Box Score
The Lady Bruins fell in a thriller on Friday night as the Pensacola Christian College Eagles rallied in the final minutes to steal a 73-72 win in the Davis Field House. The loss marks the first time ever that the Lady Bruins fell at home to PCC. "At times I felt like we had Pensacola on their heels, we were just never able to put the nail on the coffin," Bruins Head Coach Mike LeViere said.
The Eagles started off the game white hot in shooting and led the Lady Bruins 10-6. Thomsen and Bates combined to score the first six points of the game for the Bruins. Thomsen scored another three to bring the Bruins within one at 10-9, but PCC answered right back to extend their lead to 12-9. After that score, the Eagles' once white hot shooting turned ice cold and the Lady Bruins took full advantage. Kylee Leffew, Madison Shupe, and Faith Hart all scored to put the Lady Bruins on an impressive 10-0 run. The run and the Eagles' scoring drought came to an end when PCC sunk a three with less than a minute remaining in the first quarter. The Lady Bruins were able to score again right before the end of the quarter to take a 26-17 lead at the end of one.
Leffew scored to open up the second quarter and extend the Lady Bruins lead to 28-17. Thomsen scored a 3 at the shot clock buzzer and the Bruins saw their lead increase to 31-19. Despite scores from Bates and Shupe the Bruins picked up a lot of foul trouble and PCC managed to cut their deficit from 12 to 5 in the second quarter. Leading 35-30, Shupe was able to make a 3 in the closing seconds of the half as the Bruins took a 38-30 lead into the break.
The struggles of the second quarter seemed to remain with the Lady Bruins at the beginning of the third. The Eagles opened up the second half on a 7-0 run to cut the Lady Bruins' lead to one at 38-37. Thomsen answered with an off the glass three that end the Eagles' run and sparked a run for the Lady Bruins. Bedsaul hit another three to up the Lady Bruins' lead to 44-37. The Bruins continued to stretch the lead as Kylee Leffew was fouled and made a free throw to bring the Lady Bruins' lead to 45-37 and their run to 7-0. Following a score by PCC, Faith Hart made yet another three for the Lady Bruins as they took a 48-39 lead over the Eagles. The Lady Bruins' struggles returned and the team only scored twice more the rest of the quarter. Despite that, they would enter the final quarter with a 55-48 lead over PCC.
Madison Shupe opened up the final quarter with a three that gave the Lady Bruins another double digit lead at 58-48. However, the Eagles resiliency kicked in as PCC went on an 8-1 run which cut their once double digit deficit to only one at 62-61. Brunson and Leffew each made a free throw and Leffew scored on the following play to bring the Lady Bruins back up to a five point lead at 66-61. Three free throws and a score by PCC kept the Eagles within two at 68-66. Following a travel called on the Lady Bruins, the Eagles made the game tying basket. Thomsen responded with a three to give the Lady Bruins a 71-68 lead. However, PCC scored twice to take a 72-71 lead, the Eagles' first since the opening minutes of the game. Brunson was fouled on her next shot and made one of her free throws, tying the game back at 72 apiece. PCC was fouled on the next play, and made one of their two free throws, giving them a 73-72 edge with 6 seconds remaining. Coach LeViere called a timeout to get the ball at half court. Following another timeout, the Bruins had the ball with 1.8 seconds left, but Sarah Thomsen's shot missed as the Eagles completed the comeback with a 73-72 win.
"It stings," LeViere said following the loss. "We had a victory in our hands and we clutched defeat from the jaws of victory."
Thomsen led the Lady Bruins in scoring with 16 points. Shupe and Leffew also managed to score in the double digits with 14 and 11 respectively. Amanda Bates led the team with two blocks and Leffew and Faith Hart each led the Lady Bruins with two steals apiece.
The Lady Bruins will play their next game tomorrow afternoon against regional opponent Trinity Baptist College in the Davis Field House. Tip-off is set for 4 p.m.
