Box Score
The Lady Bruins basketball team got back to their winning ways on Friday night as the team defeated Columbia International University 74-66 to capture their third victory in the last four games. Sydney Bedsaul powered the Bruins with 22 points as the team improves to 10-11 on the season.
"It was really a team effort tonight," Bruins guard Hannah Tompkins said. "Everyone chimed in and did their part to help us get the win."
The Bruins came into the game after suffering a tough loss to Voorhees College on Tuesday night. But the team was determined to get back into the win column as they took the court in front of their hometown fans.
The Bruins used back to back three point shots to open the game as the team jumped out to an early lead. The Rams came charging back with a run of their own as the score remained close. Sydney Bedsaul scored six-straight points for the Bruins to help the team close out the quarter with a 22-19 lead.
In the second quarter, the Rams came out strong and took advantage of their size mismatch in the post. Forwards Moriah and Abigail Siemens dominated the paint for CIU as the pair combined for 23 rebounds on the night. Still, the Bruins remained close as they were able to continue to ride the hot hand of Bedsaul and the driving play of Sha'Ron Brunson. As the halftime buzzer sounded, the Rams had taken a slim 36-34 lead into the break.
As the second half began, the Bruins came out on fire as Bedsaul knocked down a three point shot to spark a run for the Bruins as they took the lead. The Rams responded by continuing to capitalize on second-chance opportunities as they fought their way back into the game. The Bruins used a 12-2 run to close out the 3rd quarter strong and take a 56-48 lead into the final quarter.
The Bruins didn't let up as the 4th quarter got underway. Despite being under-sized against the Rams, the Bruins clawed their way for rebounds and played suffocating defense to force the Rams into tough looks. On offense, the Bruins drove through the lane earning trips to the line and the team took advantage as they shot 73% from the charity stripe. Despite a last-chance run by the Rams, the Bruins may key shots down the stretch as they held on for a 74-66 win.
"There are a lot of things we can take and improve on but we also realize that we just won a game against a really quality opponent," Bruins Head Coach Mike LeViere said.
Sydney Bedsaul scored 22 points on the night while shooting 50% from beyond the arc and going 6-11 for the game. Sha'Ron Brunson had a strong double-double for the Bruins with 12 points and 15 rebounds on the night. With the win, the Bruins improve to 10-11 on the season. Next up, the Bruins will be on the road in Charlotte, North Carolina on Tuesday night for a matchup with Johnson and Wales University.
