The women's basketball team dropped a tough game to Temple University 78-71 in a defensive battle Friday night, spoiling its home opener.
Neither team was able to establish itself in the first half as the lead changed hands eight times. The Owls, behind center Candice Dupree's 14 points, pulled ahead of the Bears to go into the half up 29-25.
"We wanted to focus on (Dupree), but she was still very effective in the first half," said Head Coach Jean Marie Burr.
The second half mimicked the first, as the teams continued to hold each other scoreless for extended periods. The Owls opened the scoring with two three-pointers to push their lead to ten, but the Bears kept the game close early in the second half with strong man-to-man defense.
"Pressure on the ball was key for us. We wanted to pressure their guards and make them work," Burr said.
That strategy proved effective, as the Bears frustrated the Owl guards all night long.
However, the Owls were even more effective defensively, shutting Bruno down as they built a 15-point lead midway through the second half. Temple was especially strong against center Holly Robertson '05, rotating three players on her and making her work hard for each of her 19 points.
With a little under eight minutes to go, and the Bears still down by 15, Burr switched the Bears into a full-court press to get the team back into the game. The strategy worked, as the Bears went on a 23-11 run.
With time running out and the Owls ahead by six, Sarah Hayes '06 stole the ball from a Temple guard and found Ashley King-Bischof '07 at the top of the key for a three-pointer to pull the Bears within three with 15 seconds left.
Unfortunately, that was the closest the Bears would get, as the Owls converted their free throws to close out the game.
"This was a complete team game. Holly was very effective down the stretch in drawing people and creating driving and passing lanes," said Burr.
Hayes was the catalyst defensively for the Bears with five steals, including two in the final minute.
"Sarah stepped up and took charge," Burr said. "She is at her best when the pressure is on."
The Bears showed very balanced scoring, led by Robinson with 19 points. Hayes and Kelly added 15 and 14 points, respectively.
The Bears return to action this Tuesday as they travel to New Jersey to take on Fairleigh Dickinson University.
