Ozarks pulls away for 76-65 win over Bruins

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BELLEVUE, Neb. -- Ethan Murray and Cameron Patschke combined for 44 points to lead the College of the Ozarks to a 76-65 win over No. 8-ranked Bellevue University Friday night at the Hampton Inn Thanksgiving Classic at the Gordon Lozier Athletic Center. 

The loss dropped the Bruins to 6-4 overall, while Ozarks improved to 6-1 on the season. 

Chris Ashanti paced the Bruins with 17 points and eight rebounds. Mike Cardenas finished with 13 points and was 4-of-5 from 3-point range. Marquis Aaron was the third Bruin in double figures, registering 10 points, to go along with six boards and two blocks. 

Murray and Paschke each recorded 22 points in the Bobcat victory. 

Bellevue shot just 34.8 percent from the field, including a 7-of-24 showing from behind the arc. BU did hold a 44-36 edge in total rebounds. 

Ozarks led by as many as nine points early in the first half before BU battled back with a 14-5 run to push ahead 27-26 with 7:20 remaining in the half. After the Bobcats went up by five points with a pair of free throws by Murray at 2:26, BU scored the final six points of the half, capped by a 12-foot jumper by Aaron at the buzzer to give the Bruins a 42-41 advantage at the break. 

Neither team could establish control early in the second half with the largest lead at four points. With the score tied at 56-all at the 11-minute mark, neither team scored until a jumper by Paschke at 7:18 sparked an 11-3 Bobcat run, giving Ozarks a 67-59 lead at 3:47. 

A four-point play by Cardenas started a 6-0 BU run to pull the Bruins to within two at 67-65 at 2:53. 

Paschke and Murray combined for all of the Bobcats' final nine points as Ozarks pulled away for the 76-65 victory. 

The Bruins will conclude the tournament on Saturday (Nov. 28) with a 5 p.m. contest against York (Neb.) College.