Meet Journal Star senior sports writer and columnist Dave Eminian
Journal Star reporter Dave Eminian covers Bradley Braves basketball and Peoria Rivermen hockey.
PEORIA — Jaquan Johnson shot the Bradley Braves into a second-half lead with a 3-point barrage, then got them through a dominating overtime to beat MVC leader Belmont 95-84 on Monday night in Carver Arena.
The Bradley Braves are hoping to write an upset story Monday against a Belmont Bruins team that is commanding all the headlines right now in the Missouri Valley Conference.
The Braves (16-9, 9-5) are third in a tight Valley race, and are hosting conference leader Belmont (22-3, 12-2) in a 7 p.m. game at Carver Arena.
The Braves got a 3-pointer from Alex Huibregtse in the final seconds to tie at 80-80, and the game went to overtime.
Bradley races into a 40-38 lead as point guard Jaquan Johnson buries three 3-pointers in the first 3:52 of the second half.
Game is at media break with 15:35 left.
The Braves are 5 of 6 from 3-point range in the second half.
A.J. Smith makes a nice play, grabbing an offensive rebound and getting it to Timoty van der Knaap for a layup to keep the Braves ahead, 52-46, as the break arrives with 11:45 left.
The Braves got a dunk from Timoty van der Knaap as time expired in the first half to cut their deficit to 33-31 at halftime.
Bradley slips behind 4-0 at the outset, but guard Alex Huibregtse hits a pair of 3-pointers to put BU on top, 6-4, as the first break arrives with 15:36 left.
Bradley forward A.J. Smith drives and-1 for a 21-12 lead with 9:47 left.
But Belmont rattles off a 7-0 run, including a jumper from former Notre Dame High School’s Eoin Dillon, to cut it to 21-19.
The Bruins have won nine straight games, the sixth-longest active win streak in the nation, so it’s a true measuring test for the Braves.
Belmont is tied for the fifth-most wins in the nation, behind only Miami (Ohio), Arizona, Gonzaga, and Saint Louis.
The Bruins lead the nation in true road victories with 10, and their road win victory margin is 15 points.
Belmont is also just the fifth team in Missouri Valley Conference history to reach 20 victories by Jan. 31, joining 2014 Wichita State, 1986 Bradley, 2012 Creighton, and 2015 Northern Iowa – each of whom earned Top 8 seeds in the NCAA Tournament.
The Braves have two remaining regular-season home games after this, against conference powers Murray State and Illinois State.
Braves Rewind
Bradley ran into a Northern Iowa team ranked No. 1 in the nation in scoring defense, and was held to a season-low offensive output in a 61-49 road loss Friday.
“We struggled to move the ball, so that was disappointing,” BU head coach Brian Wardle said. “Defensively, we gave up too many back cuts in the first half and too many curls off flare screens in the second half.
“But our defense was a positive, too, it stayed true through the game. I thought our last five minutes might have been our best defense of the game. So that’s a positive. When we struggle to score, we usually give up a lot of points. So that was a positive.
“I liked our physicality on defense. I did not like our physicality on offense. They bumped us off the ball a lot. They bumped us on cuts. They pushed us out. They made us tentative on offense instead of moving the ball fast and seeing the open man. Overall, they were better than us.”
A rare game in the 40s
The Bradley Braves were held to 49 points Friday by a Northern Iowa team that ranks No. 1 in the nation in scoring defense.
It was just the fourth game in which Bradley has scored 49 points or less in the last 225 games, going back seven seasons.
Here’s that run:
- 2025-26: L 49-61 Northern Iowa, Feb. 6, 2026
- 2024-25: L 48-63 Drake, March 9, 2025
- 2023-24: W 48-45 Illinois State, Feb. 24, 2024
- 2022-23: L 44-55 Liberty, Nov. 23, 2022
- 2021-22 none
- 2020-21 none
- 2019-20 none
Bravely Speaking
Bradley head coach Brian Wardle is at 109 career wins in the Valley, second all-time for the program. Jim Molinari leads with 110. The BU head coach has 202 overall career wins at Bradley’s helm, second most in program history. … Belmont’s roster include Peoria native Eoin Dillon, brother of former Bradley guard Connor Dillon. He has been named MVC Freshman Player of the Week three times this season. … Bradley guard Demarion Burch, who started 16 games this season while Bradley went with a smaller lineup, was a DNP Coach’s Decision for the second straight game. Before these two games, he played 7 minutes with no points against Drake. … Bradley’s 23 points in the first half at UNI was its lowest first-half scoring output of the season. … Braves grad guard Alex Huibregtse is 15 of 25 from the 3-point line in the last three games. … Bradley star guard Jaquan Johnson, who is second in the nation with 69 steals, was held without a steal for a second straight game. … Bradley is 12-2 and 6-1 in conference when holding opponents to 70 points or less. … Belmont has seven players who have reached double figures in made 3-pointers. … Analytic site kenpom.com says Belmont has joined Illinois and Iowa as one of three teams in the nation this season to produce consecutive games of offensive efficiency over 145.0. … Belmont has reached 20 wins in 16 consecutive seasons. … The Bruins average 18.4 assists per game, tops in the Valley and 11th in the nation. … The powerful Belmont offense is No. 1 in the nation in effective field goal percentage at 61.2%. … Belmont sharpshooter Tyler Lundblade has 22 double figure scoring games this season, and is on the Lou Henson Award watch list. … The Braves have nine underclassmen on the roster headed into 2025-26 making them the second youngest team in the MVC only to Valpo. … The 2025-26 season marks three important anniversaries for the Braves program: 20 years for the 2005-06 Sweet 16 team; 30 years for the 1995-96 MVC regular-season championship team, and 40 years for the 1985-86 MVC Regular-season championship team.
