BELLEVUE, Neb. -- Junior Elexis Martinez scored 17 points to lead the Bellevue University women's basketball team to a 72-48 non-conference victory over Nebraska Christian College, Saturday afternoon in the Gordon Lozier Athletic Center.
The Bruins, who had 11 players that contributed in the scoring column, improved to 10-6 on the season with the win. NCC, which saw its four-game winning streak snapped, fell to 5-9 overall.
Martinez added five steals, three rebounds, and two blocks in the victory. Faith Ross recorded 14 points, three steals, and a pair of assists. Lexi Allen was the third Bruin in double figures, finishing with 10 points along with four rebounds.
Jazmyne Santiel, who was averaging 29 points per game, was held to 12 points. She added five rebounds, four assists, and three blocks. Bianca Casares led the Sentinels with 16 points and seven rebounds. Camry Porter collected a double-double with 13 points and 10 rebounds.
Bellevue took advantage of 34 NCC turnovers, scoring 39 points off turnovers in the game.
After missing nine-straight shots, the Bruins battled back from an early 13-6 deficit, going on a 12-4 run to end the first quarter to take a slim 18-17 lead. BU hit four 3-pointers in the opening quarter. Martinez led the Bruins in the first stanza with five points and two rebounds.
BU pulled away in the second quarter scoring eight-straight points to gain a 33-24 advantage at the intermission.
Martinez paced BU in the first half with 10 points and a pair of rebounds. Allen added eight points, with two 3-pointers and a steal. Santiel led the Sentinels in the opening half with 10 points and five rebounds.
The Bruins hit just 12-of-38 shots in the first half but scored 14 points off Sentinel turnovers.
Three-straight 3-pointers and seven points from Martinez, propelled the Bruins on a 20-6 run to open the second half, giving BU a 23-point cushion at 53-30 with 4:16 remaining in the third quarter. Bellevue outscored the Sentinels, 29-12, in the third frame to take a 26-point (62-36) entering the final quarter.
A layup by Justys Irish brought the Sentinels to within 23 points at 68-45 at the three-minute mark. That was as close as NCC would get as BU cruised to the 72-48 victory.
The Bruins will host seventh-ranked Morningside College at 6 p.m. on Tuesday, Jan. 7 in the Gordon Lozier Athletic Center.
