Bruin Athletics Weekend Preview: Nov. 11-12
BELLEVUE, Neb. -- Three Bellevue University athletic teams will be in action this weekend and BUBruins.com will give you a short preview today.
#17 Volleyball (30-9): vs. Jamestown | Fri., Nov. 11 --- NSAA Championship | Sat., Nov. 12
The volleyball team is competing in the NSAA Tournament in La Crosse, Wis. where the field has been whittled to four teams. The Bruins take on #23 Jamestown on Friday, Nov. 11 at 5:30 p.m. with the winner advancing to Saturday's Championship Match at 5:30 p.m. against the winner of #3 Viterbo and Valley City State.
BU is playing well of late with wins in 13 of their last 14 matches with their only loss during that stretch coming away from home against Viterbo on Oct. 25. The Bruins are the only team in the conference to feature as many as four players with at least 300 kills on the season. The quartet of Pakalana Helekahi, Shayla Scanlan, Mikaylah Gillespie, and Hope Lambrecht have benefitted from the NAIA's assist leader Maddie Squiers' precision passing as they own a combined .250 hitting percentage on the year.
Scouting Jamestown: The Jimmies (24-11) are ranked No. 23 in the latest NAIA Coaches' Poll. Bellevue and Jamestown have split their two meetings this season with each team winning on their home court. UJ defeated Bellevue in a five-set thriller on Sept. 30 but the Bruins exacted some revenge with a 3-1 home victory back on Oct. 28.
The Jimmies' biggest strength is their defense where they have a trio of players among the NAIA's leaders. UJ's Haley Glasoe is second in the NAIA in blocks (170) and fourth in blocks per set (1.34) while teammate Madison Wendel is 32nd in blocks (120). Nicole Warren ranks 16th in digs (699) and 22nd in digs per set (5.46).
Bruins Stat Leaders:
Kills Leaders: Pakalana Helekahi (361), Shayla Scanlan (357), Mikaylah Gillespie (325), Hope Lambrecht (307)
Digs Leaders: Taylor Holz (638), Verenice Chaparro (370), Maddie Squiers (328), Lauren Colpitts (277)
Assist Leader: Maddie Squiers (1,599)
Blocks Leaders: Mikaylah Gillespie (146), Hope Lambrecht (122), Shayla Scanlan (111)
#24 Men's Basketball (2-3): at Dakota Wesleyan | Fri., Nov. 11 --- vs. Midland | Sat., Nov. 12
The men's basketball team heads back out on the road for a pair of games at the Beau Keeter Memorial Classic in Mitchell, S.D. hosted by Dakota Wesleyan University. The Bruins will play host #25 DWU on Friday, Nov. 11 at 7 p.m. before taking on intra-state foe #21 Midland University on Saturday, Nov. 12 at 4 p.m.
The Bruins have won two of their last three games – decisive wins over both Grace and Johnson & Wales at home – and are seeking their first victory away from the Lozier Athletic Center this season. BU has three players currently scoring in double figures in Jalen Hall, BJ Shelton, and Nick Hilton. The Bruins' biggest strength this season has been their advantage on the glass where they've out-rebounded their opponents by an average of 44.2-33.8 led by Jaffrey Stillman and Blake Wilder.
Scouting Dakota Wesleyan: The Tigers have opened the season with three-straight victories, all over NSAA schools Waldorf, Dakota State, and Presentation. Dakota Wesleyan and Bellevue have split their previous four meetings with the Bruins claiming victories in the last two, including an 86-57 win in Mitchell, S.D. on Nov. 8, 2013.
DWU's averaging 96.7 points per game and have been led by Trae Vandeberg's and Jason Spicer's 21.0 points per game apiece. Three other Tigers are scoring in double figures as Ty Hoglund (15.7), Kellen Barden (13.0), and Tate Martin (10.7) have gotten the team off to a scorching start offensively. Vandeberg is the top rebounder pulling in 7.3 per game. Spicer is averaging 6.3, Hoglund 5.7, and Barden 5.0 while Martin has dished out 28 assists on the season.
