Bruins outlast Comets to reach NSAA title game

WATERTOWN, S.D. -- Getting significant contributions up and down the lineup, the Bellevue University women's basketball team sank 13-of-18 free throws in overtime to out-last Mayville State University, 72-63, in the North Star Athletic Association Tournament semifinals on Saturday afternoon.

Bellevue improves to 15-16 and advances to tomorrow's NSAA Championship Game against Dakota State University with tip-off scheduled for 1 p.m. Mayville State falls to 20-7 and leaves their 2022 NAIA National Tournament fate in the hands of the selection committee.

Saddled with foul trouble throughout the game, Bellevue saw two players foul out in overtime and two others play the final 10-plus minutes with four fouls.

Elexis Martinez, overcame a subpar shooting performance from the floor to hit on 10-of-13 free throws en route to a team-high 18 points, narrowly missing a double-double as she finished with nine boards to go along with a pair of blocked shots. Asha Scott recorded another double-double with 12 points and 10 rebounds off the bench.

The Bruins survived double-doubles from Jordan Zrust and Danneka Voegeli as the duo combined for 47 points and 23 rebounds. Zrust dropped in a game-high 35 points but needed 29 points to do so while Voegeli's presence on the defensive end posed numerous problems for the Bruin offense.

Bellevue made their first shot at the just ahead of the six-minute mark when Meleah Turner banked in a three-pointer. Despite the slow start offensively, Bellevue hung around with terrific defense.

Trailing 14-12, Scott converted an old-fashioned three-point play with 26.5 seconds to play to give BU its first lead. Kylee Heurung banked in a jumper from the edge of the paint to give the Comets a 16-15 lead after a quarter of play.

MSU stretched their lead to seven points when Mackenzie Hughes converted a pair of free throws but once again Bellevue answered back, scoring seven-straight. Laure Jurek kicked off the run with an elbow three, Scott made a layup falling down, and Ashtyn Arnold delivered a nice step-through move to tie the game.

Voegeli and Martinez traded a pair of made free throws at the end of the half and the teams entered the break tied at 31-apiece.

BU controlled the action early in the third, building a 38-33 lead after a trey from Ross and two more free throws from Martinez. But, like the Bruins did in the third quarter, Mayville mounted a comeback of their own, tying the game with four-straight points from Zrust.

Delaney VanBlaricon hit a triple to restore the BU lead but Zrust answered with one of her own to tie the game 45-45 after three quarters.

The Comets opened the fourth quarter by scoring the first six points and looking to pull away before the BU defense came up with a stop and Martinez scored with a strong post move. Arnold followed with a bucket to make it a two-point game.

Trailing 54-50, Bellevue rattled off an 8-0 run with a three from Faith Ross, an and-one from Martinez, and a step-through from Pankey to seize a 58-54 lead.

After a pair of missed free throws from Voegeli, Bellevue had a chance to deliver a knockout blow but an offensive foul gave the ball back to the Comets and Zrust made a driving layup with 31.2 seconds remaining to make it a one-possession game.

Martinez his 1-of-2 free throws at the offensive end for Bellevue but Zrust forced overtime on a deep trey from atop the key with 16.7 seconds left. Pankey's shot at the buzzer was blocked and the game proceeded to an extra period.

Mayville won the tip but came up empty on their first five possessions as Bellevue hit six-straight free throws for a 65-59 lead. By that time, the Comets were forced to play catch-up and Bellevue, despite not making a field goal in the extra period, never let the lead slip below five.

The win was the first overtime in program history, as the Bruins have now played overtime contests in each of their last two trips to the Watertown Civic Arena.