Feb. 15, 2014

Box Score

PEORIA, Ill. - Bailey Farley and Molly Crosby both scored in double figures but Bradley closed the game with a 11-3 spurt to defeat Loyola, 54-49, this afternoon at Renaissance Coliseum in Peoria, Ill. The Braves improve to 6-17 (3-9 Missouri Valley), while the Ramblers slip to 9-15 (5-7 Missouri Valley).

Both teams struggled at the offensive end in the opening minutes, combining to shoot 3-for-18 from the field as Bradley held a 4-2 advantage at 15:47 mark of the first half. A layup from Ayrealle Beavers and a jumper from Troy Hambric gave the Ramblers their first lead (6-4) with 14:32 remaining. Neither team was able to gain separation until back-to-back buckets from Cate Soane brought the Rambler lead to six (15-9) with just under ten minutes to play in the half.

The Braves' offense began to awaken as the half progressed. A Leti Larma layup gave Bradley its first lead (21-19) since the early minutes with 5:05 remaining. Baskets by Hambric and Farley sent Loyola into the locker room with a 25-23 lead at halftime. Crosby led Loyola with six points in the opening 20 minutes.

Loyola stretched the lead to five points (30-25) following a Hambric free throw at the 16:59 mark of the second half. A three from Taylor Shull ignited a 7-0 Bradley run that saw the homestanding Braves surge in front, 36-32, with 11:24 remaining.

Following a split at the free throw line from Hambric, Farley drained the first of her three second half three-point shots to knot the game at 36-36 with under ten minutes to play. Kelly Frings put Bradley back in front (43-41) before Hambric drained a pair from the charity stripe and Farley buried another three to reclaim a three-point lead for Loyola (46-43) with 5:12 left in regulation.

Back-to-back buckets from Michelle Young, Bradley's leading scorer coming into the afternoon, gave the Braves a one-point lead (47-46) with 4:14 to play. Young hit on two free throws to push the margin to three (49-46) with just over three minutes remaining. Another Hambric free throw cut the deficit to two (49-47) but Bradley scored the game's next five points, coasting to its third conference victory.

Farley scored a team-high 15 points, her third-straight game in double figures. Crosby posted career-high marks in points (14) and rebounds (13) en route to her first-ever double-double performance. Spinas-Valinas finished with 13 points to pace the Bradley attack.

Loyola returns to action on Friday (Jan. 21) when it plays host to the Northern Iowa Panthers. Tip-off is slated for 7 p.m. from inside Gentile Arena.