The Bob Jones University Bruins women's basketball team opened up the second half of the regular season with a 75-72 victory against NCCAA South Region rival, Johnson University (FL) in Kissimmee, Florida Thursday evening.
"Just like our exhibition game Tuesday, the scoreboard isn't our measuring stick," said Head Coach Mike LeViere. "We need to do a lot better job rebounding and 1/2 court defense.
I felt like we scored more points, but we had to work harder than the opponent in order to do so. We worked really hard and scored some difficult buckets."
The Bruins continued their business trip in Florida after facing Warner University in Lake Wales, Florida in an exhibition game on Tuesday. Coming into today's game, Johnson University (FL) was still fighting for their first win of the regular season entering the contest with a 0-9 record. Today marked the sixth meeting between the two schools with the Bruins owning the 5-1 record.
Bob Jones got off to an early lead with layups from Anna Layne Wylder and Shea Dickinson to kick off today's contest. They Bruins pulled ahead to a five point lead courtesy of a three pointer by Shea Dickinson. They maintained a narrow lead throughout the first quarter with the scoreboard reading 22-21 in favor of the Bruins after 10 minutes of play.
Free throws from the Suns saw them gain the lead to begin the second quarter. For the next five minutes, the two squads exchanged baskets until a three pointer by Ashley Phelan saw the Bruins regain the slight lead. But as they teams went back into the locker room at halftime, the Bruins were down by five points.
Throughout the third quarter, the Bruins saw themselves battling to stay up with the Suns. After 30 minutes on the court, the score was 62-56 in favor of Johnson University (FL). It remained tight, but the Bruins continued fighting and two more points from Beth Clark saw the Bruins pull ahead to a 74-71 lead. As the buzzer sounded it was the Bruins who came out on top 75-72 after outscoring the Suns 19-10 in the final quarter.
Needing a strong fourth quarter, it was Katrina Tabora with back to back layups as the Bruins looked to close the gap. Beth Clark leveled the score with six minutes remaining in the game. It was Beth Clark again with just a few minutes remaining who regained the lead for the Bruins. As the buzzer sounded at the end of the game, it was the Bruins who came out on top 75-72 after outscoring the Suns 19-10 in the final quarter.
Following the game, Coach LeViere said that "Beth had a gutsy performance tonight, and we don't win without Bethany and Shea doing what they do. Overall, we're obviously happy to win the game on the scoreboard, but we have to hold ourselves to a higher standard."
Four Bruins scored in the double digits today with Shea Dickinson leading her team with a double double coming away with 15 points and 11 rebounds. Just shy of a double double as well was Bethany Daulton who finished with nine points and nine rebounds.
It will be a quick turnaround for the women's basketball team, as they are back on the court on Friday for a 5 p.m. tip-off against Great Lakes Christian College in Kissimmee, Florida.
