Posted: Feb 26, 2011
Tournament Website
NAIA Conference Tournament Results
BELLEVUE, Neb. -- Senior Avery Tyler scored 17 points to lead the sixth-ranked Bellevue University men's basketball team to a 77-69 victory over College of the Ozarks in the championship game of the Midlands Collegiate Athletic Conference Tournament Saturday at the Gordon Lozier Athletic Center. The Bruins (27-5) claimed their second-straight MCAC Tournament title with the victory and earned the league's automatic berth into the NAIA Division II Men's Basketball National Championship.
The selections and pairings for the 2011 Division II Men's Basketball National Championship will be announced on Wednesday, March 2 at 7 p.m. on Victory Sports Network. As the host school, Ozarks is also guaranteed a spot in the tournament. Bellevue qualified for its ninth-straight and 12th overall appearance in the national tournament.
Tyler drilled three 3-pointers and added four rebounds on the night. Senior Eugene Bain recorded his team-leading 12th double-double with 12 points and 11 rebounds. Jelani Johnson finished with 12 points, six assists and three steals. Jeremy Cruise was the fourth Bruin in double figures, with 11 points, including three 3-pointers.
Kyle Williamson led the Bobcats with 15 points, while Sheldon Shaver chipped in with 14 points.
After the Bruins opened up an early seven-point lead in the fist six minutes of the game, Ozarks responded with a 10-1 run highlighted by two-straight 3-pointers from Shaver that gave the Bobcats a 17-15 advantage at the 11-minute mark.
Six-straight points from Tyler sparked an 8-2 BU spurt that gave the Bruins a 25-21 lead with 6:19 remaining in the half. The Bobcats took the lead at 27-25 following consecutive 3-pointers from Jared Howerton.
Bellevue closed the first half on a 17-5 spurt to take a 42-32 lead into the locker room.
Tyler led the Bruins in the opening half with nine points and two assists. Ousseynou Diop added six points, seven rebounds, and three blocks. Bain collected seven points and six rebounds before the break. Shaver led the Bobcats in the first period with 11 points.
Bellevue finished the first half with a 45. 7 percent shooting percentage, but was 60 percent (6-10) from 3-point range. The Bobcats shot just 35.3 percent in the first half.
The Bruins opened the second half on an 11-2 run to surge ahead 53-34 with 14:52 remaining in the game. The Bobcats would not go away, pulling to within 12 points after going on a 9-2 run over the next three minutes.
A steal and breakaway layup by Williamson pulled Ozarks to within single digits at 56-47 at the 9:05 mark. After the Bruins pulled away by as many as 16 points, the Bobcats used a smothering full-court press to get as close as six points at 75-69 with 17 seconds remaining. Two Johnson free throws at 13 seconds sealed the 77-69 victory.
Bellevue hit 8-of-16 3-pointers in the contest and finished 45.9 percent from the field, while holding Ozarks to 36.5 percent shooting on the night.
