The Bruins basketball team suffered a tough home loss on Saturday afternoon as the team fell to Asbury University 91-76. The Bruins had 22 turnovers as a team which pushed their record to 3-2 on the season.
"We don't want to overreact," Bruins Head Coach Burton Uwarow said. "We played a veteran team that has beaten a number of teams above us in the rankings. If we are fortunate to make it to the national tournament, this is the type of team we would need to beat. We learned a lot about our team but I am proud of how we competed this weekend."
The Bruins came into the game on the heels of a victory on Friday night as the team defeated Berea College 86-74. Four players scored in double figures in the win as the Bruins won their second-straight game.
The team knew they would be in for a difficult test as they welcomed Asbury University who came into Saturday's contest at 8-1 on the season. The Eagles and Bruins took the court in just the second meeting between the two programs and the first since the 2016-17 season.
In the opening minutes, the Eagles and Bruins traded baskets with each trying to build a lead. The Eagles were able hit back to back threes but the Bruins battled back as layups from Henry Blair and Dillon Harris narrowed the deficit to 16-13.
Near the midway point of the half, the Eagles went on a 14-2 run which allowed them to build a 37-21 lead over the Bruins. The Bruins tried to battle back but turnover woes hampered their chances as the Bruins went into the locker room at halftime trailing 52-36.
Hayes Brush knocked down a three to help the Bruins start their scoring in the second half as the team came out looking to climb back into the game. The Eagles stood strong against the Bruins and with each short Bruins run the Eagles would respond with points of their own to maintain a double-digit lead.
Nick Fort led the way for Asbury as he finished with 25 points while shooting over 50% from the field. The Bruins refused to give up as the team went on a short run fueled back baskets inside by Dillon Harris and a three from Henry Blair but their efforts were matched by the Eagles as Asbury continued to maintain the upper hand. Despite five players scoring in double figures for the Bruins, the turnovers proved too much to overcome as the team fell to Asbury 91-76.
"This is the type of loss that can propel us and speed up our learning process," Coach Uwarow said. "We lost much of our scoring and experience from last year's team so we are still coming together and learning to play as a unit."
Henry Blair led the Bruins with 18 points in the game while Brian Sims finished with 15 and Kenney Garrick had 12. Stephan Hugley and Dillon Harris each finished with 10 points as the Bruins shot 50% from the field and 93% from the free throw line in the game.
Next up, the Bruins will be on the road on Tuesday as the team faces Johnson & Wales University in Charlotte, North Carolina. Tip-off for the game is scheduled for 7 p.m.
