V-Hawks take advantage at FT line to hold off Bruins

LA CROSSE, Wis. -- Free throw shooting was the difference on Saturday, with the host V-Hawks sinking 21-26 attempts and the Bruins knocking down just 6-13 as Viterbo University outlasted the Bellevue University women's basketball team in a defensive slugfest.

The loss drops Bellevue to 10-13 overall and 3-5 in NSAA play, while Viterbo improves to 9-10 on the year, evening their conference mark at 4-4.

Viterbo knocked down seven free throws in the final 23 seconds to extend a two-point lead into a nine-point victory.

Ashtyn Arnold was the lone Bruin in double figures, finishing with 11 points and just a rebound shy of a double-double. Zakiyyah Muhammad added nine points, Gabby Moore tossed in eight, and Aminah Hall and Kaylee Denker chipped in seven apiece.

Reigning NSAA Player of the Week, Emily McCurdy led all played with 20 points, with Macy Stellner joining her in double figures with 11.

Both teams struggled in the early going as Bellevue led just 3-2 when Emma Wagner sank a trey at the 5:39 mark of the first quarter. The Bruins responded with back-to-back buckets from Muhammad to kick off a run of nine-straight points to go up 12-5 at the 1:41 mark and take a 14-8 lead after 10 minutes of play.

Bellevue dominated the early portion of the second quarter, growing their lead to 12 points, 27-15, as Delaney VanBlaricon knocked down a three-pointer. Viterbo tightened up their defense for the remainder of the half, holding BU scoreless to cut the deficit to one, 27-26 at intermission.

The third quarter went back and forth, with each team leading and featuring a couple of ties before the V-Hawks went ahead for good. A 6-0 run to end the third quarter saw Viterbo enter the fourth with a five-point lead.

Moore knocked down a quick triple as BU scored seven of the first nine points to tie the game up at 44-all on a jumper by Denker. Viterbo nudged back ahead on a jumper from McCurdy, and the game flipped back and forth from a narrow V-Hawk lead and a tie game until the one-minute mark.

Brandi Dunne totaled five steals as Bellevue recorded a season-high 12 thefts.

Bellevue travels to Madison, S.D., on Wednesday, Feb. 7, for a 5:30 p.m. tip against league-leading and #9 Dakota State University (20-4/8-0 NSAA).