BELLEVUE, Neb. -- Dickinson State University stormed back from a 14-point deficit late in the second half to pull out a dramatic 70-69 victory over Bellevue University Friday night in North Star Athletic Association men's basketball action at the Gordon Lozier Athletic Center.
The Bruins fell to 11-9 on the season with the loss and 3-4 in the NSAA. League co-leader Dickinson State improved to 10-6 overall and 6-1 in league play.
Richard Reed led four BU players in double figures with 13 points along with two steals and two rebounds. Jalen Hall finished with 11 points, four assists, and three boards. BJ Shelton and Blake Wilder each poured in 10 points.
DSU's Marcus White led all players with 29 points along with four rebounds, two steals, and two blocks.
Neither team could establish control in the first half, which featured five ties and 10 lead changes. The largest lead for either team in the opening period was five points and the Bruins held a 32-28 advantage at the intermission.
Hall led BU in the opening half with seven points and two rebounds as eight Bruins scored in the first half. Drew Apsher added six points and Wilder produced five points, four rebounds and a pair of assists.
White scored nearly half of DSU's points in the first half, finishing with 13 points and three rebounds.
Reed scored eight points during a 15-6 BU run to open the second half as the Bruins grabbed a 13-point advantage at 45-32 with 15 minutes left in the contest.
The Blue Hawks battled back to within six points thanks to a 15-8 run over the next five minutes, making it 53-47 at the 10-minute mark.
The Bruins answered every DSU basket over the next four minutes and used a 7-0 run capped by another 3-pointer from Reed to pull ahead, 67-53, with just under five minutes remaining in the game.
The Blue Hawks responded with 15-straight points over the next four minutes to take their first lead of the second half at 68-67 on a layup by Terrell Buler with 34 seconds left in the game.
Wilder's jumper in the lane gave BU a 69-68 lead with 16 seconds left. DSU responded on Jerry Shelvin's baseline jumper to give DSU a 70-69 advantage with eight ticks left in regulation. Hall's 3-pointer at the buzzer was just off the mark as the Blue Hawks escaped with the one-point victory.
The Bruins will host Mayville State University Saturday night, Jan. 13, at 5:00 p.m. in the Gordon Lozier Athletic Center.
