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Second-half meltdown dooms Bradley men yet again

VALPARAISO, Ind. — Bradley made its first men’s basketball venture into this city in 35 years on Saturday.

But the Braves’ 77-64 loss to Valparaiso followed a much more recent pattern — a second-half defensive collapse.

For the fifth time in the last six games, BU was taken to the woodshed after halftime. But this was the starkest example of a late meltdown, considering the Braves led for almost all of the game’s first 35 minutes.

“We just stopped playing defense in the second half,” said BU coach Brian Wardle. “Ultimately, you give up 51 points in the second half on the road, you have zero chance to win.