'Unbelievable': How Bradley dodged tying shot at buzzer to beat SIU-E
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The Bradley Braves got help from the basketball gods in dodging a miraculous shot at the buzzer that would have tied the game had it counted Tuesday at First Community Arena in Edwardsville.
Bradley rallied from an eight-point deficit at halftime to escape Southern Illinois University-Edwardsville, 56-54, in a tough road game that came down to the final second.
The Braves defense shut down the Cougars in the second half − holding them to 30% shooting − while BU made four 3s, and won the game on the boards (39-27 overall, 12-2 offensive).
"What a game. Just a great college basketball game," said Bradley head coach Brian Wardle, whose team completed a two-game series sweep over the Cougars and his former Marquette teammate, Brian Barone, now head coach at SIU-E. "When I scheduled this series it was out of great friendship that Brian Barone and I have. I knew he'd have his program on the up and up.
"What we played tonight was a contending team in the Ohio Valley Conference. They are good. Long, aggressive, two really good guards. We didn't play our best at all, especially offensively, but they did some of that to us, they made us rush some shots.
"But our defense and rebounding won us the game. That's what got us the lead in the second half."
Live stats: Bradley at SIU-E | Standings: Missouri Valley Conference
But oh, that finish.
Bradley guard Connor Hickman made a free throw with 1.2 seconds left for BU's final point -- the team didn't have a field goal in the last 2:52. He missed the second free throw and SIU-E got the rebound and timeout with :00.6 left in the game.
That set up an SIU-E inbounds play under the basket with the length of the floor to go. BU forward Darius Hannah defended the ball against Shamar Wright on the baseline while the rest of the players set up at the other end of the floor.
"He's a lefty so I tried to shade his left hand," Hannah said. "I did make him throw it a little bit high. Once it got down there … my mind was just everywhere. I was hoping we'd tip it and the clock would run out."
It was tipped in traffic at the free throw line. SIU-E guard Ray'Sean Taylor flashed right-to-left across the free throw line and flipped a no-look shot toward the basket.
"I knew he was going to make it," Bradley guard Duke Deen said, a trace of a smile as he shook his head. "It was just a feeling. I've been in a lot of games like this and it just always finds a way to go in. College basketball is crazy.
"But I didn't think it was good. It got tipped … and they well … handled the clock a little bit, too. But I knew it wasn't good."
It was close. Close enough that officials went to the table to review replays before upholding their initial no-basket call on the floor.
"I saw we tipped it so I thought the game was over," Wardle said. "All I told our guys was 'Tip the ball away from the rim, then they can't score.'
"We tipped it -- and then he (Wright) comes in and just throws it backwards and it goes in. It was unbelievable.
"But I was pretty confident, because of that tip, that .6 seconds on that clock was going to be zero quick."
SIU-E went from chaotic celebration on the floor to lining up for handshakes, heartbroken. Bradley: Equal parts relief and respect.
Here's the end of that Bradley 56-54 win at SIU-E, with the near tying shot at the buzzer by SIU-E. It was ruled too late. Camera operator was asleep on the initial view, but there are multiple other looks at it so watch all the way thru. pic.twitter.com/PQkoWUUoWk
— Dave Eminian (@icetimecleve) December 7, 2022
The coaches talked
In the aftermath, Wardle and Barone lingered at midcourt and embraced, and talked.
"I love you," Wardle told Barone. "You're a brother of mine.' "
Still processing it all, Wardle added later: "This is a lifelong memory. A lot of people avoid playing friends, I've never believed in that. If that's going to hurt your friendship then it's not a true friendship.
"This is a memory for me and him, we'll always remember this game, this battle."
Down 8, and a halftime message
The Braves shot 37% from the field and were 3 of 13 from 3-point range in the first half, falling behind 33-25 at the break.
They had a bucket lead briefly, but SIU-E responded with a 10-0 run over a span of 2:43 that included a layup and a jumper from Shamar Wright and a 3 from Damarco Minor with 6:24 left.
BU players talked to each other in the locker room during the break.
"Coach was just eavesdropping on us -- he usually doesn't do that," Deen said. "Me, Rienk (Mast) and Malevy (Leons) didn't say anything, weren't talking. Coach then just came in there and lit the three of us up. And just walked out.
"Just … walked out."
They got the message.
Bradley charged out of halftime with a 12-0 run to a 37-33 lead.
Hickman drove straight down the lane to the rim at 13:11 for 39-38, and then Ville Tahvanainen drained a corner 3 at 12:29 for 42-38 lead.
Mast hit a 3 for a 45-40 lead at 11:10 left.
Leons drove into traffic and put in a reverse layup for 51-48 lead with 4:21 left.
Cougars guard Shamar Wright put in six points over the final 5:37. His layup with 7.3 seconds left closed to within 55-54.
Then Bradley, on the ensuing inbounds play, saw guard Ville Tahvanainen nearly throw the ball away. A scramble was triggered from his errant pass and Hickman was fouled.
Hickman made that first free throw and the crazy finish was next up.
"We have to learn a lot from this game," Wardle said. "I didn't like our leadership in the first half. I didn't like the turnovers (18) in this game, a huge problem again. Our execution on the baseline to inbounds the ball … was awful. It wasn't at all what we wanted or what I drew up.
"There's a lot we got to get better at. But we found a way to win without shooting the ball well, with turning it over, with missing free throws. Defense can travel. And it traveled well and got us a win."
Welcome back
Bradley wing Zek Montgomery shed the cast on his shooting wrist and jumped back into the lineup after a six-game, 21-day absence from a fractured wrist.
He had one point, three rebounds and three assists in 15 minutes and deepened an already-intimidating group of Bradley forwards.
"Excited to get him back and see him go full now," Wardle said. "As soon as he got cleared he wanted to play. He's a hooper.