The Journal Star is bringing you live updates from Carver Arena in Peoria, Illinois. See highlights below:
Bradley vs. Belmont live score updates
TEAMS1st half2nd half—FINALBelmont3347—00Bradley3149—00
Bradley guard Alex Huibregtse nails a 3 with 27 seconds left to force an 80-80 tie. The game goes to overtime.
Dietrich Richardson drive to the rim is stuffed, and Belmont comes the other way for a corner 3 from Noyes and a 69-68 lead with 5:14 left. Timeout, Bradley.
Bradley forces two Belmont missed shots, but gives up two offensive rebounds to extend the possession to a third chance.
Tyler Lundblade then buries a 3 and fouled by van der Knaap, makes the and-1, and suddenly its 68-66 Bradley with 6:04 left.
Alex Huibregtse knocks down a 3 from the left corner for a 65-57 lead. Belmont goes to the other end and knocks down a 3 from Tyler Lundblade to get it right back within five at 8:32 left.
Timeout, Belmont.
Tyler Lundblade, who leads Belmont with 15.5 ppg, gets his first points on a bucket with 10:43 left in the game. Bradley lead is 57-51.
The Braves are 5 of 6 from 3-point range in the second half.
A.J. Smith makes a nice play, grabbing an offensive rebound and getting it to Timoty van der Knaap for a layup to keep the Braves ahead, 52-46, as the break arrives with 11:45 left.
Bradley races into a 40-38 lead as point guard Jaquan Johnson buries three 3-pointers in the first 3:52 of the second half.
Game is at media break with 15:35 left.
The Braves open the second half with centers Ahmet Jonovic and Kai Yu both with three fouls.
Belmont starters Tyler Lundblade and Sam Orme did not score in the first half.
The Braves ran up a 29-21 lead with 3:47 left in the half. But Belmont punched back with a 12-0 run that included a pair of dunks from Drew Scharnowski.
The Bruins respond with a 7-0 run over 83 seconds to cut BU lead to 21-19 with 8:02 left. Eoin Dillon with a nice jumper during that run.
A.J. Smith drives and-1 for a 21-12 lead with 9:47 left.
Bradley center Kai Yu picks up his third foul with 10:43 left and head coach Brian Wardle very animated reaction on the sideline.
Yu sits down, Corey Thomas takes over in the middle.
Bradley’s two lead centers, Jonovic and Yu, out of the game with a combined five fouls.
Bruins have more turnovers (5) than field goals (3) as Bradley leads 13-10 with 11:53 to go.
Bradley gets a 3-pointer and-1 from freshman Montana Wheeler, then a pair of free throws from freshman Dietrich Richardson and a driving layup from Richardson for a 13-10 lead as the break arrives at 11:53.
Bradley slips behind 4-0 at the outset, but guard Alex Huibregtse hits a pair of 3-pointers to put BU on top, 6-4, as the first break arrives with 15:36 left.
Bradley big man Ahmet Jonovic takes two fouls in 23 seconds during the first two minutes of the game and sits down.
Kai Yu takes over.
Bradley guard Demarion Burch (illness) is listed as out for this game on the MVC official player availability report.
It will be the third straight game Burch has missed.
Nic McClain is listed as out for Belmont.
- Belmont: Tyler Lundblade (15.5ppg, 2.6rpg, 38.8% 3FG); Sam Orme (12.7ppg, 5.5rpg, 37.9% 3FG); Drew Scharnowski (11.3ppg, 6.3rpg, 67.8% FG, 1.5 blocks); Nic McClain (10.4ppg, 4.3rpg, 44.7% 3FG, 6.3apg); Jabez Jenkins (9.5ppg, 4.6rpg).
