PEORIA, Ill. — In a thrilling matchup on Wednesday night, Tyler Lundblade showcased his skills by scoring 25 points, leading the Belmont Bruins to a narrow 80-77 victory over the Bradley Braves. As the game clock wound down, Jonathan Pierre sealed the triumph with a decisive layup just four seconds before the final buzzer.

Lundblade’s impressive performance included hitting 8 of his 15 shots from the field, with a remarkable 8 for 13 from beyond the arc for the Bruins, who now hold a record of 16-8 overall and 8-5 within the Missouri Valley Conference. Pierre contributed significantly as well, netting 17 points while making 5 of 13 field goals, including a couple of three-pointers, and going 5 for 9 from the free-throw line. In addition to his scoring, he also recorded seven rebounds and dished out five assists. Carter Whitt rounded out the Bruins’ scoring with 14 points, successfully converting 6 of 13 attempts from the field, including 2 for 4 from three-point range.

On the other side, Almar Atlason was the standout player for the Braves, finishing the game with an impressive 28 points, complemented by six rebounds and two blocks. Duke Deen contributed 11 points to the Braves’ efforts, while Zek Montgomery added another 10 points. This loss brings Bradley’s record to 18-6 overall and 9-4 in conference play.

Belmont took a slight lead into halftime, heading into the locker room with a score of 39-35. In that first half, Whitt managed to score 10 points, setting the stage for a competitive second half during which Lundblade exploded with 19 points to help secure the win.