Box Score
Despite 16 points and 14 rebounds by Kendra Jeffcott, the #4 Lady Bruins were eliminated from the NCCAA DI playoffs 64-44 by the #1 seeded Emmanuel College Lions. The Bruins committed 24 costly turnovers while shooting only 22% from the field in the game.
The Bruins came into Friday night's game after defeating Columbia International University 62-43 on Thursday night. The Bruins and Lions had met twice in the regular season, with Emmanuel winning both games. The team knew that to continue their playoff run, their defense would have to be stellar as they took the court in Franklin Springs, Georgia.
The Bruins and Lions exchanged baskets in the opening minutes, with each team trying to establish momentum. The Bruins played great defense in the opening minutes as they forced the Lions high-powered offense into difficult shots. The team also played well in controlling the glass and generating good looks on the offensive end. Despite their efforts, the Bruins couldn't seem to buy a basket as each open look was met by the rim.
After a Lions field goal by Kristina Keeble, the Bruins trailed 21-9 with just over 7 minutes remaining in the half. The team began to chip away at the lead by working the ball inside and getting free throw opportunities. As the halftime buzzer sounded, the Bruins were down 28-19.
"First half was probably the best defense we have played all season," Coach Mike LeViere said. "They are a really good team and the times we did get beat, they made us pay for it. Turnovers were difficult on us tonight and we just didn't shoot the ball well at all."
The Bruins came out on fire in the second half and hit back to back three's from Kendra Jeffcott and Bre Bullard to cut the lead to 28-25. The Lions responded by going on a 7-0 run of their own to jump back to a double digit lead. From there, the Bruins tried to switch up their defensive alignment, but the Lions shooting caught fire in the second half as Emmanuel continued to extend their lead.
A Georgia Brown three gave the Lions a commanding 55-32 lead with just over 6 minutes remaining. The Bruins made several attempts at a late-half run but in the end it was not enough as the Lions eliminated the Bruins from the regional playoffs 64-44.
"This season has been a lot more than just this one game," Coach LeViere said. "We finished our season at 19-11 which is something to be proud of. We are on the right track but we have to keep moving forward. Our goal is to be a contender for this region and we are going to have to put in a lot of work and I am confident the team will continue to put the work in to accomplish that."
Kendra Jeffcott led the Bruins with 16 points and 14 rebounds while Kim Spiecker added 11. With the loss, the Bruins were eliminated from the NCCAA DI South regional playoffs and finish the season with a 19-11 record. The team made significant improvement over the course of the season, and with a core group of returning players, the Bruins will look to build on the solid foundation for next season.
