BELLEVUE, Neb. -- Six Bruins scored in double figures as the seventh-ranked Bellevue University men's basketball team won its seventh-straight game with an 87-46 win over College of the Ozarks Friday night in MCAC action at the Gordon Lozier Athletic Center.
Bellevue improved to 14-4 on the season and 2-0 in the MCAC. The Bobcats fell to 9-8 overall and 1-1 in league play.
The Bruins were led by Richard Shepherd with 17 points, four steals, and three rebounds. Blake Zamudio added a career-high 16 points. Ousseynou Diop finished with 14 points, six rebounds, and two blocked shots. Jelani Johnson registered 13 points and five rebounds. James Parrott was the fifth Bruin in double figures with 11 points, while adding six rebounds, three assists, and two steals.
Ozarks did not have a player in double figures, shooting just 32.7 percent on the night, while committing 22 turnovers.
Fueled by 10 points from Diop, the Bruins used a 22-3 run over an nine-minute span to gain a 33-12 lead at the four-minute mark of the first half.
The Bobcats were held scoreless for over seven minutes in the opening half, shooting just 23.3 percent in the period as Bellevue gained a 46-17 halftime lead on 63.3 percent shooting.
Johnson paced the Bruins in the first 20 minutes with 11 points, four rebounds, three assists, and a pair of steals. Diop added 10 points and three rebounds and Parrott chipped in with nine points and five rebounds.
Ozarks never got closer than 29 points in the second half as BU opened the period on a 23-4 run while cruising to the 41-point victory.
Bellevue shot 64.3 percent from the field, including 43.8 percent from three-point range.
The Bruins conclude their three-game conference homestand with a 5 p.m. game on Saturday against Central Baptist College.
