Site: Bellevue, Neb. (Gordon Lozier Athletic Center)
Score: No. 19 Bellevue 82, No. 6 William Penn 71
Records: BU (7-4), WP: (14-1)
Next BU event: Friday, Dec. 14 - at Oklahoma Wesleyan – 7:00 p.m.
BELLEVUE, Neb. -- Shawn Tarver led four Bruins in double figures with 17 points as 19th-ranked Bellevue University upset sixth-ranked and previously unbeaten William Penn University, 82-71, Friday night in non-conference men's basketball action at the Gordon Lozier Athletic Center.
Bellevue improved to 7-4 on the season with the win. William Penn dropped to 14-1 overall.
Tarver added six rebounds and a blocked shot in the victory. Darius Robinson finished with 15 points and four rebounds. Jamil Goodwin registered 12 points and nine rebounds. In his first action of the season, Everett Robinson recorded a double-double with 11 points and 11 rebounds, while adding five assists.
Brandon Beasley led the Statesmen with a game-high 26 points and nine rebounds.
Everett Robinson came off the bench to record a pair of 3-pointers and four rebounds in the opening nine minutes as the Bruins grabbed an early 21-16 advantage.
The Statesmen used a seven-point run to tie the game at 26-26 with five minutes remaining in the first period. After the two teams traded baskets, the Bruins closed the half on a 12-3 run, including a 3-pointer by Darius Robinson at the buzzer, to take a 40-31 lead at the intermission.
Goodwin and Tarver had eight points apiece to pace BU in the first period. Beasley collected 11 points to lead WPU.
Tarver scored the first six points of the second half for the Bruins as BU opened up a double-digit lead in the opening minutes of the second half. The Statesmen used a 7-2 spurt to cut the deficit to five points (50-45) at the 13-minute mark. Bellevue responded with a 10-2 run over the next three minutes to take a 60-47 lead with 10 minutes remaining in the contest.
WPU never got closer than nine points the remainder of the game and BU nailed six free throws in the final two minutes to seal the 82-71 victory.
The Bruins will open conference play next Friday (Dec. 14) when they travel to Bartlesville, Okla. to take on Oklahoma Wesleyan University at 7 p.m.
Scoring Summary
William Penn - 31-40 -- 71
Bellevue - 40-42 -- 82
WP: Beasley, 26; Fay, 9; Walker, 8; Stoutner, 6; Steffeck, 5; Rasul, 4; Devlin, 4; Jenkins, 4; Spielbauer, 3; Howe 2
BU: Tarver, 17; D. Robinson, 15; Goodwin, 12; E. Robinson, 11; Perry, 9; Zamudio, 7; Grant, 6; Dotson, 4; Henley, 1.
