The Buena Vista women's basketball team looked to bounce back on Thursday following a tough 10-point loss in its first game of the Just a Game Holiday Classic at WIsconsin Dells, Wis., but the Beavers ran into a high-flying offense in Olivet Nazarene, and the team came up just short in a 116-110 loss.
The Tigers (11-4), who have led the NAIA in scoring nine times since 2005, are averaging better than 110 points per contest through their first 15 games, including a 120-103 triumph over William Penn yesterday in their first game of the Holiday Classic.
It's not too often that a team which shoots nearly 55 percent from the floor and out-rebounds a team, 62-39, comes up on the short end of the scoring outcome. But the Tigers forced 51 Beavers turnovers in the contest, while committing 22, and held a plus-17 advantage at the free-throw line.
BVU, which nailed 16 three-point buckets in the contest, scored its first nine points from downtown and built an 18-12 lead with nearly eight minutes gone by. The lead grew to nine (39-30) as late as the 6:56 mark of the first half after a three-pointer from senior Becca Pennington.
The Tigers, who were a Sweet Sixteen Team in last year's NAIA National Tournament, connected on 17 three-pointers of their own and fought their way back by going on a 15-4 run over the next two minutes and taking a 42-40 lead. BVU stayed right with the Tigers until a late surge over the final two minutes of the half gave Olivet a 60-54 lead at the break.
Olivet pushed the lead to 10 minutes into the second half, but the Beavers went on a run to get back within 69-66 at the 16-minute mark. The Tigers then answered right back with a surge of their own to build an 83-70 advantage midway through.
Lexi Fisher and Liz Riessen hit consecutive three-pointers for BVU to help spark a 17-6 run as the team got within 89-87 with 7:43 left, only to see Olivet answer with back-to-back three's of its own to go right back up by eight. That lead grew to 15 with under four minutes remaining.
BVU wasn't about to back down, however, using the long ball to make things interesting at the end. The Beavers cut the deficit to 10 with 1:42 left and a three-pointer from Sidney Beckman, who connected on a team-high six in the contest, made it a six-point game with 1:22 on the clock.
Olivet, which went 29-of-42 at the charity stripe, made 4-of-6 over the final minute to help secure the game for the Tigers down the stretch.
Beckman led the Beavers with 22 points, including a 6-of-11 performance from downtown. She also dished out five assists and had four steals. Fisher, who had the hot-hand from beyond the arc on Wednesday, followed with 13 points (3-of-5 fromt 3-pt.). Shelby Wiederhoeft added a double-double with 12 points and 10 rebounds, while Nicole Snyder turned in 10 points.
BVU shot 54.7 percent over from the field in the game, including a stellar 16-of-28 from downtown. It held the Tigers to 39.3 percent overall and 17-of-55 from long range. Olivet's 42 trips to the free-throw line compared to the Beavers' 21 proved to be a large factor in the outcome.
It's the third time the Beavers (5-5) have reached the century mark this season and the 110 points mark the fourth-most points scored in a single game in program history. However, it's just the second time in history that it has reached triple digits and lost.
BVU is now off for the holiday break and will close out 2014 with a non-conference road contest at Dordt College on December 31. Tip-off against the Defenders is set for 3:00pm.