Comets bested by Bellevue 64-43, fall to 0-5

Cottey forward Cassandra Ogden looks to drive the lane during the Comets’ Nov. 7 home contest with University of Saint Mary.

Matt Resnick | Daily Mail

BELLEVUE, Neb. — A 21-point road loss to Bellevue University on Saturday extended the Cottey Comets’ losing skid to five games.

The transition from two-year JUCO to four-year NAIA competition has not gone smoothly thus far for the Comet basketball team, with Cottey losing by an average of 29 points per game. Despite the 21-point loss, Cottey was able to hold Bellevue (6-1) well under their season-average of 95 points per contest.

The Comets trailed 20-13 entering the second quarter before Bellevue increased their advantage to 11 at the break. The Comets stayed within striking distance, trailing 46-34 through three quarters of play. Bellevue eventually pulled away, however, doubling up the Comets 18-9 in the final frame.

Cottey’s primary weaknesses this season have been in the categories of shooting percentage and turnovers. Nothing changed on those fronts Saturday as the Comets were unable to eclipse the 30 percent plateau, connecting on just 16-of-54 from the field (29 percent).

Both teams were off-target from the charity stripe, with the Comets sinking 9-of-18, and Bellevue 8-of-15. Cottey was also just 2-of-13 from beyond the arc, while Bellevue knocked down 10-of-33 from 3-point land.

Additionally, Cottey committed 32 turnovers to Bellevue’s 13.

“The key to the game was turnovers,” noted Cottey head coach Stephanie Beason. “They scored 28 points off our 32 turnovers.”

Added Beason: “We did a few things really well tonight. We were able to out-rebound a much larger team by 22. If we can continue to do that, and cut our turnovers in half, we’ll put ourselves in position to win a solid amount of the games we have remaining.”

For Cottey, Kelsey Acton concluded with a game-high 14 points, to go along with five steals and three rebounds. Acton was the only player from either squad to reach double-figure scoring.

“(Bellevue) usually has four players in double-figures, including post (Elexis Martinez) who averages 20 points a game, and we held her to seven,” said Beason.

Up next

Cottey welcomes in Evangel University. Tip-off is slated for 6 p.m., tonight at Hinkhouse Center. Evangel enters 4-0, with their most recent victory an 80-59 thumping of Missouri Baptist University.