TOUGALOO, Miss. – The Belhaven University women's basketball team picked up a 69-57 victory Saturday afternoon at crosstown rival Tougaloo College, ending the 2014 calendar year for the Blazers.
 
The Blazers (8-4) used a very balanced first half to take a 33-25 lead into the break. After the first 20 minutes, TaShayla Steede and Kenya Wright each led the Blazers with six points. In total, 10 different Blazers scored in the first half.
 
Ariel Wilson was limited to just one point in the first half, but the sophomore took control, along with Steede, in the second half to help maintain the Blazers lead throughout the game. The duo combined for 18 points over the first 13 minutes to help Belhaven pull away by as much as 13 points through the middle portion of the contest. Wilson contributed 12 of those points.
 
Wilson and Steede each finished with double-double's in the game. Wilson had 20 points with 10 rebounds. Steede finished with 12 points and also had double digits in rebounds with 12.
 
Tougaloo (0-7) used a run in the later minutes to cut Belhaven's lead to 60-55, but Ariel Wilson snapped the run with a big three-point play, connecting on a basket and making the free throw following the foul. Wilson then followed it up with two more free throws on the next possession.
 
Belhaven connected on 43 percent of its shots from the field in the game, going 28 of 65. The Blazers defense held Tougaloo to 35 percent shooting, 21 of 59.
 
The Blazers struggled from the free-throw line on the night, connecting on just 10 of 19 attempts. Belhaven also had 19 turnovers in the game.
 
The Green and Gold were also outrebounded by Tougaloo 39-38 in the game, but the Blazers forced 9 steals and 21 turnovers to disrupt Tougaloo's offense.
 
Belhaven will now have 20 days off over the holiday break before the Green and Gold head to Pulaski, Tenn. for the first of two Southern States Athletic Conference games in two days to begin 2015. Belhaven will take on Martin Methodist on January 2, with first tip set for 5:30 p.m.