(From Bradley University) - Senior Leah Kassing turned in her third straight double-double with 19 points and 12 rebounds, but Missouri State closed the first half with a 17-2 run and snapped BU’s five-game win streak with a 79-70 win in the Missouri Valley Conference opener for both teams Thursday at Renaissance Coliseum.
Bradley shot 32.8 percent from the field, despite Kassing’s 8-for-11 shooting. She paced the Braves with 19 points and 12 boards for her third consecutive double-double and fifth in the last six games. Kassing, who had 15 points, seven rebounds and two assists in the second half, has a team-high six double-doubles on the year.
Katie Yohn was the only other Bradley player in double figures, collecting 16 points in 34 minutes of play. She moved up four spots on BU’s career scoring list with the 16-point effort, passing Roxanne Grabow for 20th on the scoring chart.
Christiana Shorter attempted 17 of Missouri State’s 38 free throws and finished with a game-high 24 points to pace the Lady Bears. Jaleshia Roberson was a perfect 10-of-10 from the charity stripe and finished with 19 points as the duo of Shorter and Roberson combined to make more free throws (20) than the Braves (19). Casey Garrison entered the game as the MVC’s leading scorer with a 19.9 points-per-game average, but was held to 12 points.
Bradley returns to action Saturday, hosting Wichita State in a 2 p.m. game at Renaissance Coliseum. Live coverage with Ed Hammond and Joe Stowell begins at 1:40 p.m. Saturday on 1290 WIRL.
Braves Club members are invited to a pre-game party which will begin at noon in the Braves Club Room at Renaissance Coliseum.
