BU falls in NSAA Tournament heartbreaker at VCSU, 67-64

Tournament Site
Box Score

VALLEY CITY, N.D. -- The No. 5 seed Bellevue University men's basketball team saw its season come to a heartbreaking end Wednesday night, falling 67-64 to No. 4 seed Valley City State University in the North Star Athletic Association Tournament first round at W.E. Osmon Fieldhouse.

The loss concludes BU's season at 12-17 overall (4-11 NSAA), while VCSU (15-13, 5-10 NSAA) advances to the tournament semifinals, where the Vikings will face top-seeded Dickinson State on Saturday, March 1, at 1 p.m. (MT).

Key Performers

• Bellevue University (BU):

  • Emarr Vinson led the Bruins with 15 points, five rebounds, three assists, and two blocks, shooting 5-of-8 from the field.
  • TJ Fritz added 14 points, going 5-of-8 from the field and 2-of-4 from three-point range.
  • Raphael Allen finished with eight points and a team-high seven rebounds.
  • Christian Carter contributed seven points, three rebounds, and two steals.

• Valley City State University (VCSU):

  • Tyrel Creger paced the Vikings with 18 points, shooting 6-of-11 from the field while adding four rebounds.
  • Jayden Patcha recorded 12 points and three rebounds, hitting a crucial second-half 3-pointer.
  • Lamar Grayson finished with 11 points, six assists, three steals, and two rebounds, playing a key role in VCSU's comeback.

Game Recap

BU controlled the tempo for much of the first half, using efficient shooting and strong defensive play to build a lead. The Bruins shot 50.0% from the field in the opening period while holding VCSU to 39.1% shooting. A balanced offensive attack helped BU take a 34-26 halftime advantage, with Vinson leading the way with nine first-half points.

The second half saw momentum shift as the Vikings steadily chipped away at the deficit. BU held a slim 49-44 lead after an RJ Smith basket with 11:11 remaining, but VCSU responded with back-to-back scoring plays, including a 3-pointer by Caden Grinde at the 10:49 mark to cut the margin to two. A minute later, Tyrel Creger's layup tied the game at 49-49.

After a BU turnover, the Vikings took their first lead of the night when Lamar Grayson knocked down two free throws at the 9:49 mark, making it 51-49. One minute later, Patcha drilled a clutch 3-pointer, capping a 10-2 run that gave VCSU its largest lead of the game at 54-49 with 8:49 remaining.

The Bruins regrouped after a timeout, responding quickly with a Vinson jumper at 8:27. After another Vikings basket, Vinson converted 1-of-2 free throws at 7:34, and Allen added another free throw at 6:57 to bring BU within 56-53. Fritz then sank a jumper at 6:17, trimming the deficit to one.

The game remained a seesaw battle as Grayson pushed the Vikings' lead to 61-57 before Carter responded with a 3-pointer at 3:38, making it 61-60. BU took its final lead at 64-61 after consecutive baskets by Fritz and Vinson, the latter coming with 2:31 to play.

VCSU capitalized at the free-throw line in the final two minutes. Patcha sank two foul shots before Stanfield converted two more free throws, giving the Vikings a 65-64 edge with 1:41 left. A BU turnover led to another foul, and Stanfield extended the lead to 66-64 with 1:41 remaining.

The Bruins had opportunities to regain the lead, but a contested shot by Vinson was blocked with 1:21 left, and a crucial free throw miss at the 0:37 mark kept BU down one. Creger then stepped up for VCSU, calmly sinking two free throws with seven seconds left to make it a three-point game (67-64). BU had one last chance, but Carter's deep 3-pointer at the buzzer missed, sealing the Vikings' 67-64 victory.

Despite outshooting VCSU 54.5% to 42.9%, the Bruins were outscored at the free-throw line, 18-10, and committed 15 turnovers, leading to 20 points for the Vikings, which proved to be the difference in a tightly contested game.

Up Next

With the loss, BU's season comes to an end, while VCSU advances to face top-seeded Dickinson State in the NSAA Tournament semifinals on Saturday, March 1 at 1 p.m. (MT).