DECORAH, Iowa (Jan. 4, 2025) - Senior Brody Gish scored a career-high 18 points on 6-of-7 shooting from downtown and helped spark a key 17-0 second half run for the Beavers that lifted them past Luther College on Saturday afternoon, 66-51.

With the score tied at 47-47 and just over eight minutes to play, Gish drilled back-to-back treys while sophomore Kyle Sternberg nailed a third to make it a 56-47 lead. Fifth-year Zane Neubaum joined the long distance shooting which pushed the BVU lead into double figures for the first time and later capped the run with a basket to make it 64-47 with just over two minutes left.

It was a back-and-forth game in the first half with neither team building more than a five-point cushion until Luther led 27-20. BVU then rattled off six straight points to cut the deficit down to one with the Norse clinging to a 31-29 halftime lead.

Neubaum did most of his damage in the second half and finished with 16 points on 6-of-10 shooting to go along with four rebounds, four assists, two blocks and two assists. Fellow fifth-year Gunner Reed chipped in 12 points and seven boards. Sophomore Carter Sievers was held to just 1-of-11 shooting but did contribute with a team-high five dimes.

The Beavers shot 41.7 percent from the field overall and made 13-of-34 from long range (38.2 percent). Defensively, the team held Luther to 35.5 percent shooting and 2-of-19 from downtown. The Norse only made 5-of-12 from the line.

Will Bockenstedt led Luther (1-11, 0-4 A-R-C) with 11 points and seven rebounds.

Buena Vista improves to 8-4 (3-0 A-R-C) and sets up a match-up of the two remaining unbeaten teams in league play on Wednesday, Jan. 8, when it travels to Loras College (9-3, 3-0 A-R-C) for a 7:30 p.m. tip-off.