Peoria, IL -- The Bradley Braves dropped their season opener 69-63 to St. Bonaventure.
The Braves dropped their season opener, 69–63, to the St. Bonaventure Bonnies in Rock Hill, SC, as part of the Field of 68's Opening Day Marathon. Jaquan Johnson, Alex Huibregtse, and Demarion Burch led the way for the Braves, with all three scoring exactly 13 points
The Braves didn't get off to a hot start, but that didn't stop them from battling back. After trailing by as many as 13 in the first half, Bradley turned it up, cutting the deficit down to eight following consecutive scores from Burch. St. Bonaventure was led by Darryl Simmons II, who tallied 24 points, five rebounds, and four assists.
In the second half, the Bonnies and Braves exchanged scoring runs. Bradley's largest came in the form of an 8–0 stretch from the 15:49 to the 13:44 mark, during which the Braves claimed their first lead of the game at 42–41. They extended that lead to six after back-to-back baskets from Huibregtse and Johnson with 9:20 remaining.
As the game entered the final media timeout, St. Bonaventure led by five. However, Bradley mounted a quick 5–0 burst to pull even, following a Huibregtse turnaround jumper and three free throws from Corey Thomas after being fouled on a three-point attempt.
The Bonnies responded with a Darryl Simmons II three-pointer to regain a three-point edge. The Braves had one last chance with less than 40 seconds remaining. A Johnson free throw cut the lead to two, leaving BU needing a defensive stop, which they got when AJ Smith grabbed a missed layup attempt from Simmons II. Smith immediately pushed the ball down the floor, but an unfortunate sequence occurred when Demarion Burch lost his footing near the scorer's table, resulting in a turnover.
St. Bonaventure closed the game out with four free throws, sealing the 69–63 win. The Braves will be back in action this Saturday when they host Central Michigan at 7:00 p.m. at Carver Arena. The game will be streamed live on ESPN+.