LA CROSSE, Wis. -- Despite 20 turnovers, the Bellevue University men's basketball team clamped down defensively to defeat Viterbo University 58-49 in a defensive slugfest on Saturday evening.

Bellevue improves to 10-14 overall and 5-3 in NSAA play. Viterbo slides to 9-14 and 3-5 in conference action.

Coupled with a Dakota State loss at Waldorf, the Bruins move into a three-way tie for first atop the North Star standings with Dakota State and Mayville State with each having four games to play.

Viterbo got off to a quick start as Colin Adams and Dakota Mannel each converting layups in the opening minutes to stake the home side to an early 4-0 lead. Bellevue responded with an elongated 8-0 run for a 8-4 lead which Viterbo countered with an 8-2 spurt as the V-Hawks led 12-10 at the media timeout.

Christian Carter scored five-straight points to put the Bruins back in front before Nigel Wilson extended the advantage with a basket on the break. Trailing by one, Bellevue managed to take a 23-22 lead into halftime on a leaning jumper from the elbow by TJ Fritz.

Neither team shot especially well in the first half with BU shooting 45% in the first half and going just 1-8 from three. Viterbo slumped to just a 28% effort from the floor and did not attempt a three though they did hit on 8-10 free throw attempts.

Christian Carter led all players with seven points at the break while Jack Monis paced Viterbo with five first half points. Bellevue held an 18-11 rebounding advantage at the break led by Wilson's four first half boards.

Emarr Vinson quickly opened the second half scoring with a layup off a high post pass from Liam Thompson. A stop on the defensive end saw Vinson return the favor to Thompson who made a patient move for an easy reverse layup as the Bruins took their largest lead of the game, 27-22.

Jerome Bynum knocked down a long-range three at the end of the shot clock to give the Bruins some momentum as he kicked off a 9-1 scoring run to push the lead to 36-25 with 11:54 to play.

Ben Olson finally took the lid off the basket with a layup 20 seconds later, Viterbo's first field goal of the second half but TJ Fritz countered with a three in transition to give Bellevue their first double-figure lead of the game at 39-27.

The Bruins kept the V-Hawks at arm's length until Olsen made it a two-possession game, 44-39, with a pair of jumpers in the paint on consecutive possessions.

Two free throws each by Bynum and Carter stretched the lead back up to nine points with 4:31 remaining. Bellevue salted the clock down to the 2:51 mark before an offensive rebound by Wilson led to a driving layup by Bynum.

Monis drove the lane for a layup at the Viterbo end before a V-Hawk timeout, but Carter delivered the knockout blow as he side-stepped into a three-pointer with 2:15 to play.

The Bruins hit 5-6 free throws in the final 1:31 to secure the victory.

Bellevue held Viterbo to just 35% shooting and without a three-pointer. It was the first time Viterbo did not make at least one three-pointer since Feb. 4, 2012.

Carter and Bynum led the way with 12 points apiece while Fritz added 11 in the win for Bellevue. Wilson tossed in eight points and grabbed a game-high eight boards in the win

Monis led all players with 19 points in the loss. Olson joined him in double figures with 11 points for Viterbo.

Bellevue travels to Madison, S.D. on Wednesday, Feb. 7 for a 7:30 p.m. tip against league-leading Dakota State University (15-9/5-3 NSAA).