DeLAND, Fla. – Jordan Brooks led three Bethune-Cookman players in double figures scoring with 18 points Friday afternoon as Wildcats Women's Basketball led pole-to-pole in defeating South Alabama 67-62 at Insight Credit Union Arena at Edmunds Center in the final game of the Hatter Classic hosted by Stetson University.
 

FIRST QUARTER
A day after a poor shooting performance against Bradley, Bethune-Cookman (3-8) would open the game shooting 8-for-20 from the field, including a Janessa Kelley three-pointer early. The Wildcats opened on an 11-2 run with Kelley's three-pointer, as baskets came from a variety of areas with point guard Jordan Brooks, centers Mya Johnson and Kayla Clark, as well as guard Daimoni Dorsey.
 
After South Alabama (4-7) closed to within 11-7, the Cats received back-to-back jumpers from Shomari Phillips to step back out 15-7 with just under two minutes remaining. A Cassandra Hawthorne layup with four seconds left closed the scoring for the opening period, as Bethune-Cookman held a 20-8 lead.
 
SECOND QUARTER
The Cats began the second quarter with a 10-2 run that saw Asianae Nicholson and Brooks drive the paint for layups – both coming in transition opportunities from rebounds on the defensive end of the court. A Clark turnaround jumper from the baseline was followed by a Nicholson layup off the assist from Dorsey to advance the B-CU lead at 32-11 with 2:51 remaining in the half – the largest of the first half.
 
Bethune-Cookman outscored the Jaguars 20-5 in the period, limiting USA to just a 1-for-15 mark shooting, with that being an Amyria Walker jumper just under four minutes into the quarter.
 
The Maroon and Gold carried a 32-13 advantage into the locker room at the break.
 
THIRD QUARTER
USA outscored the Cats 23-13 in the third quarter as the Jaguars tried to erase a 22-point deficit.
 
Brooks drove the paint for a layup, followed moments later by Nicholson's turnaround jumper in the paint stemming from a Jaguars turnover. The Cats continued an 8-4 run on the back of Kelley's three-point play, as she maneuvered through the paint for the layup and foul from the Jaguars' Terren Coffil. After the free throw, B-CU extended the lead to its largest of the afternoon courtesy a 42-20 advantage with 5:07 remaining in the period.
 
South Alabama answered by forcing the Wildcats into five empty trips down the court in six possessions, while embarking upon a 16-3 run to close the quarter. Rachel Leggett supplied her side with eight points in the third period, while teammates Daniela Gonzalez and Walker contributed five points each to bring the Jaguars to within single digits, 45-36 for the first time since the opening quarter.
 
FOURTH QUARTER
The fourth quarter saw USA get within four points a handful of times as B-CU was forced into five (5) fourth quarter turnovers and shot just 4 of 11 from the field. However, for the Cats, a pair of big three-pointers came at clutch moments from Brooks and Kelley, respectively.
 
A Coffil three-pointer with 6:58 showing on the clock brought the Jaguars to within 47-45, before Bethune-Cookman responded with a 5-0 run as a Nicholson runner in the paint was followed by a Brooks three-pointer from the left wing to push the B-CU lead back out to 52-45 less than a minute later.
 
The Cats connected on 12 of 16 free throws in the final period to maintain the lead throughout en route to their first win over a Division I opponent this season. Brooks was a perfect 6-for-6 at the charity stripe in the period, and Dorsey was 5-for-6 herself.
 

USA was led by Walker's 17 points, followed closely by Leggett and Coffil with 16 points apiece, respectfully. Leggett finished off her double-double with 13 rebounds.
 
Bethune-Cookman was paced by Brooks' season- and game-high 18 points, with the Atlanta, Georgia native adding three steals and six rebounds on the day. Kelley finished with 11 points, and it was Dorsey adding 10 points, eight rebounds and three assists. Nicholson finished the day with a team-high 12 rebounds.
 

The Cats will break for the holidays before returning to the court Monday, Dec. 30, for the final nonconference regular season contest of the 2024-25 season with a trip to Campbell.
 
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