The Bob Jones University women's basketball team dropped Tuesday's night's game against Toccoa Falls College with a final decision of 70-66.
The Bruins started out strong against their NCCAA South Region rivals. It was a back and forth effort by the two programs. Toccoa Falls held the lead heading into the final minute of the first quarter, but at the buzzer the Bruins got the ball to Imani Pouncey who put up her layup to even the game 16-16.
After Toccoa Falls went up 22-16 at the beginning of quarter two, the Bruins worked to cut down the deficit. Imani Pouncy with a great shot from outside the arc put the Bruins back on top 23-22. The score flip-flopped with the two teams exchanging buckets for the lead. Once again, the two teams went into the locker room knotted at 28.
Diamynd Bucksin opened the second half scoring to give BJU the lead. Both teams kept it close through the opening five minutes. Toccoa Falls soon went on a scoring run and pulled ahead to a thirteen-point lead, their biggest of the game. Bucksin broke the scoring drought for BJU in the final minute of the quarter before Caitlyn Dickerson added to the total with a steal and a bucket right before the buzzer. At the end of 30 minutes of play, the Screaming Eagles led BJU 57-46.
Anna Layne Wylder and Jenna Brooks each sank three-point shots to open the final quarter of play as the Bruins looked to finish the game strong. The Bruins outscored the Screaming Eagles 20-13 in the final 10 minutes, but it wasn't enough to overcome their third quarter slide as they fell to Toccoa Falls 70-66.
Three Bruins finished the game in double figures with Jenna Brooks leading the way with 14 points followed Caitlyn Dickerson and Imani Pouncey with 10 points apiece.
"Coming into the game we had one main goal of out-rebounding them. We came close but didn't do that," said Head Coach Mike LeViere. "This was a disappointment and probably reflected in the overall score. But I am super proud of how we fought and competed."
When speaking of how the team can continue to work on their rebounding, Jenna Brooks said, "anyone can rebound. It's about motivation and energy and you have to be thinking about that as the shot is going up."
"We talked a lot about taking our time to get a good shot, get in the paint, and get the ball to our shooters," said Caitlyn Dickerson. "I think we successfully did that, but in the first half we rushed our shots and that ended up hurting us."
Looking ahead to this weekend, Coach LeViere said that his team will have a continued focus on rebounding and taking care of the basketball.
Up next, the Bruins host back-to-back home games on Friday night and Saturday afternoon in the Davis Field House.
