The Bruin faithful were out in full voice on Friday night to cheer on their hometown team. The Bruins didn't disappoint as they defeated rival Pensacola Christian College 72-54 thanks to a strong second half of play. With the win, the Bruins improve to 3-13 on the season and 3-1 in conference play. 

"We've been wanting to play this style all year," Bruins Head Coach Burton Uwarow said. "We've been limited by some injuries but we're now in a place where we can spread the ball around and play defense for the length of the court. Doing this allows us to play more people and get the crowd energized." 

Offense was hard to come by in the first half for both teams. At the first media timeout, both teams were shooting a combined 3-15 from the floor. Still, the defensive effort for the Bruins forced the Eagles to take tough shots. The Bruins held an 11-4 advantage at the timeout but the Eagles came right back as a few Bruins miscues sparked a 15-2 run for PCC to take a 17-13 lead.

Towards the end of the first half, the Bruins began to find their rhythm offensively, finding high percentage looks on nearly every possession. The Bruins got a huge momentum boost as Jayson Barnhart hit a buzzer beating shot giving the Bruins a 26-21 edge heading into halftime.

In the second half, Daniel Fuller hit a three to keep the momentum going as the Bruins added to their lead. Defensively, the Bruins continued to contest shots and frustrating the Eagles offensively and forcing PCC into a timeout.

Immediately after the timeout, the Bruins gained a huge momentum boost as Fuller hit a forty-five foot three-point shot just before the shot clock expired and increase the Bruins lead. The crowd in the Davis Field House went crazy and PCC called another timeout. 

The Bruins continued to generate high percentage looks in the half for a variety of different players. Coach Uwarow credited the speed and quickness of their guards for wearing down the Eagles' big men, giving the Bruins many quality looks in the paint. Overall, the Bruins were able to generate 34 points in the paint while shooting an impressive 47% from the floor as a team. As a result, the team cruised to a 72-54 victory over their rival. 

"We love each other on this team," Bruins forward Zac Orr said. Orr finished with a double-double 14 points and 11 rebounds. "We encourage each other and while the results are showing on the court, what isn't shown is how hard these guys are working day in and day out to get better." 

This victory marks the Bruin's third straight victory over the Eagles, a streak dating back to last year's home contest. The Bruins had three players in double-digits, led by Jayson Barnhart's eighteen points in the game. Daniel Fuller finished with fifteen points while shooting 5-9 from behind the arc. Defensively, the Bruins held the Eagles to a mere 34% shooting from the floor and just 15% shooting from three-point range. 

Next up, the Bruins will look to carry their momentum forward as they welcome another region opponent on Tuesday night. The Bruins will face Toccoa Falls College with the tip-off set for 5 p.m.