Box Score RICHMOND, Ky. - - Behind a season-high 33 points, nine rebounds and five assists from senior Craig Bradshaw (Ridgetop, Tenn.), Belmont University men's basketball defeated Eastern Kentucky, 86-78, Thursday night.
The Bruins held Eastern Kentucky scoreless the opening 3:31 of the game, as five points from junior Taylor Barnette (Lexington, Ky.) and a Bradshaw three-pointer pushed Belmont to an 8-0 lead.
As Belmont limited the Colonels to two Nick Mayo baskets over their first 18 offensive possessions, eight straight Bradshaw points and a three-pointer from junior Nick Smith (Bentonville, Ark.) extended the margin to 23-4 at the 9:57 mark.
It was a breathtaking first 10 minutes, as the purposeful Bruins had stunned the raucous Eastern Kentucky Senior Day crowd.
A three-pointer from Barnette and a layin from junior Evan Bradds (Jamestown, Ohio) made the score 30-8 with 7:32 remaining in the first half.
But as Belmont began to nurse foul trouble, Eastern Kentucky inched closer.
After scoring 16 points in the first 16 minutes, the Colonels closed the half on a 17-7 run to get within 42-33 at halftime.
Belmont shot 49 percent (16-for-33) from the field in the opening 20 minutes - including 7-for-21 from three-point distance.
Bradshaw led Belmont with 14 first half points.
Eastern Kentucky scored the first four points of the second half, but Belmont responded with strong play from sophomore Amanze Egekeze (Lake in the Hills, Ill.) and Bradds.
A Bradshaw layin made the score 50-40 with 16:46 left.
The Bruins continued to fight through some unusual circumstances, as an apparent clerical error at the scorer's table assessed Egekeze two personal fouls in the first 4:25 of the second half, sending Belmont's best all-around defender to the bench with four personal fouls with 15:35 remaining.
From there, Eastern Kentucky closed within 52-51 on a basket from Javontae Hawkins.
But Belmont never surrendered the lead, as freshman Kevin McClain (Jennings, Fla.) capped a 13-4 Bruin response to push the margin back to double figures.
An impressive, contested Bradshaw three-pointer late in the shot clock maintained a 68-58 lead with 7:23 left.
But five straight Mayo points cut the margin in half.
Eastern Kentucky got within 74-71 with 2:53 to go, but from there, Bradshaw willed Belmont to the finish, having a hand in 17 of the Bruins' final 21 points.
All told, Belmont shot 46 percent (27-for-59) from the field. The Bruins handed out 19 assists on 27 made field goals, and outrebounded Eastern Kentucky, 42-31.
Bradshaw led three Bruins in double figures with 33 points.
Bradds added his 20th double-double with 18 points and 11 rebounds, while Smith had 13.
Hawkins, Mayo, and Jarelle Reischel each scored 19 points for Eastern Kentucky (14-15, 5-9 OVC).
The Bruins held the Colonels, who entered No. 6 nationally in effectively field goal percentage, to 38 percent shooting.
Belmont (19-9, 11-3 OVC) returns to game action Saturday, Feb. 20 versus Tennessee Tech. Tip-off is set for 5 p.m. CT from the Curb Event Center. The game will be broadcast on OVC Digital Network. The live play-by-play of Voice of the Bruins Kevin Ingram can be heard on the Bruin Sports Network.
NOTES: Bradshaw's 33-point performance was his highest scoring game since a career-high and Belmont NCAA Division I era single-game record 42 points at Ohio (11/29/14) ... Belmont outscored Eastern Kentucky in the paint, 36-34 ... Bradshaw went a career-best 13-for-16 from the free throw line ... Sophomore Tyler Hadden contributed a timely basket with 3:33 remaining ... Sophomore Austin Luke handed out eight assists ... Freshman Dylan Windler added four rebounds.
