Box Score
Sydney Bedsaul and Sarah Thomsen each scored over 20 points as the #5 seeded Lady Bruins defeated the #4 seeded Emmaus Bible College Eagles 75-64 in a thrilling first round NCCAA DII National Tournament game. With the win, the Lady Bruins advance to play in the semifinals against Arlington Baptist University. "It was a little hodgepodge different look than a lot of our season games but we were able to come away with a victory" Coach Mike LeViere said.
Bedsaul opened up scoring for the game by notching back to back threes. Sarah Thomsen sunk a three of her own as the Lady Bruins opened on an 11-0 run to start the game. The Eagles finally made their first bucket halfway through the first quarter. That bucket sparked a 5-0 run by the Eagles getting them back into the game. Bedsaul and Thomsen helped the Bruins close out well as BJU led 16-7 at the end of the first quarter.
Bedsaul carried the scoring again to start the second quarter as she helped stretch the lead to 21-8. The Eagles responded by hitting back to back threes on their way to an 8-0 run which cut the Lady Bruins' lead down to three at 21-16. Kylee Leffew brought the Eagles' run to an end with a bucket that put the Lady Bruins up 23-18. The Eagles were able to cut into the Lady Bruins' lead later on in the quarter but another three by Bedsaul put the Lady Bruins up 30-22. Madison Shupe hit a three in the final seconds of the quarter to give the Lady Bruins a 34-26 lead heading into halftime.
The third quarter began with Thomsen scoring two giving the Lady Bruins another double digit lead at 36-26. The Eagles kept pace and scored back to back twos to once again find themselves down by five at 42-37. A two by Lauren Smith and a three by Shupe pushed the Eagles back down to a 47-39 deficit. Thomsen followed with another three as Lady Bruins matched their largest lead of the game at eleven. Still, the Eagles stayed within striking distance as they trailed 53-44 at the quarter's end.
Determined to fight until the end, the Eagles opened up the final quarter on a 6-1 run. Leffew ended the run with a foul and one which put the Lady Bruins up 57-50. The Eagles responded with another big run to cut the Lady Bruins' lead down to one at 58-57. Thomsen hit a three to give the Lady Bruins some breathing room, but the Eagles came together and used back to back buckets to tie the game at 61-61. After a timeout, the momentum shifted back to the Bruins as the team went a 9-0 run fueled by Leffew and Bedsaul to take a 70-61 lead. The Eagles brought the Lady Bruins' run to an end when they sank a three to make the score 70-64. That bucket proved to be the final one of the game for the Eagles. Running out of time, the Eagles fouled Leffew and Bedsaul in the final minutes. Both players combined for five made free throws to give the Lady Bruins a 75-64 victory and a spot in the national semifinals.
"We pieced together and had a good team effort and it took the entire team," Coach LeViere said following the game. "We needed all we could get from our defense in order to shut them down and they still had really good gains. We did just enough to come away with a victory."
Bedsaul led the team in points with 23, but Thomsen and Kylee Leffew also scored 21 and 16 points respectively. Thomsen and Lauren Smith led the Lady Bruins with 9 assists.
"We just need to stay confident and know we can do it," Sarah Thomsen said. "We can beat any team here, I believe. Just having the mindset that we have the capability of doing that and staying positive in that is important."
Tomorrow, the Lady Bruins will face the #1 seeded Arlington Baptist University Patriots. ABU is the two-time defending national champions and tip-off for the game is set for 2:15 p.m. (EST).
