SOUTH BEND – IU South Bend continued its dominance over Bethel on Wednesday night, earning a 76-62 non-conference victory at the Student Activities Center to secure its sixth straight win in the series. With efficient shooting, timely defensive plays, and a standout effort from its starting five, the Titans improved to 7-4 on the season.
Senior forward Tenleigh Phelps paced IUSB with 22 points on 8-of-13 shooting, including a stellar 4-for-5 from beyond the arc, showcasing a rhythm Bethel struggled to disrupt all night. Sophomore guard Aubrie Booker added 21 points while hitting four threes of her own, continuing her December surge with another confident offensive outing.
Perhaps the biggest storyline of the night, however, was the play of Bradie Chambers. The sophomore guard recorded a 14-point, 10-rebound double-double, along with five assists and two blocks, and two steals, stuffing the stat sheet in 31 high-impact minutes.
The Titans wasted no time establishing control on Thursday. Sydney Jerrells drilled a three on IUSB’s first possession, and Booker followed with another from deep to spark an early 9-4 lead. Phelps added her first triple minutes later, extending the advantage to 15-6 as the Titans shot 62.5 percent from three in the opening quarter.
Bethel made its push early in the second, narrowing the margin to 22-21 but IU South Bend responded with composure. Booker scored on back-to-back possessions — including a three off a Phelps pass — and Chambers knocked down a triple of her own, stretching the lead to 32-25. A late Fulks layup sent IUSB into halftime up 34-25.
The Titans delivered their strongest stretch in the third quarter, shooting 66.7 percent overall and 60.0 percent from deep in the frame. By the end of the third, IUSB held a commanding 57-44 lead, its largest of the night for that point.
The lead for IUSB never dropped below double-digits in the fourth quarter, as the host squad cruised to victory.
IU South Bend finished shooting 52.9 percent from the floor and an impressive 10-of-18 from three (55.6%), one of its most efficient efforts of the season. Defensively, the Titans held Bethel to 20.8 percent from deep and forced 15 turnovers.
IUSB returns to CCAC action on Saturday, hosting Governors State at 1:00 pm.