The tables turned against the Bruins women’s basketball team Saturday, Jan. 25, in a 48-39 loss as they took on Pensacola Christian College, this time in Florida.
The Bruins stepped onto the court with a four-game winning streak, and BJU had swatted down the Pensacola Eagles by 17 points the week before at home.
Pensacola set the pace of the game, controlling play throughout the first half. The Bruins fought hard to gain the lead, but shots wouldn’t fall, and turnovers added to their deficit. Pensacola used this to their advantage and raised the intensity, adding more points to the scoreboard. Pensacola led 28-18 at the end of the first half, capitalizing on BJU’s 14 percent shooting percentage.
After halftime, the BJU women got back onto their feet to pursue the win, and the Bruins closed the lead to single digits near the end. Victory was in sight for BJU, but the Eagles stayed just out of reach. Pensacola seized the game with a 9-point victory. At the end, the score was 48-39, and the Bruins added a loss to their record.
“This was one of the most frustrating games for the whole team,” junior Kourtney Hoefler said, “because looking back, I don’t know if there are a lot of things we could have fixed skill-wise. We lost a lot of our mental toughness because when we came out, they were an entirely different team. We just need to be mentally tough, and we need to keep moving forward, making the next shot and looking forward to the next possession.”
BJU, still holding an impressive 15-6 record, will play the Clearwater Cougars tonight at home in the Davis Field House and will observe Military Appreciation Night.