Box Score NASHVILLE, Tenn. - - An 11-2 run to end the first half and 26 percent second half shooting proved too much to overcome as Belmont men's basketball dropped a 73-64 decision at Lipscomb Tuesday night.
The Bruins once again stormed out of the gates, with senior Jon House (Guelph, Ont., Canada) picking up where he left off Sunday at ETSU by scoring 11 points in the first four minutes.
A driving layin from sophomore Kerron Johnson (Huntsville, Ala.) pushed the Bruin lead to 17-7 with 14:46 left in the half.
Solid play from Brandon Brown and Adnan Hodzic settled the host Bisons, but Belmont pushed onward. Consecutive slam dunks from freshman Blake Jenkins (Knoxville, Tenn.) and an acrobatic layin from junior Scott Saunders (New Orleans, La.) gave Belmont a 30-16 lead with 7:15 left in the half.
Leading scorer Ian Clark (Memphis, Tenn.) would be saddled with two personal fouls much of the first half, and was unable to get untracked.
However, behind more strong defense and a wing three-pointer from Johnson, the Bruins led 38-20 with 4:03 left in the first half.
Yet, behind the interior play and free throws of Hodzic, Lipscomb ended the first half on a key 11-2 run to get within 40-31 at halftime.
Belmont shot 53 percent (17-for-32) from the field in the opening 20 minutes - including 5-for-14 from three-point distance. Lipscomb was limited to 37 percent shooting in the first half.
The Bruins went empty on their opening two possessions of the second half, as a Hodzic layin and a Brown tip-in trimmed the margin to 40-35 with 18:47 left.
Scores from Jenkins and junior Mick Hedgepeth (Crossville, Ala.) steadied the Bruin ship for a stretch, before Hodzic continued to push Lipscomb back in it.
After junior Drew Hanlen (St. Louis, Mo.) put the Bruins ahead 47-43, consecutive Hodzic baskets tied the score at 47-47 with 12:58 to go.
A Hanlen basket and one free throw from Saunders pushed Belmont back ahead by three before Jordan Burgason answered with a three-pointer.
Lipscomb playmaker Josh Slater was called for his fourth personal foul with 9:38 to go, but the Bruins could never fully capitalize, as clean looks from outside and post moves simply rimmed out.
Hodzic gave Lipscomb its first lead since the early going, 52-51, with 7:23 left.
The lead would seesaw back and forth for the next three minutes before a Michael Teller jumpshot and a high arcing tip-in from Brown put the Bisons ahead 58-56 with 4:55 left.
After an exchange of defensive stops took the teams to the under four timeout, Jenkins was called for a pushing foul on Slater 35 feet from the basket. Slater made two free throws to extend the Bisons lead to four, 60-56, with 3:41 to go.
Clark then rimmed out a baseline jumpshot before Slater set up Burgason for a wing three-pointer to increase the Lipscomb lead to 63-56 with 2:37 left.
Hanlen would quickly answer with a three-pointer of his own to get the Bruins within four.
Hedgepeth would then draw a charge on Robert Boyd, but the Bruins' chance to get within two or one also rimmed off, this time from Hanlen.
Moments later, a defensive miscommunication allowed Brown to sneak past Belmont to the goal for an easy two and a 65-59 lead with 1:42 to go.
Senior Jordan Campbell (Indianapolis, Ind.) would deliver a big three-pointer to cut the deficit in half with 1:33 left.
But in need of a another defensive stop, Slater drove the lane and passed to Burgason on the left wing for a three-pointer and a 68-62 Lipscomb lead with 1:07 left.
Lipscomb went 5-for-7 from the free throw line in the final 53 seconds to secure the victory.
All told, Belmont shot 40 percent from the field (25-for-63) - but just 8-for-31 in the second half. The Bruins forced 18 turnovers, but were outshot from the free throw line 26 to 7.
Hanlen led three Bruins in double figures with 12 points. House scored 11, and Jenkins 10.
Hodzic scored 26 points for Lipscomb (12-8, 7-4 Atlantic Sun).
The loss snaps Belmont's nine game win streak, and the Bruins' 12-game win streak in regular season conference games dating back to last February.
Belmont (18-4, 10-1 Atlantic Sun) returns to action Friday, Jan. 28 vs. Florida Gulf Coast. Tip-off is set for 6pm CT. The game will be broadcast live on CSS.
The live play-by-play of Voice of the Bruins Kevin Ingram can be heard on the Bruin Sports Network and 104.5 The Zone.
Live video streaming will be available via ASun.TV.
