Georgia Southern GS 5-2

Bradley BRAD 6-1

Georgia Southern GS

5-2

Final

Nov. 25, 2017

Bradley BRAD

6-1

Score By Periods
Team	1	2	F
Georgia Southern GS	28	29	57
Bradley BRAD	29	33	62

Box Score

Missouri Valley Conference

Braves Move to 6-1 after 62-57 Win over Georgia Southern

Box Score (PDF)

Game Recap: Men's Basketball | 11/25/2017 5:13:00 PM

Peoria, Ill. – In a matchup of two hot teams to start the season, the Bradley men's basketball team used a dominating defensive effort to earn a 62-57 victory against Georgia Southern on Saturday afternoon at Carver Arena. The Braves held the Eagles to more than 25 points below their season average to move to 6-1 on the year, while Georgia Southern drops to 5-2.

Sophomore Darrell Brown led the Braves with 19 points, while senior Donte Thomas also reached double figures with 10 points to go with seven rebounds.

The Braves, however, would win the game on the defensive side. Georgia Southern entered the contest averaaging 83.5 points per game but were held 26.5 below its season average. Bradley allowed the Eagles to shoot only 28.8 percent from the field with a 4-of-27 mark from 3-point range to earn the six-point victory. The Braves also held the Eagles' top two scorers – Tookie Brown and Ike Smith – to just 6-of-19 shooting and 14 total points (were averaging 32.7 combined points).

How do you celebrate a big win to move to 6-1 on the year? Here's how... #TheMovement ??????? pic.twitter.com/hha8y9ZfnQ
— Bradley Basketball (@bradleyumbb) November 26, 2017

Additionally, Bradley collected its most rebounds in 12 seasons with four players each corralling at least seven boards. Sophomore Koch Bar matched his career-best with 14 rebounds, including eight on the offensive end, while freshman Elijah Childs and sophomore Nate Kennell also collected a personal-best 11 and eight rebounds, respectively.

Offensive rhythm was difficult to come across in the first half as the teams were whistled for 27 combined fouls and shot 37 free throws. Trailing 26-20, the Braves finished the half on a 9-2 run to head into the locker room with a 29-28 edge.

The teams continued to battle it out in the second stanza before the Braves finally created some separating room. With the game tied at 34, Bradley outscored the Eagles 15-4 in just under eight minutes for its largest lead of the day, 49-38.

Georgia Southern would cut the BU lead down to three, 53-50, with just over four minutes remaining. However, Bar would extend the edge to five with a putback basket before senior JoJo McGlaston nailed a step-back jumper for a 57-50 advantage with just 1:21 remaining. The Braves would then make five free throws in the final 65 seconds to secure the victory over the previously one-loss Eagles.

Overall, Bradley finished the game with 33.9 percent shooting and held a 55-43 advantage in rebounds in the winning effort.

The Braves look to continue their strong start to the 2017-18 campaign with a home contest against Eastern Illinois on Friday. First tip at Carver Arena is scheduled for 7 p.m.

Game Notes: The Braves are 6-1 for only the third time (2004-05 and 1987-88) in the last 32 years since starting the 1985-86 season 7-0 … Bradley entered the game with the nation's 19th-ranked scoring defense (58.5 points) and have now not allowed a team to score 70 points or more in any of its first seven games for the first time since the 1947-48 season … The Braves have won the rebounding battle in all seven games this year, the team's longest streak since an eight-game during the 2005-06 season … The team's 55 total rebounds are the most for Bradley since registering 56 versus Wichita State on Dec. 30, 2005 … Bradley collected at least 50 rebounds in back-to-back games for the first time since against Louisiana-Monroe (60) and Northeastern (53) during the 2003-04 season and at least 20 offensive rebounds in back-to-back contests for the first time since 1993-94 against Chicago State (22) and DePaul (21) … The home team has won all five games in the series with Bradley holding a 4-1 edge against the Eagles.

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