In their largest win this year, the SIU women’s basketball team downed the Bradley Braves on the road Friday night for their fourth straight win and have now won eight of their last nine games. With Illinois State’s loss to Missouri State on Friday, the Salukis now have sole possession of first place in the Missouri Valley Conference.

Highlighting the action were three double-digit point performers in graduate students Gabby Walker, Abby Brockmeyer, and Makenzie Silvey. Walker led the team in points with 19 on the night while tallying six rebounds, an assist, and a steal. Brockmeyer had yet another double-double, going for 14 points, 15 rebounds, three assists and a steal. Silver Also added 10 points, four assists, two steals and one rebound against the Braves.

A layup for the Braves kicked the scoring off, but SIU would then go on a 10-2 run from there to go up 10-4 on the Braves early. The Braves wouldn’t falter though after a jumper and a three-pointer got them within one. A couple of Brockmeyer layups gave the Salukis some comfort before Silvey rounded the quarter out on a jumper to give them the six-point lead.

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Continuing their run from the end of the first, the Salukis earned the next eight points in a row to make it 25-11 early in the second. The rest of the quarter would go back and forth as they finished the first half with a 12 point lead at 32-20.

The Braves, trying to come back in this game, earned a couple baskets early to cut the deficit and give them some confidence. However, another long 15-4 run for the Salukis started to wear down on the Braves, making it a 20 point game at 51-31 heading into the final frame.

The fourth didn’t show the Braves much kindness either as another run of 14-2 started it off, giving the Salukis a staggering 30 point lead at 65-35. The Braves tried getting anything they could the last half of the frame, but it was all too much as they went down with the final score of 74-46.

The Salukis will continue their conference run on Sunday with a trip to Normal against the Illinois State Redbirds, who have a close second in the standings right behind SIU at the moment. Tip-off will start at 2 p.m.

Sports reporter Joseph Bernard can be reached at [email protected] or on twitter @Jojobernard2001.

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