The University of Minnesota Duluth put together a dominant first half and opened the 2014-15 season with a 89-58 victory over Lincoln (Mo.) University at the Southwest Baptist University Classic in Bolivar, Missouri on Friday afternoon.

UMD (1-0) dominated the paint, outscoring LU 46-16 inside, holding a lead of 35 points with just under nine minutes remaining before holding on take home the season opener against the Blue Tigers
 
HIGHLIGHTS
• Junior guard Pierre Newton scored 16 first-half points in his official debut with the Bulldogs after sitting out last season due to transfer restrictions, finishing with a game-high 22. Senior center Brett Ervin had 13 points on 5-of-7 shooting in 11 minutes of action, and junior transfer Brendon Pineda also had a strong debut with 13 points. Four Bulldogs tied for the team-high of five boards as UMD out-rebounded Lincoln 37-18
• Joshua Bule had 20 points to lead the way for the Blue Tigers. LU got just five points from its bench
 After Lincoln scored the first bucket of the game, a three-pointer by Victor Scott, the Bulldogs took control, opening up the score with a 15-2 run over the first 6:30 of the match. Scott would pull the Blue Tigers back within nine with a three-pointer just past the midway point of the half, but UMD again broke off a run, this time 16-3 leading into the final media break of the opening frame. Leading by 43-21, the Bulldogs would hold on to the end of the half having shot 64.0 percent for the half while Lincoln shot just 28.0 percent.

Not much changed in the second half as UMD extended its lead. Eleven of 12 Bulldogs to take the court had at least a basket and 10-of-12 pulled down at least one rebound. The Bulldogs shot an extremely efficient 58.2 percent for the game while holding the Blue Tigers to just 39.6 percent.

UP NEXT
The Bulldogs will continue at the SBU Classic tomorrow afternoon when they take on the host Bearcats at 4:00 p.m. in Bolivar.