Balanced attack delivers fourth-straight win with BU downing Mayville State 75-67

MAYVILLE, N.D. -- All eight Bruins to play in the game scored at least six points as the Bellevue University men's basketball team recorded a _-_ win at Mayville State University in Frontier Conference action on Friday evening.

With their fourth-straight victory, Bellevue improves to 18-3 overall and 13-2 in league play atop the conference standings. The loss drops MSU to 7-13 overall and 3-12 in the Frontier Conference.

How It Happened:

Mayville State started the game strong as Bellevue struggled to find their rhythm offensively. The Bruins managed just four field goals before the under-10 media break as the Comets had them doubled up 18-9 before Deng Jal knocked down a three-pointer.

Isaiah Smith gave Mayville State their largest lead, 22-12, with a layup at the 7:40 mark before BU settled in offensive and clamped down on the defensive end.

A pair of free throws from Jal started a 16-6 scoring advantage over the next 4:52 with RJ Smith converting an old-fashioned three-point play to tie the game with 2:28 to play in the half.

The teams traded barbs the remainder of the half before Smith scored a tip-in at the buzzer to give BU a 35-34 lead entering the break.

Bellevue scored the first 13 points of the half, as their 15-0 scoring run spanning the break grew their lead to as many as 14 points when Ahamad Bynum drained a three with 16:47 to play.

Mayville State countered with a couple 7-0 scoring runs to climb back into the game as Bellevue managed just two field goals over a nine-minute span. The second 7-0 scoring burst from the Comets shrank the BU lead to four points before Montgomery drained a three from the wing to slow the momentum.

The Bruins worked the lead back to double figures when Jaden Phillips canned a long three-pointer and BU kept MSU at arm's length the rest of the way. Christian Bowen-Webb's jumper cut the lead to five with 1:58 to play but the Comets would get no closer.

Top Performers:

Bellevue University:

Ahamad Bynum – 17 points, 4 rebounds, 2 steals
RJ Smith – 14 points, 15 rebounds (career-high), 1 block
JJ Montgomery – 11 points, 3-5 3-FG, 3 assists
Jaden Phillips – 8 points, 7 rebounds, 2 assists
Liam Thompson – 7 points, 3-3 FG, 8 rebounds, 2 assists

Mayville State University:

Darius Brant – 20 points, 9-13 FG, 8 rebounds, 1 assist, 1 steal
Malik Siggers – 17 points,7-14 FG, 3 rebounds, 4 assists, 3 steals
Isaiah Smith – 12 points, 5 rebounds
Ollie Fell – 10 points, 4-5 FG

Inside the Numbers:

The win was Bellevue's first at Mayville since a 71-56 win back on Feb. 7, 2020, snapping a five-game losing streak inside the Lewy Lee Fieldhouse.

Elijah Sherwood scored six points and grabbed three rebounds in 22 minutes of action, his first since Nov. 8, filling in for Jermaine Haliburton who picked up a knock earlier this week in practice.

BU dominated the glass, out-rebounding Mayville State 41-28 for the game including a 22-12 edge in the second half.

The Bruins knocked down eight three-pointers (35%) while holding the Comets to 1-7 (14%) from deep.

Bellevue's 16-3 advantage on the offensive glass resulted in a 16-6 scoring advantage in second chance points.

Up Next:

Bellevue returns to the hardwood tomorrow evening for a 5 p.m. tip against Valley City State University at Memorial Auditorium on the campus of Concordia University-Moorhead in Moorhead, Minn. as VCSU's home arena is undergoing repairs.