BU opens NSAA play with 19-point upset win over Comets

Box Score
NSAA Standings

BELLEVUE, Neb. -- Gabby Moore led three Bruins in double figures as the Bellevue University women's basketball team opened North Star Athletic Association action with a 77-58 upset victory over No. 22-ranked Mayville State University Friday night in the Gordon Lozier Athletic Center. 

With the win, the Bruins improved to 8-3 on the season and 1-0 in the NSAA. MSU dropped to 8-3 overall and 0-1 in league play. 

Moore recorded her fourth 20-point game of the season, finishing with 21 points, going 9-of-21 from the field. Ashytn Arnold registered her third double-double of the season, finishing with 15 points and 13 rebounds. Zakiyyah Muhammad also collected a double-double with 15 points and 14 boards. Josias Mickens chipped in with eight points, six rebounds, six steals, and five assists. 

Alex Page paced the Comets with 21 points on 9-of-14 shooting from the field while adding seven rebounds. Misti Zempel finished with 12 points and five boards and Mackenzie Hughes added 11 points, four assists, and three steals.  

Mickens scored the game's first four points as BU raced out to a 10-2 lead in the first four minutes of the contest. The Comets responded with an 8-0 run, sparked by five-straight from Zempel to knot the contest at 10-10. After a five-minute BU scoring drought, a layup by Muhammad gave the Bruins a 12-10 advantage after the opening quarter of play. 

A 9-3 run to open the second, capped by buckets from Moore and Mickens, expanded the BU margin to eight points at 21-13. MSU answered with 10 straight to take its first lead at 23-21, following a pair of free throws by Hughes. After trading buckets, the Comets took a 25-23 lead into the intermission. 

Arnold led BU in the opening half with seven points and seven rebounds. Mickens and Muhammad registered six points apiece. 

Only three Comets scored in the first half, with Page pouring in 11 points. Zempel collected eight first-half points, and Hughes tallied six points.  

After Hughes nailed a 3-pointer to open the second half, giving MSU a five-point edge, the Bruins stormed back with a 23-6 run, highlighted by two deep 3-pointers from Moore, to take a 46-34 lead with 2:09 left in the third. After four straight by the Comets, a layup by Arnold gave Bellevue a 48-38 lead heading into the final frame. 

A 3-pointer by Danielle Coyer gave BU its largest lead of the contest at 19 points (62-43) with six minutes left in the game. Five points from Berkley Neubauer brought MSU to within 14 points at 65-51 at the five-minute mark. The Bruins closed the game on a 12-7 run while cruising to the 77-58 victory.  

The Bruins will host Valley City State University on Saturday (Dec. 14) at 3 p.m. in the Gordon Lozier Athletic Center.