Box Score
The Bruins basketball team struggled in their season opener as the team fell to Montreat College 101-71 on Friday night in Montreat, North Carolina. "We showed our inexperience and they showed their experience tonight," Bruins Head Coach Burton Uwarow said.
Montreat College came into the game ranked #23 overall in the preseason NAIA poll. The Bruins knew they would be in for a tough test as they took the court at McAlister Gymnasium.
The Cavs rode the energy of their hometown crowd as they jumped out to an early 12-6 lead. The Bruins had trouble slowing Montreat as the Cavs moved the ball effectively around the court for open looks as six players finished the night in double figures. The Bruins were able to show some spurts of offense as Nate Ellenwood drove through the lane for points. Still, it wasn't enough as the Bruins deficit continued to grow. As the first half came to a close, the Bruins found themselves down 45-24. The team struggled offensively shooting just 28% from the floor.
In the second half, the Bruins came out looking to claw their way back into the game. Instead, the Cavs came out strong with a big run as they stormed the Bruins on both sides of the court to put the game out of reach. At the halfway point of the half, the Cavaliers led 75-38. The Bruins refused to give up as they continued to battle until the end. As the final buzzer sounded, the Bruins found themselves on the losing end of a tough opener as the team fell 101-71.
"We need to start our games better," Coach Uwarow said. "We keep digging ourselves a hole early. We had spots where we played really well. It takes a long time to break some of our bad habits and we'll have another tough opponent coming up on Monday."
The Bruins shot much better from the field in the second half as the team shot 67% from the field and 45% from beyond the arc. Nate Ellenwood led the Bruins with 21 points and 11 rebounds while Justin Matthews finished with 14 points. Dustin Killough also had 10 points as the Bruins fall to 0-1 on the season. Next up, the Bruins will play their home opener on Monday night as they welcome North Greenville University to the Davis Field House.
