Peoria, Ill. – Bradley Women's Basketball's comeback fell short against the Northern Iowa Panthers in a 74-73 loss on Friday in the quarterfinals of the MVC Championship.
A Rough Start
The Panthers scored first with a layup, and the Braves immediately responded with a three-pointer from Kaylen Nelson before UNI went on an 11-point run to take a 10-point lead. Bradley tallied four of the next seven points before UNI added the final six points of the opening 10 minutes to take a 22-7 lead into the second quarter. After exchanging early baskets to start the second quarter, Bradley took control by scoring eight straight points. Neither side could generate much momentum for the remainder of the second quarter, but Bradley had cut the deficit to 11 as UNI took a 36-25 lead into halftime.
Standout Performances for Bradley
Nelson recorded her second career double-double and her third 30-point effort of the season as she totaled 30 points, 11 rebounds, and one assist. Tamia Perryman also had a strong game, scoring 18 points on 6-for-11 shooting from the field while adding three steals and one rebound. Maya Foz recorded 11 points, three rebounds, two assists, and one steal after getting into foul trouble early, which limited her to 25 minutes. Amy O'Hara had a strong defensive game, leading the team with three blocks and tying for the team lead with three steals. She also totaled eight rebounds, six points, and two assists.
The Comeback Fell Short
The Panthers scored the opening four points of the second half, but the Braves responded with four points of their own. After both teams scored once more, UNI went on a six-point run to reestablish a 17-point lead, but the Braves scored 14 of the final 18 points in the third quarter to bring the score within seven, as UNI took a 52-47 lead into the final 10 minutes. UNI came out firing in the fourth quarter, scoring eight of the first 11 points to extend their lead to 12. Bradley went on an eight-point run to bring the score within four, and both teams matched each other over the next two possessions. The Braves did everything they could down the stretch as Nelson hit all six of her free throws in the final 30 seconds and Perryman hit a last-second three-pointer, but UNI made all of their free throws as well, and they took the win 74-73.
Defensive Notes
Outside of the first quarter, the Braves outscored the Panthers by 14, but the team couldn't get their shots to fall, going 2-for-18 from the field and 1-for-10 from three in the opening 10 minutes. The two teams tied with 34 rebounds each, but the Braves capitalized on their offensive boards, scoring nine second-chance points to the Panthers' six. Bradley outstole UNI 8-6 and outblocked them 6-1. The Braves also forced 11 UNI turnovers compared to the nine Bradley committed.