KISSIMMEE, Fla. (Interstat) — In a commanding display of offensive efficiency and defensive pressure, the Bradley Braves defeated the Princeton Tigers 88-64 in a men’s NCAA Division I basketball game Monday at the ESPN Wide World of Sports Complex.

The Braves, improving to 3-3 on the season, seized control of the game early and never relented, using a barrage of three-pointers and a relentless defensive effort to overwhelm the Tigers. Princeton fell to 3-4 with the loss.

Bradley’s offense operated with precision, shooting 54.5 percent from the field and an impressive 46.7 percent from beyond the arc, connecting on 14 of 30 attempts. The Braves’ ball movement was a key factor, as they dished out 14 assists while committing only nine turnovers. Defensively, they were equally dominant, recording 14 steals that fueled their transition game and contributed to Princeton’s 23 total turnovers.

Princeton struggled to find any sustained rhythm against the Braves’ defensive pressure. The Tigers shot a respectable 48.9 percent from the floor but were hampered by their inability to take care of the ball and their inefficiency from the free-throw line, where they made just 13 of 21 attempts. The Tigers managed only three assists as a team, a stark contrast to Bradley’s unselfish play.

The game’s trajectory was set in the first half. After a competitive opening few minutes, Bradley used a 15-2 run to build a double-digit lead. The run was punctuated by three-pointers from Alex Huibregtse and Timoty van der Knaap, showcasing the deep shooting threat that would plague Princeton all night. The Braves shot 8 of 15 from three-point range in the opening period and took a 40-34 lead into halftime.

Any hope of a Princeton comeback was quickly extinguished in the second half. Bradley opened the period on a 15-4 surge, extending their lead to 55-38 and effectively putting the game out of reach. The Braves continued to pour it on, with their lead ballooning to as many as 26 points in the final minutes as they outscored Princeton 48-30 after the break.

Montana Wheeler led the Braves with a team-high 16 points and six assists, orchestrating the offense with poise. Jaquan Johnson provided a major spark off the bench, adding 13 points and three assists, while also contributing to the defensive havoc with three steals. Huibregtse scored 11 points, and van der Knaap finished with 15, all of which came in the first half.

For Princeton, Jack Stanton and Jackson Hicke each scored 16 points to lead the Tigers. Hicke added 15 points, but the team’s offensive efforts were consistently derailed by Bradley’s defensive pressure and their own miscues.

The game was part of a multi-team event at the complex. Bradley will next face Washington State on Tuesday, Dec. 2, while Princeton has a quick turnaround, playing Temple at the same venue on Tuesday, Nov. 25. The Braves outperformed pregame expectations, having been installed as a 6.5-point favorite, and the total score of 152 easily surpassed the over/under line of 141.5.