BELLEVUE, Neb. -- The Bellevue University women's basketball team outscored Valley City State University 23-8 in the fourth quarter as the Bruins won their fifth-straight with a 73-54 victory Saturday afternoon in the Gordon Lozier Athletic Center.
Bellevue improved to 7-4 on the season and 3-1 in the NSAA with the victory. VCSU fell to 2-6 overall and 1-2 in league play.
Elexis Martinez led the Bruins with 17 points, six rebounds, and a career-high six assists. Faith Ross added 14 points, three rebounds, and a pair of assists. Taeha Pankey finished with nine points, three boards, and two assists.
Adriana Torres was the lone Viking in double figures, finishing with 15 points to go along with eight rebounds. Maara Nelson registered nine points and eight boards.
The Bruins raced out to an early 10-2 lead and shot 39 percent from the field in the opening quarter to take a 19-13 lead after the first 10 minutes of play. Martinez, Laura Jurek, and Ross each scored four points in the first quarter.
An eight-point Viking run, capped by a 3-pointer from Allie Critchley tied the contest at 23-all with 5:51 remaining before the intermission. The two teams traded baskets the remainder of the half as the game remained tied at 34 apiece at the break.
Martinez led the Bruins in the first half with six points, four rebounds, and two assists. Delaney VanBlaricon nailed a pair of 3-pointers, finishing the first half with six points as 13 Bruins saw action in the first half.
Torres paced the Vikings in the opening 20 minutes of play with nine points and seven rebounds. Taryn Dieterle was 3-of-3 from the field, scoring eight points and adding two rebounds.
With the game tied at 43-all, the Bruins closed the third on a 7-3 run to take a 50-46 lead heading into the final quarter. Martinez led BU with six third-quarter points.
Ross scored four points as BU opened the fourth quarter on an 8-0 run to expand the advantage to 12 points (58-46) with 7:32 remaining in the contest. Highlighted by five-straight points from Torres, the Vikings responded with a 6-0 run to pull back to within six at 58-52 at the 5:25 mark.
BU countered with a 15-2 run to close the game as the Bruins secured the 73-54 victory.
The Bruins will travel to Aberdeen, S.D. next Friday, Jan. 15 for a 5:30 p.m. NSAA contest against Presentation College at the Strode Center.
