A strong first half performance wasn't enough as the Belles fell short in a 76-59 loss to Anderson College.The Belles came out playing their best basketball so far this season. In the first half, the Belles shot 42 percent from the field, including 45 percent from 3-point range."We were really on top of our game during the first half," said Belles coach Suzanne Bellina. "We started making shots and played more aggressively on offense."The Belles couldn't maintain their early momentum, however. The turning point came at the end of the first half when Anderson made a run to take a 31-27 lead that they held the rest of the game."We started forcing shots at the end of the half and allowed Anderson to come back," said Bellina. "We had difficulty maintaining focus once the tempo of the game had shifted in Anderson's favor."The quicker pace of the second half took the Belles off their rhythm. Their team shooting dropped to only 29 percent in the final half, and Anderson began to wear down the Belles' defense.Anderson took control of the game by forcing pressure underneath and dominating the boards. The Belles finished the game with 33 rebounds compared to 45 by Anderson."We didn't make many mistakes this game and had fewer turnovers," said Bellina. "The main thing against us was that Anderson had a big advantage in rebounds."The depth and experience of the Belles paid off as eight different players scored for the Belles in the first half. In the second half, the majority of the scoring came from the experienced core of the team.A major concern coming into the game was whether the Belles could compete on offense against a quick defensive team. The Belles passed this test in the first half but showed their durability is still in question.The Belles (1-3) will look to turn their season around as they open their home season this week and host the Roundball Tournament over the weekend.
