The Bruins basketball team closed out the regular season with a hard-fought win as the team defeated Trinity Baptist College 79-71 on Saturday at the Davis Field House. It was senior day for the Bruins as the team honored team manager Caleb Daniel and captain Daniel Fuller before the game.
"These guys have meant so much to our program," Bruins Head Men's Basketball Coach Burton Uwarow said. "They each have contributed in so many ways for our team and we're thankful for the impact they have had here."
With the win, the Bruins bounce back after a tough region loss earlier in the week as the team finishes the regular season at 11-11 overall and 7-2 in region play.
"Trinity is probably one of the most physical teams we play," Bruins Head Men's Basketball Coach Burton Uwarow said. "They work hard and are aggressive and are coached well. We knew we were going to have to play well defensively. We're always happy for a win but we felt we could have played better especially at the end."
The Bruins came into the game on the heels of an overtime loss to Toccoa Falls on Monday. The team looked to bounce back as they played their final regular season game at home. The Bruins and Eagles met earlier in the season with Trinity edging BJU 60-57 in Jacksonville.
From the opening tip, the Bruins came out strong as Eli Cupples and Trevor Brunson knocked down threes to help the team jump out to a 13-2 lead. The Eagles began to battle back as Michael West hit a three to spark an 8-2 run for Trinity. Still, the Bruins maintained their lead as Daniel Fuller knocked down a three to give the team a 21-16 lead near the midway point of the first half.
The Eagles continued to stay within striking distance as the half continued, but key shots allowed the Bruins to keep their lead. With just two minutes to play in the half, Xavier Rose hit a three for the Eagles as they battled back to trail 29-27. The Bruins were able to answer back as they hit free throws in the final minutes of the first half to lead 36-29 at the break.
In the second half, the Bruins came out looking to build on their lead. Daniel Fuller hit another three early on in the half as the Bruins took a 41-31 lead. The Eagles battled back again to cut into the lead, but Fuller again had the answer hitting his third three of the game and helping to spark a short run for the Bruins.
With just under seven minutes to play, Eli Cupples connected from three-point range againt to push the Bruins lead to 60-45. From there, the Eagles tried to mount one last rally to get back into the game, but the Bruins were able to make key shots down the stretch as they held on to win the game 79-71.
"We knew this was a game we needed to win with our defense," Coach Uwarow said. "We had four guys score in double figures but we need to finish our games. The last three games, we have had opportunity to put the game away and instead we let the other team come back. We need to have that growth mindset and improve, but I feel we have a lot of momentum heading into the regional tournament."
Eli Cupples led the Bruins scoring 19 points and recording 8 assists in the game. Henry Blair had 16 points for the Bruins while Daniel Fuller finished with 13 points and 4 rebounds in his final home game with the team.
Next up, the Bruins will compete in the NCCAA DII South Region Championship in Jacksonville, Florida. Final seeding for the tournament will be determined in the coming days as the Bruins look to win their first region title since the 2017-18 season.
