The WNBL point guard finished the night with 11 points, four rebounds and five assists, but none were more valuable than the two points that ended the game in victory for the Lady Braves.

The win was the Lady Braves' second over the Rush this season, after coming out on top in their season opener in Ballarat by three points.

Little appears to separate the two teams which are third and fourth on the east conference ladder with five wins apiece.

The Lady Braves (5-5) sit in third place, by virtue of having played one less game than the Rush (5-6).

Their evenness was demonstrated throughout the thrilling round 11 contest, with the scores tied at the end of the first and third quarters and the Rush leading by only two points at half time.

Lady Braves coach Jonathan Goodman credit a lift in defensive intensity as a key to the win, after a poor effort against the Brisbane Spartans prior to the Queen's Birthday weekend break.

"We were much better defensively and it was a real team effort," he said.

"If you look at the box score everyone contributed points and rebounds and that's really pleasing."

With the game on the line with about 20 seconds to play and the scores locked on 66, Goodman said he felt confident of victory with the ball in Wilson's hands.

"When Kelly Wilson's has the ball you know you are in safe hands - and that's exactly the way it turned out," he said.

"I always felt it was going to go down to the wire and we needed something to go our way.

"Then we came up with two really big defensive stops down the end and Kelly took care of the rest."

Wilson will line up with the WNBL’s Townsville Fire in the 2016-17 season, after spending the last eight with the Bendigo Spirit.

Keely Froling ensured the Lady Braves remained in the contest during times when the Rush threatened to assert their authority.

The 20-year-old, who will line-up in the WNBL next season for the University of Canberra Capitals, scored 18 points and had 14 rebounds.

Andrea Wilson sunk some crucial baskets in the final quarter with the game on the line, while her Bendigo Spirit teammate Jane Chalmers was a livewire with eight points, five rebounds and three assists.

Goodman praised the game of new import Chante Black, who scored 16 points and had 10 rebounds, despite being double-teamed most of the night and at times triple-teamed.

Spirit coach Simon Pritchard was an interested on-looker in the stands at Bendigo Stadium.

He would have been happy with what he saw from Rush guard Kerryn Harrington.

The former Lady Brave top-scored for her team with 20 points and pulled in five rebounds.

Former Spirit import Joy Burke had 13 points and eight rebounds before fouling out in the final quarter.

Another member of the 2015-16 Spirit roster Ashleigh Spencer finished with nine points, seven rebounds and three assists.

The Lady Braves will look to address their three point shooting after nailing only two of 20 attempts on the night.

They play the Hobart Lady Chargers next Saturday.