WICHITA – In the season opener for the women's basketball team, sophomore Brianna Caldwell hit seven 3-pointers to score a career-high 23 points and lift the Jets to a 52-48 win over Bethel College on Friday (Nov. 14) at Fugate Gymnasium. NU moved to 1-0, and Bethel dropped to 1-3.
 
Caldwell, a guard from Wichita, was one 3-pointer off the school record of eight set by Cheniqwa Banks last season in a win over Central Christian on Nov. 11, 2013. In the first half, Caldwell went 2-of-6 from 3, and in the second half, she caught fire, hitting 5-of-6 3-pointers. The sophomore finished with 23 points on 7-of-12 from the field. She went 2-for-2 from the free throw line, her two free throws clinching the win. She added six rebounds and two steals in 29 minutes off the bench. The 23 points tops her previous career high of 14 points scored against Northern New Mexico on Nov. 30, 2013.
 
Senior DeKendra Ledoux added 10 points. The Jets scored 35 bench points with the starters producing 17 points. DeJah Thompson pulled down a game-high eight rebounds. Cierra Tjaden finished with a line of seven points, seven rebounds and seven assists in a game-high 39 minutes.
 
After the first half, Bethel College held a 23-20 edge in a slow start for both teams. The Threshers shot 25 percent (5-20) from the field, hitting only five field goals. The Jets also hit five shots from the field in the first half, but finished at 17.9 percent (5-28). Four of the five field goals were 3s. NU was called for 15 fouls in the first half as four of the five starters tallied two fouls, limiting their minutes. Bethel shot 19 free throws in the first 20 minutes; however, the Threshers hit only 12 for a 63.3 percent (12-19) mark. The Jets were a perfect 6-for-6 in the first half in free throws.  
 
In the second half, the Jets outscored the Threshers by a 32-25 mark to get the 52-48 win. Bethel held a 40-39 edge with 5:31 remaining after a layup, but Caldwell gave NU a five-point lead with back-to-back 3s. She put the Jets up 42-40 at the 4:20 mark and increased the advantage to 45-40 on a 3 with 3:12 left.
 
Bethel hit a 3-pointer with 2:13 remaining to pull to within two at 45-43. Sophomore Mali Wright went 1-for-2 from the free throw line to increase the margin to 46-43 with 1:21 left. With 46 remaining, Kesha Buckner also split a pair of free throws, but she gave NU a two possession lead at 47-43. The lead grew to 49-43 after a pair of free throws by Tjaden with 33 seconds left. Bethel hit a layup with 24 seconds to stay in the game. Sierra Maykus was fouled with 22 seconds remaining and hit both free throws to increase the edge to five at 50-45. The Threshers hit a 3-pointer with 12 seconds left to close to two points at 50-48. Caldwell put the game away with two free throws with 9 seconds remaining for the 52-48 score.
 
For the game, NU shot 24.5 percent (12-49) from the field, and the Jets went 10-of-35 (28.6 percent) from 3-point range. Bethel finished shooting 29.6 percent (16-54) and 3-of-9 (33.3 percent) from 3. Lauren Ulrich scored a team-high 15 points.
 
NU travels to the Missouri S&T Classic next weekend. The Jets take on Central Missouri on Nov. 21 at 5:30 p.m. in Rolla, Mo. The weekend ends with a game against Lemoyne-Owen on Nov. 22 at 2 p.m.