MADISON, S.D. -- Dakota State University out-scored the Bellevue University men's basketball team 23-11 over the final 8:02 to defeat the Bruins 69-59 in the regular-season finale for both squads on Thursday evening.
With the loss, Bellevue finishes up the regular season with a 15-13 overall record and a 7-7 mark in NSAA play. Dakota State concludes the regular season at 12-16 overall and 6-8 in conference action.
The game marked the final home game in the career of Dakota State coach Gary Garner, who announced his retirement effective at the end of the season.
Dakota State took an early 6-2 lead, but a 6-0 Bruin run was the first of many lead changes.
The Bruins led by as many as seven, 28-21 in the first half, following a basket by Keenami Maggard with 3:07 to go.
DSU closed the half strong, out-scoring BU 6-2 to pull within three as the Bruins took a 30-27 lead into halftime.
Despite shooting 50% in the first half, BU slumped to just 3-of-12 shooting behind the arc compared to 10-of-14 from two-point range. Dakota State saw similar production at 43%, going 11-of-19 inside the three-point line and just 1-of-9 from distance.
Vinny Belcaster led all players with 12 first-half points of 5-of-6 shooting. Taylor Pomeroy and Maggard combined for 13 in the opening half. Ronnie Latting led DSU with six first-half points, and Gavyn Strand tossed in five points.
The Trojans asserted themselves in the opening minutes of the second half, turning a three-point deficit into a 38-33 lead as Deshawn Kelly capped off an 11-3 run to open the period. That was part of a larger 17-5 run that spanned both halves.
With the game going back and forth over the next six minutes, Raydden Grobe put Bellevue ahead 48-46 with a put-back at the offensive end with 9:52 remaining in the game.
Neither team scored for nearly two minutes before DSU used the game-defining 23-11 run to secure a 10-point victory on the Trojans' Senior Night.
Bellevue shot just 5-of-13 from the floor, 1-of-4 from the line, and turned the ball over two times after taking its final lead of the game.
Belcaster finished with 18 to lead the Bruins, while Justin Motley scored 10 and pulled down five boards. Maggard added nine points and eight rebounds.
Latting shared game-high honors with Belcaster, scoring 18 to pace the Trojans. Sam Muller pumped in 14 and Chris Morales chipped in 12 to go along with six assists in joining Latting in double figures.
Bellevue will be the No. 5 seed when the NSAA Tournament begins on Tuesday, Feb. 21. They travel to Valley City, N.D. for a 7 p.m. tip-off against Valley City State University.
