Brown University
1-0
Bethune-Cookman
0-1
Women's Basketball Beats Bethune-Cookman in Season Opener, 68-61
11/13/2015 12:00:00 AM | Women's Basketball
DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. – Freshman Shayna Mehta scored a team-high 17 points, senior Jordin Alexander netted 16 points, and Brown University women's basketball beat Bethune-Cookman University, 68-61, in its season opener at Moore Gymnasium on Friday night.
"It was a great win. I'm very proud of the girls," head coach Sarah Behn said. "It was a great team that we just beat in their gym with a very active crowd and atmosphere."
The Bears (1-0) used a 9-0 run midway through the fourth quarter to turn a 51-51 tie into a 60-51 edge with under four minutes to play and held on for the win against the host Wildcats (0-1).
"We had a lot of contributions from a lot of players," Behn said. "We got tested, and I think we responded well. I'm just really excited about where we are at this point. We still have some things we need to clean up, but it's a really good start."
In her collegiate debut Mehta (San Francisco, Calif.) shot 7-of-15 from the field and 3-of-6 from behind the arc and added six steals and five rebounds. Alexander (Fishers, Ind.) connected on 6-of-12 field goals and 4-of-4 free throws to go with three assists.
Freshman Erika Steeves (Montreal, Quebec) nearly compiled a double-double, finishing the night with 10 rebounds and nine points while sophomore Janie White (Clarksville, Tenn.) chipped in five points, five rebounds, and three assists.
Brown's freshman class combined for 33 points, 17 rebounds, eight steals, and four assists in the game.
Beginning the 9-0 run, freshman Mary Butler (Bangor, Maine) made a layup before sophomore Rebecca Musgrove (Plainview, N.Y.) came up with a steal and a basket. Mehta then netted a triple, and Butler scored on another lay-in. Brown pushed its lead to 64-53 on a Mehta jumper with 2:30 to play.
The two teams played within two possessions of one another throughout the first quarter with Mehta hitting a 3-pointer to give the visitors a 13-10 lead with under three minutes in the period. Brown claimed a 17-16 edge after the first with Butler scoring off an inbounds play late in the frame.
After the Wildcats took a 23-19 lead early in the second quarter, the Bears began a streak of seven straight points with a 3-pointer from Megan Reilly (Norwood, N.J.). Another Mehta triple put Brown up 29-25, and Mehta capped a 12-2 run with a layup as the Bears led 31-25. A free throw from B-CU cut the visitors' advantage to 31-26 at the half.
The hosts tied it up at 33-33 to open the third quarter, but the Bears used a quick 6-0 spurt to retake a 39-33 edge. Senior Natalie Ball (Orlando, Fla.) scored on a second-chance basket, Alexander hit a jumper, and Mehta connected from 17 feet on the run. The Wildcats pulled within 41-40, but a wing 3-pointer from White gave Brown a 44-40 edge, and the visitors led 44-42 heading to the fourth.
The Bears rallied with seven consecutive points after B-CU took a 45-44 lead in the final stanza as Alexander hit another mid-range shot, Musgrove connected from beyond the arc, and Mehta made a jumper to stake the Bears to a 51-45 edge.
Next, Brown begins a four-game home stand when the Bears host intra-city rival Providence College on Tuesday at 7 p.m. in the team's home opener.
