The Bruins struggled during Saturday evening’s game against North Idaho’s Cardinals. It was thanks to high foul shot percentages by the Bruins and high foul call percentages on North Idaho’s fast paced team that the Bruins only lost 54-63 rather than 39-63. The Bruins completed 75% of their foul shots, gaining them an extra fifteen points for the whole game.
North Idaho’s insanely quick offence is what did the trick for them Saturday night. Having a field goal percentage of 47%, a free-throw percentage of 57%, and a 3-pointer average of 45%, North Idaho successfully vindicated their loss to the Bruins only the night before.
“We beat them yesterday- I don’t know what happened today,” said Ashlee Clayson, a Bruins cheerleader. On Friday night, the Bruins had won a close game against North Idaho by one point, but the same results did not hold out for Saturday’s game.
The Bruins repeatedly positioned themselves directly under their hoop, but to no avail. North Idaho’s strong defense time after time pinned the Bruins and made it difficult for them to complete shots. The Bruin’s field goal percentage was 31%; 16% lower than North Idaho’s.
Taylor Stevens of North Idaho wrought havoc on the score, making four of his six attempted 3-pointers that often seemed to come out of nowhere. Stevens alone accounted for thirteen of North Idaho’s final 63 points.
North Idaho completed nine 3-pointers throughout the game, where the Bruins only completed three. These clean-cut shots were North Idaho’s strength Saturday night, both in and outside of the paint. Only ten of their 63 points were scored in the lines.
Sophomore Nate Bendall and freshman DJ Wright from the Bruins scored 26 of the team’s final 54. Bendall scored twelve points and got a team-high of nine rebounds. Wright scored 14 points and threw two for two free throws.
When it came to the second half of the game, the Cardinals were simply running a much quicker offense and a more insidious defense. The Cardinals retrieved 25 defensive rebounds where the Bruins only recovered 16.
North Idaho racked up the offensive fouls in the second half, one after another for a total of twelve. The bruin’s shot with an amazing 83% accuracy, scoring ten more points. The Bruins free throw average for the whole game was 75%, leaving North Idaho in the dust at 57%.
The first half ended 36-24 for North Idaho, but the Bruins fought a decent comeback in the second half, scoring 30; 3 more than North Idaho’s 27.
Undoubtedly, after the Bruins close win the day before, the crowd left knowing the Bruins should have won. The Bruins are still in first place of the Scenic West Conference holding a 7-2 record.
“Come support your team,” said Tara Marrelli, another Bruins cheerleader. Morelli believes game attendance is increasing in numbers, but would love to see more fans and students come to cheer our team on. She added, “It makes them want to do better when they can see the support of their fans.”
The Bruins next home game is Feb. 10, 2009 at 7 p.m. vs. Western Wyoming Community College.
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