Box Score NASHVILLE, Tenn. - - Belmont men's basketball used a 15-0 run midway through the second half en route to an 87-60 victory over Kennesaw State Thursday night.
In their first game action following semester exams, the Bruins came out of the gates quickly. Four starters scored in the opening three and a half minutes as Belmont raced out to a 10-0 lead.
A baseline three-pointer from senior Jordan Campbell (Indianapolis, Ind.) and one free throw from junior Scott Saunders (New Orleans, La.) increased the lead to 17-5 seven minutes in.
Matt Heramb capped a 7-0 Owl spurt to get Kennesaw State within 17-12 before Belmont reasserted control.
A second chance basket from sophomore Trevor Noack (Keller, Texas), a wing three-pointer from senior Jon House (Guelph, Ont. Canada) and a hook from Saunders put the Bruins up 28-14 with eight minutes left in the half.
A conventional three-point play from Spencer Dixon inched Kennesaw State within 36-29 late in the half, before junior Drew Hanlen (St. Louis, Mo.) answered with a baseline three-pointer to send the Bruins to the locker room up 39-29.
Belmont limited Kennesaw State to 30 percent shooting in the opening 20 minutes, while forcing nine Owl turnovers.
Saunders paced the Bruins with 10 first half points.
Sophomore Brandon Baker (Milford, Ohio) sparked the Bruins to start the second half, as three quick baskets upped the Belmont lead to 45-29 with 18:41 remaining.
But Kennesaw State exhibited its quick-scoring capabilities, ripping off a 10-0 run over the next 90 seconds to close within 45-39 on a LaDaris Green three-pointer.
Following one free throw from Kerron Johnson (Huntsville, Ala.), Brandon Dawson scored a jumper to get the Owls within 46-41 with 15:50 left.
A conventional three-point play from Saunders helped the Bruins build the lead back up to 52-41, a lead which could have been greater had it not been for uncharacteristically cold Bruin free throw shooting.
Two Dawson free throws got the Owls back to 59-50 midway through the second half before Belmont delivered the game's decisive run. Behind unselfish play, sound defense and tough rebounding, the Bruins scored 15 straight points over the next 3:32 to put the game away.
A straight-on three-pointer from Clark made the score 74-50 with 6:15 left. Freshman J.J. Mann (Smyrna, Ga.) scored eight points during the spurt.
Hanlen, Johnson, and sophomore Adam Barnes (Clarksville, Tenn.) helped secure the victory down the stretch.
All told, Belmont shot 47 percent (32-for-68) from the field - including 9-for-23 from three-point distance. The Bruins outrebounded Kennesaw State 33-16 in the second half and 53-38 for the game. Belmont also held the Owls to 33 percent shooting.
Saunders paced four Bruins in double figures with 19 points. He added 10 rebounds for his first career double-double, and four blocked shots. Baker and Hanlen each scored 11. Mann had 10 points and five rebounds.
Campbell and House did a fine job on Cummings, limiting the versatile scorer to six points on 3-for-6 shooting.
Dawson led Kennesaw State (2-7, 0-1 Atlantic Sun) with 12 points.
Belmont (7-2, 2-0 Atlantic Sun) returns to action Saturday, Dec. 18 at Troy. Tip-off is set for 11am CT, with the live play-by-play of Voice of the Bruins Kevin Ingram on the Bruin Sports Network and 104.5 The Zone.
