Box Score

JACKSONVILLE, Ill. - The Benedictine University men's basketball team opened the season with an 81-69 loss to the University of Dubuque in the Illinois College Bill Merris Tournament.

Both teams shot over 50 percent in the first half of the contest but Dubuque led 32-31 at the break. Dubuque led for most of the opening 20 minutes, grabbing eight-point advantages on two occasions. Trailing 30-23 with 2:22 to play in the half, Benedictine embarked on an 8-1 run in just over a minute to tie the game at 31 with just over a minute remaining in the half.

Dubuque raced out the gates in the second half and used a 15-1 run midway through the frame to grab a 19-point lead at 57-38. Benedictine immediately responded with an 11-0 run capped by a Drake Danford three-pointer to pull within eight at 57-49 with 8:58 remaining. That was as close as the Eagles could reach the rest of the way as Dubuque recorded the season opening victory by shooting nearly 60 percent for the game.

Benedictine finished the game shooting 44.6 percent for the night. The Eagles hit 10 three-pointers in the contest. Two players scored in double figures as Tim McGinty entered his sophomore campaign with 16 points to match a game high. Michael Woolf added 13 points in the defeat.

The Eagles (0-1) return to the floor at 2:00 p.m. on Saturday against Blackburn College in the consolation game of the tournament.