Chargers hand BU first loss of the season, 64-56

Box Score
BU Basketball Classic
NSAA Standings

BELLEVUE, Neb. -- Briar Cliff University avenged a season-opening loss to the Bruins, handing the Bellevue University men's basketball team a 64-56 defeat in BU's final game of the BU Basketball Classic Saturday afternoon at the Gordon Lozier Athletic Center. 

The loss dropped the Bruins to 3-1 on the season. Briar Cliff improved to 2-1 overall. 

Jemeil King led the Bruins with 15 points and five rebounds. Justin Motley added 12 points and nine boards. Keshawn Bruner was the third Bruin in double figures, finishing with 12 points and seven rebounds. 

Quinn Vesey and Quinten Vasa paced the Chargers with 15 points apiece. Jaden Kleinhesselink recorded a double-double with 12 points and 12 rebounds and Nic Hoyt chipped in with 10 points. 

Neither team could establish control in the early going with the largest lead for either team being three points in the opening half as BU took a 29-26 advantage heading into the intermission. 

Both teams were cold from the field in the first period, as the Bruins shot 38.7 percent and were just 2-of-10 from behind the arc. BCU hit just 7-of-28 first-half shots and the Chargers were 4-of-17 in 3-point attempts.  

Motley led the Bruins in the first half with eight points on 4-of-4 shooting, while adding six rebounds. 

Vasa paced the Chargers with nine points and four boards. 

BCU used a 15-2 run early in the second half capped by 3-pointers from Vasa and Kleinhesselink to take a 41-33 lead with 13:25 left in the contest. Another 3-pointer by Kleinhesselink provided the first double-digit lead for either team as the Chargers grabbed a 47-35 advantage at the 10:57 mark. 

A pair of free throws by Bruner and a 3-pointer by King drew the Bruins to within six points at 52-46 with just under four minutes remaining.

After the Chargers built back up a 10-point cushion following a pair of free throws by Kleinhesselink, BU pulled to within six points on a pair of free throws by Lewis Hayes and a layup by Bruner, making it 56-50 at the 1:41 mark. 

BCU nailed six-straight free throws in the final 40 seconds to seal the 64-56 victory.  

The Bruins will travel to Orange City, Iowa next Friday-Saturday, Nov. 6-7, to compete in the Pizza Ranch Classic hosted by Northwestern (Iowa) College.