FOREST CITY, Iowa -- Elexis Martinez and Khalilah Holloway combined for 32 points and 18 rebounds to lead the Bellevue University women's basketball team to a 72-59 victory at Waldorf University Friday night in North Star Athletic Association action at the Hanson Fieldhouse.
With the win, the Bruins improved to 14-9 on the season and 5-2 in the NSAA. Waldorf fell to 3-17 on the season and 1-7 in league play.
Martinez recorded her team-leading sixth double-double of the season, finishing with 18 points and 10 rebounds. Holloway scored a career-high 14 points while adding eight rebounds and three steals off the bench.
Taeha Panked was the third Bruin in double figures, finishing with 10 points along with three assists.
Morgan Straight led all players with 21 points while adding a pair of rebounds.
Although the Bruins were outshot from the field (44.2 to 42 percent), BU outrebounded the Warriors, 40-33, holding a 13-4 advantage in second-chance points.
On 4-of-4 shooting, Holloway led BU in the first quarter with eight points as the Bruins grabbed a 19-15 lead after one period. Both teams shot 46.7 percent from the field in the opening 10 minutes.
The teams cooled off in the second quarter as both squads traded buckets the remainder of the half with BU taking a 29-24 lead into the intermission.
Martinez led BU in the opening half with 10 points and four rebounds. Holloway added eight points and four boards.
Kinsey Tweedy paced the Warriors in the first half with eight points on 4-of-7 shooting from the field.
Capped by a layup from Martinez, the Bruins scored the first 10 points of the second half to extend the lead to 15 points at 39-24. A five-point run pushed the margin to 20 points (46-26) with 3:31 left in the third frame.
Sparked by five-straight points from Straight, WU closed the third on a 12-5 run to pull the Warriors to within 13 points (51-38) heading into the final quarter.
After the Warriors made it a 10-point (58-48) game on a 15-foot jumper by Straight, the Bruins scored 10-consecutive points to push the advantage back to 20 points. The Warriors, however, were not done yet, countering with a nine-point run but that was a close as WU could get as BU secured the 72-59 victory.
The Bruins will travel to La Crosse, Wis. tomorrow (Feb. 1) for a 3 p.m. contest at Viterbo University.
