Shared effort propels Bellevue past Vikings

BELLEVUE, Neb. -- The Bellevue University women's basketball team dished out a season-high 23 assists on 29 made baskets on their way to a 79-63 victory over Grand View University on Friday evening.

The win marks Bellevue's third-straight before a 10-day layoff and sees the Bruins improve to 4-4 on the season. Grand View suffered their first loss as the Vikings fall to 4-1.

Laura Jurek and Asha Scott led the way with six assists apiece and helped Bellevue win the battle of the boards, 38-29, paced by Jurek's eight rebounds and Scott's seven.

Ashtyn Arnold highlighted four Bruins in double figures with 16 points on 8-of-11 shooting. Scott added 13 and hit on 7-of-8 free throw attempts, Faith Ross chipped in 12 points to go along with four rebounds and four assists, and Miranda Hennings nailed all four three-pointers she hoisted up on the night to also register 12.

Both teams came out hot in the first quarter with Bellevue building an early nine-point lead, 29-20. For Bellevue, it came on 12-of-17 shooting, including a 4-of-5 effort from downtown and recording assists on 11 field goals as eight different Bruins scored in the period. Grand View hit on 50% of their first quarter tries including a couple favorable rolls on three-point attempts by Isabel Gscheidle and Ella Larsen.

Sloppy play marked the second quarter as the teams combined for 11 turnovers and just 37.5% combined shooting. After the Vikings cut the deficit to just four, BU answered with a 7-2 run to close the half and take a nine-point lead, 40-31, at halftime.

Grand View trimmed the Bruin lead to just two, 47-45, as Larsen hit the first of two free throws with 2:26 to play in the period. Bellevue again provided an answer with Delaney VanBlaricon canning a three on the ensuing possession to kick-start a 9-0 run to end the quarter.

The fourth quarter once more saw the Vikings mount a rally as Ellie Rengstorf hit the first of two free throws with 4:30 left to make it a one-possession game, 64-61. Hennings answered with an immediate trey as the Bruins closed the game on a 15-2 run, running away with the victory.

The Bruins return to the hardwood on Monday, Nov. 28 when they travel west for a 6 p.m. tip against Hastings College.