March 24, 2008
Box Score
PEORIA,
Ill.
-The Bradley Braves defeated the Ohio Bobcats 79-73 Monday evening in the quarterfinals of the College Basketball Invitational at Carver Arena. The Braves improved to 19-15 overall, while
Ohio
finished its season at 20-13.
The Braves will go on to the CBI Semifinals where they will face an opponent on Wednesday at a time and location to be determined.
Bradley was led by Andrew Warren's 22 points, while Matt Salley was the Braves' leading rebounder with seven caroms.
Warren
was joined in double figures by Jeremy Crouch (15), Daniel Ruffin (13), Sam Maniscalco and Theron Wilson (10 each). Ruffin also had six assists, while Wilson and Warren combined for seven steals.
Ohio senior forward Leon Williams (
Baltimore,
Md.) and Jerome Tillman (
Beavercreek,
Ohio
) notched their 44th and 18th career double-doubles in the loss. Williams had 20 points, 13 rebounds, five assists and four steals to lead the Bobcats, while Tillman had 11 points and 10 caroms. Senior guard Bubba Walther (
Cincinnati,
Ohio
) had 19 points on the strength of five 3-pointers. Junior point guard Michael Allen (
Detroit,
Mich.
) had five assists as well before fouling out with 36.5 seconds to play.
Ohio
won the rebounding battle 35-29, but surrendered 23 points on its 20 turnovers.
Everything went the Bobcats' way in the first half as it built a 13-point (42-29) halftime lead on 15-28 shooting (53.6 percent), while holding Bradley under 40 percent (9-23, 39.1) during the period.
The Bobcats answered Bradley's first run in the second half, holding the Braves at bay with a 14-point advantage (63-49) at the 9:10 mark on a layup by Allen. However, Bradley stormed back into the game and ripped off 30 of the game's final 40 points to secure the six-point victory. During that final stretch, the Bobcats were held without a field goal from the 7:13 mark (Justin Orr layup) to the 37 second mark when Allen drained a long 3-pointer from the top of the key.
The Braves did a good job getting to the free throw line as they had 26 attempts (19 made) to Ohio's 14 (eight made). The two teams combined for 36 turnovers and 21 3-pointers.
Ohio
's Williams finished his career with 1,716 points (seventh in school history), 1,090 rebounds (second in school history), 613 field goals (tied for seventh in school history), 489 free throws (fourth in school history) and 732 free throw attempts (second in school history).
