'Relief': How Bradley basketball rallied to beat rival Illinois State in OT

PEORIA — If you can't play the way you want to, play the way you have to.

That's how the Bradley Braves won their War on 74 duel with Illinois State on Wednesday, a 79-75 comeback over the Redbirds that produced moments and numbers at times for which there were no words.

Although Bradley coach Brian Wardle had one word to sum up a night in which 6,046 stood at Carver Arena through the final 4:30 of regulation and all of overtime as the Braves desperately clawed back from 10 points down to force overtime and eventually win it.

"Relief," Wardle said.

Box score:Illinois State at Bradley | Preview: ISU at Bradley | Standings:MVC

Bradley, dressed in its script uniforms, struggled with mistakes and frustration for nearly 30 minutes — then wrote heroes roles down the stretch for wing Zek Montgomery, forward Malevy Leons and guard Connor Hickman to produce a cliffhanger ending that kept the crowd on its feet and got the team into the win column.

The Braves, a Missouri Valley rebounding powerhouse with a league-best 36.2 boards per game, somehow had seven rebounds at halftime. SEVEN. Illinois State had 18 at that point and went on to out-board BU 44-25.

The Braves shot 28% from 3-point range and went 18-of-32 from the free throw line. Illinois State had 24 turnovers and shot 25% from 3.

Leons had three blocks and four steals to keep building a case for Valley Defensive Player of the Year.

And the Braves — for all their trouble at the free throw line — saved the game there in regulation on a couple of cold-blooded shots from Montgomery and then won it there in OT.

"Well, good teams got to find ways to win games when they don't have it, when they have an off night," Wardle said. "And we definitely had that tonight. Just never really in rhythm, never in sync. Guys were struggling individually, missing a lot of free throws, missing some easy shots.

"We stuck together, battled through a lot of adversity through the game. I'm proud of our guys because we haven't had a chance to win these grind-it-out games on nights we don't have it."

Icing the kicker

ISU took a 68-67 lead with 1:21 left in regulation when Malachi Poindexter sank a 3.

Rienk Mast and Duke Deen missed shots with 47 seconds left, ISU's Seneca Knight turned it over and Mast went to the free throw line for two shots with 16 seconds left. He missed both of them, and the Braves put Liam McChesney on the line with 14 seconds left.

The 6-foot-10 ISU center split them for a 69-67 lead.

Leons raked in the rebound on McChesney's missed second free throw, and Bradley had one more chance.

Montgomery was fouled by Luke Kasubke with 3.8 seconds left while attempting a 3 from above the arc. He missed the first one. Then he made the second one to bring Bradley within 69-68. Before he could shoot the third, ISU took a timeout.

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"They tried to ice me," Montgomery said. "I kept my composure. Last game (he lost the ball in final seconds against Belmont) I messed up. This game I just kept my head on, didn't let anyone faze me.

"We knew coming into this game it was going to be a battle. I don't want to imagine losing this game. Let's just keep it this way."

Woosh. Montgomery made it and the Braves pushed the game to overtime.

"I'm so happy he made those free throws," Leons said. "This rivalry, it's always going to be a close game. We were thinking, 'We can not lose at home, not two in a row.'

"Had to dig this one out."

Working overtime

Illinois State got the first four points of overtime, but Bradley closed the game on a 10-2 run over the final 2:16.

Mast started them back with a hook, and then Hickman's moment arrived as he hit a 3 from above the arc with 59 seconds left for a 75-73 lead, turned down court, and let out an emotional scream.

"It was a war," Illinois State first-year coach Ryan Pedon said later, nailing the intensity level of this battle. "Everything I expected."

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The rest of the overtime was settled at the free throw line for the Braves, three from Leons and one from Deen. This time, it was Leons who put it away with a pair of free throws with 3 seconds left.

"I feel like at the end there we started to step up, give max effort and get the job done," Leons said.

He got it done with a double-double on 16 points and 11 rebounds, plus four steals and three blocked shots and 7-of-9 from the free throw line in 42 minutes.

