ABERDEEN, S.D. -- The Bellevue University women's basketball team turned in a strong second half performance to rally from an early deficit and claim a crucial 62-54 North Star Athletic Association victory over Presentation College on Friday evening at the Strode Center.
With their fourth victory in their last five game, the Bruins improve to 13-11 overall while bumping their NSAA mark to 6-4. Presentation has now lost five in a row as the Saints fall to 6-17 overall and 3-8 in NSAA play.
The game got off to a slow start for the Bruins who missed their first 12 field goal attempts and fell behind 10-2 just 8:09 into the game. However, BU remained undeterred and battled back to pull within three points, 12-9, by the end of the opening period. Shanae Collins and Caletria Curtis hit on back-to-back baskets inside the final minute to give Bellevue some momentum headed into the second quarter.
The second quarter was played much more evenly as Presentation couldn't build a lead bigger than six, that coming on an Allison Cox trifecta at the 5:00 mark. However, BU remained steady and a 6-0 run tied the game at 22-22 with 2:59 to play in the half. By halftime, PC had regained a slender lead, 28-24, but despite shooting just 27.6 percent in the first 20 minutes, Bellevue didn't let PC get any separation.
Bellevue came out of the intermission a bit slow, surrendering the first seven points of the third quarter to fall behind 35-24 following an old-fashioned three-point play from Cora Lopez at the 5:23 mark. The Bruins ramped up the defensive effort from there, out-scoring Presentation 15-2 to close the period, and took a 39-37 lead into the fourth quarter.
From the 5:23 mark of the third quarter on, Bellevue shot 10-of-22 (45.5 percent) from the field to out-score Presentation 38-17 and earn the victory. BU shot a perfect 10-of-10 from three free throw line in the fourth quarter, including an 8-of-8 effort inside the game's final minute to salt away the victory.
Ryleigh McCartney led the Bruins with 14 points, including a 6-of-7 effort from the free throw line, while Taylor Cormier scored 13 points and Shanae Collins added a season-best 11 to join her in double figures.
Sydney Larson led all scorers with 19 points for the Saints as she reached the 1,000-point milestone for her Presentation career. Lopez added 10 points and Shayla Strauss and Cox each chipped in with nine.
Bellevue owned a 22-12 advantage in free throw attempts and the Bruins - 66.1 percent from the line on the season - capitalized by hitting on 20-of-22 (90.9 percent) attempts at the charity stripe.
Alexandra Bader took game-high honors with eight rebounds for the Bruins, who out-worked Presentation on the boards 43-36. Curtis and Angeliece Tucker each added six boards and Cassidy Hubbs chipped in with four.
Bellevue has a week off before hosting a pair of NSAA contests next weekend. The Bruins take on #23 Dickinson State on Friday at 5:30 p.m. and Mayville State on Saturday at 3 p.m. at the Gordon Lozier Athletic Center.
