Peoria, Ill. – Bradley Women's Basketball fell in the final seconds to the Illinois State Redbirds, 66-65, on Sunday.
A Momentum-Driven First Half
Illinois State came out firing, scoring the first 10 points of the game within the opening three minutes. The momentum shifted drastically as Bradley took over the game after a timeout, scoring 13 straight points to take the lead. The Redbirds and Braves exchanged baskets at the end of the quarter, and the two teams went into the second quarter tied at 15. Bradley and Illinois State continued to battle at the beginning of the second quarter, with Bradley holding a slight 24-23 edge at the midway point. The Redbirds proceeded to go on a run, scoring 12 of the next 17 points to make it 35-29 before Kaylen Nelson ended the half on an and-one to cut the Redbirds' lead to 35-32.
Standout Performances for Bradley
Nelson had one of her best games of the season, scoring 26 points while adding five rebounds and two assists. She also recorded her 1,000th point with her last three-pointer, giving her 1,002 points in her collegiate career. Maya Foz recorded her 23rd straight double-digit scoring effort and hit that mark in every conference game this season, finishing the day with 14 points, five rebounds, four assists, and two steals. Tamia Perryman led the team in rebounds, grabbing eight boards along with four points and two steals. Amy O'Hara had a strong game, totaling eight points, three rebounds, three blocks, two steals, and one assist.
A Late Redbirds Rally
The Braves tied it early with a three-pointer before Illinois State went on another 10-point run to force another Bradley timeout. The Braves responded with a seven-point run before both teams exchanged baskets to end the third quarter, giving the Redbirds a 54-50 lead heading into the final 10 minutes. Bradley opened the final quarter with four points to tie the game, and after both teams nailed a layup and a free throw, the Braves went on a seven-point run to take a 65-58 lead that was capped off with Nelson's 1,000-point shot. The Redbirds began to chip away at the deficit with 1:34 left on the clock and proceeded to tie the game with 17 seconds left. A Bradley foul gave Illinois State two free throws with no time left on the clock, and after missing the first, the Redbirds made the second to give them a 66-65 lead and the win.
Defensive Notes
The Braves played a strong defensive game, outrebounding the Redbirds 38-33 and forcing 11 Redbird turnovers compared to the Braves' eight. Bradley also punished Illinois State's mistakes by scoring 16 of their points on the Redbirds' turnovers. The Braves had nine steals to Illinois State's three, and the Braves outblocked the Redbirds 4-2.
Coming Up…
The Braves are heading to the MVC Championship on Friday as the fifth seed, where they will take on the Northern Iowa Panthers at 2:30.