POINT LOOKOUT, Mo. -- Senior Mike Cardenas poured in a career-high 28 points to lead the No. 24-ranked Bellevue University men's basketball team to an 87-82 victory over College of the Ozarks on Saturday evening at Keeter Gymnasium in non-conference action.
With the win, Bellevue improves to 5-4 while COFO drops to 5-4 with the loss.
Cardenas tied a career-high with seven 3-pointers, finishing 9-of-14 from the field and 7-of-11 behind the arc. He also added five rebounds in the victory. Jalen Hall registered 14 points, seven rebounds, and two assists. Nick Hilton was the third Bruin in double figures, collecting 12 points while adding three rebounds a pair of assists.
Cameron Paschke and Ryan Burland led the Bobcats with 17 points apiece.
The first half was played evenly throughout with neither team able to gain much separation. Ozarks led by as many as six at several points in the first half and Bellevue never led by more than three and that came on two occasions.
Both teams shot the ball well in the first half with the Bobcats hitting on 48.7 percent of their field goal attempts and BU checking it at 47.2 percent from the floor. Ozarks got to the line 11 times and Bellevue just four helping COFO to a four-point, 45-41, halftime lead over the visiting Bruins.
Ozarks' Ryan Burland led all scorers with 11 first half points while Hall paced the Bruins by scoring 10 points in the first 20 minutes.
Trailing by seven early in the second half, the Bruins used an 11-1 run to gain a 57-54 edge with just over 12 minutes remaining in the contest.
After the Bobcats evened the score at 64-64, BU went on a 9-2 spurt to take a 73-66 lead at the six-minute mark.
A pair of Paschke free throws drew the Bobcats to within two points at 75-73 with 2:57 left in the game. That was as close COFO would get as the Bruins nailed 7-of-8 free throws in the final minutes to secure the 87-82 victory.
The Bruins return to play on Saturday, Nov. 26 when they host York College. Tip-off is scheduled for 5 p.m. at the Gordon Lozier Athletic Center.