No. 10 Bellevue wins fifth-straight, tops Ozarks, 86-80

Box Score | MCAC Standings

POINT LOOKOUT, Mo. -- The 10th-ranked Bellevue University men's basketball team outscored College of the Ozarks by seven in the second half en route to an 86-80 victory Saturday night in Midlands Collegiate Athletic Conference action at Keeter Gymnasium.

The Bruins, who defeated College of the Ozarks 92-82 in Bellevue on Jan. 25, improved to 23-5 overall and 10-2 in conference action. The Bobcats fell to 19-8 and 7-5 in the MCAC.

Lee Ames made seven of his 12 field goal attempts and led BU with a game-high 23 points and added four assists and three rebounds.

Alex Worthen-Harris recorded a double-double with 13 points and 10 rebounds.

Thomas Hammock scored 14 points and Taylor Young chipped in 10.

After the opening 2:26 remained scoreless, the Bruins would score 12 of the first 16 points capped off by a four-point play by Isaiah Strong.

Trailing 25-11, the Bobcats closed the final 9:55 on a 27-12 run to take a one-point lead at halftime, 38-37.

BU scored the first seven points in the second half and took a 52-44 advantage five minutes into the period before COFO went on a 19-4 run to regain the lead, 63-56, with 6:29 remaining in the game.

The Bruins answered back and finished the game on a 30-17 run to pull out the six-point MCAC road win, 86-80. BU made seven of its 10 free throws in the final minute to help secure the win.

Nathan Reid and Nathane Simniok paced COFO with 17 points apiece.

BU will return to the Gordon Lozier Athletic Center on Friday, Feb. 21 when they host in-state conference foe York College (15-11, 5-7 MCAC). Tip-off is set for 7:30 p.m.

Scoring Summary
Bellevue...37-49--86
Ozarks......38-42--80

BU: Ames, 23; Hammock, 14; Worthen-Harris, 13; Young, 10; Dotson, 8; Kalipinde, 7; Strong, 7; Redstar, 4.

COFO: Reid, 17; Simniok, 17; Santiago, 13; Selby, 8; Young 7; Daniels, 6; Leonard, 6; Paschke, 4; Murray, 2.