BELLEVUE, Neb. -- Senior Ryleigh McCartney scored a career-high 23 points to lead the Bellevue University women's basketball team to an 82-65 upset over No. 23-ranked Mayville State University Saturday night in North Star Athletic Association action at the Gordon Lozier Athletic Center.
The Bruins, who won their third-straight game, improved to 12-10 on the season and 5-3 in the NSAA. MSU fell to 14-5 overall and 5-3 in league play.
The 82 points were the most scored by Bellevue in a conference game in school history.
McCartney drilled seven 3-pointers in the contest and added six rebounds and a pair of steals. The seven 3-pointers were the second most in school history.
Caletria Curtis finished with 17 points, eight rebounds, and six assists. Beth Walker poured in a season-high 15 points while adding six boards, two steals, and two assists. Taylor Cormier was the fourth Bruin in double figures, finishing with 13 points and a pair of assists.
Joelle Ertl paced the Comets with 19 points and four rebounds. Claire Blascziek added 12 points, four assists, and three rebounds.
Neither team established control in the early stages of the first quarter as MSU gained a slim 17-13 advantage after the opening frame.
Fueled by three-straight 3-pointers, two by McCartney and one from Walker, the Bruins opened the second quarter on an 11-0 run to grab a 24-17 lead with 6:48 left before halftime.
After the Comets drew to within one point at 26-25, the Bruins closed the half on an 8-2 run to take a 34-27 lead into the intermission.
McCartney led the Bruins in the first half with 11 points and five rebounds. Cormier added seven points and an assist. Ertl and Kylee Heurung each scored eight points to pace MSU in the opening half.
After the Bruins built a 12-point cushion following McCartney's fifth 3-pointer, the Comets responded with two-straight 3-pointers by Karleigh Weber to pull to within six points at 41-35 at the 6:48 mark of the third quarter. The Bruins answered with a 9-2 spurt over the next three minutes and maintained a 59-47 edge heading into the final stanza.
The Comets got as close as nine points following a 3-pointer by Ertl to start the fourth quarter before BU responded with a 7-2 run to take a 15-point lead at 67-52 with just under six minutes remaining in the contest. McCartney's seventh 3-pointer gave BU a 70-54 edge at the 5:13 mark.
The Bruins led by as many as 18 points before cruising to the 82-65 victory.
Bellevue will travel to La Crosse, Wis. next Friday, Jan. 19, for a 5:30 p.m. contest at Viterbo University.
