The Lady Bruins secured their fifth region win of the season as the team defeated the Trinity Baptist College Eagles 68-48 at the Davis Field House. The victory moved the team to 12-12 on the year and 5-2 in region play.
Before the game began, the program honored the five seniors on the team this season. Rachel Clark, Kylee Leffew, Madison Shupe, Jana Lehman, and team manager Brianna Walker were recognized and celebrated for their tenure with the team.
The seniors then led the way for the Bruins as Kylee Leffew, Madison Shupe, and Rachel Clark combined to score 57% of the team's points in the win. "We knew our game-plan," Madison Shupe said. "We executed it very well and didn't let them drive into the paint like when we played them before."
The Lady Bruins opened the first quarter with two straight buckets by seniors Madison Shupe and Kylee Leffew. The Eagles responded with three shots from beyond the arc, sparking a 9-4 run and giving them a 9-8 lead. The Bruins stuck to their game-plan, attacking the glass and distributing the basketball. They were able to tie the game at 13-13 at the end of the first quarter.
Early in the second quarter, with the Eagles clinging to a 20-18 lead, the Bruins' offense caught fire. Delaney Edwards and Jody Bates notched two fastbreak layups while Rachel Clark and Madison Shupe drained two three-pointers. The 10-0 run gave them a 28-20 advantage. The Eagles, however, stiffened their defensive pressure and stifled the Bruins' offense for the remainder of the first half. The Bruins entered the first-half break with a 33-26 lead.
Both offenses found their rhythm in the opening minutes of the third quarter. Yet, it was the Eagles who began to narrow the gap with a balanced offensive attack. Leading 43-41, the Bruins looked to Delaney Edwards who scored four-straight points in the paint to increase the lead to 47-41. Then, on the final play of the quarter, Rachel Clark stole the inbounds pass and scored to close the third quarter with the Bruins leading 49-43.
With the offense solidified, the Bruins focused on slowing down the Eagles' offensive attack. The result was an impressive 11-0 run by the Bruins as Kylee Leffew led the charge with 5 points. Holding a commanding 60-43 lead, the Bruins limited their turnovers and relied on superb defensive play to seal the deal. In the closing minutes, senior Jana Lehman scored on a fastbreak layup off a steal and pass by Kylee Leffew. When the buzzer sounded, the Bruins had won convincingly 68-48.
Kylee Leffew carried the offense with 17 points, 5 rebounds, and 4 assists. Madison Shupe performed well on both ends of the floor, collecting 12 points, 7 rebounds, 4 assists, 2 steals, and a block. Rachel Clark notched a double-double in the game with 10 points, 12 rebounds, and 3 assists. As a team, the Bruins dominated off the glass, out rebounding the Eagles 52-22.
The Lady Bruins hope to carry the momentum from this game into the NCCAA DII South Region Tournament. Bob Jones University will be hosting the tournament which begins on Thursday, February 27
th. Further information on seeding for the tournament will be announced over the weekend.
