Chicago, Ill. – Bradley Women's Basketball dropped a 66-53 road contest to the UIC Flames Thursday
A Slow Start
The Braves and Flames came out firing to open the contest, and Bradley had a 7-6 lead just under three minutes into the game. However, UIC pulled away with a 13-point run. The Braves responded with a six-point run, but UIC scored the final five points of the first quarter to take a 24-13 lead into the second quarter. Both teams exchanged an early basket before the Flames took control of the game once again, scoring 13 straight points. Both teams went back and forth for the remainder of the first half, with UIC taking a 44-22 lead into halftime.
Standout Performances for Bradley
Kaylen Nelson led the team in scoring, finishing with 14 points while adding three rebounds, two steals, and one assist. Mya Wardle had a strong game, totaling 12 points, five assists, four rebounds, and one steal while playing 40 minutes. Maya Foz reached double figures for the 21st consecutive game, recording 11 points, two rebounds, and two assists. Amy O'Hara earned the Ameren Illinois Player of the Game, scoring 10 points off the bench while adding four rebounds, three blocks, two assists, and one steal with zero turnovers.
A Failed Comeback
The Braves began to claw their way back into the game by scoring the first six points of the second half. After going back and forth for a stretch, Bradley went on another six-point run to cut the deficit to 13. The Braves finished the quarter by scoring seven of the final 11 points to bring the gap to 10. Neither team could generate much momentum in the final quarter, and the deficit remained at 10 points with just under four minutes left in the game. UIC played a strong defensive game down the final stretch to secure the 66-53 win.
Defensive Notes
The Braves outblocked the Flames 6-4 and had more steals, 6-5. Bradley forced 12 turnovers while committing 10, but UIC capitalized, scoring 15 points off Bradley's mistakes compared to Bradley's 10 off UIC turnovers. The Flames also controlled the boards, outrebounding Bradley 37-27.
Coming Up…
The Braves will have a week off to reset before facing the Evansville Purple Aces on Thursday, March 5, at 6 p.m. to kick off the final weekend of the regular season.