While the backcourt stars from both teams combined for 79 points, Bradley junior forward Tyshon Pickett proved to be the difference, leading the host Braves (14-10, 6-6 MVC) to a 76-70 Missouri Valley Conference victory versus Evansville (13-11, 6-6 MVC) Tuesday night at Carver Arena. Colt Ryan scored a game-high 27 points, highlighted by a 4-minute, 26-second stretch spanning halftime that saw him score 17 points on 7-for-7 shooting from the field. In his other 33 minutes, however, Ryan was 3-for-15 from the field. D.J. Balentine added 13 points off the bench for Evansville, while Ned Cox chipped in with 10 for the Purple Aces. Bradley countered the 40-point combo from Ryan and Balentine with 21 points from senior guard Dyricus Simms-Edwards and 18 points from junior guard Walt Lemon, Jr. who added six rebounds, five assists and two steals, split two free throws with 1:16 remaining to give the Braves the lead for good, 71-70.
-Bob
Bradley scored 11 points before Evansville took its first shot and the Braves never trailed as they pulled away for a convincing 78-52 victory against the visiting Purple Aces Thursday at Renaissance Coliseum. Senior Katie Yohn helped Bradley (8-11 overall, 2-6 MVC) make a season-high 10 three-pointers, connecting on 6-of-8 from beyond the arc en route to a season-high 21 points. Evansville (7-12 overall, 5-3 MVC) trimmed BU’s early 11-point lead to three points at 25-22 with 8:58 to play in the first half, but that was as close the Braves would allow the Purple Aces to get the remainder of the contest. After stretching its lead to nine points at the half (42-33), Bradley opened the second half with a 13-2 run to extend the advantage to 55-35 with 13:37 remaining and the game was never in doubt. Yohn had one of her six threes and a pair of assists during the run which put the game out of reach. Sophomore Michelle Young added 11 points and freshman Jenny Smith scored 10 points off the bench to help pace the Braves. Junior Catie O’Leary dished out a career-high seven rebounds and tied Smith for team-high honors with six boards.
-Bob
Bradley led from wire to wire, with junior Katie Yohn scoring a game-high 18 points to lead three Braves in double figures and help power BU to an 82-64 victory against Evansville at Renaissance Coliseum Thursday evening before 753 fans. Both teams got off to slow starts offensively, with Bradley (12-10 overall, 3-7 MVC) holding a 5-3 lead nearly seven minutes into the contest. Freshman guard Shronda Butts helped spark an 11-2 BU run with an assist and back-to-back three-pointers as the Braves pushed the advantage to 20-10 midway through the opening half. Eight Bradley players scored six points or more, with the Braves bench combining for 25 points. Brooke Bisping led the BU reserves with eight points, making 6-of-6 free throw attempts. Butts and senior Hanna Muegge both came off the bench to hit two three-pointers as the duo each added six points. Samantha Heck led Evansville with 17 points on 6-of-9 shooting, while Meagan Collins joined her in double figures with 11 points off the bench. Briyanna Blair hauled down a team-high 11 rebounds in addition to scoring seven points. Click here for complete game stats.
-Bob
Evansville wings Colt Ryan (24 points, 9 assists) and Denver Holmes (23, 11) combined for 47 points and 20 assists, leading the visiting Purple Aces (11-11, 6-6 MVC) to a 92-62 win at Bradley (6-18, 1-11 MVC) Wednesday night at Carver Arena. Senior forward Taylor Brown led three Braves in double-figures with 18 points, while Jake Eastman scored 11 off the bench and Jordan Prosser finished with 10 points and a team-high seven rebounds. Evansville finished the game 41-for-68 (.603) from the field for the game, scoring the most field goals against Bradley since #4 UNLV converted 47 field goals in a 107-106 win Feb. 1, 1977 at Robertson Fieldhouse. The 31 assists by the Purple Aces were the most-ever by a visiting opponent against the Braves and equaled the third-most ever against Bradley.
-Bob
