Jackson's free throws clinch 1st round win

After seemingly having the game in hand, it took two overtimes and some last-second heroics by Deon Jackson for the mens' basketball team to overcome Eastern Michigan in the first round of the National Invitational Tournament.

With seven seconds left in double overtime and Bradley down 85-84, Jackson was fouled by Eastern's Kareen Carpenter. Jackson sank both tosses from the charity stripe to put the Braves in the lead.

The Eagles had one more chance to tie the game. Off the inbounds play, Earl Boykins drove the length of the floor, but the shot missed, giving BU the 86-85 win.

Despite leading for all but 15 seconds of the game, Eastern Michigan was able to force overtime when Brian Tolbert hit a trey from the right side with 34 seconds left in regulation to knot the score at 70.

In the first overtime, the Eagles took control, scoring the first six points of the extra frame. With 1:49 left, Billy Wright put BU on the board with a driving layup. A pair of free throws from Jackson closed the gap to two, creating another last-second hero in Anthony Parker. He hit a three-foot jumper with five ticks left on the clock to tie the game at 76.

The second overtime saw the teams trade points until two Bradley fouls brought EMU from two points down to a one-point lead with 28 seconds left. That set up Jackson's game-winning free throws.

From the start, it looked like it would be an easy win for the Braves. Eastern Michigan kept the game even in the early part of the first half, and posted its only lead of the game with about nine minutes left in regulation.

Bradley reclaimed the lead, but the Eagles would tie the score at 21 with 6:54 left in the first half.

Then the runnin' Braves took over. Parker converted a dunk off of a steal. Aaron Zobrist stole the ball and went the length of the court for two. Parker buried a three-ball on a pass from Zobrist.

Parker then played quarterback for Jackson as the two connected on a court-length pass that culminated with a Jackson slam. Another Parker dunk closed out the first half scoring with the Braves up 40-30.

The second half began where the first left off. A Jackson three-point play gave BU its largest lead of the night with 13, but the Eagles closed the gap to three.

The Braves regrouped and again pushed the lead into double digits with a Zobrist trey and a Ben Coupet jam.

Eastern Michigan, led by Tolbert, refused to quit. Tolbert buried three treys and a 15-foot jumper to rally the Eagles and force the extra period.

Jackson led all scorers with 27 points for the Braves, while Parker added 16 points and 10 boards.

Eastern Michigan was led by Tolbert and Theron Wilson with 23 and 20 points, respectively.

With the win, the Braves recorded 20 victories for the second straight year. The last time the Braves notched consecutive 20-win seasons was in 1962, which completed six consecutive 20-win seasons.

Bradley coach Jim Molinari became just the fourth coach in Bradley history to record consecutive 20-win seasons. The three previous coaches were Chuck Orsborn, Forddy Anderson and A.J. Robertson.