Bruin Basketball Weekend Preview: Oct. 28-29
BELLEVUE, Neb. -- Both the Bellevue University men's and women's basketball teams kick off their season this weekend with a pair of games on the road. The men's team travels to York, Neb. for the York Classic while the women's team ventures to Bartlesville, Okla. for the Oklahoma Wesleyan Classic.
Live Stats and video will be available for all four basketball games this weekend.
#24 Men's Basketball (0-0): at York | Fri., Oct. 28 --- vs. Friends | Sat., Oct. 29
The men's basketball team will open their season by taking part in the York College Classic with games on Friday and Saturday. Bellevue plays the host Panthers at 7:30 p.m. in their opener and takes on Friends University at 3 p.m. tomorrow.
2015-16 in Review: Bellevue posted their 16th-straight 20-win season in 2015-16 and qualified for the NAIA Division II National Tournament for the 14th year in a row. After 20 years in the MCAC, the Bruins became members of the North Star Athletic Association where they posted a 20-12 overall record to go along with a 7-3 mark in NSAA play. They shared the regular-season title with Dakota State and Valley City State.
2016-17 Preview: Bellevue is ranked 24th in the preseason NAIA Coaches' Poll after returning their top scorer from a season ago and bringing in another strong recruiting class. The Bruins return three letter-winners from last year's team led by first team all-NSAA selection senior guard Mike Cardenas (13.5 PPG, 38.4% 3FG). Also returning are senior guard Jerred Cook (7.2 PPG, 44.8% 3FG) and senior forward Tyler Morgan (2.4 PPG, 39.4% 3FG). Austin Moore, who took a medical redshirt last year, is back as well.
Scouting York: The Panthers (1-0) are ranked 17th in the preseason NAIA Coaches' Top 25 after a 25-10 record a season ago that saw them reach the Elite Eight at the National Tournament. They return their top three scorers from last year's team in senior forward Cameron Coleman (18.3 PPG, 6.3 RPG), senior guard Johnny Cooksey (9.9 PPG, 35.6% 3FG), and junior guard Trevor Lenear (8.6 PPG).
BU and York met twice last year with Bellevue coming away with an 86-56 win at Concordia and posting a 76-61 triumph at the Bruins' Thanksgiving Classic.
Scouting Friends: The Falcons (0-0) are coming off a season in which they went 12-18 overall and 10-10 in KCAC games. They capped their season by winning three of their final four games and reached the conference semi-finals. Three of five starters from a season ago are gone but last season's leading scorer senior guard Toby Baxter (16.4 PPG, 3.9 RPG) returns as does senior forward Kaleb Ratliff (9.0 PPG, 4.8 RPG) to give Friends a foundation upon which to build.
BU and Friends met last year at the York Classic with Bellevue cruising to a 75-52 victory in the second game of the event.
Women's Basketball (0-0): vs. Crowley's Ridge | Fri., Oct. 28 --- vs. Southwestern Assemblies of God | Sat., Oct. 29
The women's basketball team will open their season by taking part in the Oklahoma Wesleyan University Classic with games on Friday and Saturday. Bellevue plays Crowley's Ridge College on Friday at 2 p.m. in their opener and takes on Southwestern Assemblies of God University at 2 p.m. tomorrow.
2015-16 in Review: After 50 years without a women's basketball program, things began to come together for the Bruins. Dave Denly was appointed head coach at the end of 2014-15 and spent the 2015-16 year hitting the ground to recruit players for BU's first-ever women's basketball team. After getting a pair of BU athletes from other sports to join, Denly was able to sign eight junior college players, a Division II transfer, and the program's first true freshman for a 12-player team.
2016-17 Preview: Bellevue was picked sixth in the nine-team North Star Athletic Association in a poll of the league's coaches. As a first-year program, BU has put together a full schedule that the team is eager to being. History will be made in spades throughout the season with program firsts set to occur on an almost nightly basis. The Bruins play two games away before their highly anticipated home-opener on Wednesday, Nov. 2. The Bruins are likely to rely on Sierra Roberts (Kansas City (Kan.) CC) and Caletria Curtis (Coffeyville CC), especially early in the season.
Scouting Crowley's Ridge: The Pioneers (0-0) are coming off their most successful season in 2015-16, according to their official website. Head coach Tye Clothier is tasked with leading a squad that includes eight freshmen – and 10 underclassmen in total – on a roster of 16 players.
Scouting SAGU: The Lions (0-0) are an NAIA Division I team coming off a season in which they went 18-14 overall and 10-8 in Sooner Athletic Conference games. They return their top scorer in forward Charity Page (11.5 PPG, 8.3 RPG) as well as another double figure scorer in forward Laken Ward (10.1 PPG, 7.9 RPG). SAGU features a fair amount of size which should pose a good early season test for the Bruins' post players.