Guzman's career-night leads Bruins over MSU, 81-71

Box Score
NSAA Standings

MAYVILLE, N.D. -- Senior Nicolus Guzman scored a career-high 23 points to lead the 13th-ranked Bellevue University men's basketball team to an 81-71 victory Friday night in North Star Athletic Association action at the Lewy Lee Fieldhouse. 

Bellevue improved to 9-4 on the season and 2-0 in the NSAA. MSU fell to 5-6 overall and 0-3 in league play. 

Guzman was 6-of-8 from the field, including a 5-of-7 performance from behind the 3-point arc. He also drilled all six of his free-throw attempts. Mike Cardenas and Olutola Olushola also finished in double figures with 19 and 10 points respectively. 

Conor Quinn led the Comets with 15 points and four rebounds. 

The Bruins closed the first half on a 22-9 run to erase an eight-point deficit, grabbing a 39-34 halftime advantage, paced by Guzman's 13 points. BU connected on six 3-pointers in the opening period and converted on 13-of-17 free throw attempts. 

The Bruins built a 19-point lead in the first six minutes of the second half before the Comets battled back to cut the deficit to 12 at 61-49 at the 11-minute mark. 

A Quinn field goal with 2:44 left in the contest clipped the BU margin to single digits at 70-62. The Bruins responded with a 3-pointer by Cardenas and a short jumper by Olushola to establish a 13-point (75-62) edge at 1:48. The Comets answered with eight-consecutive points to draw to with five points at 75-70 with 43 seconds remaining before BU pulled away in the final seconds for the 81-71 victory.

Bellevue will continue conference action Saturday night with a 5 p.m. contest at Valley City State University.