BLUE EARTH — A 20-4 BEA run led the Bucs to a 60-50 nonconference basketball win over United South Central on Monday in Blue Earth.

The Rebels led 26-18 with three minutes left before the halftime break, then BEA went to work.

Grant Strukel started the run with a 3 from the right wing off a Zach Herrmann assist before Braden Gudahl turned a steal into two points when he was fouled and hit both free throws.

Cameron Anderson then turned a steal into a layup with a minute left and hit a baseline leaner just before the buzzer to send BEA into halftime down by one.

BEA head coach Colby Swanson said the run going into halftime fueled BEA’s scoring out of the break.

“It definitely gave us some confidence,” Swanson said. “In the locker room, all we talked about was playing with some more defensive intensity. That was evident in how we came out in the second half. “

The Bucs kept the run going with 11 consecutive points after the break.

Austin Thiefoldt hit a mid-range jumper off a Gudahl assist, then Anderson swooshed a putback 2. Strukel made a post fadaway shot before Thiefoldt stole a pass and looked ahead to Anderson. Thiefoldt lobbed the ball up toward the basket, where the high-flying Anderson caught it and threw down an alley-oop slam.

“The lob Austin threw to Cam was a huge play,” Swanson said. “It really got our crowd into the game.”

Anderson scored the final points of the run, putting BEA ahead 38-28 with 13:48 left in the game, when he sank a right-wing 3 off a Gudahl assist.

USC got back within five quickly when AJ Kloos scored three of his game-high 23 points on a layup and the front end of two free throws, while Colten Quade stole a pass and Ethan Dallman convereted a layup. With 10:31 left, USC was back within 38-33.

Will Howard then extended the Bucs lead on his own.

Howard turned a steal into a layup with a euro step before he hit a right-wing 3 through contact. No foul was called, but Howard responded with another 3 on the right wing to put BEA up 46-33.

“Will Howard really stepped up and knocked down eight big second-half points, including a couple of 3s,” Swanson said.

Sam Keister put up eight points through the final four minutes to help BEA maintain its advantage, while Herrmann added a 3, Anderson added two of his team-high 17 points and Xavier Morrow hit a free throw to get BEA to its final 60 points.

“We came out and struggled getting open shots right away, which led to them getting some open shots on the other end of the floor,” Swanson said. “Because they came out and hit five 3s in the first half, they had a lot of energy and I think it made us a little more passive. We went on a run at the end of the first half and start of the second half and that was all defensive intensity. … After we started to pressure the basketball, our offense came much easier and gave us some confidence.

“Kloos is one of the better players in our area, he gave us all kinds of trouble. Zach Herrmann did a really nice job in defending him, but there were times he got loose against us and whenever we gave him an opportunity, he made a play. Hats off to USC. “

Anderson grabbed six rebounds to complement his 17-point performance, while Herrmann had 11 points, six boards and three steals. Thiefoldt led the Bucs with four steals, while Strukel, Gudahl, Keister and Howard each had four rebounds.

BEA totalled 16 steals to help lead to a 56-44 total shot advantage.

Kloos complemented his 23 points with a game-high eight rebounds as well as three assists. Quade dished out four assists and pocketed three steals for the Rebels.

BEA (6-4, 2-2 Big South Conference) goes to Waterville to face Waterville-Elysian-Morristown at 7:15 p.m. tonight. USC (4-9, 2-4 Gopher Conference) plays at Medford at 7:15 p.m. Friday.

USC 28-22-50

BEA 27-33-60

BEA (60)

Anderson 7-15 2-3 17, Herrmann 4-13 1-2 11, Keister 4-6 0-4 8, Howard 3-5 0-0 8, Strukel 2-5 0-0 5, Thiefoldt 2-7 1-2 5, Gudahl 1-5 2-3 5, Morrow 0-0 1-2 1. Totals: 23-56 7-16 60.

USC (50)

Kloos 9-20 3-6 23, Stenzel 3-7 0-0 9, Quade 3-10 0-0 6, Dallman 2-2 0-0 5, Stevermer 2-3 0-0 5, Staloch 1-2 0-0 2. Totals: 20-44 3-6 50.

3-pointers: USC 7-17 (Stenzel 3-5); BEA 7-22. Fouled out: none. Rebounds: USC 23 (Kloos 8, Quade 4, Dallman 4); BEA 33 (Herrmann 6, Anderson 6). Assists: USC 12 (Quade 4); BEA 13 (Gudahl 3). Steals: USC 6; BEA 16 (Thiefoldt 4, Herrmann 3, Strukel 3).

St. Clair 68, Truman/Martin Luther/Granada-Huntley-East Chain 44 – The Cyclones overpowered the Jaguars in Valley Conference action Monday night in St. Clair.

Matt Heckman totaled 12 points, to complement four rebounds, while Cayden Fischer scored 11 points and brought down five rebounds.

Adam Heckman scored seven points, while grabbing five rebounds and Carter Spear put up solid all-around numbers of five points, four assists and four steals.

The Jaguars (11-4, 4-1 Valley Conference) play host to Alden-Conger at 7:15 p.m. Thursday in Northrop.

TMLGHEC 24-20-44

St. Clair 40-38-68

Mountain Lake Area/Comfrey 50, Martin County West 47 – The Wolverines held off the Mavericks in nonconference girls basketball action Monday night in Mountain Lake.

Sami Meyer led the Mavericks with 12 points to complement seven rebounds, while Emily Dunlop neared double-double territory with eight points and 10 rebounds.

Marissa Whitehead dropped seven points, while dishing out eight assists and pocketing five steals.

MCW made 18 of 36 shots overall, 6 of 8 from behind the 3-point arc and hit 5 of 9 free throws.

MCW (6-6, 4-1 Valley Conference) goes to Lake Crystal to play Lake Crystal-Wellcome Memorial at 7:15 p.m. Friday.

MCW 20-27-47

ML 24-26-50

St. James 74, Granada-Huntley-East Chain/Truman/Martin Luther 52 – Taylor Sodeman scored 19 points, while Chloe Mickelson totaled 12 to lead the Saints past the Jaguars in nonconference basketball action Monday night in St. James.

Jayme Balcom led the Jaguars with 18 points, while Eden Studer scored 13 points and brought down seven rebounds.

Michaelah Petrowiak added six points and six rebounds, while Emily Stauter brought down five boards.

The Jaguars shot 5 of 12 from behind the 3-point arc, made 20 of 61 shots from the field and sank 9 of 21 free throws.

The Jaguars (7-9) play host to Blue Earth Area at 7 p.m. next Monday.

GHECTML 39-35-74

St. James 23-29-52

Note: MCW’s scheduled boys game Monday night against Nicollet/Loyola was postponed, as well as GHECTML girls’ scheduled matchup with the Raiders today.