VALLEY CITY, N.D. -- Plagued by 21 turnovers and 33.3 percent shooting, the Bellevue University men's basketball team saw its season come to an end with a 72-54 loss at Valley City State University in the North Star Athletic Association Tournament quarterfinals Tuesday night at the W.E. Osmon Fieldhouse.
Bellevue ended its season with a 15-14 overall record.
VCSU improved to 16-13 overall, advancing to the NSAA semifinals, where the Vikings will face the winner of No. 1 Mayville State versus No. 8 Presentation at 6 p.m. on Saturday, Feb. 25, at the Watertown Civic Arena in Watertown, S.D.
Vinny Belcaster and Paulo Araujo led the Bruins with 11 points apiece. Araujo added eight rebounds in the loss. Keenami Maggard finished with nine points and six rebounds.
Daevon Munson led all players with 25 points, eight rebounds, and five assists. Hunter Lyman registered a double-double, finishing with 10 points and 10 rebounds.
Eight of the Bruins' first ten shots were from behind the arc, draining three of them as BU managed an early 14-13 advantage with 13 minutes left in the opening half.
Neither team scored for nearly three minutes until Justin Motley's free throw inched BU ahead 15-13 midway through the first period.
The Vikings survived a four-and-a-half-minute scoring drought, and a pair of 3-pointers by Matthew Schlottman fueled an 8-3 run, giving VCSU a 27-21 advantage with 2:42 remaining before the intermission.
VCSU responded to a Motley layup with the final two baskets of the half as the Vikings took a 31-23 lead into the break.
Araujo led BU in the opening 20 minutes of play with six points and three rebounds. Maggard added five points and a pair of boards in the opening half.
Munson led VCSU in the first half with 10 points, five rebounds, and four assists.
The Vikings scored the first four points of the second half to grow the lead to 12 points, and an 8-0 VCSU run capped by a 3-pointer from Schlottman made it 49-30 with 12:55 remaining in the contest.
VCSU increased the margin to 20 points after a 3-pointer by Lyman gave the Vikings a 54-34 lead at the 10-minute mark.
The Bruins never got closer than 18 points the remainder of the contest as VCSU earned the 72-54 victory.
