LINCOLN, Neb. -- Playing their first official game in 17 days, the Bellevue University women's basketball team shook off some early rust and withstood a third quarter charge en route to defeating Nebraska Wesleyan University 57-49 on Tuesday evening at Snyder Arena.
Bellevue snapped a mini two-game skid to improve to 3-4 while Nebraska Wesleyan remains winless, falling to 0-5.
The Bruin defense was suffocating in the opening quarter, limiting NWU to just four points on 2-of-11 shooting while turning the ball over five times. A jumper from Ellie Bream made it a 5-4 game before Ashtyn Arnold hit a baby hook to in the lane as Bellevue scored 11-straight to close out the period with a 16-4 advantage. Aminah Hall capped the run with a three from the top of the key off a kick out from Gabby Moore.
Nebraska Wesleyan came out stronger to open the second quarter, scoring the first four points including a three-pointer from Brianna Denton that touched every surface of the rim. After making just one field goal in the first five minutes – a trey from Moore – Bellevue found a little more rhythm as the game regained some flow. Bellevue stretched their lead to a game-high 13 at the 1:51 mark on another three-pointer from Hall.
Bellevue's lead at halftime was 29-21 as the Bruins shot 39% from the field to NWU's 26%, including going 5-of-16 from distance. After committing just one first quarter turnover, BU turned it over seven times in the second quarter as turnovers were even at eight for each time at the intermission.
Moore led Bellevue with eight in the opening 20 minutes while Brandi Dunn chipped in seven and Hall added six. Denton and Bream paced the Prairie Wolves with eight apiece.
A 9-4 spurt out of the break, punctuated by Delaney VanBlaricon's banked-in trifecta restored the Bruin lead to 13, 38-25, less than three minutes into the period. That lead would be trimmed to just three points as NWU outscored the Bruins 11-1 over the final 6:13 of the quarter to crawl back into the game.
Bellevue turned the ball over on their first possession of the fourth quarter and Bream sank a baby hook at the other end to make it a one-point game, 39-38. VanBlaricon finally slowed the bleeding by knocking down a three on a third chance following a pair of BU offensive boards.
Leading 44-42, Bellevue stretched their advantage to seven points by scoring the next five points with 3:51 to play. A jumper by Bream made it a five-point game before Dunn gave the Bruins some breathing room with a three from the wing before free throws from Dunn and Moore pushed the lead back to 10 with 1:09 remaining before holding on for the win.
Moore and Dunn led the Bruins with 13 points apiece and Arnold chipped in eight along with a team-best eight boards.
Bream finished with a game-high 18 to pace Nebraska Wesleyan along with a team-leading seven rebounds. She was joined in double figures by Denton who tossed in 10.
Bellevue returns home on Saturday, Dec. 2 for the first time in over a month when they play host to William Woods University (4-1). Tip-off is set for 5 p.m. from the Gordon Lozier Athletic Center.