Scouting Midland: The Warriors are, like their GPAC rival, off to a 3-0 start with wins over Oklahoma Wesleyan and NSAA members Waldorf and Dakota State. Midland and BU have met 83 times before with Bellevue owning a 44-39 advantage in the all-time series. They've won 10 of the last 11 meetings but Midland picked up a victory in the most recent match-up between the two metro-area schools, 90-77 on Dec. 14, 2011.
Midland's led offensively by Diamontae McKinley (18.3 PPG, 13 3-FG), Alex Starkel (17.7 PPG, 52.4 FG%), and Don Henderson (10.3 PPG). The Warriors are paced on the glass by Henderson's 11.7 rebound per game average while Starkel is second on the team with 5.0 per game. W Watson has recorded a team-leading 11 assists.
Bruin Stat Leaders:
Scoring Leaders: Jalen Hall (12.8 PPG), BJ Shelton (12.8 PPG), Nick Hilton (10.2 PPG)
Rebounding Leaders: Jaffrey Stillman (8.4 RPG), Blake Wilder (7.2 RPG)
Assist Leaders: Jalen Hall (19)
Three-Point Leaders: Jerred Cook (42.9%), Nick Hilton (13 made)
Women's Basketball (4-2): vs. Hastings | Fri., Nov. 12 --- at Doane | Sat., Nov. 13
The women's basketball team continues their stretch of five games away from the Lozier Athletic Center with a pair of games this weekend in Crete, Neb. at the Doane Classic. The Bruins will play Hastings on Friday, Nov. 11 at 3 p.m. and get a date with host Doane on Saturday, Nov. 12 at 4 p.m.
After a torrid 4-0 start, the Bruins have stumbled a bit in their last two games, falling against both Midland and CSM. Bellevue has a pair of double figure scorers on the roster in Elexis Martinez and Beth Walker but have a balanced attack which has seen them put up just under 70 points per game on the year. Their 45.8 rebounds per game are more than four better than their opposition is averaging (41.3) on the season.
Scouting Hastings: The Broncos opened the year with back-to-back wins and stand at 2-1 overall on the season. They've yet to play a home game but that hasn't seemed to matter much as their only loss is to #25 Haskell Indian Nations, a narrow 66-61 margin that went in favor of the Indians.
Hastings has four players scoring in double figures led by MacKenzie Willicott's 11.0 points per game. She is supported by Holly Hild and Rachel Jelden scoring 10.5 and 10.0, respectively. Jelden is the team's top rebounder at 7.5 per game while Shanelle Farmer is second with 5.5 rebounds per game to go along with her 9.0 scoring average.
Scouting Doane: The Tigers are off to deceptive 1-3 start. After topping Johnson & Wales in the season-opener, Doane has dropped three-straight games to #1 Marian and a pair of teams receiving votes in Friends and Oklahoma Wesleyan. All four of their games have been played away from home.
Doane is led by Hanah Barnard and Morgan Hill averaging 18.0 and 15.3 points per game, respectively. The duo also serves as the Tigers' top two rebounds with Hill averaging 7.5 per game and Barnard checking in just behind her at 5.5, tied with Allie Satterly. McKenna Dodd is third on the team with an average of 9.5 points per game. Hill has dished out a team-high 17 assists while Dodd has also assisted on 10 Doane baskets to date.
Bruin Stat Leaders:
Scoring Leaders: Elexis Martinez (15.5 PPG) Beth Walker (12.2 PPG), Caletria Curtis (8.7 PPG), Ryleigh McCartney (8.5 PPG)
Rebounding Leaders: Caletria Curtis (8.5 RPG), Beth Walker (5.5 RPG), Sierra Roberts (4.7 RPG)
Assist Leaders: Taylor Cormier (23), Caletria Curtis (20)
Three-Point Leaders: Taylor Cormier (43.8%), Ryleigh McCartney (12 made)