SIOUX CITY, Iowa -- Junior TJ Fritz tied a career-high with 24 points, but it wasn't enough as 17th-ranked Morningside University pulled away for an 83-61 victory over the Bellevue University men's basketball team Saturday night in non-conference action at the Arena Classic held at the Tyson Events Center.
The loss dropped the Bruins to 4-9 on the season. MU improved to 8-2 overall.
Fritz was 9-of-15 from the field and 6-of-11 from long range.
Caleb Chiang scored a career-high 13 points in the loss while adding four rebounds. Makeem Loudermill finished with nine points, one rebound, and one assist.
Joey Skoff (26) and Ely Doble (25) combined for 51 points to pace the Mustang offense. Skoff was 11-of-14 from the field and 4-of-4 from the charity stripe while adding five rebounds and a pair of assists. Jack Dotzler was the third Mustang in double figures, finishing with 10 points, five rebounds, and three assists.
Capped by a 3-pointer from Daniel Brocaille, the Mustangs used a 9-1 run early in the opening period to build a 15-7 advantage. The two teams traded buckets over the next five minutes until a 10-0 MU run extended the margin to 18 points at 29-11 following a layup by Skoff.
The Bruins got as close as 15 points (39-24) following a 3-pointer by Fritz with one minute remaining before the intermission. Two free throws by Brendan Buckley made it 41-24 at the halftime break.
Doble (16) and Skoff (12) scored 28 of Morningside's 41 first-half points as MU shot 64 percent from the field.
Fritz paced the Bruins in the first half with nine points on 3-of-5 shooting from long range. Chiang drained two early triples, scoring six first-half points. BU shot 34.6 percent in the first half, including a 5-of-20 effort from beyond the arc.
Fritz and Chiang drained 3-pointers in a 6-2 run as BU drew to within 16 points at 51-35 with 15:20 left in the contest. The Mustangs responded with a 5-0 run to create a 21-point cushion at 60-39 at the 12:45 mark.
The Bruins pulled to within 11 points after Fritz scored five-straight points in a 7-0 BU spurt, making it 68-57 with 5:15 left in the game. BU stayed within 11 points until Morningside ended the game on an 11-0 run to make the final, 83-61.
The Bruins will return home on Monday, Dec. 18, when they entertain Briar Cliff University at 6 p.m. in the Gordon Lozier Athletic Center.
