Big second half lifts BU past Broncos, 92-87

Box Score

BELLEVUE, Neb. -- The Bellevue University women's basketball team scored 53 second-half points, including 34 points in the fourth quarter, as BU overcame a 13-point halftime deficit to record a 92-87 non-conference victory over visiting Hastings College Monday night at the Gordon Lozier Athletic Center. 

The win, which marked BU's first-ever victory over Hastings, also marked head coach Dave Denly's 100th victory as Bellevue's head coach. He is now 100-62 in his sixth season at BU.  

The victory snapped the Bruins' four-game losing streak as BU improved to 4-6 on the season. Bellevue is now 3-1 all-time against the Broncos. Hastings fell to 6-3 overall. 

The 92 points were the most points scored by the Bruins this season and the 34 fourth-quarter points were the most in any quarter in 2021-22. 

Elexis Martinez, who was held to just two points in the first half, led the Bruins with 22 points, four rebounds, three steals, two blocks, and a pair of assists.

Asha Scott and Delaney VanBlaricon both came off the bench to record career highs. Scott finished with 17 points, four rebounds, three assists, and two steals. VanBlaricon hit 3-of-6 3-pointers, finishing with 16 points. 

Faith Ross was 3-of-4 from behind the arc, registering 12 points along with a game-high five assists. Laura Jurek was the fifth Bruin in double figures, finishing with 10 points, along with three boards and a pair of steals. 

The Bruins were 10-of-19 in 3-point attempts while shooting 54.5 percent overall from the field. 

Hastings was led by Ali Smith's 22 points and three rebounds. Taylor Beacom chipped in with 17 points, including a 7-of-7 effort from the free-throw line. 

The Broncos were a perfect 15-of-15 from the charity stripe. 

Allison Bauer was the third Bronco in double figures, collecting 16 points after going 4-for-6 from behind the arc.  

Hastings hit seven of its first nine shots and used a 13-point scoring run to race out to an early 20-10 lead in the first quarter. After the Bruins responded with seven-straight points to pull to within three, the Broncos quickly countered with five-consecutive points to push the margin back to eight. BU, however, scored the final five points of the first frame to make it 25-22 after the opening 10 minutes of play. 

Both teams hit four 3-pointers in the opening 10 minutes of the fast-paced first quarter. 

After a 3-pointer by Dawson Knode pushed the Bronco lead back to 10 points, BU used a triple by Lexi Allen and a steal and layup by Scott to draw back to within five points at 35-30 at the six-minute mark of the second frame. 

Hastings scored the next seven points including three-straight free throws by Beacom to give the Broncos a 12-point advantage (42-30) with 4:16 left before the intermission. 

Smith hit a layup at the buzzer as the Broncos took a 52-39 lead into the break.

HC was red-hot in the opening half, going 63.3 percent from the field, including a 7-of-10 effort from behind the arc. The Broncos were also 7-of-7 from the charity stripe in the first half. 

Beacom and Bauer both scored 11 points to pace Bronco offense in the opening 20 minutes of action. 

VanBlaricon (9) and Jurek (8) combined for 17 points to lead BU in the first half as the Bruins were 46.7 percent from the field and 7-of-15 from 3-point land. 

A seven-point BU run highlighted by five points from VanBlaricon made it a five-point contest at 58-53 with three minutes left in the third. After a free throw by Martinez drew BU to within four points, the two teams traded a pair of free throws before Katherine Hamburger's layup with seven seconds remaining gave HC a 64-58 lead heading into the final frame.  

Martinez scored nine points in the third quarter as BU outscored the Broncos, 19-12. 

After a Beacom layup gave Hastings a 10-point cushion,  the Bruins scored eight-straight, including five from Scott, pulling BU to within two points at 70-68 with 6:43 remaining in the contest. Consecutive layups by Martinez and Jurek tied the contest at 72 apiece at the 5:22 mark. 

After two more ties, a 3-pointer by Allen gave BU its first lead of the second half at 79-78 with 3:07 remaining. 

A 3-pointer by Ross and a pair of free throws by Martinez extended the BU advantage to six points at 84-78 at the 1:31 mark. Martinez gave BU a seven-point edge (87-80) with a free throw at the one-minute mark.

After a banked 3-pointer by Bauer made it a four-point contest, the Bruins drained five free throws in the final minute to secure the 92-87 victory.  

The Bruins will begin conference action on Saturday, Dec. 4 when they travel to Madison, S.D. to battle 19th-ranked Dakota State University beginning at 3 p.m. in the DSU Fieldhouse.