Point Lookout, Mo.- Box Score | Bracket Briar Cliff (Iowa) raced out to a 10-1 lead and never trailed in a convincing 81-61 win over championship newcomer Washington Adventist (Md.) in the first round of the NAIA Division II Men’s Basketball National Championship.

The top-seeded Chargers led from start to finish but had a hard time putting the Shock and their slow-down, methodical style away for good. Briar Cliff held an 11-point lead (21-10) but a seven point run, five scored by Shocks guard Martin Wilson, made it a four-point game, 21-17, at the 10-minute mark.

Briar Cliff leading scorer Clay Harreld netted his first points of the game with a three-pointer followed by a lay-up to help extend the Chargers lead to 41-29 at the break.

Tyrus Fleetwood kept the Shock around early in the second half, scoring eight of his teams’ first 12 points to keep the BCU lead at 10, 51-41. The Chargers clamped down defensively, however, and held Washington Adventist scoreless for nearly five minutes as coach Nic Nelson’s squad pulled away to an 18-point lead following a basket by Erich Erdman at the 9:30 mark. Briar Cliff maintained at least a 15-point advantage the rest of the way.

Six Chargers’ players scored nine points or more, led by Erdman who netted 13 points coming off the bench. Both Harreld and Austin Homan scored 12 and point guard Shane Graves added 11 points and three assists. Briar Cliff shot an even 50% for the game and made 10-of-21 three-point attempts for 48%.

Fleetwood and Brian Bridgeforth poured in 18 points each to lead the Shock in scoring. Washington Adventist was limited to 38% from the field for the game and ends the year with a 16-13 overall record.

Briar Cliff, now 31-3, advances to the second round for the first time since 2012 and for the second time since 2000. The Chargers are paired against No. 4 Bethel (Ind.) on Friday, March 11 for the 5:45pm tipoff.