The Braves met at center court to celebrate when the overtime horn signaled a cease-fire, until these two teams meet again in Normal on Feb. 8.

"We got closer together," Montgomery said. "When you're struggling on offense you have to get tougher with your defense and rely on each other. That crowd in those final minutes, it was an amazing feeling. Pumped us up.

"Adversity. You face it and you have to get it done."

A winning note for Henry

Bradley fifth-year forward Ja'Shon Henry moved into the starting lineup — replacing Darius Hannah — for the final home game of his career in the Illinois State series.

"Always a super-fun game to play in," Henry said. "From the day I stepped on campus I heard about what a big-time game it was. It's always been a battle and I've loved playing in it."

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Henry took it to the Redbirds early on, and produced 11 points, with a pair of boards, a block and a steal in 24 minutes. During his BU career, Bradley is 6-3 against Illinois State and 4-1 at home.

"I'm proud of our guys, the adversity we faced when the ball wasn't falling for us," Henry said. "I've experienced every feeling there is, playing in these games."

On the brink

The first half had those surprising statistics and an odd ending.

Leons had a steal and dunk, Hannah dunked and then Montgomery had a steal and a windmill dunk for a 36-36 tie with 3.5 seconds left.

Then Henry fouled Poindexter as he tried a 3 before the buzzer. It was a really soft foul call — Poindexter appeared to slip down on the play — and Bradley was hit with a bench technical when officials saw a BU staff member on the bench point to the scoreboard at a replay. Wardle and his Bradley staff had no verbal exchanges with officials during that sequence.

That put Poindexter — who brought in a free throw shooting streak intact at 32 straight — on the line for five free throws with 1 second left in the half. He missed the first one — snapping his streak — but made the next four and Illinois State went to halftime with a 40-36 lead as the crowd really gave it to the officials.

"They were pounding us on the glass and that doesn't happen to us much, ever, really," Wardle said. "We had some momentum, and then something out of our control happened and we lost all of it. It was out of our control so we had to stay together at halftime."

Wardle said he pushed Mast and guards Deen and Hickman for more at halftime.

"We needed them to play better," Wardle said. "Our guards had to play better, I didn't think they played very well in the first half, they got driven a lot, gave up a lot of points, didn't really make any shots — our forwards were doing all the scoring.

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"In that second half, Duke made some big shots to get the building going and get the momentum back. And then Connor had a huge 3 in overtime."

The Braves were down 55-45 with 10:41 left, and huddled around Wardle.

"There was no panic because so much time was left," Wardle said. "We knew we were starting to guard better, we just weren't getting to loose balls. Just had to turn our effort up a little better and make some shots.

"You have to find ways to win and we did that. Make key plays at key moments. We didn't do that against Belmont. We did it tonight, though."

They got a combined 19 points in the second half from Deen and Hickman. From that 10:31 mark and through the end of the game, Bradley out-rebounded Illinois State, 19-15.

"A rivalry game, it's always going to be hard," Leons said. "We had to dig it out. It's a win.

"Ugly. But it's a win."

In the huddle

• Bradley coach Brian Wardle: "I give Illinois State credit, they played well on the road, they killed us on the glass — they played big — and we didn't match their toughness until probably the last 10 minutes of the second half and overtime. We missed free throws and some layups and open 3s, just could never get it going … We definitely got in our heads tonight. We battled and fought and made some big plays and found a way to win."

• Illinois State coach Ryan Pedon, after his first game in the Braves-Redbirds long rivalry: "I wanted to win this, bad. I stepped into this job knowing what this rivalry meant. Two very proud fanbases that have a healthy respect for each other, and a dislike, too."

• Wardle, on ISU 6-foot-7 guard Seneca Knight, who had a game-high 19 points: "We knew Knight was a problem, just his ability to back people down, shoot his fadeaways. ISU is a scary team, because if they shoot the 3 just a little bit better … they are going to win some games, just hopefully not against us."

