Providence rides early surge past Bruins in Frontier road matchup

Box Score
Frontier Standings

GREAT FALLS, Mont. -- The University of Providence used a dominant first half and a decisive rebounding advantage to defeat Bellevue University 57-45 in Frontier Conference women's basketball action Friday evening at the McLaughlin Center Gymnasium.

UP (8-2, 4-2 Frontier) placed four players with at least seven points and out-rebounded the Bruins 39-22, including a 10-5 edge on the offensive glass. Bellevue (6-5, 2-4 Frontier) was led by Karoline Ellison's 11 points, four rebounds, two assists, and two steals, while Zakiyyah Muhammad added nine points and five boards.

UP shot 40.0 percent from the field, 32.0 percent (8-for-25) from long range, and 90.0 percent (9-for-10) at the line. The Bruins finished at 34.0 percent overall, 21.4 percent (3-for-14) from beyond the arc, and 61.5 percent (8-for-13) at the stripe. Bellevue held a 24-16 edge in points in the paint, a 16-13 advantage in points off turnovers, and a 19-11 margin in bench scoring, but the Argos' work on the glass and perimeter shooting created the separation.

How It Happened

Muhammad opened the scoring with a free throw at the 9:43 mark of the first quarter, and her layup made it 4-3 before UP closed the period with six straight points. Reibel and Reggear buried back-to-back 3-pointers in the final two minutes to give the Argos a 10-3 lead after 10 minutes.

Bellevue trimmed the margin to 10-5 early in the second quarter on a layup by Jhanel Coleman. UP responded with a 16-2 surge over the next several minutes, highlighted by 3-pointers from Ainsley Thurber and Dial, two free throws from Dial, and additional inside scoring, to push the advantage to 26-7 with 3:50 left in the half. Late layups from Coleman and Ellison helped BU close to 28-13 at the break.

The Bruins generated a response in the third quarter, outscoring UP 14-11. After Ramirez's 3-pointer extended the Argos' lead to 31-13, Bellevue used a layup from Muhammad, a driving finish by Drasoni Kyles, a 3-pointer by Dru Zoucha, and an Ellison jumper to pull within 12. Emma Russell's right-wing 3-pointer with 2:19 left in the period cut the deficit to 39-27 heading to the fourth.

Zoucha opened the final quarter with two free throws, bringing BU within 39-29, the closest margin since the opening minutes. UP quickly answered with a Camryn Cartwright 3-pointer and, after a Coleman layup, a Thurber triple to restore a 14-point cushion at 45-31. The Argos maintained control the rest of the way, receiving a 3-pointer and a layup from Dial and four free throws from Ramirez and Dymon Root. Ellison scored eight points in the fourth, including a 3-pointer and two late free throws, but UP kept the lead in double figures until the final horn.

Top Performers

Bellevue University

Karoline Ellison: 11 points, 4 rebounds, 2 assists, 2 steals

Zakiyyah Muhammad: 9 points, 5 rebounds, 2 assists

Jhanel Coleman: 6 points, 2 rebounds, 2 steals

Dru Zoucha: 5 points, 2 assists, 2 steals

Drasoni Kyles: 4 points, 3 rebounds

Emma Russell: 3 points, 1 three-pointer

University of Providence

Eliannah Ramirez: 14 points, 6 rebounds, 7 assists, 4 steals

Brooke Dial: 14 points, 11 rebounds (double-double)

Ainsley Thurber: 10 points, 5 rebounds, 5 assists

Madi Reibel: 7 points, 8 rebounds, 2 assists

McKenna Reggear: 5 points, 4 rebounds, 2 blocks, 2 steals

Inside the Numbers

UP owned a 39-22 rebounding advantage and a 10-5 edge in offensive boards.

Bellevue held statistical edges in points in the paint (24-16), points off turnovers (16-13) and bench points (19-11).

The Argos committed 20 turnovers to the Bruins' 17, but UP converted eight 3-pointers to BU's three and went 9-for-10 at the line.

Quarter scoring favored UP 10-3, 18-10, 11-14, 18-18.

Up Next

The Bruins travel to Havre, Mont., on Saturday, Dec. 13, for a 6 p.m. (CT) Frontier Conference contest at Montana State University–Northern.