: The Braves, winning their ninth game in the last 11 outings (including third straight), improve to 20-14. The marks the 27th time in school history Bradley has won 20 or more games in a season, including the second straight under coach
. Bradley improves its MVC Tournament record to 35-37, including a 3-4 record in the championship games and a 3-3 tourney record against UNI.
BRADLEY NOTES: Luqman Lundy (6'3''-G-96) had career highs in rebounds with 8 and points with 11 (tied), all in the second half. Childs with 16,
Dwayne Lautier-Ogunleye (6'4''-G-96) with 13 and Lundy with 11 were the top Bradley scorers in the game. The trio combined for 34 of Bradley's 42 points in the second half.
Elijah Childs (6'7''-F-99) had three blocks, marking his fifth game this season with three or more.
UNI NOTES: This Ben Jacobsen's first loss in six trips to the MVC title game.
AJ Green (5'11''-PG) scored 23 to lead UNI, reaching 20 or more points for the 10th time. It was the third straight MVC tourney game a UNI player scored 20-plus points, with
Wyatt Lohaus (6'2''-G-95) getting 21 and 27 in the first two games before Green's 23 today.
FIRST HALF: After Bradley got its first basket, the Panthers had a 11-0 run for a 14-2 lead on treys by
AJ Green,
Trae Berhow (6'5''-G) and Isaiah Brown in the first four minutes. UNI hit 4 of its first 6 shots while Bradley started 1 of 6. Green buried another long one at the 14:40 mark before
Darrell Brown Jr. (5'10''-PG-98) got Bradley's second basket to make it 14-4. Bradley kept going and put together a 9-0 run to cut its deficit to 14-11 midway in the half. UNI got two more treys to open a 21-13 bulge with seven minutes left. UNI expanded its edge to 25-13 by the three-minute mark of the half. Bradley was scoreless for 8:36 minutes in UNI's 11-0 run before snapping its drought on a short jumper by
Elijah Childs with 27 seconds left in the half as the Braves closed to within 27-15 at halftime. The Panthers shot .323 (10/31) in the first half, hitting 5 of 11 from three-point range, while Bradley lagged at .222 (6/27). Green led UNI with 10 points. Bradley tied the tourney mark with the fewest points in the first half of a championship game at 15.
SECOND HALF: The Panthers had a quick 5-0 run to move in front 32-17 after 90 seconds in the second half. Green's third trey made it 35-17 with 17 minutes left. At that point, UNI had hit three-pointers on seven of its 12 field goals and Bradley's
Nate Kennell (6'6''-G-97) had the Braves' only three among Bradley's seven baskets. Bradley put together an 8-0 run to close to within 38-30 at the 11:40 mark, with the Braves hitting four shots in a row. The run went to 10-0 as
Elijah Childs hit a short jumper in the lane and he then followed wit a driving layup down the left side and it was a 38-34 game before
AJ Green stopped the Bradley run with a goal. UNI got a basket from
Wyatt Lohaus but Bradley ran its field goal string to eight in a row as the pace of the game heated up. Kennell's second long trey cut the gap to 44-41 but Green hit a turnaround in the lane as UNI was in a run of four field goals made in a row. Green scored again to make it 48-41 with 6:20 to play. Bradley ran off five quick points to slice the lead to 48-46 at the 4:36 mark. Dwayne
Dwayne Lautier-Ogunleye hit a three to give Bradley its first lead of the game with
3:44 to play at 47-46 and then teams traded baskets and the lead three times in the next minute.
Dwayne Lautier-Ogunleye hit two free throws on a UNI personal foul with 1:58 left and then added two more on a technical foul in the same play to push BU ahead 53-50. Childs then hit a layup to make it 55-50. Luke McDonnell scored but missed his free throw with 1:18 left. Green cut the gap to 55-54 with 40 seconds left for UNI on a left wing jumper. Green missed a short jumper with 2.4 seconds left and the ball went out of bounds, Bradley possession. A UNI foul before the ball was inbounded sent
Dwayne Lautier-Ogunleye to the line and he made both charity tries to put Bradley in front 57-54. Lohaus missed a 30-footer ahead of the final horn to end it.
MVC Tournament Final: Bradley - UNI 57-54
MVC Tournament Semifinals:Bradley - Loyola 53-51
UNI - Drake 60-58
Courtesy of mvc-sports.com
Wardle
