The BJU Bruins women defeated Pensacola Christian College 65-63 on Friday night, with freshman guard Kendra Jeffcott leading the way. Jeffcott had 22 points and 17 rebounds in her biggest game of the season.

The Bruins had to adjust as early foul trouble changed the lineup Coach LeViere had on the court. Sophomore guard Chalice Pack and junior forward Kim Spiecker stepped up and made several key shots during the first half.  PCC cut the Bruins’ lead to 16-12 with 9:24 left, but BJU didn’t give up the lead. The Bruins were up by four at halftime, 34-31.

“We got some good play from Chalice [and] Kendra,” Coach LeViere said of the Bruins’ success in the crucial play from key players during the first half.

BJU came back in the second half ready to play as Pack had a jumper and a 3-pointer to keep the offense rolling in the opening minutes. The speed of the game slowed down with six minutes left as both teams started to show signs of fatigue. With less than a minute left, PCC closed the gap to 61-59. Sophomore guard Trisha Irving went three for four from the free-throw line twice in the last 30 seconds and sealed the 65-63 victory for BJU.

“I was pretty nervous, but I was trying to block all the nerves out,” Jeffcott said. “We were all talking about how nervous we were, but in the end we pulled it together for the win.”

Pack said the win boosted team morale. “It’s good to get a win against Pensacola and build our confidence,” she said.

Coach LeViere was proud of the way the team pulled together to gain with the win. “It’s nice to have the fans there, and it’s nice to have them loud.”