BELLEVUE, Neb. -- Mayville State University erased an 11-point first-half deficit as the Comets ended Bellevue University's season with a 65-62 victory in a North Star Athletic Association Women's Basketball Tournament quarterfinal matchup Wednesday night at the Gordon Lozier Athletic Center.
Bellevue ended its inaugural season with a 16-15 record. MSU improved to 17-11 overall and will now play at No. 1-seed Jamestown at 9 p.m. on Friday night in the NSAA semifinals.
Caletria Curtis led the Bruins with her team-leading eighth double-double, finishing with 16 points and 10 rebounds, to go along with three steals and an assist. Taylor Cormier added 13 points, four rebounds, and three assists. Ryleigh McCartney was the third Bruin in double figures, collecting 12 points, four assists, and three rebounds.
Karleigh Weber led the Comets with 22 points, four assists, and three rebounds. Claire Blascziek added 17 points and a pair of steals. Andi Gayner notched a double-double with 14 points and a game-high 13 rebounds.
A 6-0 run capped by a 3-point play from Beth Walker gave the Bruins an early 12-5 lead with 2:40 left in the first quarter. The two teams traded baskets the remainder of the quarter as BU took a 16-10 lead heading into the second frame.
The Bruin defense held the Comets to 15.4 percent shooting in the opening quarter and forced four turnovers.
Bellevue extended the lead to 11 points at 26-15 on a short jumper in the lane by Shanae Collins with 4:07 left before halftime. The Comets, however, responded by ending the half on an 8-2 run to slice the BU lead to 28-23 at the intermission.
Curtis led the Bruins in the opening half with eight points and five rebounds. Weber paced the Comets with eight points and two assists.
MSU opened the second half on a 9-2 run to take a 32-30 lead with eight minutes left in the third stanza. Eight-straight points by Weber pushed the Comet advantage to 40-33 with four minutes remaining in the third. The two teams traded 3-pointers in the final 30 seconds of the quarter as MSU took a 45-39 lead heading into the final frame.
Bellevue pulled to within one with five-straight points to open the fourth quarter before MSU responded with an 8-2 run to take a 58-51 lead with just over four minutes remaining in the contest.
A 3-pointer by Angeliece Tucker and a steal and layup by Curtis brought the Bruins to within three points at 61-58 at the 1:37 mark. The two teams then traded a pair of free throws to keep the margin at three points before Weber hit one of two free throws to give MSU a 64-60 lead with 17.5 seconds left in the game.
A 3-pointer by Cormier brought BU to within one point at 64-63 with six seconds left on the clock. Naomi Torgensen then drained a pair of free throws and a desperation 3-pointer was off the mark at the buzzer as the Comets secured the 66-63 victory.
