MADISON, S.D. - Junior Percy Lemle (Carson, Calif.) scored a game co-high 19 points and fell just one assist short of a double-double as the Bellevue University basketball team defeated Dakota State University 68-64 on Saturday evening at the DSU Fieldhouse. Bellevue improves to 8-2 on the season while the Trojans drop to 3-7 following the loss.
Freshman Yusuf Shehata (Tucson, Ariz.) joined Lemle in double figures with 14 points to go along with five rebounds. Senior Alex Worthen-Harris (Phoenix, Ariz.) pulled down a game-best 12 rebounds to go along with seven points for the eighth-ranked Bruins.
Bellevue found themselves in possession of a 10-point lead at the 2:19 mark of the first half on a layup by Lemle. However, from that point forward, Dakota State out-scored the visiting Bruins 7-2 to close within five at halftime.
Senior Thomas Hammock (Compton, Calif.) scored nine points, hitting on three of his nine attempts from beyond the arc. Senior Olutola Olushola (Missouri City, Texas), fresh off a career-high 22 points against Science and Arts of Oklahoma scored six points and joined Worthen-Harris in leading the Bruins with a pair of steals on the defensive end.
Miguel Sansavour led Dakota State with 19 points and hauled in nine boards, narrowly missing a double-double.
Six other players scored at least six points to help the balanced Trojan attack. Bryant Allen and Ian Barse each poured in nine while Derek Meger added eight points. Seth Cavanaugh (7), Adam Hofer (6), and Adam Fideler (6) also scored in supporting roles for Dakota State.
The Bellevue bench, as it has numerous times this season, out-scored the opposition by a count of 33-15 as the Bruins' 10-man rotation continues to wear down opponents.
The Bruins shot just 39.7 percent (25-63) from the field but were able to win for the first time when shooting 40 percent or less from the field. Bellevue did make 11 three-pointers, going 11-for-28 (39.3%), to improve to 8-0 when making at least six threes in a game.
With a 37-34 rebounding edge, the Bruins are now 6-1 when out-rebounding their opponents.
Bellevue will return to action on Wednesday, Dec. 10 when the host NCAA Division II's University of Nebraska at Kearney. Game time is 7:00 p.m.
