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BRADLEY TAKES HOME 60TH ANNIVERSARY WESTSTAR DON HASKINS SUN BOWL INVITATIONAL TITLE December 23, 2021

EL PASO, Texas – The Bradley Braves took home the hardware after defeating UTEP 73-66 in the Championship game of the 60th Annual WestStar Don Haskins Sun Bowl Invitational in the Don Haskins Center, Wednesday, December 22.

Bradley junior Terry Roberts earned MVP honors after collecting his first collegiate double-double – posting personal-best totals with 26 points and 11 rebounds and Bradley Head Coach Brian Wardle picked up win No. 100.

Sam Houston won the Consolation game defeating North Carolina Central, 68-51 after taking an early lead that the Bearkats never let go of. The Miners finished second and is now 89-29 all-time in the WestStar Don Haskins Sun Bowl Invitational.

“It was another wonderful tournament and event but one of the best parts of it all was that we were able to host four teams here in El Paso, Texas,” said Executive Director Bernie Olivas. “The games were exciting, and we are grateful to have this event after not having it in 2019. Congratulations to the Bradley Braves and good luck to all four teams with conference play just around the corner.”

GAME ONE RECAP – Sam Houston vs. North Carolina Central
The Bearkats (5-8) took an early lead over the Eagles of North Carolina Central and never lost it to take the 68-51 victory on Wednesday night. Sam Houston was led by guard/forward Savion Flagg, who tallied 17 points and eight rebounds. Guard Jaden Ray added 13 points and seven assists while forward Kian Scroggins added 10 points off the bench.

Sam Houston led by as many as 24 points in the second half when Ray connected on a 3-pointer and Flagg scored on a tip-in with just over 17 minutes left in the game. NCCU (6-9) answered with a 12-0 run to cut the lead to 12, but the Bearkats answered with its own 10-3 run to take a 57-38 lead, putting the game out of reach with less than eight minutes to play.

The Eagles scored the first basket of the game, but Sam Houston took over from there. Ray and Damon Nicholas Jr. sparked a 12-2 run to close out the half by each hitting a 3 and a pair of free throws. Flagg made it 36-21 in the closing seconds with a layup.

The Bearkats shot 47 percent from the field and 44 percent from 3. Sam Houston also outrebounded NCCU 38-27.

NCCU guard Ja’Darius Harris marked a season-high 15 points and guard Randy Miller Jr. added 10 points. Forward Marque Maultsby grabbed a season-high eight boards in addition to five points on the night.

GAME TWO RECAP – Bradley vs. UTEP
The Braves and the Miners played a tight first half before a UTEP run gave the hosts a little cushion at the break. Trailing, 24-20, the Miners scored 10-straight points to grab a 30-24 advantage en route to a three-point lead at the intermission, 33-30.

The Miners carried their momentum into the second half and a strong start put UTEP ahead by 14 points, 50-36, less than six minutes into the period. However, the Braves would not go away. Back-to-back triples from Roberts and Leons pulled Bradley within seven points, 52-45. Another 3-pointer from Leons just minutes later would then cut the deficit down to three, 54-51, with 11:27 left in regulation.

UTEP would hold its lead until under five minutes remaining when Bradley’s Rienk Mast nailed a 3-pointer to put the Braves in front, 62-61. Not long after, the score was tied at 64-all when Mast hit another three-pointer to give Bradley a lead it would not lose. The Miners did, however, get within one point but a Braves layup put them up by three and finished the game by hitting some clutch free throws to seal the 73-66 win.

ALL-TOURNAMENT TEAM & AWARDS
Randy Miller Jr. (North Carolina Central)
Savion Flagg (Sam Houston)
Malevy Leons (Bradley)
Keonte Kennedy (UTEP)
Don Haskins Award – Jorell Saterfield (UTEP)
Barry Kobren Most Valuable Player – Terry Roberts (Bradley)

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Day One Attendance: 4210
Day Two Attendance: 4334