ABERDEEN, S.D. -- With the defense holding Presentation College to just 34% shooting an forcing 19 turnovers, the Bellevue University women's basketball team secured a 66-45 road victory on Friday evening.
Bellevue won their fourth-straight overall to stay unbeaten in NSAA play, improving to 10-7 (4-0) while Presentation slid to 1-14 overall and 0-4 in conference play with their seventh-straight defeat.
The Bruins opened the game with six-straight points thanks to an and-one by Asha Scott and a long-range three-pointer by Ashton Arnold to seize early control of the game. That lead grew to nine on three occasions and the Bruins took a 19-12 lead after one quarter.
Miranda Hennings scored five-straight to open the second quarter and Arnold hit one of two free throws as the lead grew to 13 points, 25-12. About midway through the period, Delaney VanBlaricon hit a jumper in the paint to push the lead to a first half-high 16 points, 31-15.
Bellevue stymied PC in the second quarter, out-scoring the Saints 14-5 in the period with Presentation making just one field goal and turning the ball over seven times in the period. As a result, Bellevue led 33-17 at the break.
Arnold led all players with nine points at the break and Emma Ogitchida paced the Saints with six points and seven boards in the first half.
BU extended their lead in the third quarter, out-scoring Presentation 22-14 and pushing their lead to as many as 24 in the period courtesy of trey from Dement.
Despite a sloppy start to the fourth quarter, the Bruins did enough to maintain their lead and secure the 21-point victory.
Dement finished with a game-high 14 points to lead BU. Arnold and Ross also reached double figures scoring 13 and 12, respectively, with the latter collecting 10 boards for her first double-double of the season.
Ogitchida led Presentation with 10 points and added 10 rebounds for a double-double.
The Bruins are back on the road tomorrow with sole possession of first place on the line in North Dakota with a 3 p.m. tip-off against Mayville State University.
