Box Score
The Lady Bruins entered the NCCAA DI South regional playoffs on Thursday night with the #4 seed. The team has struggled in recent games, losing their final three games of the season. Their opponent would be the #5 Columbia International University Rams. The two teams had met twice in the 2013 season, with BJU capturing both wins by double-digits.
The Bruins came out strong from behind the arc in the opening minutes with three straight three-pointers. The team had a well-balanced scoring attack; working through their offensive progressions for open looks. The Bruins shot over 40% from three-point range in the first half and used their outside firepower to extend their lead over the Rams. A three-pointer by Hannah Tompkins gave the Bruins a 28-14 lead with just over 5 minutes remaining in the half.
The Bruins finished the half strong by forcing turnovers to take a 37-19 lead into the break. "I felt like we did a good job of taking what the defense gave us," Coach Mike LeViere said. "We had a well balanced attack in the first half. We just keep working on focusing on the things we can control in our effort and attitude. We know if we do that the scoreboard will take care of itself."
In the second half, the Bruins continued to spread their offensive attack by getting several players involved. Ten of the 11 players who played for the Bruins scored a point as the team continued to stretch their lead. The Rams began to make a charge at the midway point of the second half. Then the three-point bombs began to fall again as Trisha Irving, Hannah Tompkins and Kim Spiecker continued to barrage the net with three's.
As the final buzzer sounded, the Bruins had won the first round of the regional playoffs with a 62-49 win. "I am proud of this team and our improvement up to this point," Coach LeViere said. "Now it is time to focus on the next task. Emmanuel is going to be a tough opponent but we will continue to work on those things we control and not worry about the things we can't."
The Bruins captured their first playoff win in program history. The Bruins didn't have a single player in double-figures as Kendra Jeffcott led the scoring with 9 points and 7 rebounds. Kourtney Hoefler, Kim Spiecker, Trisha Irving and Hannah Tompkins each scored 8 points as the team shot 33% for the game while forcing 20 turnovers. Next up, the Bruins will play the #1 seeded Emmanuel College Lions on Friday night.
