Sun Mar 08 15:30:00 UTC 2026: ### Northern Iowa Upsets Bradley, Advances to Missouri Valley Conference Championship
The Story:
In a stunning upset at the Missouri Valley Conference Tournament semifinals on Saturday, Northern Iowa defeated No. 2 seed Bradley with a final score of 73-69. Leon Bond III led Northern Iowa with 19 points. Northern Iowa, the No. 6 seed, will now face No. 5 seed UIC in the championship game on Sunday, with an automatic bid to the NCAA Tournament at stake. UIC previously defeated No. 9 seed Drake 72-51 in their semifinal match.
Key Points:
- Leon Bond III scored 19 points for Northern Iowa.
- Trey Campbell contributed 13 points, six assists, and four steals for Northern Iowa.
- Northern Iowa led 45-32 at halftime.
- Timoty van der Knaap scored 12 points for Bradley.
- Northern Iowa, as the No. 6 seed, will play No. 5 seed UIC in the championship game.
Key Takeaways:
- Northern Iowa’s victory over Bradley is a significant upset, altering the expected trajectory of the Missouri Valley Conference Tournament.
- Leon Bond III’s strong performance was crucial to Northern Iowa’s success.
- Northern Iowa’s dominant first half established a lead they were able to maintain.
- The upcoming championship game between Northern Iowa and UIC presents a compelling matchup for the automatic NCAA Tournament bid.
First Piper 