The Lady Bruins basketball team ended the 2018-19 season on a high note as the team defeated #6 seeded Johnson University (TN) 69-57 in the consolation game of the NCCAA DII National Tournament. With the win, the Bruins finish 5th at nationals and end the season at 14-16 overall.
"We talk all the time about being excellent and that isn't just when you are playing for a trophy or just when a big crowd is there," Bruins Head Coach Mike LeViere said. "We said before the game that we were going to come out today for the love of the game and with the hope of representing Christ and our university well and to be good teammates for one another. We came out an competed hard against a really good team."
The Bruins came into the consolation round after falling in the quarterfinals to #4 seeded Maranatha Baptist University. The Royals came into the game after a tough last-second loss to #3 Randall University in the quarterfinals. Both teams took the court for their last game of the season with both hoping to end the year strong.
In the opening minutes, the Royals came out strong as they built a 6-0 lead. The Bruins were able to find open shooters offensively, but their shooting woes from the previous game continued to plague the team as the Bruins were held scoreless for nearly five minutes to start the game.
The Bruins didn't record a made field goal until Madison Shupe knocked down a three with just under a minute to play in the quarter. Shupe provided momentum to end the opening frame as she hit a jump shot as time expired with the Bruins trailing the Royals 13-9. "We knew we just had to keep shooting and taking the open shots we were given," Bruins captain Sarah Thomsen said.
In the second quarter, the Bruins found their rhythm and the bottom of the net as they opened the quarter on a 13-0 run to storm back and take the lead. Defensively, the Bruins shut down lanes for the Royals to score and grabbed rebounds which sparked transition baskets. As a result, the Bruins outscored the Royals 16-8 in the second quarter to take a 25-21 lead into halftime.
Kylee Leffew made back to back baskets for the Bruins to start the second half but the Royals answered with each possession as the score remained close. With the quarter winding down, the Royals went on a run to close the gap. Charsie Johnson stoppped the run as she hit a three-pointer with just over a minute to play in the 3rd quarter. The Royals answered with a three of their own and added a pair of free throws to tie the game at 41-41 heading into the final quarter.
In the fourth quarter, the Royals took the lead after a three from Kinzey Hill. Leffew then sparked a run for the Bruins with two-straight layups to give the Bruins the lead and the junior was key in the final quarter, helping the Bruins keep the lead with baskets and free throws made.
With just under a minute to play, Sarah Thomsen put a dagger in the game as she drove through the lane and laid a soft touch off the glass to put the Bruins up 61-55. The Bruins then made their free throws down the stretch to hold on for a 69-57 victory.
After the game, the Bruins players surrounded seniors Sydney Bedsaul and Sarah Thomsen as players exchanged hugs and high fives. "This team is a family," Bedsaul said after the game. "I'm so thankful for this program and the opportunity I've had to be part of it."
Thomsen led the way for the Bruins with 18 points while Kylee Leffew scored 14 to go along with 6 rebounds in the game. Madison Shupe rounded out the double-figure scorers for BJU with 12 points on the night.
The Bruins out rebounded the Royals 33-26 in the game while forcing Johnson University to shoot just 32% from the field and 24% from three-point range. The Bruins wrap up the 2018-19 season with the victory and will head into the offseason.
Overall, it has been another memorable year for the Lady Bruins as the team made the national tournament for the third straight season while finishing runner-up in the NCCAA DII South Region. Although the team will graduate two seniors, they return a core group of returners as the team looks to take that next step towards the program's first national title.
