The Bruins struggled offensively on Monday night as the team shot just 30% from the field and 17% from three point range in a 60-57 region loss to Trinity Baptist College in Jacksonville, Florida. With the loss, the Bruins fall to 5-9 on the season and 1-1 in region play.
"To win games, you have to rebound, shoot effectively and take advantage of your opportunities," Bruins Head Men's Basketball Coach Burton Uwarow said. "We didn't do any of those things well tonight."
The Bruins came into the game after opening South region play with an 82-80 victory over Johnson University (FL) on Saturday. The Bruins had got back into the winning column after back to back losses last week. The team was on the road for the fourth straight game and met a familiar foe in the Eagles as the next chapter of this region rivalry was set to be written.
From the opening tip, the Bruins struggled to get into their offensive rhythm as it took over five minutes for the team to record their first points of the game. As a result, the Eagles took advantage as they jumped out to a 13-3 lead.
Near the midway point of the first half, the Bruins began to chip away at the lead as jumpers by Hayes Brush and Henry Blair helped the team back but the Eagles maintained the upper hand.
With just under four minutes remaining in the half, the Bruins rallied with an 8-0 run as they cut the lead to 25-23. The Eagles answered back with points of their own but the Bruins cut it back to a one possession game as a three by Eli Cupples helped the Bruins trail 28-26 at halftime.
In the second half, the Bruins came out looking to shake off their shooting struggles and take the lead. Mark Dickerson was able to hit a three early on for the team, but the sluggish offensive performance continued as open shot opportunities refused to fall. As a result, the Eagles pushed their lead to double digits.
As the second half began to draw to a close, the Bruins felt the game beginning to slip away. Hayes Brush hit a three to cut the lead to 55-50 but again the Eagles answered back to keep the lead.
With under a minute to go, the Bruins mounted one last rally as Henry Blair hit a jumper to cut the deficit to 60-57. The Bruins then got an open look from three but missed giving the Eagles the ball with just three seconds to go.
On the final possession, Eli Cupples made a great play defensively to steal the inbounding pass but his game-tying three missed the mark as time expired as the Eagles held on for a 60-57 win.
"I am really disappointed in our response to an aggressive team on their home court," Coach Uwarow said. "We have two more region games this week and we better learn to make these winning plays quickly."
Henry Blair led the Bruins with 22 points while Hayes Brush finished with 12 points and 7 rebounds. Eli Cupples battled hard for the Bruins as he finished with 11 points, 7 rebounds and 4 steals.
Next up, the Bruins will return home as the team welcomes another South region matchup in Johnson University (FL) on Friday. Tip-off for the matchup is set for 7 p.m. in the Davis Field House in Greenville, South Carolina.
