On a night when fifth-year senior Ja’Shon Henry reached 1,000 career points, the Bradley men’s basketball team moved one step closer to its first regular-season conference championship in more than a quarter century.
Junior forward Rienk Mast totaled 18 points and nine rebounds to lead the way as the Braves posted a 76-66 win Wednesday night at Valparaiso for their ninth victory in a row. Henry added 15 points off the bench as Bradley improved to 22-8 overall and 15-4 in Valley play, even with Drake atop the standings.
Mast had 12 points and seven boards in the first half in pacing Bradley to a 42-30 lead at the break. Henry scored his 1,000th point on a layup at the 15:37 mark of the second half that put the Braves up 47-37.
The Bulldogs (24-6 overall) rolled to an 82-51 home win over Illinois State, setting up a weekend showdown in Peoria for the MVC title. Bradley and Drake square off Sunday in a 3 p.m. contest at Carver Arena, with the winner claiming the crown and the No. 1 seed in next week’s Arch Madness MVC Tournament in St. Louis.
Drake is riding a 10-game winning streak, while Bradley has only lost once in 15 home games this season. The Braves will be seeking their first regular-season MVC title since 1996.
