BELOIT, Wis. – The Beloit College women's basketball team faced a steep challenge on this afternoon at Flood Arena, falling 91-43 to a red-hot Aurora University squad.
Despite the difficult result, the Buccaneers (4-6, 1-1 MWC) displayed flashes of perimeter resilience, led by a standout shooting performance from Bailey Darneal (Colorado Springs, CO), and showed their competitive spirit by putting together their strongest offensive output in the final quarter.
Darneal was the offensive catalyst for the Buccaneers. She finished as the team's leading scorer with 14 points on efficient shooting. While the Buccaneers struggled to find rhythm inside the paint against Aurora's size, Darneal found success beyond the arc, draining 4-of-6 attempts from three-point range. Her shooting provided the spark for Beloit's offense, particularly in the first half where she kept the defense honest.
Beloit showed early promise in the first quarter. After falling behind 12-5, the Bucs utilized the deep ball to stay within striking distance. A three-pointer by Brooke Foster (Machesney Park, Ill.) and another by Darneal helped Beloit pull the score to 12-8 with 5:12 remaining in the opening period.
However, turnovers proved to be the deciding factor in the game's momentum. Aurora utilized a suffocating press to force 34 turnovers, converting those mistakes into 41 points. This defensive pressure allowed the Spartans to go on a significant run to close the first half, making it difficult for Beloit to regain the offensive rhythm they found in the opening minutes.
Despite the scoreline, Beloit refused to fold. The team played its most productive quarter in the final frame, scoring 16 points—their highest of any period.
The Buccaneers' bench provided energy down the stretch. Charlotte Stewart (Dundee, Ill.) was a bright spot in her seven minutes of play, recording 2 points, an assist, and finishing as one of the only players with a positive plus/minus (+2) on the night. Kyana Aguilera (Milwaukee, Wis.) also contributed off the bench with 3 points, 2 rebounds, a steal, and an assist in limited minutes.
The Buccaneers host North Park on Tuesday, December 30th to close out the year. Tip off is set for 1 pm at Flood Arena.
