PEORIA — Sometimes, watching these young Bradley Braves is like spinning a giant prize wheel, waiting to see what it will land on.
Cold shooting … hot shooting … Johnson steal … turnover … turnover … up by five … down by 11 … frustrating from 3 … Johnson rebound … Jonovic dunk! … Smith 3 … 19-3 run … feel-good finish.
In the end, Bradley’s wheel of fortune landed on comeback win as the Braves dug themselves out of an 11-point second-half deficit and hammered UMass-Lowell with 49 second-half points on the way to an 87-77 comeback victory before 4,932 at Carver Arena.
“Right now, we’re not sure what we’re gonna get sometimes,” said Bradley coach Brian Wardle, pausing to take a breath and exhale before he began, then flashing a brief smile. “We like to make things interesting, you know, with our team this year. You should come watch this team, everyone, because they are very entertaining.
“When we do get togetherness and effort, like we did in the second half, they are really fun to watch.
“It’s easy to get embarrassed … (when) things are not going your way at all, and they did not do that tonight. They buckled down. They played together, they helped each other, they energized each other. I hope we learned a lesson from this game and we can build off it.”
The Braves gave up nine straight points — including five in the final 14 seconds — to fall behind at halftime, saw that run extend to 15 early in the second half, then flipped a switch and played with emotion and precision the rest of the way to chase down the River Hawks and bury them with a 19-3 run.
“I thought the crowd was great in the second half, we gave them something to cheer about,” Wardle said. “I told the team at halftime, ‘If you want this place to go, we got to get multiple efforts. We gotta dive on loose balls. We got to play harder.’
“It’s not Xs and Os sometimes. It’s just committing to the effort and talking to each other more on the defensive end. We were able to do that in the second half.”
Ahmet Jonovic produced seven points, four rebounds and a blocked shot in the second half, while Jaquan Johnson rolled in 14 second-half points and A.J. Smith put in 10 over the final 20 minutes.
Johnson had a game-high 21 points, eight rebounds, three assists and a steal to lead the way.
Starting guard partner Alex Huibregtse hit a trio of 3-pointers and had four assists plus eight rebounds and played a key part in the second-half surge.
“Just finding a way to respond,” the fifth-year guard, Huibregtse, said of the team’s turning in a big second half. “Obviously, you go through adversity in life and in the game. So just finding a way to bounce back and really just keep coming closer together instead of, like, drifting apart. Our togetherness and our talk and effort really showed toward the end in the last minutes.”
A tough first half
The River Hawks surprised the Braves in the first 20 minutes, closing out the half with nine unanswered points.
They got the last five of those in the final 14 seconds when JJ Massaquoi hit a jumper, the ball was punched out of Jonovic’s hands with five seconds left, and Angel Montas Jr. cashed in with a corner 3 at the buzzer to walk off with a 43-38 lead over the Braves.
“We struggled to get stops in the first half … we were getting beat up in the paint,” said Wardle, whose team was outscored 24-16 in the paint at halftime. “We got to find a solution to that as a staff, before Monday (the opening of the Terry’s Chocolate Invitational in Florida) and continue to get better.
“But I’m proud of them because you just have to find ways to win games in November and December, find ways to win, learn how to win. Hopefully clean stuff up over finals break, get your rotation set and go clicking at the end of December. So that’s what we’re trying to do here.”
Then 19-3 happened
UMass-Lowell ran its run from the first half to 15 straight points 90 seconds into the second half to build a 49-38 lead.
Enough was enough.
Huibregtse stole the ball from Darrel Yepdo and raced all the way to the rim for a layin.
A defensive stop came next, with Huibregtse grabbing a rebound, again heading the other way and pulling up to sink a 3-pointer.
Another defensive stop, another rebound by a guard — Johnson — and a 3-pointer from him and BU trailed just 49-46 with 16:06 left.
