Bob Hunt Photographer

Junior Alex Chandler went 4-for-5 and hit a walk-off two-run home run in the ninth inning to help Bradley rally for a 5-3 victory in the series opener against Indiana State, while senior Mackenzie Camp followed it with a three-hit, complete game shutout in a 2-0 BU win in the night cap as the Braves swept a doubleheader from the Sycamores Friday afternoon at Laura Bradley Park. Bradley (18-12 overall, 3-1 MVC) is 3-1 to open Missouri Valley Conference play for the first time since 2000 and the Braves improved to 9-3 in their last 12 games with Friday’s victories. In the opener, Bradley had to rally from a 3-1 deficit to force extra innings and Chandler delivered the big hit of the day with a two-run, walk off homer in the bottom of the ninth to propel the Braves to a 5-3 extra-inning victory. Freshman Rachel Huggins gave BU an early 1-0 lead with a RBI single in the bottom of the second inning and Bradley threatened to break the game open after loading the bases with no outs later in the inning. Junior Madeline Lynch-Crumrine scattered three hits over the first five innings, before Indiana State managed to push a pair of runs across in the top of the sixth to go in front 2-1. Alex Lucas ripped a pinch hit, two-out double to left to drive in a pair of runs and the Sycamores had a 3-1 lead after Morgan Allee belted a one-out homer in the top of the seventh.

-Bob

Senior Katie Yohn turned in her team-leading seventh double-double of the year, collecting 18 points and 11 rebounds in the final home game of her career, but Indiana State made three free throws in the final 20 seconds to hold off a late rally attempt and the Sycamores held on to spoil Bradley’s Senior Day with a 58-55 win over the Braves Saturday afternoon at Renaissance Coliseum. Bradley (14-15 overall, 8-10 MVC) finished the regular season sixth in the final Missouri Valley Conference standings and the Braves will face I-74 rival and #3 seed Illinois State Friday in the MVC Tournament quarterfinals in St. Charles, Mo. ndiana State (18-11 overall, 10-8 MVC) finished in a tie with Northern Iowa for fifth and will play the Panthers Friday afternoon at 2:30 p.m. Yohn tied for game-high honors with 18 points and also had a team-high 11 rebounds to go with her two assists and four steals. She made 4-of-6 three-point attempts, moving into 23rd in MVC history in career three-point field goals as she pushed her career three-point field goal total to 208. Shronda Butts added 13 points and four assists, while Michelle Young was 4-of-6 from the field and had 11 points for her sixth consecutive game in double figures. Senior Brooke Bisping collected seven rebounds and two points in the final home game of her career.

-Bob

True freshman point guard Ka’Darryl Bell scored all of his career-best 10 points in the final 6:54, helping Bradley (15-12, 7-8 MVC) pull away from a 2-point lead for an 80-68 Missouri Valley Conference victory versus Indiana State (16-10, 9-6) Saturday afternoon at Carver Arena before 8,443 fans. Walt Lemon, Jr. and Tyshon Pickett shared team-high scoring honors with 17 points as five Braves scored in double-figures. Dyricus Simms-Edwards, who was questionable before the game due to the back spasms he suffered Wednesday night at Illinois State, scored 13 points off the bench and senior center Will Egolf chipped in 12 points and a game-high nine rebounds. Lemon became the 46th player in school history to eclipse 1,000 points when he scored in transition off a Simms-Edwards steal with 1:03 left in the first half. Dawon Cummings led Indiana State with 19 points off the bench to pace Indiana State, while Jake Odem and R.J. Mahurin both scored 14 for the Sycamores.

-Bob

Bradley used an efficient offensive attack, matching a season-low with just seven attack errors, in a 25-23, 25-17, 25-20 victory against Indiana State to wrap up a season-long, four-match home stand Saturday at Renaissance Coliseum. Junior Amy Angelos had nine kills on 12 attacks with no hitting errors, while freshman setter Jessica Teel had a season-best 31 assists to help pace the Braves’ attack. The first set was close throughout with both teams hitting over .300 in the frame. With the score knotted at 22-22, a Madelyn Ervin kill gave BU a 23-22 edge. An Indiana State setting error put Bradley (8-14 overall, 2-9 MVC) in front 24-22 and the duo of Courtney Keefe and Allie Falter combined for a block after a Sycamore kill to close out a 25-23 Braves win. Click here for complete game box score.

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-Bob

Sophomore guard Walt Lemon, Jr. came off the bench to score a career-best 26 points, leading Bradley (7-19, 2-12 MVC) to a 68-60 Missouri Valley Conference men’s basketball victory versus visiting Indiana State (14-11, 5-9 MVC) Wednesday night at Carver Arena before 7,520 enthusiastic fans. The Sycamores missed its first five field goal attempts as the Braves scored the game’s first five points and never looked back. Freshman guard Jalen Crawford, who made his first career start, drained the first of his three second-half 3-pointers to open the second-half scoring, giving the Braves their first double-digit lead of the game, 29-17. After Indiana State used a 7-0 run to pull within 29-24, Crawford sank treys on consecutive possessions to quickly push the advantage to 35-24 with 13:33 left. Indiana State point guard Jake Odum posted a double-double with 15 points and 11 rebounds, while backcourt mate Dwayne Lathan scored a team-high 16 points. R.J. Mahurin added 10 points off the ISU bench. Jordan Prosser was Bradley’s only other double-digit scorer, finishing with 11 points and a team-best nine rebounds. Bradley dished out 13 assists on its 19 baskets and ended the night with as many blocked shots (7) as turnovers. Click here for the complete game statistics.

-Bob