VALLEY CITY, N.D. -- Four players scored in double figures, and the Bellevue University women's basketball team kept its hopes alive for a conference title with a 78-68 victory at Valley City State University Friday night in North Star Athletic Association action at the W.E. Osmon Fieldhouse.
With two games remaining in the regular season, BU stayed one-game back of the conference lead, improving to 16-9 overall and 10-2 in the NSAA. VCSU dropped to 14-11 on the season and 7-5 in league play.
Asha Scott and Taylor Dement led the BU offense with 15 points each. Scott added seven rebounds and three assists. Dement was 7-of-11 from the field while adding three rebounds and three steals.
Faith Ross registered 14 points, five rebounds, and a pair of assists in the victory. Ashtyn Arnold finished with 13 points and five boards.
Ashlyn Diemert led all players with 17 points and nine rebounds. Taryn Dieterle added 14 points and four boards. Hailey Roberts chipped in with 13 points and was 3-of-8 from long range.
Four-straight points by Dement gave the Bruins a 15-12 after the opening quarter that featured three ties and three lead changes.
After Diemert opened the second quarter with a 10-foot jumper, the Bruins used a 9-2 run to take a 24-16 edge with seven minutes remaining before halftime.
Two-consecutive buckets by Dement sparked a 6-0 Bruin spurt to extend the margin to 11 points at 32-21 at the 4:12 mark of the second quarter.
A steal and a layup by Dement gave the Bruins their largest lead of the first half at 13 points (38-25) with 2:18 left before intermission.
A 3-point play by Madison Spacher narrowed the margin to 39-30 at the halftime break.
Dement led all players in the first half, with 13 points on 6-of-9 shooting from the field, while adding three steals. Arnold added eight points, going a perfect 4-of-4 from the field.
Roberts and Jaycee Richter led the Vikings in the first half with six points apiece.
The two teams traded baskets for the first five minutes of the second half until VCSU used a 5-0 run to pull to within six points at 51-45 with 4:39 left in the third.
BU countered with a 4-0 run to push the margin back to double digits. A three-point play by Diemert made it a seven-point contest at the one-minute mark before BU settled for a 61-53 margin heading into the final frame.
The Vikings made just 1-of-5 free throws to open the fourth quarter before BU used a 9-0 run to extend the margin to 16 points at 70-54 with 5:26 remaining in the contest.
VCSU charged back with 10-straight points to reduce the BU lead to six points at 70-64 at the 2:39 mark.
The Bruins countered with key buckets by Miranda Hennings and Scott to push the Bruin edge to 10 points at 74-64 with 1:34 left in the game.
BU drained 4-of-6 free throws in the final 30 seconds to seal the 78-68 victory.
The Bruins will head to Dickinson, N.D. tomorrow (Feb. 11) for a 4 p.m. (central time) matchup at Dickinson State University.