“I told the seniors at halftime, ‘This is our last go-round, so we may as well just play our hardest,” BU forward A.J. Smith said. “Alex really showed it. I mean, he had eight rebounds, kind of doing my job, but we kind of flopped roles tonight. He kind of started our run, got a rebound and dribbled all the way down the floor and shot a 3 and made it. We kind of started rolling a little bit there, chipped away.”
UMass-Lowell counter-punched, though, building back to a 59-50 lead with 11:34 left on a drive by Massaquoi.
But again the Braves pushed back hard, and the final shove came on a 19-3 run over 4:45, during which Johnson and Jonovic each had five points. Bradley made 6 of 7 from the field during that run, which included a hook shot by Jonovic and then a driving layup from him in a span of 43 seconds for a 72-67 lead.
Smith closed that run with his fourth 3-pointer of the game in as many tries, for a 79-67 lead, and it was over.
“One of our (defensive) keys was to stop them from getting paint touches, and not let them get inside-out 3s with room,” Johnson said. “I feel like we had a stretch where we let them get downhill on us. The second half, we started picking it up and we stopped letting them get downhill, picked up the intensity and energy.”
Jonovic had seven points over the game’s final 8:45, starting with a dunk that pulled Bradley to within 62-60 and ignited the crowd, also providing some energy to his teammates.
By the time the dust settled, the BU starting guard tandem of Huibregtse and Johnson had each produced a game-high eight rebounds, and combined for 34 points.
“I think there’s always more to do,” Huibregtse said. “Each game, we’re kind of getting better. We have these little lulls at times that we just need to keep working through as a team. I think the three of us up here (Huibregtse, Smith, Johnson), being leaders, it’s on us to help the team get through that.”
Painting a big picture
While the end was exciting, it was the beginning that Bradley coach Wardle wants to see improve.
“They were going after mismatches in the first half, and we gave them confidence,” Wardle said. “We gave Tennessee-Martin confidence, we gave UMass-Lowell confidence in here. We have to start first halves better defensively so teams don’t get rolling and confident and then they start making tough shots. And that’s what we did tonight.”
The Braves were out-scored 24-16 in the paint in the first half, but flipped it in their favor, 22-14, in the second half and it mattered.
“We got to play unselfish on both ends and really defend and protect the paint better,” Wardle said. “We can get to the paint on offense. We’ve got guys who can get to the paint, drive the ball, but we’re doing a poor job defensively protecting the paint. And that’s always been a pretty good staple of our program.
“When you get to the paint, fouls are drawn, so you’ve got to do a better job protecting the paint so that you aren’t getting into foul trouble. We let the ball in the paint way too much tonight. They punished us in the first half with it.”
Welcome to the starting lineup
Italy native and forward Timoty van der Knaap was placed in the starting lineup Wednesday, replacing forward Corey Thomas. The move in part was to see if BU could gain a better defensive start in the opening minutes.
van der Knaap joined guards Alex Huibregtse, Jaquan Johnson, forward A.J. Smith and center Ahmet Jonovic for the tip-off.
“I don’t know if we’re going to stay with that lineup, I’m searching to find that rotation and that group that really clicks on both ends, definitely defensively,” Wardle said. “Can we get stops to start a game and start each half? Defense to start each half is what I’m looking for.
“So I went with Timo just for that reason. I don’t know if we did that again tonight, but we’ll find it (during) non-conference and hopefully we can get in that rhythm in conference play.”
