STORM LAKE, Iowa (Feb. 3, 2024) - Buena Vista junior McKenna Cone scored a game-high 16 points while sophomore Jenna Hallock followed with 14 points and six rebounds, but it was a slow start the plagued the Beavers on Saturday afternoon during a 77-53 home loss to the University of Dubuque on Alumni Day.

BVU turned the ball over eight times in the opening quarter which aided the Spartans into building a 23-6 advantage heading to the second stanza. The lead grew to 22 in the opening minute of the second quarter, and Dubuque would maintain that cushion by going into the half with 21-point margin at 42-21.

The deficit grew to 26 points early in the third quarter before the Beavers slowly clawed their way back within 51-36 with 2:26 remaining with a chance to get as close as 14. The Spartans, however, took advantage of three big turnovers to close out the period and pushed the cushion back to 24 heading to the fourth.

BVU was unable to string together any sort of run over the final 10 minutes as Dubuque seemingly had an answer for each made Beaver baskets. Both teams made six field goals in the quarter and scored 17 points apiece.

Dubuque finished the game shooting a shade of 48 percent from the field, including 6-of-19 from long range. The Beavers ended at 37.3 percent and were held to only 3-of-15 shooting from beyond the arc.

The Beavers were forced into 22 turnovers in the contest which led to 24 Dubuque points. The Spartans also held a slight edge on the glass, 35-29.

Isabella Tierney made a game-high three made long range buckets for Dubuque and finished with a team-high 14 points.

The Spartans improve to 14-7 overall (8-4 A-R-C) while Buena Vista drops to 2-17 on the year (1-11 A-R-C). The Beavers travel to Loras College on Feb. 7 for a 5:30 p.m. tip-off with the Duhawks.