Bruins erase 12-point deficit to edge UMW, 58-57

Box Score
Frontier Standings

BELLEVUE, Neb. -- Zakiyyah Muhammad recorded her second-straight double-double and calmly sank two free throws with 10 seconds remaining to give Bellevue University a 58-57 win over the University of Montana Western in Frontier Conference women's basketball action Friday evening at the BU Fieldhouse.

The Bruins, who trailed by as many as 12 points in the third quarter, improved to 8-9 overall and 4-8 in Frontier play. The Bulldogs dropped to 7-9 on the season and 5-7 in league action. Muhammad's late free throws gave BU its first lead since early in the first quarter.

Muhammad finished with 13 points and a game-high 12 rebounds, going 3-for-4 from the field, 1-for-2 from distance, and 6-for-7 at the line for her team-leading fifth double-double of the season. Joy Beran added 11 points on 3-for-5 3-point shooting with six rebounds, and Drasoni Kyles provided 11 points, six assists, and three steals. Karoline Ellison contributed eight points, seven rebounds, four assists, and five steals, while Tarryn Godsey chipped in four key points off the bench.

Montana Western was led by Tayva Phillips and Ava Bellach with 11 and nine points, respectively. Phillips added seven steals and three 3-pointers, while Bellach hit three treys and grabbed five rebounds. Brooke Deyak scored eight points, and Bailee Sayler and Maile Wilcox contributed five and seven points, respectively. Post player Kyle Pancost anchored the interior with a game-high eight offensive rebounds and eight boards overall to go with three points.

How It Happened

Bellevue opened quickly, taking a 4-0 lead on a Muhammad layup and two free throws from Kyles, then stretched the margin to 7-3 on Beran's right-wing 3-pointer at the 7:38 mark. UMW answered with an 8-0 surge sparked by a 3-pointer and layup from Deyak to move ahead 11-7. The Bulldogs maintained a narrow edge the rest of the period, leading 15-12 after the opening 10 minutes.

Montana Western continued to build its advantage in the second quarter. Perimeter shooting and second-chance opportunities pushed the Bulldogs' lead into double figures as they outscored BU 23-17 in the frame. Despite 3-pointers from Beran and Kyles and steady work on the glass from Muhammad and Ellison, the Bruins went to halftime trailing 38-29.

UMW extended its lead early in the third. A 3-point play by Deyak and a 3-pointer by Phillips made it 44-32 at the 7:08 mark, the Bulldogs' largest lead of the night. From there, Bellevue began to chip away.

The Bruins closed the third quarter on a 13-3 stretch. Beran started the run with a 3-pointer, Godsey finished twice in the lane, and Ellison added four points at the line and in transition. Godsey's layup off a feed from Muhammad with seven seconds remaining pulled BU within 47-45 heading to the fourth quarter.

UMW struck first in the final period, using two baskets from Keke Davis to push the lead back to 51-45. Beran answered with a 3-pointer to trim the deficit to three, and after UMW nudged the margin back to 54-49, Bellevue mounted another charge.

Muhammad hit a free throw, Ellison added one of her own, and Kyles buried a 3-pointer from the wing to pull BU within 54-53 with 5:08 left. Phillips responded with a 3-pointer to make it 57-53 at the 4:15 mark, but the Bruins again had an answer.

Kyles split a pair of free throws to cut it to 57-54 with 3:01 remaining, and after several defensive stops, Bellevue drew closer. With 2:20 to play, Coleman drove the lane and scored off an assist from Zoucha to bring the Bruins within 57-56. Both defenses then came up with stops, as Ellison, Muhammad, and Coleman each grabbed key rebounds to keep BU within one entering the final 30 seconds.

After a steal by Ellison and a timeout with 17 seconds left, the Bruins set up the decisive possession. Muhammad drew a foul with 10 seconds remaining and calmly sank both free throws to give Bellevue a 58-57 lead—its first since the opening minutes. UMW had a final chance, but the Bulldogs turned the ball over in the closing seconds, and BU ran out the clock to secure the one-point win.

Top Performers

Bellevue University

Zakiyyah Muhammad — 13 points, 12 rebounds, 3-for-4 FG, 1-for-2 3FG, 6-for-7 FT (second-straight and fifth double-double of the season)

Joy Beran — 11 points, 6 rebounds, 3-for-3 3FG, 2-for-2 FT

Drasoni Kyles — 11 points, 6 assists, 3 steals, 3-for-7 FG, 4-for-6 FT

Karoline Ellison — 8 points, 7 rebounds, 4 assists, 5 steals

Jhanel Coleman — 2 points, 4 rebounds, go-ahead layup with 2:20 remaining

University of Montana Western

Tayva Phillips — 11 points, 7 steals, 3-for-10 FG, 3-for-5 3FG, 2-for-2 FT

Ava Bellach — 9 points, 5 rebounds, 3-for-10 FG, 3-for-9 3FG

Brooke Deyak — 8 points, 3-for-5 FG, 1-for-2 3FG, 1-for-1 FT

Maile Wilcox — 7 points, 2 rebounds, 3 assists

Kyle Pancost — 3 points, 8 rebounds (5 offensive), 1 block

Inside the Numbers

Bellevue shot 43.6 percent from the field compared to Montana Western's 29.5 percent and held an 11-rebound advantage (40-29), including 33 defensive boards.

BU went 8-for-20 from 3-point range (40.0 percent), while UMW finished 11-for-28 from beyond the arc (39.3 percent).

The Bruins converted 16 of 21 free throws (76.2 percent), and the Bulldogs hit 10 of 14 (71.4 percent).

Despite committing 27 turnovers that led to 20 Bulldog points, Bellevue owned an 18-12 edge in points in the paint and matched UMW with 11 second-chance points.

Up Next

The Bruins will host 12th-ranked Montana Tech University on Saturday at 5 p.m. inside the BU Fieldhouse.