No. 11 Buena Vista University overcame a 28-24 halftime deficit  Monday night and went on to post an 82-71 hard fought win over Coach Jerry Drymon's Clarke College Crusaders at the Robert and Ruth Kehl Center. The visiting Beavers, who won for the eighth time in nine contests this winter, shot 72 percent from the field in the final 20 minutes of play.

Buena Vista shot just 36.8 percent in the opening half, but hit 18 of 25 shots after the intermission. The  Beavers built the lead to 11 midway through the final half, but a Devin Patterson three-point field goal pulled the Crusaders within five, 62-57, with 5:28 to play. Buena Vista tallied the next five points and pulled away in the closing minutes.

Travis Person led Buena Vista's balanced scoring attack with 15 points. Kyle Stribe, Andre Wagner and Matt Cleveland each tallied 14 points. Cleveland claimed game rebounding honors with nine.

DeShawn Pendleton and Thomas Ammon each scored 14 points for the Crusaders, who saw their season mark slip to 2-11. Chris Ajayi added 13 points and Devin Patterson chipped in 11.

Cory Billingsley had nine boareds to lead Clarke in that category. Both teams finished with 30 rebounds.

Clarke shot 41.9 percent from the field.

Clarke will wrap up the 2008 portion of its 2008-09 slate on Wednesday, Dec. 17, when the Crusaders play at the University of Dubuque. Tip-off is set for 8 p.m.

-CRUSADERS-