PEORIA, Ill. (Interstat) — In a high-stakes Missouri Valley Conference rematch defined by explosive offense and a decisive extra period, the Bradley Braves avenged an earlier loss by outlasting the Belmont Bruins 95-84 in overtime on Monday night at Carver Arena.

A crowd of 5,727 saw the home team erase a second-half deficit behind a career-high 31 points from junior guard Jaquan Johnson, then dominate the overtime session 15-4 to secure a critical conference victory. The win improved Bradley to 17-9 overall, while Belmont, which entered as a slight road favorite, fell to 22-4.

The game’s most pivotal sequence arrived in the final seconds of regulation, transforming what seemed a certain Belmont victory into a dramatic escape for Bradley. Trailing 80-77 with under 30 seconds to play, the Braves inbounded the ball to Alex Huibregtse, who drained a clutch 3-pointer from the wing with 27 seconds remaining to tie the game at 80. Belmont’s ensuing possession ended in a turnover by Isaiah West, stolen by Johnson with three seconds left. Bradley called timeout but could not get a final shot off, sending the game to an extra period fueled entirely by the Braves’ momentum.

From there, Bradley took complete control. The Braves scored the first eight points of overtime, including another 3-pointer from Huibregtse and a driving layup by Johnson, while Belmont went scoreless for the first three and a half minutes. The Bruins, who shot just 4 of 63 from the floor in the overtime, never recovered from the sudden shift.

The contest was a stark contrast in styles and efficiency. Bradley’s victory was powered by exceptional outside shooting and ball security. The Braves connected on 17 of 36 attempts from 3-point range, a 47.2% clip, and committed only eight turnovers. Belmont, meanwhile, struggled from deep, making just 10 of 33, and was plagued by 16 turnovers, which Bradley converted into key transition opportunities.

Johnson, a 5-foot-9 guard from Milwaukee, was the catalyst for Bradley, adding seven assists and three steals to his 31 points in 36 minutes. His backcourt mate, Alex Huibregtse, provided crucial support with 20 points, including five 3-pointers. Timoty van der Knaap contributed 15 points, all from beyond the arc, as Bradley’s offensive rating soared to 121.3 points per 100 possessions.

Belmont was led by Drew Scharnowski’s 18 points and Tyler Lundblade’s 16 points and five assists. The Bruins won the battle on the glass, grabbing 14 offensive rebounds to Bradley’s nine, and shot a higher percentage from the free-throw line. However, their inability to contain Bradley’s perimeter attack or maintain possession in crucial moments proved decisive.

The first half was a tightly contested affair, with Belmont taking a 33-31 lead into the break. The Bruins extended their advantage early in the second half, but Bradley’s persistent 3-point shooting, led by Johnson and Huibregtse, kept the Braves within striking distance and set the stage for the late-game heroics.

The result flipped the script from the teams’ first meeting on Jan. 1, a 10-point Belmont victory in Nashville. It also marked a significant bounce-back for Bradley, which was coming off a low-scoring road loss to Northern Iowa, and halted Belmont’s six-game winning streak.

Bradley next travels to face Southern Illinois on Sunday. Belmont returns home to host Northern Iowa on Thursday.