BELLEVUE, Neb. -- Junior Laura Jurek scored a season-high 18 points to lead the Bellevue University women's basketball team to an 80-41 victory over Presentation College Saturday afternoon in North Star Athletic Association action at the Gordon Lozier Athletic Center.
With the win, the Bruins won their fifth-straight contest, improving to 13-5 on the season and 9-2 in the NSAA. Presentation dropped to 1-21 overall and 0-11 in league play.
Jurek went 5-of-7 from the field, including a 2-of-3 effort from behind the arc. Elexis Martinez recorded her second double-double of the season with 12 points and 12 rebounds. Delaney VanBlaricon was the third Bruin in double figures, finishing with 10 points.
Aaliyah Hull was the lone Saint in double figures, finishing with 11 points along with 10 boards.
The Bruins used an early 13-1 run to grab a 20-9 lead in the first eight minutes of the contest. The Saints closed the quarter with five-straight points to cut the deficit to six points at 20-14 after the opening 10 minutes of play.
BU hit 4-of-6 3-pointers in the opening quarter led by Lexi Allen's 2-of-2 effort from behind the arc.
The Bruins continued their hot shooting in the second quarter, finishing the first half shooting 53.8 percent from long range as BU built a 44-26 halftime advantage.
Six Bruins scored at least five points in the first half, led by Jurek and Martinez who each poured in eight points.
Hull paced the Saints in the first half with eight points and eight rebounds.
The Bruins held PC to just 17 second-half points en route to the 39-point victory as the Saints never got closer than 18 points the remainder of the contest.
BU scored the first nine points of the fourth quarter to build a 35-point advantage before cruising to the 80-41 win.
The Bruins are now two games out of first place in the conference standings as league leader Dakota State is undefeated in conference play. BU has a two-game lead for second place in the NSAA standings.
Bellevue will travel to Valley City, N.D. next Friday, Feb. 12, for a 5:30 p.m. contest at Valley City State University.
