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A red-hot Bradley Braves (21-8, 16-11-1 ATS, 14-4 MVC) squad will try to keep the good times rolling when they take on the Valparaiso Beacons (11-18, 11-17-0 ATS, 5-13 MVC) for the second time this year. Game one wasn't close, with Bradley taking a 25-point lead into halftime and turning it into a 88-66 victory. That game was Bradley's fourth consecutive win over Valpo. They'll have a chance to make it five on the road when they are in Valpo's Athletics-Recreation Center. Tipoff is set for 7:00 p.m. EST.
Streaking to the top of the Missouri Valley Conference, the Bradley Braves won a huge game over Southern Illinois on Sunday to maintain their share of the top spot. It was a tight, defensive affair, but a four-point play from Rienk Mast with 20 seconds left secured the lead and a 50-48 win. Along with 13 points, Mast added seven boards and five assists, all team-highs.
HE IS HIM pic.twitter.com/ByNNe87DgF
— Bradley Basketball (@BradleyUMBB) February 19, 2023
Mast is the leading scorer for a Bradley team putting up 71.3 points a night, fourth in the MVC despite a slow tempo. It helps that they shoot 46.4% from the floor, also fourth in the conference, and 36.9% from beyond the arc, third in the MVC. Bradley has the best rebounding differential per game in the conference at 3.7.
While the offense is efficient, defense is the Braves' calling card. They only allow 61.2 points per game on 39.8% shooting, two top-20 numbers nationally. Foes shoot 31.0% on threes against them, 48th in the nation. Over the past five games, they're only allowing 56.0 points per game on 37.6% shooting and 27.7% from three.
Taking care of business against Valpo will force Bradley's final game of the season to be for the conference crown outright. That game is at home against Drake, with whom they're tied for first. Bradley is 79th in the country according to KenPom, trailing only Drake (76) among MVC schools. The Braves are in an excellent position to earn the MVC's automatic NCAA Tournament bid.
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