BELLEVUE, Neb. -- A big second half and the perfect shooting of freshman Angeliece Tucker propelled the Bellevue University women's basketball team to a 71-46 victory over Viterbo University Friday night in North Star Athletic Association action at the Gordon Lozier Athletic Center.
The Bruins improved to 11-10 on the season and 5-4 in the NSAA with the win. Viterbo fell to 2-21 overall and 1-8 in league play.
BU overcame a five-point halftime deficit, outscoring the V-Hawks, 44-14 after the break.
Tucker was a perfect 6-for-6 from the field, all from behind the arc, and 4-for-4 from the charity stripe, leading the Bruins with a 22 points, just the second 20-point game in school history. She also added four steals and three rebounds. Her six 3-pointers and six shots without a miss were program records.
Ryleigh McCartney finished with 13 points and three boards. Caletria Curtis was the third Bruin in double figures, registering 11 points along with nine rebounds and three assists.
Mariah Weddle was the lone V-Hawk in double figures, finishing with 10 points, to go along with five rebounds and three assists.
Bellevue missed its first six shots of the game and committed eight turnovers as the V-Hawks built a 15-10 advantage after the first quarter.
After a pair of 3-pointers by McCartney drew the Bruins to within one point, the V-Hawks went on 9-0 run to extend the lead to double digits at 28-18 with five minutes left before halftime. A 7-2 BU run to close the half brought the Bruins to within five at the intermission at 32-27.
McCartney led BU in the opening half with eight points and a pair of rebounds.
Weddle paced the V-Hawks with eight points, three rebounds, and three assists.
The Bruins opened the second half on a 17-2 run and Curtis and Tucker scored five points apiece as BU outscored the visitors, 22-6, in the third quarter to take a 49-38 lead into the final frame. The V-Hawks shot just 9.1 percent in the third quarter, hitting only one 1-of-11 shots from the field.
BU stayed hot in the fourth quarter, drilling six 3-pointers, before cruising to the 25-point victory.
The Bruins will travel to Sioux City, Iowa tomorrow (Jan. 21) for a 4 p.m. contest at Briar Cliff University.
