Ace Hunt
GoSycamores.com
PEORIA, Ill. -- Indiana State used a pair of second half rallies to force four ties down the stretch and had a good look at a fifth with 10 seconds remaining but it was Bradley that held on for a 63-58 victory over the visiting Sycamores in front of 6,028 fans inside Carver Arena.
The Sycamores fell to 13-11, 7-5 MVC while Bradley improved to 4-21, 2-10 MVC. Indiana State had won each of the previous four meetings in the series.
Devonte Brown scored 15 points to lead Indiana State while Khristian Smith added 10. The Sycamores hit 17-of-48 from the field (35.4 percent) while Bradley drained 20-of-45 attempts (44.4 percent).
Trailing by 10 points at the half, Brenton Scott scored first for the Sycamores after the break to cut into the Braves advantage and then at the 18:37 mark Brown converted the conventional 3-point play as the Indiana State drew within 33-29. Indiana State surrendered a basket, but Brown came back with a lay-up to once again make it a four-point lead for the Braves.
Scott hit 1-of-2 free throws just under the 16 minute mark to draw the Sycamores closer at 37-34. Indiana State made it a 4-0 run at the free throw line between Smith and Brown as they got within 40-38 just north of the 13 minute mark. The Braves tallied the next seven points to stretch their lead out to nine before Smith a pair of charity tosses with 8:58 remaining to draw within 47-40.
Matt Van Scyoc drained a 3-pointer at the 8:15 mark to make it five in a row for the Sycamores and the Bradley lead was down to 47-43. Everett Clemons made it seven straight as he hit a third chance bucket off an offensive rebound as the clock ticked under eight minutes remaining to cut the Bradley lead down to 47-45. Then on Bradley's next offensive possession, Khristian Smith grabbed a loose ball on the ground and got the timeout call to preserve the steal.
Smith was fouled an hit one free throw at the 6:20 mark to put ISU down just one point. Bradley stopped an 8-0 run with a jumper, but it was Van Scyoc who was true from the corner with 5:35 remaining for a 3-pointer which knotted the score at 49. Donte Thomas came back with a conventional 3-point play with 4:28 on the clock to establish the 52-49 cushion. After Smith tallied a free throw, Clemons once again went in amongst the bigs and came down with an offensive rebound and putback to knot the contest at 52 as the clock ticked under the three minute mark.
Antoine Pittman hit two charity tosses to answer and give the Braves a two point lead. Brown answered at the 1:50 mark with a jumper just inside the arch and both teams had 54 points. Van Bree hit one free throw after being fouled in transition, but with 1:24 remaining Khristian Smith was fouled after pulling down the defensive rebound. Smith hit 1-of-2 free throws and the score was tied once again at 55.
Thomas would go on to hit two free throws with 1:01 remaining and they went ahead 57-55. The Braves would score twice more from the charity stripe, until a conventional 3-point play by Smith with 27 seconds remaining cut the Bradley lead down to 59-58. After the Braves hit two free throws to stretch their lead out to three points, Scott had a look at the basket from long distance but it feel just short with eight seconds remaining.
Brandon Murphy scored four early points for the Sycamores as he scored on two of Indiana State's first four possessions. Brenton Scott hit a leaner from just outside the paint at the 16:34 mark to get ISU within 7-6. After Bradley took a 14-11 lead, Niels Bunschoten drained a 3-pointer from the top of the key with 12:44 on the clock to knot the score and then Devonte Brown rolled home a driving lay-up following a Brandon Burnett steal to push the Sycamores ahead 16-14.
Following a Bunschoten blocked shot, Burnett scored in transition to make it seven in a row for the Sycamores and give them a four-point advantage as the clock ticked towards the 10 minute mark. Bradley scored six in a row before the Sycamores answered with three in a row by Brown to get within a point at 22-21. Just before the four minute mark, Bradley drained a 3-pointer to stretch their lead back to four points.
Murphy scored his sixth point of the game on a second chance effort with just over a minute remaining to cut the Braves advantage down to 29-23. The Braves added four points in the final minute including a lay-up at the buzzer as they took a 33-23 lead into halftime. The Sycamores were led by six points from Murphy.
Bradley had three scorers in double figures, led by Luuk Van Bree with 17 points.
Indiana State returns home to face off agianst Southern Illinois on Wednesday, February 10 inside Hulman Center. Tipoff is set for 7:00 p.m. (ET).
