BELLEVUE, Neb. -- Senior Caletria Curtis scored 15 points, leading the Bellevue University women's basketball squad to a 63-44 victory over Dickinson State University Friday night in North Star Athletic Association action at the Gordon Lozier Athletic Center.
The Bruins improved to 11-10 on the season with the win and 4-3 in the NSAA. DSU fell to 4-13 overall and 0-7 in league play.
Curtis narrowly missed a double-double, finishing with nine rebounds along with three steals. Morgan Cuffe added 10 points and three rebounds. Elexis Martinez produced nine points, six rebounds and a pair of steals. Beth Walker had a solid night, finishing with eight points, 10 rebounds, along with a career-high five steals and three blocks.
Karen Hopkins was the lone Blue Hawk in double figures, registering 10 points, to go along with six rebounds and three assists.
The Bruin defense produced 14 steals and forced 19 DSU turnovers while holding DSU to 26.2 percent shooting from the field. Bellevue shot 42.6 percent on the night and out-rebounded the Blue Hawks 46-41.
Curtis scored eight first-quarter points and the Bruins opened the game on a 6-0 run and closed the first on an 8-0 spurt as BU took a 21-12 lead heading into the second.
The Bruins scored the first 10 points of the second to extend the margin to 19 points at 31-12 before settling for a 34-16 advantage heading into the intermission.
Curtis led BU in the first half with 12 points and eight rebounds, finishing 6-of-8 from the field. Walker added six points, six boards, four steals and three blocks in the opening 20 minutes as the Bruins outshot DSU 43 to 18 percent.
Bellevue opened up a 25-point cushion at 43-18 following a 3-pointer by Taylor Cormier at the midway point of the third. The Bruins took their largest lead of the game at 26 points after a jumper by Jamie Winkler at the 2:34 mark of the third before BU grabbed a 52-30 edge heading into the final frame.
After Christen Voyles drilled a layup to open the fourth quarter, DSU scored the next 12 points capped by a 3-pointer by Madison Hansen to get to within 12 at 54-42 with 4:34 remaining in the contest. That was as close as the Blue Hawks would get as BU pulled away for the 19-point victory.
The Bruins will host Mayville State University on Saturday, Jan. 13 at 3:00 p.m. in the Gordon Lozier Athletic Center.
