NASHVILLE, Tenn. — Senior guard
Tasia Jeffries and junior guard
Presley Brown both delivered career highs in scoring and the Bellarmine University women's basketball team made a valiant second-half comeback in their ASUN Conference debut before Lipscomb turned them back 84-72 Saturday in Allen Arena.
Jeffries poured in a game-high 25 points behind four 3-pointers and tied a career best with four steals for Bellarmine (0-6, 0-1 ASUN). Brown scored 12 of her 13 points in the first half on the strength of three 3-pointers and senior guard
Breia Torrens chipped in 12 points. In her Bellarmine debut, junior forward
Sheniqua Coatney collected nine points and four rebounds in 15 minutes.
Lipscomb (4-5, 1-2) came out sizzling from the field, building a 32-17 first-quarter lead and 54-27 halftime advantage after shooting 58.1 percent in the first half. The Bisons were particularly potent from beyond the arc, knocking down 10 of their 17 three-point chances before the intermission. Sydney Shelton and Jane Deason combined to go 7-for-8 from three-point lead in the first stanza.
Lipscomb's lead swelled to 27 with 6:14 left in the third quarter, but Bellarmine methodically worked its way back. The Knights closed the third period on a 10-0 run capped by Torrens' 3-pointer with 7 seconds left to get within 14.
Torrens buried another 3-pointer as Bellarmine sliced its deficit to 70-60 with 7:33 left in the fourth, but the Knights' comeback attempt stalled after going approximately the next three minutes without scoring. Lipscomb took advantage by pushing its lead back to 17.
Five players scored in double figures for Lipscomb, led by Deason's 15. The Bisons cooled off in the second half, but they still managed to sink 16 of their 32 three-point attempts for the game.
In ASUN play this season, opponents square off on consecutive days at the same site. Bellarmine will meet Lipscomb again at 3 p.m. (ET) Sunday.
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