Morningside upends Bruins, 84-79

Box Score

SIOUX CITY, Iowa -- Jalen Hall and Nick Hilton combined for 39 points, but the Bellevue University men's basketball team fell just short as Morningside College pulled out an 84-79 win in non-conference action Friday night at Allee Gymnasium. 

The Bruins fell to 1-3 on the season with the loss. Morningside improved to 1-1 overall. 

Hall finished with 20 points on 7-of-10 shooting while adding four rebounds and a game-high eight assists. Hilton drained five 3-pointers, pouring in 19 points to go along with four rebounds and a pair of assists. Jykwentin Johnson collected 12 points and seven rebounds. Blake Wilder was the fourth Bruin in double figures, registering 10 points and six boards. 

Bryce Koch led the Mustangs with a double-double, finishing with 22 points and 11 rebounds. Koch was 10-of-12 from the field. Brody Egger added 20 points and six rebounds for MC. 

Bellevue mounted a furious comeback in the final minute. The Bruins trailed by nine points at 78-69 with 1:13 left in the contest before going on a 10-2 run to cut the deficit to just one point at 80-79 with 24 seconds remaining.

Bellevue subsequently missed a pair of jumpers and the Mustangs connected on four-straight free throws to seal the 84-79 victory. 

Morningside outshot the Bruins 50 percent to 40.3 percent, but BU hit 13 3-pointers, compared to just five for the Mustangs.

The Bruins return home tomorrow, Nov. 5 when they host Johnson & Wales (Colo.) University at 5 p.m. in the Gordon Lozier Athletic Center.