SAN DIEGO, Calif. -- Faith Ross tied the school record with 29 points as the Bellevue University women's basketball team earned a 71-59 victory at San Diego Christian College Wednesday night in non-conference action at the Joan Kroc Center.
With the victory, the Bruins improved to 5-8 on the season. SDCC fell to 4-9 overall.
Ross's 29 points tied the previous school record set by Jamie Winkler against Bethel (Kan.) during the 2017-18 season.
Ross went 9-of-18 from the field, including a 5-of-10 effort from behind the arc. She was a perfect 6-of-6 from the charity stripe, while also adding a game-high nine rebounds.
California native Ashtyn Arnold came off the bench to score 14 points while adding four rebounds, and three assists.
Elexis Martinez was the third Bruin in double figures, finishing with 12 points along with six boards.
Isabel Feller paced the Hawks with 16 points and four rebounds. Karen Hogue added 15 points and five rebounds.
The Bruins got off to a slow start, hitting just three of their first 14 shots and missing all five of their 3-point attempts, as the Hawks built an early 12-6 advantage. However, Laura Jurek and Ross nailed consecutive 3-pointers to knot the contest at 12 apiece.
Each team drilled short jumpers as the first quarter ended in a 14-all tie.
Ross and Jurek led BU in the opening 10 minutes with five points each. Hogue paced SDCC with seven first-quarter points along with three rebounds.
After trading baskets for the first four minutes of the second quarter, the Bruins used 3-pointers by Miranda Hennings and Ross during a 6-2 run to take a 26-24 lead with 4:52 remaining before the intermission.
After two scoreless minutes for both teams, SDCC went on a 4-0 spurt to grab a 28-26 lead at the 2:24 mark.
The Bruins countered with consecutive 3-pointers by Ross as BU gained a 32-28 edge with 1:45 left before the break.
After a free throw by Asha Scott gave the Bruins a three-point advantage, Laura Smith's short jumper made it a one-point contest at halftime, 33-32.
Ross led all players in the opening half with 18 points on 7-of-12 shooting from the field. She went 4-for-7 from behind the arc in the first half.
The Hawks were led by Hogue's nine points and four rebounds in the opening 20 minutes of play.
Neither team led by more than three points in the second half until a 3-pointer by Ross capped an 8-0 BU run, giving the Bruins a 48-43 lead with 1:36 left in the third.
After a 3-pointer by Madison Beckham drew the Hawks to within two points, Ross drained a pair of free throws, but Beckham's layup at the buzzer made it a two-point contest at 50-48 heading into the final frame.
Sparked by a 3-point play from Arnold, and capped by four-straight points from Ross, the Bruins used an 11-2 run to push the margin to 11 points at 70-59 with 41 seconds remaining in the contest.
Arnold hit 1-of-2 free throws in the final minute to make the final, 71-59.
The Bruins will continue their California road trip when they travel to Irvine on Thursday, Dec. 16. for a 3:00 p.m. (central time) matchup at Westcliff University.
