DUBUQUE, Iowa -- The Bellevue University women's basketball team shot just 26.9 percent from the field as No. 13 Clarke University handed the Bruins a 78-53 loss Saturday afternoon in non-conference action at the Kehl Center.
The loss dropped the Bruins to 2-3 on the season. Clarke improved to 2-1 overall.
Jamie Winkler led the Bruins with 13 points and four 3-pointers but was held scoreless in the second half. Elexis Martinez added 12 points and five rebounds. Delaney VanBlaricon scored a season-high 10 points while adding three assists.
Emma Kelchen paced the Pride with 18 points and five boards. She was the only Clarke player in double figures as 12 of the Pride scored in the CU victory.
Neither team scored for nearly four minutes to open the game until Clarke warmed up behind Kelchen to take an 18-11 lead after the end of the first quarter. Kelchen scored the Pride's first-10 points as CU outshot the Bruins 40 to 29 percent.
After a pair of free throws by Martinez brought the Bruins to within seven points at 23-16, the Pride used a 16-4 run to gain a 39-20 advantage with 1:57 remaining in the second quarter. Three-straight 3-pointers by Winkler helped pull BU to within 15 at the half, 44-29.
Winkler led the Bruins in the first half with 13 points on four 3-pointers. Martinez added six points and three rebounds.
Kelchen guided the Pride with 14 first-half points along with four rebounds.
BU was held scoreless for nearly five minutes to open the second half as the Pride expanded the lead to 23 points at 55-32 with 3:46 left in the third. Capped by a pair of free throws from Taeha Pankey, the Bruins scored eight-straight to pull to within 15 points at 55-40 with 1:40 remaining in the quarter, before CU scored the final four points to take a 59-40 edge heading into the final stanza.
Four-straight points by Nicole McDermott expanded the CU lead to 74-44 with 4:40 left in the contest as the Pride opened the fourth on a 15-4 run.
The Bruins got as close as 23 points at 74-51 following a 3-pointer by Faith Ross, before the Pride cruised to the 78-53 victory.
Clarke held a commanding 48-29 advantage in total rebounds while maintaining a 10-0 edge in second-chance points. The bench for CU scored 41 points.
The Bruins open conference play when they travel to Madison, S.D. on Saturday, Dec. 5 for a 3 p.m. contest at Dakota State University.
