Bruins hit century mark in 37-point win over LCU

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BELLEVUE, Neb. -- Five Bruins scored in double figures as the Bellevue University men's basketball team recorded a 37-point victory over Lincoln Christian University, 103-66, in the opening game of the Bellevue University/Nebraska Christian Men's Basketball Classic Friday morning at the Gordon Lozier Athletic Center.  

The Bruins improved to 1-3 on the season with the win. LCU dropped to 1-2 overall. 

Josh Meier led the Bruins with 19 points and five rebounds. Sequan Walker and Stephen Matthews collected 16 points apiece and Connor Dukes and Brian Stokes contributed with 12 points each as BU shot a season-high 53.8 percent from the field while connecting on 13 3-pointers. 

Garrett Aeilts led the Red Lions with 16 points and a pair of rebounds. 

The Bruins held a commanding 42-30 advantage in rebounds in the win.  

Two-straight 3-pointers from Walker sparked an 8-0 BU run to give the Bruins an early 17-9 lead at the 14-minute mark of the first half. 

After a short jumper by Meier gave BU a nine-point advantage at 27-18 midway through the first half, the Red Lions went on an 8-2 run over the next two minutes to narrow the BU margin to four points at 29-25 with 7:47 remaining in the opening period. 

The Bruins scored 11-straight points highlighted by 3-pointers from Stokes, Matthews, and Walker to build a 15-point advantage at 42-27 with 4:29 remaining in the first half. 

Aeilts nailed a 3-pointer with five seconds remaining in the half to cut the deficit to single digits as BU took a 48-39 lead heading into the intermission. 

Walker led BU in the opening 20 minutes with 14 points, including three 3-pointers. Aeilts matched Walker in the first half with 14 points on the strength of four triples.

The Bruins outshot LCU, 53.1 percent to 43.3 percent in the first half and held a 21-13 lead in total rebounds. 

A 3-pointer by Matthews capped a 14-6 run to open the second half as BU gained a 62-45 lead at the 15:32 mark. 

A layup by Walker extended the Bruin edge to 20 points at 74-54 with just over nine minutes remaining in the contest. 

Dukes scored 10 points in the final four minutes highlighted by a steal followed by an emphatic dunk as BU closed the game on a 41-18 run to cruise to the 103-66 victory.   

The Bruins will conclude play in the tournament with a 6 p.m. matchup against Tabor College on Saturday night at the Gordon Lozier Athletic Center.