BELLEVUE, Neb. -- The Bellevue University women's basketball team shot just 24 percent from the field as sixth-ranked University of Jamestown defeated the Bruins, 70-39, Saturday afternoon in North Star Athletic Association action at the Gordon Lozier Athletic Center.
The loss dropped the Bruins to 9-10 on the season and 3-3 in the NSAA. The Jimmies, who won their 13th-straight game, improved to 17-2 overall and 6-0 in league play.
Morgan Cuffe was the lone Bruin in double figures, finishing with 10 points, three rebounds, three steals, and three blocked shots. Beth Walker and Caletria Curtis both pulled down a game-high seven rebounds. Walker added three blocks and three assists in the loss.
Bryn Woodside led the Jimmies with 18 points, four rebounds, and four steals. She was the lone Jimmie in double figures as 12 UJ players scored in the game.
After the Bruins took a 9-8 lead on a layup by Curtis, the Jimmies closed the first quarter on a 7-0 run to take a 15-9 advantage heading into the second quarter. Walker led BU in the opening quarter with three points and three rebounds.
UJ scored the first six points of the second frame to extend the lead to 12 points at 21-9 with 8:38 left before halftime. The Bruins, fueled by six points from Cuffe during a 10-2 BU run, sliced the deficit to four points at 23-19 at the four-minute mark. UJ maintained a three-point advantage until the Jimmies scored on consecutive layups in the final 30 seconds to take a 31-24 lead into the intermission.
Cuffe led BU in the opening half with eight points and two rebounds. Curtis added six points and four rebounds. Woodside paced the Jimmies with 11 first-half points. Despite shooting just 23.5 percent from the field in the first half, the Bruins forced nine UJ turnovers and converted on eight second-chance points.
The Jimmies scored the first eight points of the second half, holding the Bruins scoreless for the first four minutes of the third quarter as UJ took a 39-24 lead. The Bruins hit just 2-of-10 shots in the third as the Jimmies outscored BU, 19-6, to take a 20-point cushion heading into the final stanza.
A 3-pointer by Woodside extended the cushion to 25 points at 57-32 with 7:11 remaining in the contest. The Bruins never got closer the remainder of the contest as UJ cruised to the 31-point victory.
The Bruins will host Nebraska Christian on Tuesday, Jan. 9 at 5 p.m. in the Gordon Lozier Athletic Center.
