Bethune-Cookman Women’s Basketball Falls Short in HBCU Opener
Edward Waters College kicked off the HBCU Hoops season with a gritty 55-46 win over Bethune-Cookman University (B-CU). The Wildcats just couldn’t find their rhythm shooting, and the Tigers’ defense—plus Tan Brown’s big night—proved too much.
B-CU fought hard, but every time they tried to close the gap, Edward Waters answered right back. Now, the Wildcats have to regroup before their next matchup with Livingstone College. For a full game breakdown, check out the official game report.
First Quarter: A Tight Contest
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Edward Waters jumped out to a 6-2 lead, showing off some pretty tough defense. The Wildcats, though, weren’t about to let things get away from them.
Alexandria Johnson and Shomari Phillips knocked down threes to keep B-CU close, even though they shot just 29.4% in the quarter. By the end of the first, both teams were locked at 14 points each.
Key Highlights
- Edward Waters set the tone early with aggressive defense.
- B-CU leaned on three-pointers to stay in the hunt.
- The quarter ended in a tie, and honestly, it felt like anybody’s game.
Second Quarter: Wildcats Gain a Slight Edge
B-CU started to edge ahead in the second, mostly because their defense just wouldn’t let up. Even though the Wildcats shot only 23.5%, they forced five turnovers and held Edward Waters to 3-for-11 from the field.
By halftime, B-CU held a narrow 26-22 lead. It wasn’t pretty, but they made it work.
Defensive Strategy
The Wildcats’ defense really made the difference in this stretch. More shot attempts and capitalizing on those turnovers gave them just enough breathing room going into the break.
Third Quarter: Tan Brown Takes Over
The third quarter flipped the script. Edward Waters caught fire, and Tan Brown just took over.
Brown dropped four threes, and the Tigers shot a sharp 53.8% from the floor. Meanwhile, they forced B-CU into seven turnovers and held them to 25% shooting. Suddenly, Edward Waters had a 41-32 lead heading into the final quarter.
Game-Changing Performance
- Tan Brown hit four threes, totally shifting the momentum.
- Edward Waters kept forcing turnovers and controlling the pace.
- The Tigers’ defense clamped down and protected their lead.
Fourth Quarter: Edward Waters Secures the Win
The last quarter? Honestly, it was kind of a slog. Both teams struggled to get anything going, and most of the points came from the free-throw line.
B-CU sank all ten of their free throws but only shot 12.5% from the field. Edward Waters just kept holding them off and finished it out, 55-46.
Final Moments
Edward Waters didn’t give up the lead for the last 16:52, which says a lot about their grit. Tan Brown led all scorers with 19 points, while Alexandria Johnson paced B-CU with 12.
Looking Ahead: Wildcats’ Next Challenge
Now, B-CU turns their attention to Livingstone College in the consolation game. They’ll have to sort out their shooting and take better care of the ball if they want a different result.
If you’re following the Wildcats, keep an eye on their social media or the official athletics website for updates. Let’s see if they can bounce back.
Stay Connected
- Follow Bethune-Cookman Women’s Basketball on X/Twitter ( @BCUWBB ). You can also check them out on Instagram ( @BCU_WBB ) for news and updates that actually matter to fans.
- For everything happening in Bethune-Cookman Athletics, follow them on X/Twitter ( @BCUAthletics ). They’re also on Instagram ( @BCU_Athletics ), or you can just head over to BCUathletics.com if you want the full rundown.
The Wildcats are gearing up for their next game. Fans are definitely hoping to see them bounce back from this early-season stumble.