Bruins down MU, 52-49, in defensive battle

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BELLEVUE, Neb. -- Junior Ashtyn Arnold scored 12 points as the Bellevue University women's basketball team picked up its first win of the season with a 52-49 victory over visiting Midland University Saturday night in the final women's game of the Chick-fil-A Classic being played at the Gordon Lozier Athletic Center. 

The Bruins improved to 1-1 on the season with the win. Midland fell to 0-2 overall. 

Arnold added seven rebounds, three blocks, two assists, and a pair of steals in the victory. Freshman Kaylee Denker registered eight points and nine rebounds. Brandi Dunn tallied nine points and six rebounds. Gabby Moore finished with seven points and three boards. 

Gabby Beauperthuy led all players with 13 points along with six rebounds. Jenna Weber added 12 points on 5-of-10 shooting from the field. 

BU outshot the Warriors, 36.7 to 29.2 percent, in the victory.  

The Warriors responded to two separate 5-0 Bruin runs, tying the contest each time before BU settled for a 14-12 lead after the opening 10 minutes of play. Arnold scored seven points on 3-of-3 shooting, to lead BU in the first quarter as BU outshot the Warriors 55.6 to 33.3 percent. 

Neither team scored for the first three minutes of the second quarter until a 3-pointer by Dunn gave BU a five-point advantage at 17-12 at the 6:48 mark. 

Once again, MU battled back, using a 7-2 run to knot the contest at 19 on a 3-pointer by Weber. The two teams traded baskets for the remainder of the half as the score was deadlocked at 26 at the intermission. 

Arnold led BU in the first half with 10 points, going 2-for-2 from long range. 

The Warriors were paced by Weber's seven points and two boards in the opening half. 

Midland scored the first four points of the second half and then went on a three-minute scoring drought as BU tied the contest at 30 on a short jumper by Moore. 

After BU went on a 6-1 run, Beauperthuy's jumper in the paint at the buzzer, made it 38-35, in favor of BU, heading into the final stanza. 

The Bruins expanded the advantage to eight points to open the fourth quarter only to see MU battle back with a 9-0 run to take a 44-43 lead on Beauperthuy's baseline jumper with 6:04 left in the contest. 

After the Warriors took a one-point lead at 49-48 on a 3-pointer by Rubie Klausen at the 2:38 mark, neither team scored until a 3-pointer by Moore gave the Bruins a 51-49 edge with 1:31 remaining. 

Dunn made 1-of-2 free throws with 19 seconds remaining, giving the Bruins a 52-49 lead. 

Bailee Hart missed a 3-point attempt with two seconds remaining as Bellevue held on for the three-point victory.  

The Bruins return to action on Tuesday, Oct. 31, when they host Tabor College at 5:30 p.m. in the Gordon Lozier Athletic Center.