The Bruins men took the court Saturday night looking for retribution against Pensacola Christian College, winning 76-66.

Last weekend, the Bruins suffered a heartbreaking defeat as they fell just short of the Eagles 71-69. The Bruins would have to play calm and overcome the crowd in order to beat PCC for the first time in the young program’s history.

The Bruins felt that defense was going to be the key to victory Saturday night. As they began the game, the Bruins were calm, cool and collected. The Bruins’ defense was stronger than PCC remembered, resulting in turnovers and bad shots from the Eagles.

While on the other side of the court, the Bruins were able to execute on drives and find open shooters. The Bruins even mounted a double-digit lead at one point, a feat neither team accomplished during their matchup last week. The Eagles unleashed a quick flurry of baskets near the end of the first half and cut the Bruins’ lead to six.

“We really just emphasized defense,” forward Kyle Turner said. “The first game we weren’t prepared for some of their plays, so we made some adjustments during practice that threw them off their offensive game. This is key because they are a great offensive team.”

The Bruins continued to play with purpose as they exhibited lockdown defense and worked through their plays effectively. In addition to strong defense, another key to victory for the Bruins was their ability to shoot well from the free-throw line. The Bruins shot 18-21 in the second half.

The combination of effective offense, strong defense and consistent free-throw shooting took its toll against PCC.

The win lands the Bruins a 10-11 record. Next, they host the Clearwater Cougars at home tonight.