Bruins secure third-straight win, dropping Comets 80-64

BELLEVUE, Neb. -- Emma Russell and Drasoni Kyles each dropped career-highs to lead the Bellevue University women's basketball team past Mayville State University 80-64 on Saturday evening in Frontier Conference action at the BU Fieldhouse.

With their third-straight victory, Bellevue improves to 6-4 on the year moving to 2-3 in the Frontier Conference. Mayville falls to 1-8 and 0-5 in FC play with their sixth-straight loss.

How It Happened:

Early on the game was tight with Bellevue leading by just two after Bella Kanz converted an and-one to make it 9-7 with 6:02. BU turned it on over the final six minutes of the half, using a 20-6 run to take a 29-13 lead into the second quarter.

The second and third quarters were more evenly played with Bellevue maintaining a 14-20 point lead and holding a 50-31 edge into halftime and a 65-45 advantage after three quarters of play.

Taylee Wharton's three-pointer with 5:18 play saw the lead swell to a game-high 25 points, 77-52, though Mayville State chipped away over the final five minutes, out-scoring Bellevue 9-3 down the stretch to account for the final margin.

Top Performers:

Bellevue:

Emma Russell: 18 points (6-8 3-FG)
Joy Beran: 17 points (5-6 FG), 6 rebounds, 3 steals
Drasoni Kyles: 16 points (6-10 FG, 4-7 3-FG), 3 rebounds, 5 assists
Danielle Coyer: 8 points (3-5 FG), 4 rebounds, 4 blocks
Dru Zoucha: 5 points, 5 assists, 2 rebounds

Mayville State:

Laela Jensen: 13 points (6-10 FG, 4 rebounds), 3 steals
Hannah Stark: 10 points (5-13 FG, 12 rebounds
Jolie Martinson: 10 points (3-6 FG), 2 rebounds, 2 steals

Inside the Numbers:

Bellevue drained a season-best 17 three-points on 35 attempts (49%) while holding Mayville to just 3-21 shooting from deep (14%).

The Bruins out-rebounded the Comets 37-36 and committed a season-low 15 turnovers and out-scored MSU 18-17 in points off turnovers.

BU registered assists on 20 of 27 made field goals while the Comets assisted just 9 of their 27 makes.

Up Next:

Bellevue hits the road for a pair of Frontier Conference games next weekend in Montana. The Bruins face the University of Providence on Friday, Dec. 12 from the McLaughlin Center in Great Falls before turning around to face Montana State University-Northern on Saturday, Dec. 13 from Armory Gymnasium in Havre. Both games tip off at 5 p.m. local time (6 p.m. Central).