Box Score
Point Lookout, MO-The Belhaven men's basketball team toppled Bellevue University (Neb) 79-71 on day two of the McDonald's CAM JAM Tournament hosted by the College of the Ozarks Tuesday afternoon. The Bruins are ranked 9th in the latest NAIA Division II Top 25 Poll and entered the game having only lost twice this season.

Belhaven (8-7) was led for the second straight game by Nathaniel Roche' who had a game high 17points and nine rebounds off the bench. Roche's performance boosted his scoring average to 13.9 points per game and rebounding average to 9.4 boards per night which leads the team. Three other Blazers hit double figures in the scorebook including Brittion Smith who tossed in 14 points. Rob Wallace chipped in with 12 points and Bobby Grier had a season high 11 points to help lead Belhaven to the victory. Daryl Arnold along with Detrick Johnson helped Roche' in the paint with eight and seven rebounds respectively. Johnson also contributed nine points and one steal.

As a team, Belhaven hit 46.8 percent of their field goals (22-47), 50 percent of their shots from behind the arc (3-6), and 78 percent of their free throw attempts (32-41). One of the keys in the game was certainly Belhaven's advantage on the boards. The Blazers out rebounded Bellevue 41-21 and had 12 rebounds on the offensive end of the floor.

Bellevue (13-3) also had four players in double figures led by Jeremy Arrington with 11 points. Ben Imig, Jelani Johnson, and Avery Tyler each finished the contest with 10 points. Eugene Bain paced the Bruins in rebounding with seven boards and also contributed nine points prior to fouling out of the contest.

Bellevue made 46.3 percent of their field goals (25-54), dialed up 30.8 percent of their triple tries (4-13), and cashed in 60.7 percent of their free throw opportunities (17-28).

Belhaven got off to a quick start and opened up an 11-0 lead through the first three minutes of the game. Bobby Grier hit four free throws to get the Blazers on the board following two technical fouls by Bellevue in the opening minute. Terence Stringfellow capped the run with a layup right before Jelani Johnson got the Bruins in the scorebook for the first time with a jumper at the 16:50 mark of the opening period.

Bellevue took their only lead of the night with 9:33 to play in the first half at 17-15 on a Jeremy Arrington triple, but the Blazers quickly countered with four straight points to pull back in front on a jumper by Arnold and a pair of free throws by Smith. The Bruins managed to tie the score three more times in the first half, but each time the Blazers had an answer and never relinquished the lead taking a 37-32 edge into the break.

Belhaven bumped their advantage back to double digits at 50-40 with 11:41 left in the game on a Wallace jumper. Bellevue pulled back to within three points at 52-49 on a field goal by Johnson with 9:29 left, but the Bruins could get no closer the rest of the afternoon. Belhaven eventually built an 11 points lead at 69-58 with only 4:11 to go and held on the rest of the way for the victory.

Belhaven will be back in action at home this Saturday when they entertain Xavier University (LA) beginning at 6:00 PM.