Nov. 30, 2004

Lakewood, Colo. – [box score] Colorado Christian University held off a late Bemidji State University rally nailing 6-of-6 from the line in the final minute to sneak out of the gym with their third consecutive win, 102-95. Down by 19 points at halftime, the BSU men used a season-high 59-point second half to creep to within three points (96-93) with 65 seconds to play. But the Cougars who shot 42-of-52 (80.8) from the line on the night hit some big free-throws as time ran out in the game to seal the win.

The Bemidji State University men's basketball team may have still been feeling the effects from a lengthy and weather delayed trip to Colorado. In the middle of the already long trip, the team was held back several hours in Nebraska due to the Interstate being closed because snow and poor travel conditions.

BSU came out flat in the first half missing two of its first three shots and turning the ball over six times during the first 4:09 of play spotting the Cougars a 12-2 lead. The early 10-point deficit turned out to be a hole too big dig out of as the Beavers struggled to generate any kind of offensive consistency.

The team would come as close as four points (12-8) just minutes later, but CCU shot 61.5 percent (16-26) in the first half adding 15-of-19 free-throws to extend its lead to as many as 21 before taking a 55-36 lead into the locker room at the half.

BSU came out of the break to slowly creep back into the game. The Beavers drained 13 of its first 15 shots(.867) including a 3-for-4 effort from beyond the three-point arc to trail CCU by just four points (68-64) eight minutes into the final half. But the Beavers would be whistled for 20 personal fouls in the second half as BSU's Spencer Carter (Chicago, Ill.), James Roberson (Chicago, Ill.) and Amir Major (Chicago, Ill.) each fouled out of the game and CCU went 27-of-33 from the line breaking any offensive flow the Beavers were able to muster.

Separate from the 42-19 free-throw disparity, statistically speaking, BSU was right in the game. The Beavers were 34-59 (.576) to the Cougars' 26-46 (.565) shooting performance. CCU narrowly outshot the Beavers 8-of-20 (.400) to 8-of-21 (.381) from beyond the arc while BSU dominated the boards holding a healthy 32-25 edge on the glass.

Bemidji State had five players register double-figure point totals including career-highs for Major (22), Carter (15) and Michael Fore (Bagley, Minn.) (11). Junior Derrick Beechum paced the team offensively going 7-of-13 for 23 points while Carter collected nine rebounds as the Beavers' to man on the glass.

Matt Vaughn, CCU's Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference Preseason Player of the Year, scored a game-high 30 points to pace the Cougars. Ash Cannon hauled in a game-high 10 rebounds while adding 22 points for a double-double.

The loss drops BSU to 3-4 on the season but the team will have a chance to even its record tomorrow (Dec. 1) when it travels to Regis University for an 8:00 p.m. (CST) tip-off.