SEATTLE, WASH. - - Behind 21 points from freshman Ian Clark (Memphis, Tenn.) and 16 points from senior Keaton Belcher (Butler, Ky.), Belmont Basketball defeated two-time defending Big Sky Champion Portland State Friday night, 74-67, in the opening game of the Athletes in Action Classic.
The Bruins, who started the season with half of their 14 man roster making debuts in a Belmont uniform, showed little signs of opening game nerves. Clark scored six early points and gave Belmont an 8-7 lead before the Vikings replied with six unanswered points.
The shot clock operator could have made a Starbucks run in the early going as both teams embraced the frenetic pace. After a Chris Harriel basket tied the score at 19, Belmont scored 10 of the next 12 points. Behind strong halfcourt defense and more offensive brilliance from Clark, the Bruins seized a 29-21 lead with 5:26 left in the half.
In fact, when the dust settled, the gifted freshman from Memphis had poured in 14 points in his first 14 minutes as a Bruin.
Strangely neither the Bruins nor Vikings - two of the nation's top three-point shooting teams a year ago - could find the range from behind the arc in the first half. The teams went 3-24 from long distance in the opening 20 minutes.
An interior basket from sophomore Scott Saunders (New Orleans, La.) sent the Bruins to the locker room up five, 36-31.
The Bruin coaches had to be largely pleased with the first half effort, holding the athletic and gifted Portland State team to 40 percent shooting and forcing nine turnovers.
A bit of confusion arose prior to the start of the second half to clarify whether Portland State point guard Dominic Waters had two or three personal fouls. The officials concluded that Waters had two fouls, and that would free the All-Big Sky guard up for major production to open half number two.
After a Keaton Belcher floater put the Bruins up 42-35, Waters buried three consecutive left wing three-pointers to put the Vikings on top 44-43 with 15:38 left.
Following a Rick Byrd timeout, the Bruins responded with a timely 9-1 spurt, capped by a three-pointer and offensive rebound basket from Belcher.
Moments later, Clark rejoined the party with five quick points of his own, giving the Bruins their largest lead of the evening, 65-56, with 7:27 remaining.
But Portland State would not go away. After watching Waters and Phil Nelson provide three-point barrages, Melvin Jones sank two baseline treys in a 15 second span to inch the Vikings within five, 67-62.
Belmont also squandered a few opportunities to stretch its lead by missing one-and-one trips to the charity stripe. Then after Clark picked up his fourth personal foul with 4:09 left, Portland State clawed within one, 67-66, on two Nelson free throws.
But the Bruins dug deep and showed tremendous poise and mental toughness down the stretch. Following one free throw from junior Jon House (Guelph, Ont., Canada), freshman Kerron Johnson (Huntsville, Ala.) went coast to coast for two to increase Belmont's lead to 70-66 with three minutes left.
Belmont got four consecutive defensive stops thereafter, allowing Belcher and Clark to secure the victory from the line.
For the game, the Bruins shot 46 percent from the field (26-for-56) - including just 4-for16 from three-point range. Belmont outrebounded Portland State 40-34 and won the points in the paint battle, 40-20.
Clark scored a game-high 21 points, while Belcher added 16 and House 11. Sophomore Mick Hedgepeth (Crossville, Ala.) had nine points and five rebounds and junior Jordan Campbell (Indianapolis, Ind.) tallied five points and eight rebounds.
Waters led Portland State (0-1) with 17 points. The Vikings made 10 three-point field goals.
Belmont (1-0) is now 15-9 in season opening games under Rick Byrd. The Bruins return to action Saturday, Nov. 14 at No. 13 Washington in day two of the Athletes in Action Classic. Tip-off is set for 9:00 pm CT from Hec Edmundson Pavilion.
The live play-by-play from Voice of the Bruins Kevin Ingram can be heard on the Bruin Sports Network at belmontbruins.com.