- Bradley: G Jaquan Johnson (16.2 ppg, 4.1 rpg, 69 steals, 44% FG, 38% 3FG); G Alex Huibregtse (11.6 ppg, 42% 3-pt FG, 41% FG); C Ahmet Jonovic (7.7ppg, 5.5 rpg, 1.4 blocks); F Timoty van der Knaap (6.3 ppg, 4.9 rpg, 42% FG), F A.J. Smith (8.0 ppg, 4.6 rpg, 41% FG, 35 steals).
- NCAA NET ranking: Bradley No. 128. Belmont No. 56
- Kenpom ranking: Bradley No. 143. Belmont No. 58
- Kenpom says: Belmont 80, Bradley 76 (BU 37% win prob)
- Barttorvik.com says: Belmont 80, Bradley 77 (37%)
- Massey computer says: Bradley 77, Belmont 76 (52%)
- CollegeInsider.com Mid-Major Ranking: Bradley No. 31. Belmont No. 4
- MidMajorBasketball.com Mid-Major Ranking: Bradley NR. Belmont No. 12
- MVC Media Preseason poll: Bradley No. 3 of 11. Belmont No. 5.
- Records: Bradley 16-9 (9-5), 3rd in MVC. Belmont 22-3 (12-2), 1st in MVC.
- All-time series: Bradley, 40-38. Last ’25-26 meeting: Bradley L 88-78 A.
- Head coaches: Bradley, Brian Wardle 11th yr (202-156). Belmont, Casey Alexander 7th yr (162-57)
- Date: Monday, Feb. 9, 2026
- Time: 7 p.m. CT
- Location: Carver Arena, Peoria, Illinois
Bradley vs Belmont will be available via ESPN+.
Game lines and odds via OddsShark as of late Sunday night, Feb. 8:
Record: 16-9
- Nov. 3: St. Bonaventure 69, Bradley 66 | RECAP
- Nov. 8: Bradley 85, Central Michigan 54 | RECAP
- Nov. 12: University Tennessee-Martin 78, Bradley 67 | RECAP
- Nov. 15: San Francisco 75, Bradley 64 | RECAP
- Nov. 19: Bradley 87, UMass-Lowell 77 | RECAP
- Nov. 24: Bradley 88, Princeton 64 | RECAP
- Nov. 25: UC San Diego 87, Bradley 77 | RECAP
- Nov. 26: Bradley 74, Liberty 64 | RECAP
- Dec. 2: Bradley 64, Washington State 60 | RECAP
- Dec. 6: Bradley 84, Northern Illinois 55 | RECAP
- Dec. 14: Bradley 86, North Central College 53 | RECAP
- Dec. 18: Bradley 108, Indiana State 99 (3 OT) | RECAP
- Dec. 21: Bradley 73, Southern Illinois 69 | RECAP
- Dec. 29: Bradley 76, Evansville 68 | RECAP
- Jan. 1: Belmont 88, Bradley 78 | RECAP
- Jan. 4: Murray State 86, Bradley 66 | RECAP
- Jan. 7: Bradley 93, Drake 66 | RECAP
- Jan. 10: Bradley 75, Northern Iowa 69 | RECAP
- Jan. 13: Bradley 94, Evansville 90 (OT) | RECAP
- Jan. 17: Illinois State 88, Bradley 62 | RECAP
- Jan. 21: Bradley 75, Indiana State 68 | RECAP
- Jan. 24: UIC 85, Bradley 70 | RECAP
- Jan. 31: Bradley 87, Drake 73 | RECAP
- Feb. 3: Bradley 72, Valparaiso 65 | RECAP
- Feb. 6: UNI 61, Bradley 49 | RECAP
- Feb. 9: Belmont at Bradley, 7 p.m., Carver Arena, Peoria, Illinois
- Feb. 15: Bradley at Southern Illinois, TBA, Banterra Center, Carbondale, Ill.
- Feb. 18: Bradley at Valparaiso, TBA, ARC, Valparaiso, Indiana
- Feb. 21: Illinois State at Bradley, TBA, Carver Arena, Peoria, Illinois
- Feb. 24: Bradley at UIC, 7 p.m., Credit Union Arena, Chicago, Illinois
- March 1: Murray State at Bradley, TBA, Carver Arena, Peoria, Illinois
- March 5-8: 2026 Missouri Valley Conference Tournament, Enterprise Center, St. Louis, Mo.
Buy Bradley basketball tickets this season via StubHub
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. He can be reached at 686-3206 or [email protected]. Follow him on X.com @icetimecleve.
