Peoria, Ill. - Bradley Women's Basketball fell 73-62 in the first game of their homestand to Missouri State.

A Rough Start

The Braves took an early lead on a Soleil Barnes three-pointer but then gave up nine straight points to the Bears.  They went back and forth with Missouri State from there but still went into the second quarter with a six-point deficit.  It was a similar story in the second half as Missouri State increased their lead to 36-25.

Standout Performances for Bradley

• Soleil Barnes led the team with 20 points while also grabbing six rebounds and two assists, shooting 3-for-6 from beyond the arc.  
• Ellie McDermid was named the Ameren Illinois Player of the Game, scoring 13 points while leading the team in rebounds and assists with nine and five, respectively.
• Claire McDougall has now put up double-digit scoring efforts in back-to-back games, putting up 10 points with two boards, two steals, and an assist.

A Competitive Second Half

Despite being down early, the Braves didn't back down, scoring 23 points in the third quarter thanks partly to Barnes' nine-point effort.  While Bradley came out strong, the Bears did as well and matched the Braves' scoring efforts in the second half as a whole, with both teams putting up 37 points.

𝙃𝘼𝙉𝘿 𝘿𝙊𝙒𝙉 𝙈𝘼𝙉 𝘿𝙊𝙒𝙉 🤷‍♀️ 

Braves are back in 10 minutes! pic.twitter.com/pf9JvlUi9B
— Bradley WBB (@BradleyWBB) February 1, 2025
 

Defensive Lapses

The Braves struggled to hold Missouri State at bay in the paint, giving up 46 points down low, 18 of which came in the third quarter alone.  Along with their struggles to defend the paint, Bradley gave up 21 points off their turnovers, 10 of which came in the first quarter.

Coming up…

Bradley will hope to end this homestand on a high note as they take on the Southern Illinois Salukis on Sunday at 2 p.m.