Bradley vs. Pitt

Go Braves!

Make sure to read this from The FYC, a Peoria native.

Chances are that I'd still be at Bradley if it were not for that transportation factor. I love Peoria, aside from the smell. I miss my friends from BU. True, I only went to three games overall but I'd go to more if I could.

Here's the preview of the game from BUBraves.com.

After its first NCAA tournament win in 20 years on Friday, Bradley never lost its focus. Despite the excitement from a 77-73 win over No. 4 seed Kansas, the 13th-seeded Braves remained poised as they approached Sunday's Oakland Regional second-round game against fifth-seeded Pittsburgh in The Palace of Auburn Hills, Mich.

"The locker room was pretty subdued and business as usual," said Bradley coach Jim Les, who added his players have exhibited a "quiet confidence" since the win. "We want to be proud, but there's still work to be done."

Bradley became the 18th No. 13 seed to advance to the second round since the tournament expanded to 64 teams in 1985. Only three - Oklahoma (1999), Valparaiso (1998) and Richmond (1988) - of those have advanced to a regional semifinal.

Bradley (21-10) led by 14 with 15:38 left, but needed Will Franklin to hit two free throws and a wide-open layup to send Kansas to a second straight first-round exit. It was Bradley's first NCAA tournament appearance since 1996, and its first win since beating 10th-seeded Texas-El Paso in 1986. Les was the point guard on the 1986 Bradley team.

"Being a player is more of a personal satisfaction," Les said, comparing the two experiences. "Now it's like being a part of the tradition and history of Bradley basketball and being part of putting it back on the map. Seeing all of the people now that have been affected. It's more fun to be a part of that."

Marcellus Sommerville scored 21 points and made five 3-pointers, and Franklin added 14 points. Bradley has won eight of its last nine, with the lone loss coming to Southern Illinois in the final of the Missouri Valley Conference tournament.

Bradley, one of four MVC teams to reach the NCAA tournament, is trying to join conference rival Wichita State in the round of 16. The seventh-seeded Shockers advanced Saturday by defeating No. 2 seed Tennessee.

"We showed that the MVC can hang with the big boys," said Patrick O'Bryant, the 7-foot, 260-pound center who added eight points and 10 rebounds against Kansas.

This blogger is a proud former Bradley University student. I had to transfer due to personal reasons--mainly that lack of a car factor.

Bradley knocks off Pitt with a score of 72-66. Next up is Memphis.