Bruins edge Concordia (Ore.) in NAIA 1st round, 81-78

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POINT LOOKOUT, Mo. -- The Bellevue University basketball team won its 11th-straight game with an 81-78 victory over Concordia (Ore.) University in the first round of the NAIA Division II Men's Basketball National Championship Wednesday night at Keeter Gymnasium on the campus of College of the Ozarks.

Bellevue (29-5) advances to face ninth-seeded Davenport University on Friday, March 14 at 10:15 a.m. The Bruins defeated the Panthers, 82-76, on Dec. 21 in the St. Xavier (Ill.) Midwest Tournament. Concordia ends its season at 22-10.

Given Kalipinde finished with 15 points, seven rebounds and two assists and Thomas Hammock tallied five 3-pointers for also 15 points.

Michael Dotson and Lee Ames both scored 12 points while Taylor Young added 11 points and four rebounds.

Adam Herman led CU with a game-high 22 points on 9-of-12 shooting.

The Cavaliers scored seven of the first 10 points to open the game to take an early four-point lead, but four-straight BU points tied the game at 7-7.

With the contest even at 15-15 midway through the opening half, CU used a 7-2 spurt to open its biggest lead of the game, 22-17, before a 12-4 run gave BU the lead back (29-26).

Following a CU 3-pointer tied the game at 29-29, the Bruins went on a 14-3 run to close the period and take a 43-32 advantage at halftime capped off by a Young three-point play at the buzzer.

Despite starting the game 3-of-12 from the field, the Bruins finished the stanza with a 52 percent shooting clip. BU also made 15 of its 19 first half free throws.

Trailing 49-37, the Cavaliers went on a 14-3 run to pull within one, 52-51, six minutes into the second half. The Bruins responded with a 5-0 run to take a 57-51 lead.

After a 6-2 run pulled CU back within two (59-57), the remaining of the contest would remain close.

The Cavaliers took their first lead of the second half at the 2:34 mark to go ahead by one, 75-74. On CU's next possession, following a breakaway missed dunk, a technical foul was called on the Cavaliers and Ames made both free throws.

Kalipinde gave the Bruins the lead for good following a three-point play with 19.6 seconds left. After a CU missed field goal, Kalipinde was fouled and the senior made both of his free throws to win, 81-78.

Notes

• The Bruins are making their 12th-straight appearance in the NAIA Division II Men's Basketball National Tournament.
• Bellevue is 11-4 in first round games.
• The Bruins own a 21-14 all-time record in the National Tournament.
• Tonight's win marks Bellevue's eighth-straight first round win.
• Head coach Shane Paben is 9-5 in National Tournament games.
• The MCAC is 2-0 in the 2014 NAIA National Tournament.