What they said
Bravely Speaking
The Braves improved to 2-3. UMass-Lowell slipped to 1-4. … The Braves shot 51.8% from the field and 50% (10 of 20) from 3-point range. The shooting from the field matched BU’s season-best effort against Central Michigan. The 3-point shooting was easily the best of the season, marking the first time Bradley has shot above 40% from distance this season. … Bradley is 21-7 in November games over the last three seasons. … The Braves are 45-9 in games at Carver Arena over the last three years. … Bradley got a game-high 21 points, 8 rebounds, 3 assists and a steal in 27:21 from guard Jaquan Johnson. … BU guard Alex Huibregtse had 13 points, 8 rebounds, 4 assists and 2 steals. … BU forward A.J. Smith put in 20 points on 4 of 4 from 3-point range, 7 of 9 from the field, 4 rebounds and 2 steals in 32:32. … Ahmet Jonovic had 9 points, 4 rebounds, a blocked shot and committed 5 turnovers. … Timoty van der Knaap played 17 minutes in his first start and had 4 points and 3 rebounds. … Johnson drew six fouls with his relentless charges into the paint. … UMass-Lowell was led by JJ Massaquoi’s 18 points. … UMass got 11 points and 8 rebounds from Xavier Spencer. … The Braves move on to the Terry’s Chocolate ESPN Event Invitational in Kissimmee, Fla., where they open a three-game tourney with a game against Princeton at 6 p.m. Monday.
Follow along below for updates on the game:
Bradley at UMass-Lowell score updates
FINAL: Bradley 87, UMass-Lowell 77
Bradley 74, UMass-Lowell 67
8:53 p.m.: Braves are on a 14-3 run over the last 3:51 to build a comfortable lead in the deep stretch. Johnson and Jonovic each with five points in that run to a 74-67 lead with 3:44 left.
Jonovic takes over
8:48 p.m.: Ahmet Jonovic rolls to the rim twice in 43 seconds to give the Braves a 72-67 lead and force UMass timeout with 4:43 left.
Braves to the lead
8:43 p.m.: Braves inch ahead, 65-64, as Ahmet Jonovic splits free throws. Bradley gets the offensive rebound on the missed second free throw, shot clock runs down to 0.2 with ball out of bounds to BU.
Here come the Braves
8:41 p.m.: Johnson grabbed a defensive rebound and raced the other way, forcing a sequence in which the ball ended up loose in the paint. van der Knaap grabbed the loose ball and puts in layup for 64-64 with 7:39 left.
UMass-Lowell leads by 7
8:29 p.m.: Bradley’s Johnson and Huibregtse each produced five points on a 10-3 run over a span of 2:51 that put Bradley within 52-48 with 14:35 left.
UMass-Lowell kept punching, though, and held a 57-50 lead with 11:52 left.
Braves on a run
8:17 p.m.: Bradley guard Alex Huibregtse ended the long UMass-Lowell run with a layup off a turnover at 17:18 to close within 49-40.
A defensive stop followed, and then Huibregtse hit a 3 from the left wing 40 seconds later to get BU within 49-43.
Another defensive stop and rebound by Johnson, who then pulled up and drained a 3 from the left wing, and it was 49-46 at 16:01.
Braves fall back by 11
8:12 p.m.: The run continued as the second half opened, with UMass-Lowell running off six more unanswered points to build a 49-38 lead with 17:57 left. Timeout, Bradley.
By the numbers
UMass-Lowell is shooting 57.1% for the half. The 1-4 team has shot 43.3% from the field coming into this game.
Xavier Spencer has 8 points and 6 rebounds for the River Hawks.
Bradley shooting 42.9% from the field and 40% from 3, both good numbers.
Braves have game-high 10 points from A.J. Smith, while Jaquan Johnson has added 7 points and 5 rebounds.
UMass-Lowell, with one starter over 6-foot-6 and no one on the roster over 6-8, has a 24-16 advantage on points in the paint.
HALFTIME: UMass-Lowell 43, Bradley 38
Crash and burn in final seconds
7:51 p.m.: The half ended ugly for the Braves, though, as UMass-Lowell ran off five points in the final seconds to take a 43-38 lead to halftime.
JJ Massaquoi threw a shot over his shoulder as he fell away from the basket along the baseline and it went in for a 40-38 lead with 14 seconds left in the half.
