Wed Apr 2 22:26:26 2008

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Bradley tops Tulsa to tie CBI championship series

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Peoria, IL (Sports Network) - Jeremy Crouch scored 20 points to lead Bradley to an 83-74 win over Tulsa, and help the Braves even the best-of-three championship series of the College Basketball Invitational.

Andrew Warren scored 17 for Bradley (21-16), which dropped the first game on Monday by a 73-68 score, at Tulsa's home court. The series returns back to the Reynolds Center for Friday's deciding game.

Ray Reese led Tulsa with 19 points, but the Golden Hurricane (24-14) fell behind early and couldn't find a way to come back and sweep the series. Brett McDade had 12 points, and Jerome Jordan 11 for Tulsa, which had a four-game win streak snapped.

Bradley and Tulsa had comparable three-point percentages at the game's end -- the Braves making 11-of-23, and the Golden Hurricane connecting on 10-of-24.

But the Braves came out on fire, hitting six threes in the first half. One of them, from Daniel Ruffin, gave Bradley a 10-2 lead just minutes into the game. Midway through the first half, the Braves extended their edge to 19-8 after Warren drained a shot from beyond the arc.

Tulsa, on the other hand, didn't reach double-digits as a team until Rod Earls made a free throw with 8:44 left, putting the score at 23-10.

Bradley continued to apply pressure, and made three straight baskets -- a Warren three, and two buckets by Sam Maniscalco -- to extend its lead to 17. Reese connected on a trey to cap the first-half scoring, and bring Tulsa within 48-34 at the break.

The Braves maintained their double-digit margin until a McDade three-pointer brought Tulsa within 61-52 with a little over nine minutes remaining.

But Warren answered with his own trey. McDade and Warren traded threes again immediately after, with Warren's giving Bradley a 67-55 lead.

Tulsa didn't get back within single digits until Ben Uzoh's three trimmed the Golden Hurricane's deficit to 78-69. But Crouch made the next shot -- a three -- with two minutes left, and Bradley hung on for the win.