Box Score
The Lady Bruins had hopes of a David and Goliath storyline upset for their Saturday matchup against USC Upstate on Saturday, but it wasn't meant to be as the team fell 92-50 in Spartanburg, South Carolina.
"Overall I am happy with our effort," Bruins Coach Mike LeViere said. "Our play in the 3rd quarter was probably the best we've played this season. We didn't start well but we recovered."
The Bruins made their debut on ESPN3 as the game was streamed on the national platform. The team entered the game on the heels of back to back losses against Johnson University and Southern Wesleyan University. The Bruins were entering their third game in the last five days and they knew they would have to play at their best as they took the court at the Hodge Center.
Sarah Thomsen scored the first five points for the Bruins out of the gate but the Spartans found their groove early on to build a 20-5 advantage. The Bruins were finding open looks offensively, but the shots weren't falling and the quick counter attack of the Spartans proved to be a problem for the Bruins defense all game long. As the first quarter came to a close, the Bruins had some ground to make up as they trailed 26-12.
In the second quarter, the Spartans continued to press their up-tempo play as they jumped out with a 10-0 run to increase their lead. Costly turnovers hurt the Bruins offensively as their errors turned into points for Upstate. Raven Jefferson was unstoppable for the Spartans as she continued to knock down three-point shots from the outside to help the Spartans take a 47-18 lead into the break.
As the second half began, the Bruins were looking to make adjustments to climb back into the game. Hannah Tompkins knocked down back to back three point shots for the Bruins to help fuel the offense early on for the team in the second half. But each Bruins basket was answered by multiple baskets for the Spartans as Upstate continued to pour it on. At the end of the third quarter, the Bruins trailed 65-39.
With the game out of reach, the Bruins came out looking to improve on their play and make the game respectable. But another 10-0 run out of the gate for the Spartans set the tone for the quarter as Upstate coasted to a 92-50 victory.
"We let the pressure get to us today which is a sign of some of our inconsistencies," Coach LeViere said. "We let the pressure get to us at times but other times we made good decisions and took care of the ball."
Sarah Thomsen led the team with 13 points and 6 rebounds while Sydney Bedsaul scored 11 and Sha'Ron Brunson finished with 10. With the loss, the Lady Bruins have now dropped three straight and sit at 4-7 on the season.
Next up, the Bruins will be back home on Tuesday night as they welcome the Emmanuel College Lions at 5 p.m.
