Peoria, IL -- The Bradley Braves 24-7 (15-5 MVC) defeated the Northern Iowa Panthers 20-11 (14-6 MVC) with a final score of 73-56
Looking back
In a thrilling MVC contest on March 2, 2025, at Carver Arena in Peoria, Illinois, Bradley powered through UNI in a 73-56 victory, securing a pivotal win as they continue their march toward the postseason.
The game started with both teams trading baskets, but it was Bradley who surged ahead with a solid offensive performance, shooting 53.3% from the field and 57.1% from beyond the arc. Ahmet Jonovic and Darius Hannah got things going for the Braves, collecting six of BU's first nine points to open the game. Bradley's depth also came into play, as the team saw contributions from multiple players, including Jaquan Johnson, Corey Thomas, and Almar Atlason, who combined for 23 points, six assists, six rebounds, two blocks, and two steals. Despite UNI's efforts, including a solid first-half performance from Max Weisbrod and Ben Schwieger, the Panthers struggled to keep pace offensively and found themselves trailing 45-36 at the break.
The second half saw Bradley's defense tighten up, holding UNI to just 6-of-29 shooting from the field (20.7%) and forcing them into difficult shots. Although UNI shot 100% from the free-throw line in the second half, the Panthers couldn't find their rhythm, making only six three-pointers throughout the entire game. Bradley's defense was suffocating, and they capitalized on the struggles of UNI's offense to extend their lead. On the offensive side, Bradley continued to spread the wealth, recording 15 team assists on 26 made field goals for the game. The Braves ended with five players in double-digit scoring.
For UNI, Max Weisbrod and Ben Schwieger were the top scorers with 11 points each, while Trey Campbell struggled to find his shot, finishing 0-8 from the field. Jacob Hutson chipped in with 6 points and 4 rebounds, but the Panthers couldn't overcome their shooting woes. Bradley was led by Zek Montgomery, who finished with 13 points, while Darius Hannah (11 points) and Duke Deen (10 points) were solid contributors. Bradley shot 48.1% from the field, including 11-of-25 from three-point range.
Bradley improves to 24-7 on the season, 15-5 in MVC play, while UNI drops to 20-11 and 14-6 in the conference. This victory clinched the #2 seed for the Braves in the upcoming conference tournament, with UNI claiming the #3 seed. Both teams have earned byes through the Thursday games and will await the winners between the #10/#7 seeds for Bradley and the #11/#6 seeds for Northern Iowa. The Braves' quarterfinal game will tip off at 6:00 PM CST on Friday, streaming on ESPN+. The MVC has communicated they will not release an official conference tournament bracket until the updated NET rankings are published tomorrow to decide the tiebreakers between Illinois State and UIC for the 5-6 seeds and a three-way tie for 8th place between Southern Illinois, Evansville, and Indiana State.
Milestones
Zek Montgomery collected his 1,000th career point, while Brian Wardle collected his 100th Missouri Valley Conference win. As a team, the Braves have won 24 games in the regular season, the most since the 1985-86 season, when the Braves went on to win 32 games, including three MVC tournament wins and a victory in the NCAA tournament.