The Bruins basketball team opened the new year with a tough road win on Saturday as the team defeated Johnson University of Florida 85-74 in Kissimmee, Florida. The win marks the second region win for the Bruins this season as the team improves to 2-1 in region play and 2-11 overall.
"We set the tone in this game the way we played," Bruins forward Zac Orr said. "We've been working hard all year and this win really gave us some confidence moving forward into the second half of the season."
The Bruins battled through a difficult schedule first semester as the team played against some strong competition. To add to that, the Bruins have faced adversity this season with a number of injuries and roster adjustments. As the team took the floor to battle the Suns, they were hoping to get the season back on track.
From the opening tip, the Bruins came out strong as the team was very efficient throughout the game on the offensive side of the ball. Good movement freed up players for open looks and they were able to convert as the Bruins held a 16-11 lead early on.
The Bruins also were able to rebound well and play strong defensively. Zac Orr provided a boost for the team with solid post play while helping the Bruins keep the upper hand. Newcomer Cam McKennedy also had a solid debut for the Bruins as he finished with 7 points off the bench, including a three-point shot in the first half.
Despite several small runs by the Suns, the halftime buzzer sounded with the Bruins leading 40-35 at the break. Bruins senior captain Jayson Barnhart led the Bruins with 10 points in the opening 20 minutes.
In the second half, the Bruins continued to keep their lead thanks to key shots at key times. Jon Allen shot 50% from three-point range while Blake Coleman and Daniel Fuller combined to go a perfect 4/4 from three.
As a result, the Bruins continued to keep the lead but the Suns looked to climb back into the game late to force overtime. Instead, the Bruins came up with clutch baskets down the stretch followed by key free throws as they sealed an 85-74 region win.
"We needed this win today," Bruins Head Coach Burton Uwarow said. "We were incredibly efficient in field goals, three-point shooting and our free throws. We had such a well-balanced scoring attack which was key for us today."
Jayson Barnhart and Zac Orr led the Bruins with 17 points each while each also grabbed five rebounds in the game. Jon Allen had a strong performance with 15 points and three assists while Quiyante Burroughs and Daniel Fuller each had 10 points to round out the double-figure scoring for the team.
With the win, the Bruins picked up an important region victory as they move into the region portion of their remaining schedule. Next up, the Bruins will be on the road on Thursday night against Erskine College before returning to the Davis Field House on Saturday.
