Cougars run away from Bruins in overtime

COLUMBIA, Mo. -- After taking an early lead in overtime the Bellevue University men's basketball team was unable to maintain that advantage in dropping a 79-70 overtime decision to host Columbia College to close out the Hampton Inn Thanksgiving Classic.

After seeing their four-game winning streak snapped yesterday with a loss at Dordt, Columbia improved to 5-3 on the year. The Cougars snapped BU's own four-game streak with Bellevue falling to 6-3.

Defense was on display in the first half as the teams combined to shoot just 37% in the first 20 minutes as Columbia took a 34-32 lead into the intermission.

Columbia led by as many as nine points, 34-25, but the Bruins were able to cut the deficit to just two points as Raphael Allen knocked down a three from the win to end the period and cap a 7-0 scoring run.

Collin Parker knocked down his first four three-point field goal attempts on his way to a 2x-point first half. His 20 easily led all scorers as just four Cougars found their way into the scoring column.

He was one of the few players on either team to find much success scoring the ball; while he was 6-9 in the first half, his teammates began the game just 5-18 and Bellevue was just 11-of-33 in the first half as a team.

Willie Williams paced BU with eight in the first half. Liam Thompson and Nigel Wilson each chipped in six.

Caleb Chiang gave the Bruins their first lead since early in the first half with a three from the wing to kick off the second half scoring.

Chiang matched the largest BU lead with 10:02 remaining, knocking down threes on consecutive possessions, his fourth three-pointer of the game.

After Seth Larson canned a trey for a 61-58 Columbia advantage with 5:19 remaining in the game, BU responded with four-straight points including a steal and dunk from Wilson, the reigning-NSAA Defensive Player of the Week.

With the game tied, JJ Montgomery drove the lane a flipped a shot up off the glass for the go-ahead layup which Parker answered with a move in the block at the other end, tying the game at 66-all in the final minute.

An empty Bruin possession gave Columbia the ball with a nine-second different between the shot clock and game clock. The Cougars called a timeout and got a driving layup from Larson that spun out of the cylinder and Carson Parker's putback attempt was too strong.

Thompson came away with the board for Bellevue and dished to Carter who pushed the ball into the front court for the Bruins to call a timeout to set up a final shot with nine seconds to play but Thompson's feed to RJ Smith was stolen with 2.1 seconds remaining.

Nate Brandt's falling three-pointer at the buzzer came up short and the game advanced to overtime.

Bellevue scored first in the extra period with TJ Fritz knocking down a midrange jumper but Columbia ran off an 8-0 run to take a 74-68 lead before Smith scored a layup for the Bruins.

Collin Parker answered with a spinning layup at the other end and knocked down the free throw for an old-fashioned three-point play.

Columbia hit 1-3 free throws in the final 31.8 to seal the win.

Wilson and Chiang co-led Bellevue with 12 points apiece while Williams joined them in double figures with 10. Smith finished with eight points and a team-high eight rebounds.

Collin Parker poured in a career-high 36 for Columbia. Larson (20) and Carson Parker (13) joined in double figures while Beau Washer pulled down 11 boards and dished out five assists.

The Bruins return to action next Wednesday, Dec. 4 when they travel to Sioux City, Iowa for a 7 p.m. tip-off against Briar Cliff University at the Newman Flanagan Center.