It was a disappointing loss as the Bob Jones University women's basketball team fell in a 68-61 decision to Clinton College Monday night.
"It was a tale of two halves," said Head Coach Mike LeViere. "We were aggressive, looking to score, and beating their pressure with good cuts and drives in the first half and in the second half it felt like we couldn't get into any rhythm and didn't carry that aggressiveness into the second half. That being said, it was a quality opponent and tonight was a different game than we played at their place earlier this season."
Anna Layne Wylder got the Bruins off to a hot 8-0 start in today's contest. Clinton College worked to close the gap, but the Bruins stayed strong. Caitlyn Dickerson's jumper in the final second of the opening quarter kept the Bruins on top 24-19.
Jenna Brooks sank back-to-back three-pointers to open the second quarter and give BJU a double digit lead. The shots continued to fall in favor of the Bruins as they went 5-6 from the three-point line and 50% from the field. At halftime the Bruins led the Golden Bears 45-29.
Through the first four minutes of the third quarter, the Golden Bears went on a 10-0 run before a shot from outside the arc by Brooks stopped the scoring drought. Turnovers proved to be a problem in the third frame as Clinton College capitalized and outscored Bob Jones 22-10 to get within three points heading into the final quarter of the contest.
The two programs exchanged buckets to open the fourth quarter before a three-point shot by Clinton College knotted the game. They then took their first lead of the game with just under six minutes remaining. The lead held through the rest of the game as the Golden Bears overtook the Bruins 68-61.
Three Bruins scored in double figures with Anna Layne Wylder leading the way with 18 followed by Keely Price with 16 and Jenna Brooks with 10 points.
Following the game, Wylder said, "I think we found the great shots and shot really well in the first half. We need to keep up that momentum and have that mentality that each shot and next shot is going to go in."
When asked about what they can take away from today into the final game of the regular season, Brooks said, "it goes back to the basics. We need to learn to take care of the ball. We're not valuing it as much as we should."
The Bruins wrap up their regular season at home on Saturday as they welcome Johnson & Wales University to the Davis Field House for a 2 p.m. game.
