FULLERTON, Calif. - Seniors Percy Lemle (Carson, Calif.) and Thomas Hammock (Compton, Calif.) each scored 14 points but it wasn't enough to overcome a three point halftime deficit as Biola University claimed a 54-50 victory on Tuesday night over the No. 6 Bellevue University basketball team. Biola improves to 9-0 on the year while Bellevue drops to 5-2.
Bellevue started strong by taking their largest lead at six points with 14-8 on a layup by junior Anthony Rounds (Perris, Calif.) with 10:50 to play. The Bruins wouldn't trail until a free throw by Dakari Archer with 4:02 to play before the halftime break. From there Biola used a 12-7 spurt to claim a six point advantage, 31-25, over an 8:52 stretch spanning both halves.
The teams went back and forth over the next 13 minutes until Mike Kurtz hit a trey with 1:39 to play to give Biola their largest lead of the game at 49-40.
Lemle cut the deficit to just two at 52-50 with a dunk in the closing moments. The Bruins had their chances with Biola making just three of their seven free throw attempts in the final minute of the game but couldn't take advantage.
In addition to his team co-leading 14 points Lemle added nine rebounds. Senior Alex Worthen-Harris (Phoenix, Ariz.) pulled down a team-high 11 rebounds, including seven offensive boards, to go along with eight points. Rounds joined Worthen-Harris with double-figure rebounds, hauling in 10 to go along with seven points as Bellevue out-rebounded Biola by a 52-43 margin for the game.
Pierre Zook led the way for Biola with 21 points while Kurtz posted a double-double with 14 points and 13 rebounds.
The Bruins will return to action on Friday, Nov. 28 with their 2014/15 home-opener against Valley City State University at 7:00 p.m. as part of the Hampton Inn Thanksgiving Classic.
