DICKINSON, N.D. -- Dickinson State led from start to finish and took advantage of a 27 percent-shooting effort from the Bruins as DSU defeated the Bellevue University women's basketball team, 69-50, Friday night in North Star Athletic Association action at Scott Gymnasium.
With the loss, the Bruins fell to 7-10 on the season and 0-2 in the NSAA. DSU improved to 3-16 overall and 1-1 in league play.
Faith Ross paced the Bruins with 12 points and seven rebounds. Asha Scott and Elexis Martinez chipped in with 10 apiece. Laura Jurek pulled down a game-high 11 rebounds.
Courtney Olson led the Blue Hawks with 24 points. Lauren Baumbarger added 10 points.
BU was just 18-of-67 from the field while committing 16 turnovers in the loss.
The Blue Hawks scored the final 10 points of the first quarter including a half-court shot at the buzzer by Sunshine Vincente, to give the Blue Hawks a 24-13 lead after the opening 10 minutes of play.
A 3-pointer by Mackenzi Reed capped a 12-2 run as the Blue Hawks expanded the lead to 23 points at 41-18 with 1:05 left in the first half.
A 10-foot jumper by Ross and a free throw by Ashlie Watts made it 42-20 at the intermission.
Ross scored 10 points in the first half to lead the BU offense.
Olson led DSU in the opening half with 19 points on 8-of-15 shooting from the field and a 3-of-4 effort from the free-throw line.
BU shot just 8-of-36 from the field in the first half and was 1-of-12 from behind the arc.
After BU used a 5-0 run to start the second half to cut the deficit to 17 points, DSU countered with seven-straight points to take a 24-point advantage at 49-25.
A triple by Heather LaBree gave the Blue Hawks a 26-point cushion at 57-31 at the three-minute mark of the third quarter.
Sparked by a 3-pointer from Aminah Hall, BU closed the third on a 5-2 run as DSU entered the final frame with a 59-36 advantage.
BU never got closer than 23 points until a short jumper by Scott and a 3-point play from Hall made the final, 69-50.
The Bruins will head to Valley City, N.D. tomorrow (Jan. 8) for a 3 p.m. NSAA contest at Valley City State University.
