Despite 20 points by Missouri Valley Conference scoring leader
Tarise Bryson, Illinois State fell to Bradley 64-52 Wednesday in a Missouri Valley Conference game.
The Redbirds, 18-7 overall, 10-6 in the Valley, fell behind early and never caught up, as a stingy Bradley defense held the Birds to their lowest point total of the season (No. 5-ranked Kansas limited the Birds to 61 at Kansas early in the season).
But ISUs defensive play concerned head coach
Tom Richardson the most as his team lost back-to-back games for the first time all season.
Weve been so poor defensively, said Richardson. Weve been shell-shocked, but we should bounce back.
With Bryson the only Redbird player scoring in double figures, Richardson wants more players to contribute.
Adversity has hit our team for the first time this season, but we have our best opportunities ahead, said Richardson, whose team has two more regular-season games left--Saturday at Northern Iowa and Monday vs. Wichita State in Redbird Arena. We need more guys to play defense and more to step up.
The Braves, 16-9, 11-5, had offensive balance. They were Jerome Robinson with 15, Phillip Gilbert with 13 and Jeffrey Rabey with 10 points and five blocked shots. With the win, Bradley nearly reversed an 81-62 drubbing in Redbird Arena two weeks earlier.
Bradley built a 14-5 lead in the first six minutes with Gilbert scoring five of those. BU never led by less than five the rest of the half, taking a 33-23 advantage to intermission--the 23 points ISUs smallest halftime score this season.
Robinson picked up two three-pointers and buried three free throws during an 11-2 run early in the second half which took the Bradley lead to 17 at 48-31. After that, ISU never got closer than 13 until the final minute.
Bradley had just eight turnovers and out-shot the Birds 47 percent to 36 percent for the game.