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• Wardle, taking it all in as he prepared to head into his post-game routine: "You enjoy these games as a coach, going back and watching film — I'll be hard on myself as a coach. Things I want to see if I should have done differently, things I'll check to see if I remembered to do."

Bravely Speaking

Bradley improved to 14-8 overall and 7-4 in the Valley. Illinois State is 8-14 (3-8). … The Braves remain in fourth place in the Valley race, tied with Missouri State and Drake. Both opponents come to Carver Arena down the stretch. … Bradley backed Malevy Leons' double-double with 14 points from guard Duke Deen (3 of 9 from 3), while Rienk Mast had 13 points (5 rebounds), Connor Hickman had nine points and 4 assists, and Zek Montgomery had 10. … Illinois State got 19 from Seneca Knight, while Kendall Lewis had a double-double on 16 points and 12 rebounds and Malachi Poindexter added 15 points. … Bradley shot 56.3% from the free throw line, 28% from 3 and was out-rebounded 44-25 and still won it in OT. … The Braves feasted on 24 ISU turnovers for a 23-7 edge in points off turnovers. … Bradley forward Christian Davis, back from an ankle injury that had sidelined him since the Jan. 7 Valparaiso game, made an appearance for 1:25. … Bradley forwards Ja'Shon Henry and Rienk Mast each played down the stretch with 4 fouls. Illinois State's Liam McCheney, Luke Kasubke, Darius Burford and Harouna Sissoko all had 4 fouls and Seneca Knight fouled out. ... Bradley finishes out the week with a 2 p.m. road game against UIC in Credit Union 1 Arena in Chicago.

Dave Eminian is the Journal Star sports columnist, and covers Bradley men's basketball, the Rivermen and Chiefs. He writes the Cleve In The Eve sports column for pjstar.com. He can be reached at 686-3206 or deminian@pjstar.com. Follow him on Twitter @icetimecleve.

FINAL: Bradley 79, Illinois State 75 (OT)

9:37 p.m.: The Braves finish it with a 3 from Connor Hickman and four free throws (one by Duke Deen, 3 by Malevy Leons) in a 10-2 run in OT.

Heading to overtime

9:17 p.m.: Mast misses both FT with 16.3 left, down 68-67.

ISU McChesney fouled immediately, Makes one. 69-67.

Zek Montgomery fouled from 3 with 3.8 left. He misses the first one, makes the other two, and sends Bradley to overtime with ISU 69-69.

Henry and Mast each with 4 fouls. Burford, McChesney and Sissoko all with 4 fouls for ISU.

All tied up

9:02 p.m.: Connor Hickman hits a 3 from above the key and Leons adds two free throws. It's 65-65 with 1:51 left. Crowd standing.

Bradley rallying

8:54 p.m.: Deen hit a 3 off that timeout to close within 58-52.

They force a turnover, crowd standing, imploring a comeback.

Mast backs his way in, spins and hooks in for 58-54 with 6:20 left.

But Seneca Knight fouled from 3. He makes all 3. ISU 61-54.

Mast then bangs his way in, turns and left-hand hook from baseline 61-56 at 5:02.

Then Mast again, back to the rim, backing his way in, turn and right-hand hook from the baseline and-1 with 4:26 left. Misses FT. Bradley trails 61-58 as the under 4 media break arrives.

Illinois State rolling by 9

8:45 p.m.: Ja'Shon Henry hit with his fourth foul midway through second half and has to sit.

Duke Deen hits a 3 off a turnover to close 56-49 with 9:40 left in game.

But Kasubke answers with a layup and Illinois State takes a 58-49 lead as Bradley calls timeout with 8:23 left.

Just ... can't ... get it

8:36 p.m.: The Braves forced a desperation shot from the corner by Colton Sandage as the shot clock ran out for Illinois State, but the Redbirds' Kendall Lewis grabbed the rebound under the rim and put it in for 51-54 at 11:49.

Illinois State with 29-11 rebounding edge.

