DUBUQUE, Iowa (Nov. 30, 2022) - The University of Dubuque connected on five three-point buckets over a four-minute span late in the second half to break open a four-point game and helped the host Spartans hold off the Buena Vista men's basketball team 76-60 on Wednesday night in what was the American Rivers Conference opener for BVU.

Dubuque held a 55-51 lead midway through the second half before connecting on a three-point shot on three of its next four possessions to spark a 9-2 run and extend the lead to 11 with 8:13 to play. BVU was held to just nine points over the final 10 minutes while the Spartans added two more three-point makes to build its larges lead of 21 points with under seven minutes remaining.

The Spartans (6-1, 2-0 A-R-C) finished the game with 10 makes from downtown while BVU was 5-of-19. The Beavers shot 56 percent from the field in the first half and held its last lead of the game at 27-26 with 6:36 remaining in the half. Dubuque closed the period on a 15-8 run to lead 41-35 at the half. The Beavers shot 47 percent from the field for the game.

BVU had just 13 turnovers in the game but the Spartans converted those into 21 points compared to only four points for the Beavers off nine Dubuque miscues.

Dubuque finished 10-of-25 from long distance in the game and shot 52.7 percent from the field overall. Brock Simon and Jaylin McCants each scored 18 points to help lead the way as Brock also dished out five assists.

Juniors Zane Neubaum, Gunner Reed and Ryan Mendoza each scored 10 points to lead BVU as Mendoza also grabbed a team-leading eight rebounds. 

Buena Vista is now 4-3 overall (0-1 A-R-C) and looks to bounce back at Loras College on Saturday, December 3, when it tips-off with the Duhawks at 4 p.m.