Bradds leads Belmont to 85-77 win over SIU-Edwardsville

Jan 6, 2016, 11:47 pm

EDWARDSVILLE, Ill. -- Evan Bradds had 22 points on 9-of-13 shooting and grabbed 14 rebounds, while Craig Bradshaw scored 22 to help Belmont beat SIU-Edwardsville 85-77 Wednesday night.

Amanze Egekeze scored 14 and freshman Kevin McClain added a season-high 12 for Belmont (10-6, 2-0 Ohio Valley).

SIU-Edwardsville (3-12, 0-3), which has lost five in a row, went scoreless over the final three-plus minutes of the first half and trailed 42-29 at the break.

Yemi Makanjoula's layup pulled the Cougars within one with five minutes left, but Bradds scored four during a 9-2 run that put the Bruins up 78-70.

Keenan Simmons made a 3 to cut SIU-Edwardsville's deficit to five with 1:26 remaining, but Bradshaw hit a 3-pointer 29 seconds later and Belmont held on from there.

Simmons led the Panthers with a career-high 21 points on 10-of-12 shooting. C.J. Carr had a career-best nine assists.