Box Score Despite having the lead at the half, the Bruins failed to stop the hot shooting of the Eagles in the second half as Pensacola Christian College defeated Bob Jones University 73-59 on Friday night.
Chae Dexter scored 13 points off the bench for the Bruins
but it wasn't enough in the 72-59 loss to Pensacola Christian College"Still our greatest consistency is our inconsistency," Coach Neal Ring said. "We need to play consistently well and grab some of that confidence we've had. The crowd was great tonight, but we'll get better and the future is bright with this group."
The Bruins came into the game with a 3-13 record. The Eagles and Bruins have played 4 times over their 3 year history with PCC having a 3-1 advantage over BJU. The Bruins have yet to defeat the Eagles in front of their hometown crowd, and the team was hoping this would be the night as over 2,700 fans packed the Davis Field House.
In the opening minutes, the Bruins and Eagles went back and forth as both teams grabbed the lead and momentum. After a 3-point shot by Joel Thomas to put the Eagles up 17-11, the Bruins came back with a 6-0 run behind Chae Dexter and Ray Holden to tie the game at 17-17. The teams would even the score three more times throughout the half as neither was able to gain a sizable lead.
With their last possession, the Bruins were looking to finish the half strong and take the lead. Chae Dexter put back a layup at the buzzer to give the Bruins a 33-31 lead at the break. The Bruins fans erupted.
"That is the best half of defense we have played in a long time," "We put together some stops and made plays on offense to close out the half with a lot of energy and excitement."
The team continued to ride the energy of the crowd as Ray Holden banked home a layup to start the half, giving the Bruins a 35-31 lead. The Eagles responded with an onslaught of beyond the arch three point shots as PCC shot 60% from the field and 50% from three-point range in the second half. The Bruins shooting went cold as the team managed just 27% from the field and 9% from behind the arch in the second half.
Despite their struggles, the Bruins kept the game within reach behind good defensive play and getting to the free throw line. Their hopes of a comeback were dashed as TJ Jackson and company hit 5 second-half three pointers to grab a double digit lead. The Eagles never looked back as they handed the Bruins a 73-59 loss.
"We have to play more consistent," Bruins' guard Marshall Riddle said. "We have to have the confidence that we can win games. We played a great first half and then in the second half we fell apart. We can't get flustered and just continue to play well."
Marshall Riddle led the Bruins with 15 points and Chae Dexter chipped in 13 in his 1st game in the Davis Field House. Kyle Turner and Dustin Killough each had 10 points for the team. The Bruins were outrebounded by the Eagles 40-21. With the loss, the Bruins fall to 3-14 on the season. Next up, the Bruins will welcome Toccoa Falls College on January 24.
