Boxscore

PEORIA, Ill. -- Sam Maniscalco was the smallest player on the court for the Bradley Braves Saturday afternoon, but he came up big time after time in a 74-64 win over the University of Evansville Purple Aces.  The 6-foot junior guard scored 19 points on 7-for-10 shooting to lead his Braves to their third straight victory.

Bradley is now 10-9 and 5-4 in the Missouri Valley Conference.  Evansville is 6-13 and 0-9 at the halfway point of the MVC schedule.  

Bradley built a 14-point first half lead behind the shooting of Maniscalco, Andrew Warren and Will Egolf, and thanks to a defense that held Evansville to only 12 points through the first 13 minutes of the game.  The Aces pared down a 12-point halftime deficit to eight at 43-35 on Denver Holmes' three-point play with 15 minutes left to play, but the Braves came right back with a 12-5 run of their own to go up 55-40.  Evansville made it a nine-point game twice in the final five minutes, but could get no closer than nine.

"I liked the way we came out to start the second half defensively, and I thought we had some good looks, but we just couldn't get enough shots to fall," said UE Coach Marty Simmons.  "I'm proud of my team.  They played hard and got back into the game against a very good team.  Bradley is a tough team to guard.  They have a lot of weapons."

All five Bradley starters scored in double figures.  Warren was right behind Maniscalco with 17 points, Egolf and Chris Roberts scored 11 each, and Taylor Brown added 11.  Holmes led Evansville with 18 points, Colt Ryan scored 12 and Kavon Lacey scored 10.  

The Braves won the game by shooting 52 percent, hitting 25 of 48 shots, while holding the Aces to 39 percent shooting (22-56).
 
Evansville is back on the road Wednesday at Missouri State before returning home Sunday, Jan. 31 to play Indiana State at 2:05.