Then BU center Ahmet Jonovic had the ball batted out of his hands for a turnover in the paint, and Lowell rushed the other way for a buzzer-beater corner 3 from Angel Montas Jr. and a 43-38 lead at halftime.
The River Hawks finished the half on a 9-0 run over the last 1:57, during which Montas Jr., had five points.
Lowell makes a run
7:39 p.m.: A pair of Bradley turnovers contributed to a 9-2 Lowell run over 1:54 that cut the Braves lead to 29-28 with 4:50 left.
A.J. Smith stopped that run with a dunk at 4:16 to get the Braves up 31-28.
A.J. Smith at center stage
7:29 p.m.: The Braves broke away from UMass-Lowell on a run from forward A.J. Smith. He hit a corner 3 at 12:18 for 13-11 lead. He hit another corner 3 at 10:21 for an 18-15 lead, and then a jumper at 9:16 for 22-17.
Alex Huibregtse added his second 3-pointer at 8:09 and the Braves rolled to a 25-17 lead with 7:45 left.
Braves grab first lead
7:21 p.m.: Kai Yu with a left-handed baby hook for 10-9 lead at 13:17, Bradley’s first lead of the game.
A.J. Smith hit a corner 3 at 12:12 for 13-11 lead.
The game is tied, 13-13, at 11:20 of first half.
Braves under way
7:12 p.m.: Bradley trails 7-5 at the first media break. BU shooting 33.3% in the early going while UMass-Lowell is at 60%.
Jaquan Johnson finished a three-shot possession with an ORB and drive to the rim for BU’s first points in that segment.
Lineup change for the Braves
Bradley has put forward Timoty van der Knaap into the starting lineup in place of forward Corey Thomas.
So BU will roll with Jaquan Johnson, Alex Huibregtse, van der Knaap, Ahmet Jonovic and AJ Smith.
Bradley vs. UMass-Lowell: Probable starters
Bradley vs. UMass-Lowell by the numbers
Running it back
A look back at some of the things said after Bradley’s 75-64 loss at San Francisco late Saturday put BU at 1-3:
Bravely Speaking
Bradley is 37th in the nation in forced turnovers at 17 per game.Bradley is 20-7 in November games over the last three seasons. … The Braves are 44-9 in games at Carver Arena over the last three years. … UMass-Lowell has the No. 39-ranked hockey team in NCAA Div.-I. Peoria-born Dillan Bentley is a senior on that team. … UMass-Lowell lost 110-47 to AP No. 3-ranked Connecticut on Nov. 7. … The River Hawks are ranked by analytics sites as 339th out of the 365 basketball teams in NCAA Div.-I. … Bradley has been beaten on the glass by a combined 82-54 in the last two games. … The Braves have shot a combined 20.4% (11 of 54) from 3-point range in the last two games. … The Braves have nine new players on their roster and are the second-youngest team in the MVC, based on underclassmen. … Braves guards Jaquan Johnson and Demarion Burch were named to the All-MVC first- and second-team, respectively, by the MVC media. … The Braves led the nation in 3-point shooting last season (39.8%). They are at 26.5% so far in 2025-26. … The 2025-26 season marks the 20th anniversary of Bradley’s 2005-06 NCAA Sweet 16 team; the 30th anniversary of BU’s 1995-96 MVC regular-season champions, and the 40th anniversary of the Braves 1985-86 MVC regular-season champions. … The Braves move on after Wednesday to the Terry’s Chocolate ESPN Event Invitational in Kissimmee, Fla., where they open a three-game tourney with a game against Princeton at 6 p.m. Monday.
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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 deminian@pjstar.com. Follow him on X.com @icetimecleve.
(This story has been updated to add pictures, video and more information)
This article originally appeared on Journal Star: ‘A roller-coaster ride’: Bradley basketball rallies with big second half to beat UMass-Lowell
Reporting by Dave Eminian, Peoria Journal Star / Journal Star
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