BELLEVUE, Neb. -- The Bellevue University men's basketball team gave up a big second-half run as Mount Marty University earned a 77-72 victory Friday night in the Fairfield Inn Bruin Classic in the Gordon Lozier Athletic Center.
The loss dropped the Bruins to 5-10 on the season. MMU improved to 3-8 overall.
TJ Fritz led the Bruins with 16 points, five rebounds, and two assists. Makeem Loudermill and Jerome Bynum scored 13 points apiece, and Nigel Wilson chipped in with 10 points and six boards.
Tash Lunday paced four Lancers in double figures, finishing with 21 points, six rebounds, and four assists. Other Lancers in double figures included Jared Lopez (13), Cole Bowen (12), and Josh Arlt (10).
After MMU opened the game with a layup by Lopez, the Bruins scored nine straight points, sparked by a 3-pointer by Jaden Phillips to gain a 9-2 advantage.
Arlt scored 10 points in a 16-2 Lancer run as MMU took an 18-11 lead with nine minutes remaining in the first half.
Capped by a dunk, six straight points by Nigel Wilson helped BU regain the advantage at 22-21 at the three-minute mark.
The two teams traded baskets for the remainder of the half as the Lancers took a slim 32-30 lead into the intermission.
Loudermill led the Bruins in the first half with nine points on 4-of-5 shooting from the field while adding three rebounds. Bynum added seven points and a pair of assists.
Arlt (10) and Allen (8) combined for 18 points to pace the MMU offense in the first half.
The Bruins scored five quick points to open the second half, gaining a 35-32 advantage. After a 3-pointer by Caleb Chiang gave BU a six-point margin, the Lancers went on a 20-4 run to gain a 10-point cushion at 59-49 with nine minutes remaining in the contest.
A five-point MMU run capped by a 3-pointer by Lunday made it a 12-point game at 66-54 at the six-minute mark.
The Bruins got to within seven points following a three-point play by Christian Carter with five minutes left, but that was as close as BU would get until a 3-pointer at the buzzer by Fritz made the final score, 77-72.
Bellevue will conclude the tournament on Saturday (Dec. 30) with a 7 p.m. contest against Doane University in the Gordon Lozier Athletic Center.
