Bradley controls Southern Illinois coast-to-coast for home Valley win

PEORIA — The film didn't lie.

Bradley (10-10, 4-4) roared out of the gate Saturday and never looked back, delivering a one-two punch with Rienk Mast and Terry Roberts for which Southern Illinois (10-9, 3-4) had no counter.

The Braves never trailed, and led for all but 65 seconds of the game on the way to a 70-62 victory over SIU before 3,987 at Carver Arena.

"I saw on film an opportunity to go one-on-one inside, be patient and make my moves," BU forward Rienk Mast said. "That's what I wanted to do."

Analysis: 4 big reasons Bradley took control and kept it in a win over Southern Illinois

Mast scored 20 points, mostly from the paint, and added nine rebounds while BU guard Terry Roberts drove to the rim five times on the way to 13 first-half points as BU blew out to a 17-7 opening and became just the second team this season to reach 70 points against SIU's 23rd-ranked defense.

SIU star forward Marcus Domask was held to 14 points — no 3-pointers — while guard Lance Jones' 19 points were not enough to get SIU closer than eight points in the second half.

BOX SCORE: Bradley 70, SIU 62 | STANDINGS: 2021-22 MVC race

8:52 p.m.: FINAL: Bradley 70, Southern Illinois 62

Bradley never trailed, after opening the game 11-2. Mast led the way with 20 points, 9 rebounds. Bradley just the second team all season to reach 70 points against SIU.

8:43 p.m.: Bradley in the deep stretch

Braves in control, 63-53 with 3:37 left. Rienk Mast has 19. Terry Roberts has not scored in the second half.

8:36 p.m.: Monster slam

Ari Boya with a big-time dunk to give Bradley 61-48 lead with 6:57 left. He has six points off the bench.

8:35 p.m.: Bradley extends lead to 13

Braves get a dunk from Boya and a 3 from Ville Tahvanainen for a 59-46 lead with 8:21 left.

8:33 p.m.: Bradley maintains 11-point lead

Ari Boya came in for Rienk Mast's rest at 13:30 and it was a key three minutes as Bradley preserved its 11-point lead while the 7-foot-1 center grabbed four rebounds, and finished a layup against two turnovers.

Mast came back in with Bradley leading 52-41 at 10:34 left.

8:13 p.m.: Bradley opens 12-point lead

Braves come barreling out in the second half on a 10-2 run with layups from Mast and Connor Hickman (and-1), and a 3 from Malevy Leons to jump out to a 48-36 led in the first four minutes.

It's 48-37 now at the media break with 15:43 left.

8:04 p.m.: Halftime with Bradley head coach Brian Wardle

7:54 p.m.: HALFTIME: Bradley 38, SIU 34

SIU brought Filewich into the game after Bradley dominated inside in the first few minutes, and the game in the paint leveled out, with SIU holding a 22-18 points advantage at the break.

Terry Roberts with 13 at the half, Rienk Mast with 11 plus 6 rebounds and Ville Tahvanainen with 10 as Bradley shot 54.8% from the field.

Head coach Brian Wardle wants more from his defense, though, as SIU shot 54.5% to get back in the game. Salukis guard Lance Jones with 14 at the half.

7:30 p.m.: Roberts owns the inside

BU guard Terry Roberts drives to the rim twice in 36 seconds for a 29-24 lead at the 7:04 break. Roberts with 11 now, on a 3-pointer and four drives to the rim.

7:21 p.m.: SIU gets back in it.

Lance Jones with 7 points for SIU to cut a 17-7 Bradley lead down to 22-18 at the media break with 11:04 left.

Rienk Mast and Terry Roberts each with 7 for Bradley.

7:08 p.m.: Bradley off to big start

The Braves off to 11-2 start and force an SIU timeout just 3:25 into the game as they pound inside against the smaller Salukis lineup. Kent with a jam, Mast and Leons with a layup, then finally, Mast hits a 3.

7:02 p.m.: Braves adjust introductions tradition

A small thing — but maybe it's not? — but Braves pre-game introductions scrap their traditional circle and go to a conventional team tunnel.

6:51 p.m.: Starting lineups

Bradley ready to roll with guards Terry Roberts and Connor Hickman, wing Jayson Kent and forwards Malevy Leons and Rienk Mast.

SIU counters with guards Verplancken Jr., Coupet Jr., Jones and forwards Domask and Muila.

More Bradley stories from pjstar.com

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'Tired of losing': 4 big reasons Bradley basketball came together and upset Drake

BU-ISU: Bradley basketball coach Brian Wardle picks 5 big moments in the rivalry with Illinois State

Blooming: Why basketball means family for Bradley's late-blooming sophomore wing

Connor Hickman profile: When this freshman guard got better, so did Bradley basketball

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.

This article originally appeared on Journal Star: Bradley vs. Southern Illinois recap, score: Braves beat Salukis in Peoria