HELENA, Mont. – The University of Providence men's basketball program fell to Bushnell University 87-78 Saturday night.

The Argos (0-2) scored the first points of the game off a pull up three-pointer from Mike Wright Jr. and on the next possession a layup from senior Jamil Bowles put UP ahead 5-0.

The Beacons (1-1) would quickly score two baskets to tie the game at five, but UP would not go away as Bushnell and Providence traded points over the next eight minutes culminating in a tie at 20.

UP was able to grab the momentum going on a 10-0 run behind a pair of threes from junior Brendan Redhead and a jumper from Bowles to put UP ahead 30-20.

The Beacons cut the Argo lead to five with one minute remaining in the half, but jumpers from senior Nikolajs Atanasovs and Wright Jr. put UP ahead 43-34 going into halftime. Redhead led the way for UP with nine points and Atanasovs had eight in the first half.

Atanasovs opened the second half with a three to push the Argo lead out to 12, but a 9-3 run from the Beacons made it 49-43 four minutes into the second half.

Over the next six minutes the Beacons slowly chipped away at the Argo lead tying the game at 54 midways through the half.

Both teams traded baskets the next eight minutes with neither team grabbing an edge by more than four until seven straight from Bushnell put the Beacons ahead 82-75 with just under a minute to play.

The Argos would pressure down the stretch, and despite a late three from Antoine Boyd Jr., the Argos fell to Bushnell 87-78.

The Argos will be back in action Friday, Nov. 9 when they head to Caldwell, Idaho. Tip-off is scheduled for 7:00 p.m. (MST) versus #2 The College of Idaho.