Peoria, Ill. – Bradley Women's Basketball wraps up their two-game homestand on Sunday against the Belmont Bruins in their annual Be Bold, Go Gold game.
Game Information
Matchup: Bradley Braves vs. Belmont Bruins
Date: Sunday, February 22, 2026
Time: 2:00 p.m.
Streaming: ESPN+
Live Stats: Link
What to Watch
The Braves enter this weekend's matchup in third place in the MVC with an 11-5 conference record. Bradley has won four of their last five, but suffered a tough loss against Murray State on Friday. The Braves have the fourth-best offense in the MVC, scoring 71.0 points per game, and they have the second-best defense in the conference, allowing 64.4 points per game. Bradley leads every three-point stat in the conference, posting a .351 three-point percentage, making 8.2 three-pointers per game, and forcing opponents to shoot .260 from beyond the arc, a mark that ranks in the top 10 in the nation. The Braves have made it their identity this season to play aggressively without the ball, forcing 1.19 more turnovers than they commit. That turnover margin ranks third in the conference. Bradley will need to maintain possession and make consistent shots to take down the No. 2 seed in the MVC.
Belmont comes into this game with a 12-3 MVC record and has also won four of their last five games. On Friday, the Bruins fell to the Illinois State Redbirds in overtime after Belmont took an eight-point lead into halftime. The last time the Bruins and Braves met, Belmont defeated Bradley 78-57. Belmont ranks sixth in points scored per game at 70.3 and has the fourth-best defense in the MVC, allowing 66.7 points per game. The Bruins' strongest asset is their defense, as they hold opponents to the lowest field goal percentage in the MVC at .384 and the second-lowest three-point percentage at .292. Another strong skill is their ability to maintain possession and force opponents' mistakes, as they rank first in the conference in turnover margin (forcing 4.58 more turnovers than they commit), first in steals at 10.15 per game, and second in blocks at 4.04 per game.
Key Players to Watch
Maya Foz has scored double-digit points in each of her last 19 games. In her last game, she led the team in points with 17 while adding four rebounds and four steals. Amy O'Hara has recorded at least five rebounds in four straight games. In her last game, she led the team with nine rebounds while adding four points and an assist. Kaylen Nelson has been one of the best players in the conference, ranking fourth in the MVC in points per game with 17.6, first in three-point percentage at .401, and first in three-pointers made per game at 2.8. She also has the most three-pointers in a single game this season, as she made eight against Western Illinois on November 20.
Jailyn Banks leads the Bruins, ranking eighth in the MVC in points per game at 16.6 and adding 3.4 rebounds per game. She ranks second on the team in total assists with 66. Hillary Fuller is second on the team in points, averaging 14.0 per game while adding 4.5 rebounds per game. She is also second on the team in blocks with 35. Tuti Jones leads the MVC in steals with 3.1 per game, is seventh in assists with 3.8 per game, and averages 9.3 points per game with a .333 three-point percentage. Avery Strickland averages 12.0 points per game and 3.8 rebounds per game while shooting .428 from the field, which leads the team.
