KANSAS CITY, Mo. — Roughly one minute into the third quarter Saturday at the Mason-Halpin Field House, the Bellarmine University women's basketball team exceeded the point total it had posted Thursday.

And the Knights didn't stop there.

Junior guard Tasia Jeffries poured in a career-high 24 points as Bellarmine answered a Rockhurst run that had trimmed its double-digit lead by dominating at the outset of the fourth quarter in rolling to a 77-66 victory in Great Lakes Valley Conference play.

Jeffries buried six of her eight 3-point attempts in recording both game highs in points and rebounds (eight) for Bellarmine (12-9, 7-7 GLVC), which posted only 47 points in Thursday's loss at William Jewell. Just two ticks over a minute into the third quarter Saturday, Jeffries knocked down a 3-pointer to give Bellarmine 48 points, not to mention a 17-point cushion against Rockhurst (9-13, 3-11).

"I think Thursday was so disappointing," Knights Coach Chancellor Dugan said. "We came out so flat and had no energy or effort out there. We had a discussion about. We're a better team than that; as the coach, I've got to make sure we show it. I think they came out today and responded."

Led by Jeffries, Bellarmine sank 11 3-pointers, just one off a season high. The Knights shot 50 percent from deep and a solid 46 percent overall while holding Rockhurst to 40 percent. After often struggling on the boards, Bellarmine had a decisive 40-29 rebounding advantage. In addition to Jeffries, senior forward Mallory Schwartz pulled down seven rebounds and sophomore guard Kathleen Scott collected six.

Senior forward Allison Van Dyke and sophomore forward Alisha Owens both registered 10 points off the bench for Bellarmine, which bolted out to a 19-14 lead after one quarter and held a 42-31 halftime advantage as Scott nailed a 3-pointer and followed with a free throw before the break. Jeffries then opened the third quarter by canning back-to-back 3-pointers.

"I think Tasia did a great job just letting the game come to her," Dugan said.

Bellarmine led by 17 on a pair of occasions early in the third period, but the Hawks clawed back to within 63-57 heading into the fourth. The Knights countered to start the final period with a game-clinching 11-2 run that Scott started by converting a tough drive and Jeffries concluded with a 3-pointer as the advantage rose to 15. The lead never dipped below 10 thereafter.

Bellarmine will host Truman State on Thursday and Quincy on Saturday.

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