Box Score | MCAC Tournament Site
YORK, Neb. -- Led by Dominque Grant's 19 points, the Bellevue University men's basketball team defeated York College, 58-55, to advance to the MCAC Tournament championship game for the fourth-straight season.
The 19th-ranked Bruins (23-9) will host College of the Ozarks at 7 p.m. on Tuesday (Feb. 26) at the Gordon Lozier Athletic Center. Ozarks defeated Oklahoma Wesleyan University, 78-74 in the other semifinal.
The Bruins battled to two overtime victories over Ozarks earlier this season.
York (23-8) will have to wait until next week to learn of its post-season fate.
Grant finished with 19 points, six rebounds, three assists, and three steals. Shawn Tarver registered 15 points and eight rebounds. Jamil Goodwin was the third Bruin in double figures, collecting 13 points to go along with eight boards.
Marcus Johnson, Dylan Brewer, and Heyvis Jackson combined for 35 of York's 55 points.
Goodwin's three-point play capped a 12-4 run as the Bruins gained a 25-14 first-half lead with 5:48 remaining before intermission.
York closed the half with an 11-6 spurt as BU took a 31-25 advantage into the locker room, despite being outshot 48 to 44 percent.
Grant led the Bruins in the first half with 11 points, four rebounds, and a pair of assists. Tarver added eight points and four rebounds. Johnson paced the Panthers in the first half with seven points and two assists.
A 3-pointer by Desmond Strickland brought the Panthers to within one point at 33-32 with just under 18 minutes remaining in the contest. York tied the game at 40-40 following a 18-foot jumper by Jackson at 14:10.
The Bruins, however, never relinquished the lead, reeling off seven-straight points before going on a 12-2 run to take a 52-42 lead. York stormed back with nine-consecutive points to pull to within one point at 52-51 with 2:43 remaining.
Grant scored the Bruins' final six points and Brewer missed a 3-pointer at the buzzer, giving BU the 58-55 victory.
Scoring Summary
Bellevue...31 27 - 58
York.........25 30 - 55
BU: Grant, 19; Tarver, 15; Goodwin, 13; Robinson, 5; Perry, 4; Zamudio, 2
YC: Johnson, 13; Brewer, 12; Jackson, 10; Osayande, 6; Varmall, 6; Strickland, 5; Vaughn, 3
