MAYVILLE, N.D. -- Mayville State University had two players record double-doubles and the Bruins shot just 33 percent from the field as the Comets upset 24th-ranked Bellevue University, 58-52, Friday night in North Star Athletic Association women's basketball action at the Lewy Lee Fieldhouse.
The loss dropped the Bruins to 12-7 on the season and 3-1 in the NSAA. MSU, who out-rebounded BU, 51-23, improved to 9-5 overall and 3-1 in league play.
For the third-straight game, freshman Faith Ross led the Bruins in scoring with 13 points along with three rebounds. Elexis Martinez added 11 points, three boards, and three assists. Morgan Cuffe finished with nine points, four rebounds, and a pair of assists.
Joelle Ertl led MSU with 15 points, 10 rebounds, and three assists. Taylor Shamp added 12 points and a game-high 15 rebounds. Cyan Hale was the third Comet in double-figures, finishing with 10 points along with four rebounds and three assists.
Both teams were ice cold in the early going as neither team scored until nearly four minutes into the contest. BU shot just 20 percent in the opening quarter as the Comets took at 14-10 lead after the first stanza.
The largest lead for either squad in the first half was seven points and a 3-pointer by Ertl gave MSU a 28-22 advantage at the intermission.
Cuffe, Martinez, and Ross each scored five points to lead the BU offense in the first half. Shamp paced the Comets in the opening 20 minutes with nine points and 10 rebounds.
The Bruins were just 8-of-30 (26.7 percent) from the field in the first half and 2-of-8 from behind the arc.
After the Comets used a 6-0 run to build a 10-point lead early in the third quarter, the Bruins responded with eight-consecutive points, capped by a 3-pointer from Ross, to make it a two-point game at 34-32 with 3:23 left in the quarter. MSU pushed the lead back to seven points before a 12-foot jumper by Shayla Dean made it 41-36 entering the final quarter.
MSU scored the first four points of the fourth quarter to extend the lead to nine points at 45-36 at the 7:46 mark.
The Bruins battled back and a triple by Ross brought BU to within a single possession at 51-48 with 2:35 left in the contest.
That was as close as BU could get as the Comets nailed 5-of-6 free throws in the final 18 seconds to seal the 58-52 victory.
The Bruins will travel to Valley City, N.D. on Sunday, Jan. 13, for a 1 p.m. NSAA contest at Valley City State University.