MOREHEAD, Ky. - - Belmont University men's basketball delivered clutch plays down the stretch to defeat Morehead State, 64-63, Thursday night.
With temperatures frigid outside Johnson Arena figuratively seeping inside, Belmont never could work into a rhythm.
Belmont would lead 2-0 and 64-63; Morehead State led the entire game in between.
After senior Trevor Noack (Keller, Texas) got Belmont off to a 2-0 start, Morehead State answered with 11 straight points.
Belmont had opportunities to work into the game, but 1-for-9 three-point shooting and six missed free throws hurt the cause.
Bakari Turner scored 16 first half points for MSU as the Eagles led 36-25 at halftime.
Both teams found an offensive flow early in the second half, with Belmont closing to 46-40 on a Reece Chamberlain (Goodlettsville, Tenn.) three-pointer.
Belmont twice got within four points, before a three-pointer from Milton Chavis and free throw shooting kept Morehead State to a modest lead.
Trailing 61-53 with 4:18 left, senior Ian Clark (Memphis, Tenn.) started the Bruin comeback push with a three-pointer.
Clark then followed with a baseline layin to close Belmont within 61-58 with 2:52 left.
After a Noack steal, junior J.J. Mann (Smryna, Ga.) tied the game with a three-pointer with 2:02 remaining.
Chad Posthumus put MSU back on top, 63-61, with 1:34 to go. But on Belmont's next possession, Clark drove and found Mann for a wing three-pointer with 1:13 left; Belmont's first lead since 2-0.
After a Chavis miss, Belmont worked possession - with a 15 second differential between game clock and shot clock - but Mann and Kerron Johnson (Huntsville, Ala.) misconnected on a promising backdoor feed with 18 seconds left, giving MSU a final chance.
Bakari Turner missed a driving layin with three seconds left. Noack would be fouled with 0.9, and miss the front-end of a one-and-one intentionally as time expired.
Clark led Belmont with 20 points. Mann added 11.
Turner led Morehead State (10-11, 4-3 OVC) with 16 points - all in the first half.
The Bruins shot 62 percent in the second half, including 6-for-12 from three-point distance.
Belmont (16-4, 7-0 OVC) returns to action Saturday, Jan. 24 at Eastern Kentucky. Tip-off is set for 7 p.m. ET/6 p.m. CT.
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 the OVC Digital Network. In-game updates will be provided via Twitter @BelmontMBB.
