BLUEFIELD, Va. – Bluefield University women's basketball put together its most dominant performance of the season Wednesday evening, rolling past Appalachian Bible College, 86–29, inside The Dome.
The Rams set the tone immediately, opening the game on a 24–2 first-quarter run. Maddie Day sparked the early surge, knocking down two three-pointers in the opening three minutes, while Elle Gunter and Chloe Shields each added triples to stretch the lead to double digits. Bluefield forced eight turnovers in the opening quarter and shot nearly 77 percent from the floor, taking a commanding 24–2 advantage after one.
BU continued to push the tempo in the second quarter. Zoey Snavely connected on a three early in the period, and Lauren Bragg followed with back-to-back finishes in the paint. Katelyn Norman provided a spark off the bench, scoring four quick points and grabbing multiple rebounds as the Rams extended their lead past 30. Bluefield outscored Appalachian Bible 26–8 in the quarter to carry a 50–10 lead into halftime.
The Rams maintained control after the break, using balanced scoring and defensive pressure to keep the visitors at bay. Norman continued to attack inside, scoring five points in the third quarter, while J'Maia Joseph and Bragg added fast-break layups. BU forced another 11 turnovers in the period and held Appalachian Bible to eight points, pushing the margin to 68–18 entering the fourth.
Bluefield closed the game with strong bench production in the final quarter. Joseph scored four points, Elizabeth Smith added a pair of finishes inside, and Charli Wynn capped the scoring with a late layup as the Rams cruised to the 57-point victory. BU finished the night shooting 52.8 percent from the field and totaled 41 points off turnovers, 52 points in the paint, and 61 bench points.
Norman led all scorers with 17 points and seven rebounds, while Day added 13 points on 3-of-4 shooting from beyond the arc. Bragg finished with 12 points and six rebounds, and Joseph contributed 10 points off the bench. Smith added seven points and eight rebounds, Snavely chipped in seven points and four assists, and Wynn finished with six points and four steals.
Bluefield returns to action Monday, traveling to Tennessee Wesleyan for a 5:00 p.m. tipoff.