"He made some great reads, great passes. A little rusty but he'll catch up."
In the huddle
● Bradley head coach Brian Wardle, on center-forward Darius Hannah, who had 12 points, 4 rebounds, 2 steals and a block in 23 minutes:
"Darius was huge. Malevy (Leons) has had a few games where he hasn't found his rythm. You have to let the game come to you. This game and this arena had us pressing and doing things we're not used to doing. When you're doing things on the court that we don't practice, ever, that's usually a bad sign. Darius Hannah was by far our MVP, he made big plays, blocks."
● Bradley point guard Duke Deen:
"It's always tough on the road. You might play well, but hostile environment, shots aren't falling, it's basketball. But we always say, 'Defense travels'. You can keep that consistent and stop them from scoring and that's what we did in the second half."
● Deen, on the impact of the close call with SIE-E:
"A close win like this builds your confidence. Once our offense gets going we'll be scary."
● Wardle, reflecting on his team:
"I'm proud of our team. We had a tough Saturday road game, big win, turn around and we're right back in a hotel room and playing a very good team in SIU-E in their home and we found a way to win.
"We didn't (talk to each enough) in the first half tonight. The second half, we did. It was like a whole new team."
Bravely Speaking
Bradley is 7-3 and remains in a tie for the top spot in the Missouri Valley Conference. … SIU-E had a six-game win streak snapped and is 7-3. … Bradley's 56-54 win marked the first game the Braves have played this season with less than a 10-point margin. … BU guard Connor Hickman was 2 of 4 from 3-point range and now has 50 made 3s in his career. … Bradley got 12 points each from Hickman, Rienk Mast (game-high 8 rebounds), and Darius Hannah. BU point guard Duke Deen had 6 points and 4 assists. … SIU-E got 11 points each from Shamar Wright and Jalen Hodge. … The Braves have 11 days off now, then resume with a Dec. 17 game at No. 11 Arkansas.
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. Reach him at 686-3206 or deminian@pjstar.com. Follow him on Twitter @icetimecleve.
FINAL: Bradley 56, SIU-E 54
Bradley up 1 with 7.3 seconds to go
8:56 p.m.: Shamar Wright with a layup with 6 seconds left to cut Bradley's lead to 55-54. BU ball.
Down to 42 seconds
8:49 p.m.: Bradley takes a timeout, with the ball, holding 55-52 lead. BU can't get a shot off in time, and it's a shot clock violation. SIU-E ball with 25.7 seconds left.
Mast dunks it
8:44 p.m.: Bradley turnover by Duke Deen, but Braves block a shot at the other end, regain possession and get a dunk from Rienk Mast for 53-50 with 2:17 left.
Malevy Leons slick 2
8:37 p.m.: Bradley forward Malevy Leons with a drive into traffic and finish with a slick reverse layup for a 51-48 lead with 4:21 left.
BU had a stop, and chance for more, but turned it over on a travel call.
Hitting some 3s
8:30 p.m.: Braves 50% from field in second half and 4 of 8 from 3 to build a 49-44 lead with 7:13 left.
Braves trading shots
8:22 p.m.: Bradley gets a drive down the lane from Connor Hickman, then a stop, then a corner 3 from Ville Tahvanainen to lead 42-38 with 12:29 left in the second half.
Here come the Braves
8:10 p.m.: Bradley on a monster run, 12-0, to open the second half and surge into a 37-33 lead.
HALFTIME: SIU-E 33, Bradley 25
7:45 p.m.: The Cougars got a layup from Ray'Sean Taylor with 4 seconds left in the half. Bradley's Zek Montgomery had a 3 at the buzzer blocked.
Bradley shot just 37% in the half, including 3 of 13 from 3-point range. SIU-E shot 54% from the field and made six 3s.
Connor Hickman and Darius Hannah each with six points. Zek Montgomery with a game-high 3 assists in eight minutes. Rienk Mast with game-high five rebounds.
BU has 11 turnovers in the first half.
SIU-E got game-high 7 points from Lamar Wright.
Braves battling
7:39 p.m.: Bradley got a dunk from Darius Hannah to close within 31-24. But BU missed 3 shots (two from 3-point range) and had a Pop Weathers turnover in succession after that over a span of 2:28 as the clock went under a minute left.
SIU-E on a run
7:30 p.m.: Bradley trailed most of the first 10 minutes of the opening half before Rienk Mast pulled down an offensive rebound and set up Connor Hickman for a 3 that tied the game at 18.
Bradley rallied to its first lead, 20-18, on a stepback jumper from Duke Deen on the next possession.
But SIU-E responded with a 10-0 run over a span of 2:43 that included layup and a jumper from Shamar Wright and a 3 from Damarco Minor with 6:24 left.
Welcome back Zek
7:12 p.m.: Zek Montgomery, who was Bradley's starting wing before suffering a broken wrist on his shooting side, checks in for Malevy Leons with 15:32 left in the first half. It's his return to action after missing six games over 21 days.
Starting lineups
7 p.m.: The Braves roll with guards Duke Deen and Connor Hickman, center Rienk Mast and forwards Darius Hannah and Malevy Leons.
SIU-E counters with guards Damarco Minor, Shamar Wright and Ray'Sean Taylor, with center Jon Kurtas and forward Lamar Wright.
Other Bradley basketball stories
'This was sweet': How Bradley basketball crushed Missouri State in its road opener
'Heat check': How little Duke Deen led Bradley to big win over Northern Iowa
'I'm heartbroken': How Bradley Braves won a game, but lost a beloved player
Darius Hannah: Bradley Braves man in the middle has found a basketball family
This article originally appeared on Journal Star: College basketball: Bradley wins road game with 'unbelievable' finish
