BOX SCORE

PEORIA, Ill.  – Indiana State kept pace with the homestanding Bradley Braves for most of the first 30 minutes, including a game-tying 3-pointer from Christian Williams with 10 minutes to go, but the Braves won the battle down the stretch and earned the 72-61 victory in front of 5,023 fans inside Carver Arena.
 
Indiana State fell to 14-10, 7-6 MVC while Bradley improved to 17-9, 8-5 MVC. The Braves improved to 14-1 this season on their home court.
 
Tyreke Key led the way with 15 points as he hit four 3-pointers in the contest. Tre Williams posted 13 points and recorded eight rebounds while his counterpart inside Jake LaRavia set a new career-high with 13 boards and added nine points. Jordan Barnes scored 11 points in the contest.
 
The Sycamores were limited to just 35.2 percent shooting in the contest (19-of-54). ISU did win the rebounding battle by a 35-31 margin. Bradley was 27-of-50 from the field (54.0 percent).
 
Christian Williams made it seven points in a row for the Sycamores when he drained a 3-pointer with 9:42 remaining in the second half to knot the game at 51. It marked a 12-2 spurt for the Sycamores to climb back into the contest and forced Bradley to call a timeout. Nate Kennell started the answer for the Braves with a trifecta and then Elijah Childs hit a shot with 8:34 remaining to extend their advantage out to 56-51.
 
In recording his 10^th rebound of the game with 7:15 remaining, LaRavia was fouled and hit both free throws to draw within 57-54 of the Braves. Nate Kennell answered with a 3-pointer on the next trip down the floor to stretch their cushion out to six points.
 
Danya Kingsby drilled a 3-pointer for Bradley at the end of the first possession of the game before Jake LaRavia drew a foul inside on Elijah Childs and hit a free throw as both teams scored on their first trip down the floor. Tre Williams scored inside on back-to-back possessions to draw the Sycamores within 7-5 as the clock ticked down towards the 16 minute mark.
 
Tyreke Key got into the scoring column with a 3-pointer at the top of the key with just over 12 minutes on the clock which got the Sycamores within 16-12. Cooper Neese had another look from outside to get Indiana State within three and when Key buried a trifecta in transition as the clock ticked under the 10 minute mark, Indiana State trailed just 21-18.
 
Key converted a pair of free throws and LaRavia scored inside despite being triple teamed to make it a two-point game – 24-22 – with 6:22 remaining. After the Braves countered with four in a row, Jordan Barnes drained a triple from the right wing and Tre Williams scored a tough bucket through contact inside and the Sycamores were down just 30-27 with just over two minutes on the clock. Williams scored again with 1:53 remaining but it was in answer to a Bradley bucket and Childs hit 1-of-2 at the free throw line with 39 seconds left to send the Braves to the locker room with a 33-29 lead. Tre Williams and Tyreke Key had eight points each to lead the Trees at the break.
 
LaRavia scored first for the Sycamores in the second half to answer a Bradley bucket to draw within four points. After Bradley scored on three of four possessions, Jordan Barnes made consecutive field goals just north of the 16 minute mark which trimmed the deficit down to just 42-37.
 
With 12:59 remaining, Jordan Barnes and LaRavia teamed up for an unconventional conventional 3-point play as Barnes hit the driving lay-up but was injured on the play. LaRavia stepped up and hit the charity toss as Bradley led 47-40. Key buried a 3-pointer at the 11:04 mark and then connected on a free throw to make it a one-possession game at 51-48.
 
Bradley was led in the contest by Elijah Childs with 19 points.
 
Indiana State returns to action on Sunday, February 16 as they host Missouri State at 4 pm (ET). The game will be nationally-televised on ESPNU live from Hulman Center.