This year’s dance is over for the Bradley Braves men’s basketball program. The team fell to 2nd-seed Michigan State Thursday in the first round of the NCAA Tournament.
The final score was 76 to 65.
The Braves gave Michigan State all it could handle through the first 30 minutes. Bradley led 35-34 at the half and was still up by one point with 7 minutes to go. Then a 9 point spurt put the Spartans ahead 63-55 with 2 1/2 minutes to play.
Elijah Childs scored 19 points to lead the Braves, who were just 3 of 12 on 3-pointers in the second half after starting 6 for 9.
The Braves secured the March Madness birth by defeating Northern Iowa to win the Missouri Valley Conference Championship earlier this month.
