The Pensacola Christian College Eagles rode the energy of their hometown crowd and 20 points from senior Caitlyn Benedik as the team defeated the Lady Bruins 88-66 on Saturday afternoon in Pensacola, Florida. Kylee Leffew led the Bruins with 12 points and 5 rebounds as the team falls to 10-11 on the season and 3-2 in region play.
"We got in foul trouble early on and we just didn't handle their press well," Bruins Head Coach Mike LeViere said. "Really proud of the good basketball we played and the way our players responded in an environment that challenges your emotions. We played a strong game and had to battle back to overcome an early deficit."
The Bruins and Eagles met earlier this season where PCC came away with a 69-60 win at the Davis Field House. Coming into Saturday's game, the Bruins were looking to get back into the winning column after falling to Brevard College on Tuesday. They knew they would be in for a tough test as they took on rival Pensacola, who came into the game winning seven straight games.
From the opening tip, the Eagles came out strong as they knocked down open looks to build a 12-4 advantage. The Bruins looked to battle back but the full-court defensive pressure by the Eagles proved to be problematic throughout the game as turnovers led to points for PCC. Another problem for the Bruins was the fouls as several starters were forced to go to the bench after picking up multiple fouls. At the end of the first quarter, the Bruins trailed 32-14.
The Eagles kept pouring it on in the second quarter, as their up-tempo play continued to stretch the lead. The Bruins began to close the gap as Rachel Clark and Delaney Edwards created open looks inside. Unfortunately, it wasn't enough as the Eagles took a commanding 51-24 lead into halftime.
As the second half began, the Bruins came out looking to mount a dramatic comeback on the road. The Bruins were able to begin the half strong as Jody Bates provided a spark off the bench to help the team cut into the lead. Near the end of the quarter, another crucial run by the Eagles pushed the game out of reach as the Bruins trailed 71-41 with just one quarter to play.
Despite the score, the Bruins continued to battle the Eagles. Bates knocked down two threes in the quarter and battled for rebounds in the paint. Although the team had several stretches of good play, their early deficit proved too much to overcome as the Bruins fell to Pensacola 88-66.
"Once we manage to not dig the deficit, I believe or ceiling is extremely high," Coach LeViere said. "We have been playing really good basketball and did do some good things tonight. We just can't dig ourselves into a hole."
Leffew's 12 points and 5 rebounds led the team while Jody Bates and Rachel Clark each finished with 10 points. The Bruins struggled in the rebounding margin with the Eagles outrebounding BJU 45-27 in the game.
Next up, the Bruins will return home on Tuesday night as they welcome North Greenville University to the Davis Field House. Tip-off for the game is set for 5 p.m.
