Jeff Kowalsky / Reuters

Bradley's Patrick O'Bryant celebrates with fans. The No. 13 Braves stunned No. 5 Pittsburgh to reach the NCAA Tournament's third-round for the first time since 1955 with a win on Sunday.

updated 10:31 p.m. ET March 19, 2006

AUBURN HILLS, Mich. - Bradley was all business after knocking out Kansas in the first round of the NCAA tournament.

Now it’s party time.

The 13th-seeded Braves are on their way to the third round for the first time in 51 years after their latest stunner — a 72-66 victory over fifth-seeded Pittsburgh on Sunday in the Oakland Regional.

“Being part of this program spanning 30 years ... to see the jubilation on the faces of those people, and getting the calls and text messages from people enjoying this run, that gives me tremendous pleasure,” said coach Jim Les, a former BU point guard. “Bradley basketball is back on the map in a big way.”

Patrick O’Bryant had 28 points and seven rebounds and Marcellus Sommerville added 18 points and six rebounds for the Braves (22-10), who join fellow Missouri Valley Conference member Wichita State in the round of 16. They will play top-seeded Memphis on Thursday.

Playing in their first NCAA tournament in 10 years, the Braves have looked like seasoned veterans with surprising wins over fourth-seeded Kansas and now the Panthers (25-8), becoming the first No. 13 seed in the regional semifinals since Oklahoma in 1999.

They didn’t wait to make the six-hour trip back home to Peoria, Ill., to start celebrating.

As the horn sounded, the Bradley players leaped over the scorer’s table and joined thousands of red-clad Braves faithful in the stands.

O’Bryant, a sophomore from Blaine, Minn., led the way after rendering Pitt’s 7-footer a non-factor, getting Gray in early foul trouble with his quickness and then simply outplaying him in the second half.

Slide show   March madness Click to see the best images from the 2006 NCAA men's basketball tournament.

After dominating the smaller Kent State in the first round with 17 points and 13 rebounds, Gray had to look eye-to-eye with O’Bryant in this one and couldn’t measure up, scoring 12 points and grabbing four rebounds.

Gray buried his head in his locker for several minutes after the game, unable to get himself together.

“There are so many emotional highs and lows,” Gray said. “You play really well one night, and the next night, you don’t play well at all. The great players bring it every night.”

MEN’S NCAA TOURNAMENT RESULTS Sunday’s games ATLANTA REGIONAL Texas 75, N.C. State 54 West Virginia 67, Northwestern State 54 MINNEAPOLIS REGIONAL Georgetown 70, Ohio State 52 Villanova 82, Arizona 78 OAKLAND REGIONAL Bradley 72, Pittsburgh 66 Memphis 72, Bucknell 56 WASHINGTON D.C. Connecticut 87, Kentucky 83 George Mason 65, North Carolina 60

Pittsburgh’s Carl Krauser said before the tourney started he was looking forward to a possible rematch with former Pitt coach Ben Howland and UCLA in the regional final.

But that will be for Bradley to dream about now.

There were only 24 teams in the tournament the last time Bradley advanced to the third round in 1955. It lost to Colorado that year, ending the school’s bid for three title-game appearances in five years.

The Braves raced out to a 16-4 lead behind O’Bryant’s inside presence and Pitt’s 1-for-10 start from the field, then really took control in the second half.

O’Bryant and Sommerville combined for all 13 of Bradley’s points during a 13-2 run in the first six minutes of the second half that put the Braves in control.

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