'Igniting the fire': How a Bradley guard led a late rout over UIC in Valley tournament quarterfinal

ST. LOUIS — Now you see UIC, now you don't.

The Bradley Braves made University of Illinois-Chicago disappear in the second half of an Arch Madness quarterfinal Friday at Enterprise Center.

Bradley scored 37 of the first 46 to start the second half, held UIC without a field goal for the first 11:59 of the half, and turned a two-point game into a 74-47 rout before 5,813 in the 2024 Missouri Valley Conference Tournament.

On to the Arch Madness semifinals for No. 3 seed Bradley (22-10) against No. 2 Drake at 5 p.m. Saturday.UIC is gone at 12-21.

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"There was no magic adjustment … it was just more about settling in, talking a little bit better, believing and not trying to do too much," Bradley coach Brian Wardle said. "I thought our defense ignited our offense … (Connor Hickman) heated up and then Darius (Hannah) heated up, Malevy (Leons) had some good plays and then Duke (Deen) hit some shots and kind of everybody found their rhythm and comfort zone."

It was a stunning contrast to a first half in which Bradley made 11 turnovers and scratched out a 27-25 lead at the break. But UIC, which upset No. 6 seed Southern Illinois in double-overtime Thursday night, had nothing left up its sleeves as Bradley suffocated the Flames for 4 of 27 shooting from the field (14.8%) in the second half and 24.1% for the game.

UIC, a top 3-point shooting team in the league, was 3-of-24 from long range.

"I think I had four turnovers in the first half, kind of unacceptable, so I knew I had to pick up my game and everyone would follow suit," Hickman said. "So those first couple minutes were critical in igniting the fire for us."

Indeed, Hickman hit a career-high matching six 3-pointers and the Braves just took off. He drove to the rim to open the second half for 29-25 lead, then a UIC turnover followed.

But Hannah connected on a short jumper from the baseline for 31-25, another UIC turnover followed, and BU Deen knocked down a pull-up 3 from the right wing for his first points of the game at 18:12. That quick turnaround gave Bradley a 34-25 lead as Flames took a timeout.

The run continued, with Leons ripping down a rebound, and Hickman with a pull-up 3 from the left corner at the other end for 40-26 at 16:43.

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Christian Davis drove to the rim a few seconds later for an and-1 and a 43-26 lead with 15:50 left, and it was over.

"I thought they (UIC) played well (tonight) in the first half, I thought we were a little out of sync, too many turnovers, turnovers were killing us offensively, trying to do too much at times," Wardle said. "The message (at halftime) was just 'Be the best version of yourself, this is basketball, go play. Play with effort and have fun and talk and believe.'

"Connor Hickman came out in the second half with that mentality and everyone followed suit."

It was showtime

Bradley big man Hannah turned in a highlight-reel block of an attempted 3 by Jaden Brownell, freshman guard Demarion Burch put down a spectacular driving layup into traffic, and Leons had three steals, a block and a game-high 12 rebounds to help the cause.

"We pride ourselves on our defense," said Hannah, of his blocked shot. "I knew his tendencies, saw him jump and I got a piece of it and tried to take off with it, and it just lights a fire."

UIC missed 14 straight shots over the first 11:59 of the second half, finally connecting from the field on a second-chance layup by Ethan Pickett.

Slick UIC guard Isaiah Rivera, who was unstoppable in the upset of SIU and scored all eight of his team's point in the overtime Thursday night, was shut out by Bradley in the second half.

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"I saw the lead growing, but I did not know we were that good defensively to start the half," Hickman said.

The Braves got solid performances from deep into their rotation, Burch slashing to the rim, Davis hitting a pair of 3s, Atlason playing strong defense and contributing on the boards.

"I was proud of those guys for stepping up, because you need that to win this thing," Wardle said. "You need your fifth, sixth, seventh, eighth guy to really play to their strengths and be confident and aggressive."

By game's end they had cleared the bench, giving minutes to Sam Hennessy, Goanar Biliew, Kyle Thomas and Ahmet Jonovic.

Bradley vs Drake, Part III

The Braves are right where they were expected to be, facing Drake in the semifinals on Saturday.

While No. 1 Indiana State takes on No. 4 Northern Iowa, the No. 3-ranked Braves will face a No. 2 Drake team to which they lost both games this season. And there is the memory of Bradley's loss in the Arch Madness title game to Drake last spring.

"Last time I was on this podium wasn't good, it didn't feel good," Wardle said. "We got to put together a 35-40 minute game against them.

"They are very good, they don't beat themselves … we can't have 11 turnovers against them, I know that for sure."

Said Leons: "All the hard work we put in this year comes back to this moment. We got to put it all out there tomorrow."

They said it

• Bradley guard Connor Hickman, who played in that big loss to Drake in the Arch Madness title game last year: "It wasn't a good feeling being out there in that game last year and it wasn't a good feeling sitting up here reminiscing about it up here. I've definitely been thinking about it this whole year. It's an opportunity tomorrow to redeem ourselves."

• UIC coach Luke Yaklich: "We talked at halftime that the first 8 minutes of the second half are going to be the most physical part of the game, and we did not respond to their physicality."

