PEORIA, Ill. (Interstat) — The Bradley Braves used a dominant second half to pull away from the visiting Southern Illinois Salukis for a 64-47 victory in a Missouri Valley Conference women’s basketball game Thursday night at Carver Arena.

The Braves, who improved to 7-4 overall, methodically built their lead after a slow start, holding Southern Illinois to just 29 points over the final three quarters. The Salukis fell to 2-7 with the loss, struggling to find consistent offense outside of a brief third-quarter surge.

Bradley guard Mya Wardle, a Peoria native, orchestrated the victory with a game-high 14 points and seven assists in 35 minutes. Her backcourt partner, Maya Foz, added 10 points. Inside, Ellie McDermid provided a strong two-way presence with 14 points and two blocks, while Kaylen Nelson chipped in 13 points, including three crucial three-pointers in the fourth quarter to stifle any lingering Southern Illinois hope.

The Salukis were led by Indya Green’s 16 points and one block. Alayna Kraus added 11 points, but Southern Illinois shot poorly from the field and committed 18 turnovers, which Bradley converted into 19 points.

The game’s most pivotal sequence came late in the third quarter and bled into the fourth, as Bradley transformed a narrow lead into a comfortable margin. With Bradley leading 38-33 and under five minutes left in the third, the Braves clamped down defensively. They closed the quarter on a 5-2 run, capped by a Maya Foz turnaround jumper with 21 seconds left, to take a 43-35 advantage into the final period.

The Braves then delivered the knockout blow at the start of the fourth. After a Saluki turnover, Kaylen Nelson hit a turnaround jumper. On the next possession, Mya Wardle connected on a floating jump shot, assisted by Amy O’Hara, pushing the lead to 47-35 and forcing a Southern Illinois timeout just 53 seconds into the quarter. The Salukis never recovered, as Bradley’s lead ballooned to as many as 19 points down the stretch, with Nelson and Wardle combining for three three-pointers in the final five minutes to seal the win.

The first half was a defensive struggle. Southern Illinois led briefly early after an Indya Green jumper made it 4-2, but Bradley responded with an 8-0 run and never relinquished the lead. The Salukis managed only seven points in the first quarter and 11 in the second, trailing 26-18 at halftime after shooting just 27% from the field in the opening 20 minutes.

Southern Illinois showed signs of life after the break, opening the third quarter with a 7-2 run to cut the deficit to 28-25. Alayna Kraus and Kayla Cooper hit key shots during the spurt. However, Bradley answered with a 7-0 run of its own, keyed by an Ellie McDermid layup and a three-pointer from Kali Fortson, to re-establish a double-digit lead and blunt the Salukis’ momentum for good.

Bradley’s defense was the story, holding Southern Illinois to 30% shooting for the game. The Braves also won the rebounding battle 45-35 and dished out 17 assists on 24 made field goals.

Bradley will travel to face Northern Kentucky on Sunday. Southern Illinois returns home to host Judson on Saturday.

The game was played in front of an announced crowd of 1,847.