were not enough to overcome their shooting struggles and Bradley's superior free-throw shooting.
This victory strengthens Bradley's hold on the top spot in the MVC standings and moves them closer to securing a high seed in the upcoming conference tournament. For Belmont, it's a tough loss, but one they'll look to bounce back from as they continue their conference schedule. Both teams showed flashes of their potential in what was an entertaining, competitive game, and it's clear that this MVC season is shaping up to be a thrilling race to the finish.
On to the Chaos
Bradley will be in action next when they host their I-74 rivals from Normal, IL, the Illinois State Redbirds. The game will be broadcasted on CBS Sports Network with tip-off at 1:00 PM CST. Bradley MBB is asking fans to join in the chaos, Fans should bring the energy and noise as a part of the "Chaos at Carver" for Saturday's game.