PEORIA, Ill. – Bradley used a six point run with 10 minutes left in the game to jump ahead 60-54 with 9:54 showing on the clock, but the Sycamores came all the way back and tie the contest at 69-all five minutes later and take control during the stretch-run in securing an 81-74 victory at Robertson Fieldhouse on Sunday afternoon. ISU moved to 10-6, 3-4 MVC while Bradley fell to 11-5, 4-3 MVC.

With the score tied at 69 on a driving lay-up by junior Melanie Boeglin, Ashley Clark forced a steal of a Devyn Flannagan pass. Stephanie Lisch was then fouled and hit 1-of-2 free throws to push the Sycamores by a point. Nikki Hall forced a Bradley turnover and Lisch found a wide-open Lisa Verhoff for a three in the corner which shot ISU up 73-69 with 4:06 remaining in the contest. Verhoff’s trey was ISU’s lone 3-pointer of the contest.

The Sycamore defense proved to be sound over the remainder of the contest, allowing just one Bradley field goal in the final six minutes. ISU sealed the win with six free throws by Boeglin and a pair of tosses by Ashley Clark over the final two minutes in securing the victory. The Braves’ lone field goal over the final six minutes came as a 3-pointer by Flanagan with two seconds remaining. Boeglin capped the contest with two free throws as the clock showed 1.7 seconds.

Bradley made their initial run in the second half following a pair of Nikki Hall free throws with 9:18 remaining in the game. That’s when the Braves’ Genny Mueller connected on a 3-pointer to push their advantage to five, 63-58.

Senior Lindsay Galbraith capped a see-saw first half by hitting a lay-up with 31 seconds left before the break to put the ISU up 32-31 heading into the locker room. The contest saw five ties and 12 lead changes in the opening stanza. By the time the game ended, there were 11 ties and 18 lead changes in the tightly contested affair.

Boeglin became a key factor for the Sycamores after scoring just four points before the half by controlling the second stanza with drives to the basket and reaching the foul line 10 times after the break. Boeglin finished 11-of-12 from the charity stripe, en route to scoring a season-best 23 points. She also paced the team defensively as she recorded seven steals.

Junior Ashley Clark scored 14 points while Lisch added 11. The Sycamores forced 20 Bradley turnovers in the contest, scoring 19 points off the miscues. ISU had 14 steals during the game.

Bradley had five reach double figures, led by reserve Ashley Chelleen who scored 17. Chelleen played 20 minutes while starter Dena Williams struggled with foul problems throughout the contest. Williams, who entered the contest averaging 15 points per game, scored only seven.

The Sycamores have now swept the Bradley/Northern Iowa road swing for the second time in three seasons, and are within one victory of evening their Missouri Valley Conference record. Indiana State gets the chance to do just that on Thursday evening as they host Southern Illinois at 7:00 p.m. That game will kick off a four-game home stand in which the Sycamores play the Salukis, Evansville, Drake and Creighton.

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