Illinois State 49, Bradley 45

8:31 p.m.: Malevy Leons with a steal -- he has four steals and two blocks in the game -- then goes to the other end and buries a 3 to pull the Braves within 49-45 at 12:17. Timeout, Illinois State.

Leons playing D

8:23 p.m.: Bradley forward Malevy Leons blocks a shot at the rim from Seneca Knight -- his fourth block of the game -- but the ball kicks out to the wing and McChesney buries a 3 for a 45-40 lead.

Then Duke Deen missed a 3 -- Bradley is 2 of 10 from long range -- and McChesney comes back down for a drive to the rim and 47-40 lead as the media break arrives at 16:00 left.

HALFTIME: Illinois State 40, Bradley 36

8:07 p.m.: The Braves have 7 rebounds in the first half. SEVEN. They were out-boarded 18-7 by Illinois State.

The Redbirds also hurt the Braves at the free throw line, where Bradley made just 4 of 10 while Illinois State hit 14 of 16.

Ja'Shon Henry led BU with 9 points. Malevy Leons had 7. Illinois State got 11 points each from Seneca Knight and Luke Kasubke.

A big moment at 3.8 left

8:01 p.m.: Crazy turn in the final 3.8 seconds of the half. Henry fouled Poindexter as he tried a 3 with one second left before the buzzer.

It was a soft foul call, and officials hit Bradley with bench technical on top of it.

That put Poindexter -- who had a free throw shooting streak intact at 32 straight -- on the line for five free throws with 1 second left in the half.

He missed the first one -- snapping his streak -- but made the next four and Illinois State went to halftime with a 40-36 lead as the crowd really gave it to the officials.

Dunk show

7:48 p.m.: The Braves slipped behind by four, but started building momentum in the final 76 seconds of the half.

Malevy Leons had a steal and dunk to pull BU within 34-32 with 1:16 left.

Then Darius Hannah dunked with 30 seconds left to pull within 36-34.

Zek Montgomery had a steal and ignited the crows with a windmill dunk for a 36-36 tie with 3.5 seconds left.

Henry rolls

7:42 p.m.: Ja'Shon Henry hit another jumper for a 24-19 lead with 7:28 left in the half. That put him on a seven-point run for the Braves over 2:30.

ISU's Kasubke 3 from left corner for 24-24 tie at 6:20.

Bradley wing Zek Montgomery answered with a corner 3 seconds later for 27-26.

Malevy Leons cut across the lane for a contested hook and BU took a 30-26 lead to the media break with 3:51 left.

Bradley 22, Illinois State 17

7:32 p.m.: Ja'Shon Henry with two straight power moves in the paint, hitting a short jumper and then a layup.

On the latter, he was fouled for an and-1, and Illinois State's Colton Sandage was whistled for a flopping technical.

Ville Tahvanainen missed the technical shot, Henry made his free throw, and BU came away with a 22-17 lead.

Henry returns

7:25 p.m.: Rienk Mast is sitting now with 2 fouls. Henry has returned to the lineup and seems fine. Bradley up 17-13 on a Darius Hannah bucket with 11:20 left.

Bradley 12, Illinois State 11

7:20 p.m.: The Braves and Illinois State play right through the under 16 media break and finally get a stoppage at 12:17. We're going to have two breaks in a span of two minutes here.

Duke Deen hits a 3 from the left wing ahead of those breaks to give Bradley a 12-11 lead.

Henry takes a hit

7:12 p.m.: Ja'Shon Henry gets the games first points in his starting role tonight. Then he heads in for a dunk on the next trip, misses it, and gets hit in the face on the rebound under the rim.

Henry bent over, hands on his face, can't continue and leaves the game 2:11 after tipoff.

Starting lineups

6:45 p.m.: Bradley rolls out guards Connor Hickman and Duke Deen, with center Rienk Mast and forward Malevy Leons. And fifth-year forward Ja'Shon Henry slides into the starting lineup for this one.

Illinois State goes with guards Luke Kasubke, Malachi Poindexter, Darius Burford and Seneca Knight, with forward Liam McChesney.