POINT LOOKOUT, Mo. -- The (RV) Bellevue University women's basketball team went toe-to-toe with No. 6 College of the Ozarks on the Bobcats home floor before C of O pulled away late, downing the Bruins 84-73 at Keeter Gymnasium in the C of O Coke Classic..
Records:
(RV) Bellevue: 7-3
#6 Ozarks: 7-1
Recap: Ozarks 84, Bellevue 73
Bellevue led at half and trailed by just one entering the fourth quarter but the Bruins were unable to spring the upset as College of the Ozarks pulled away in the fourth quarter.
BU matched wits with their hosts in the first quarter on the strength of a 5-of-7 performance from beyond the arc in which five different players connected from long-range. After one period of play Bellevue led 22-21.
With the teams playing to a stalemate in the second quarter the game advanced to halftime with Bellevue leading 43-42.
The Bruins saw their lead grow to five with 4:28 left in the third quarter but the Bobcats ended the period on an 8-2 spurt to snag a 63-62 advantage heading into the final period.
C of O scored the first seven points of the fourth quarter to complete a 15-2 run and seize control of the game with a 70-62 lead with 8:29 remaining and never looked back.
Elexis Martinez scored 15 points and hauled in 12 rebounds to notch her third double-double of the season.
Morgan Cuffe – after missing Friday's game – scored 11 in her return to the court and Faith Ross added 10 points for a balanced BU offense.
Bellevue saw four other players record at least six points on the day; Shayla Dean (9), Jamie Winkler (8), Taeha Pankey (7) and Laura Jurek (6).
The Bobcats got a game-high 20 points from Cassidy Johnson and an additional 19 from Abby Oliver.
BU did a good job keeping All-American Kelsie Cleeton in check, limiting her to just nine points on 2-of-7 shooting. She did record five rebounds and five assists in the contest.
Up Next:
Bellevue travels to Hastings, Neb. on Tuesday, Nov. 20 for a 6 p.m. tip-off against #13 Hastings College in a non-conference tilt at Lynn Farrell Arena.