MCAC Standings
Season Statistics
MCPHERSON, Kan. -- Central Christian's Gary Kaelon scored in the paint with 21 seconds remaining to give the Tigers' a dramatic 71-70 upset victory over sixth-ranked Bellevue University Friday night in Midlands Collegiate Athletic Conference men's basketball action.
Central Christian improved to 15-9 on the season and 4-4 in league play. The Bruins suffered their first conference loss, falling to 19-5 overall and 7-1 in the MCAC.
Kaelon scored the game's final four points as CCC erased a 70-67 deficit in the game's final minute. Kaleon led the Tigers with 15 points and four rebounds.
James Parrott paced the Bruins with 21 points and nine rebounds. Jelani Johnson added 12 points, nine rebounds, and four assists. Richard Shepherd and Jeremy Arrington were also in double figures with 11 and 10 points respectively.
Bellevue held the Tigers' leading scorer and reigning MCAC player of the week Chris Jones to nine points and 10 rebounds. He scored 33 points and grabbed 20 rebounds in Bellevue's 93-62 win last Friday in Bellevue.
The Bruins scored the final four points of the first half to tie the game at 35-all at the half. Parrott paced BU in the opening period with 11 points and two rebounds. Conley led the Tigers with 10 points.
Bellevue shot 41 percent from the field in the first half, including a 1-of-12 (8.3 percent) performance from behind the 3-point arc. CCC connected on 48.4 percent of its shots in the opening 20 minutes.
Parrott scored nine points in an early second-half run as the Bruins built a 50-46 advantage. The Tigers responded with five-straight points to grab a 51-50 lead at the 11-minute mark. BU regained the lead at 8:30 on a 3-pointer by Shepherd, giving Bellevue a 57-55 lead.
The two teams traded baskets for the next four minutes, until BU managed a six-point (66-60) cushion following a short jumper from Ousseynou Diop at 4:44.
The Tigers clawed back to tie the game at 67-all wtih 1:43 remaining after going on a six-point run including four-consecutive free throws. Arrington responded with a 3-pointer on the next possession to give the Bruins a 70-67 advantage. Kaelon scored four-straight points, including the gamewinner with 21 seconds remaining.
Johnson and Parrott missed shots in the closing seconds to help CCC secure the upset.
Bellevue shot a season-low 37.3 percent from the field and was 5-of-21 (23.8) from 3-point range.
The Bruins will head to Lawrence, Kan. Saturday (Feb. 4) for a 5 p.m. MCAC contest at Haskell Indian Nations University.