• Yaklich: "Obviously, they are as solid a defensive team as we have in our league. They defend all five positions, and when you do get a perceived mismatch, their help and recovery is outstanding. Their length does affect you at the rim. You have to play slow in the paint after you stop, and it's hard to be going downhill and then stop and take the time to spray the ball."

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Bravely Speaking

The Braves have reached the semifinals for the 23rd time, and fourth time in six years. ... No. 1 Indiana State, No. 2 Drake, No. 3 Bradley and No. 4 Northern Iowa all advanced to the semifinals, marking the 22nd time in Valley tournament history the top four all made it through. ... UIC's 14.8% shooting in the second half was the second-lowest effort in a half in tournament history. ... Bradley pounded the boards to a 47-28 advantage over UIC. ... BU shot 12-of-23 from 3-point range (52%). ... Connor Hickman had a game-high 20 points for Bradley, including 6-of-9 from 3. He had 5 rebounds but also had 4 turnovers in the first half. ... Malevy Leons had 9 points and a game-high 12 rebounds. The two-time MVC Defensive MVP had a block and three steals, and also had five turnovers. ... Darius Hannah had 11 points, seven rebounds and four blocks. ... Demarion Burch and Duke Deen each had 10 points, the latter after going scoreless in the first half. ... Bradley lost to Drake this season at home, 74-67, and on the road, 74-66, 22 days apart. The Braves lost to Drake in the MVC tournament title game last spring, 77-51.

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 X.com @icetimecleve.

Follow along here for live updates from the game:

FINAL: Bradley 74, UIC 47

Bradley 62, UIC 36

10:15 p.m.: The Braves added consecutive 3s from Deen and Hickman for 62-34 before UIC finally got its first field goal of the second half.

The Flames got that on a layup from Ethan Pickett 11 minutes and 59 seconds into the half.

That left Bradley with a 35-11 second-half run as the under-8 break arrived.

The Flames are doused

10:05 p.m.: UIC had no field goals in the half -- eight minutes into it -- with four free throws their only production.

The Braves continued to bury them, taking a 25-4 run in the half to a 52-29 lead on a spectacular layup by Demarion Burch with 12:18 left.

Braves rolling

9:45 p.m.: Hickman drove to the rim to open the second half for 29-25 lead, then a UIC turnover, and Hickman breakaway layup was fouled. He went to the line and missed both, however.

But Hannah connected on a short jumper from the baseline for 31-25, another UIC turnovers followed, and BU guard Duke Deen knocked down a pull-up 3 from the right wing for his first points of game at 18:12.

That quick turnaround gave Bradley a 34-25 lead as Flames took a timeout.

The run continued, with Leons ripping down a rebound, and Hickman with a pull-up 3 from the left corner at the other end for 40-26 at 16:43.

Christian Davis drove to the rim a few seconds later for an and-1 and a 43-26 lead with 15:50 left.

HALFTIME: Bradley 27, UIC 25

9:25 p.m.: The Braves held for the last shot of the half, but Hannah bobbles a pass into the paint from Hickman, it became Bradley's 11th turnover of the half, and Okani went the other way for a dunk at the buzzer to cut BU's lead to 27-25 at the break.

Braves turnovers

9:23 p.m.: Bradley having some turnover issues in the first half, with nine -- including four by Malevy Leons -- in the first 17:30.

Leons hit a wide open 3 from the left corner for 27-23 at 2:08 left, then BU made two defensive stops, got an offensive rebound from Leons, but couldn't tack on as a 10th turnover followed the sequence.

UIC whittling away

9:14 p.m.: Demarion Burch finished a drive to the rim 24-19 at 4:35. UIC got a layup in traffic from Toby Okani to cut BU's lead to 24-21 as the under 4 break arrived.

Braves sitting up 5

9:06 p.m.: Bradley got a layin from Connor Linke for a 20-14 lead at 10:37. The Braves did not score again over the next 2:40 -- UIC added only a free throw -- as the under 8 break arrived.

Darius Hannah imposes his will

8:51 p.m.:

Bradley up by 1

8:45 p.m.: CJ Jones drive to rim blocked by Bradley's Darius Hannah on UIC's first possession.

Malevy Leons dunk 17:42 for BU's first points cutting to 4-2.

Leons blocks Toby Okani at rim, play turns other way and Connor Hickman nails corner 3 for 5-4 lead at 16:22.

Starting lineups

8:34 p.m.: Bradley opens with Duke Deen and Connor Hickman at guard, and forwards Malevy Leons, Darius Hannah and Almar Atlason.

UIC rolls with forward Filip Skobalj and four guards in CJ Jones, Isaiah Rivera, Ethan Pickett and Toby Okani.

Painful outcome for Southern Illinois

7:34 p.m.: The Salukis came into Arch Madness as the No. 6 seed and faced No. 1 UIC -- a team that won four conference games all season -- in the first round Thursday night.

UIC pulled off an upset in double-overtime. On Friday afternoon, a few hours after that game knocked SIU out of the tournament, Salukis head coach Bryan Mullins was fired.

Mullins -- who is in the SIU Hall of Fame -- was at the helm for five seasons, and last week finished third in the Valley coach of the year voting.