Box Score NASHVILLE, Tenn. - - In the latest heartstopping game in the history of the Ohio Valley Conference Men's Basketball Tournament, Belmont University men's basketball dropped a 97-96 overtime decision to Austin Peay Friday night.
The classic featured 18 ties and 21 lead changes, as players from both teams delivered inspired play.
Belmont, playing just its second game since February 20, looked to build off of its eighth regular season conference championship in 11 years.
But the Governors started quickly, as two three-pointers from Jared Savage and a long banked three-pointer from Josh Robinson gave Austin Peay an early 15-7 lead.
Junior Evan Bradds (Jamestown, Ohio) began his remarkable evening with five consecutive field goal makes in the opening seven minutes to tie the score at 15.
Junior Taylor Barnette (Lexington, Ky.) capped a 12-0 Belmont run to give the Bruins a 43-32 advantage with 2:12 left in the first half.
Belmont led 47-38 at halftime.
Belmont shot 58 percent (18-for-31) from the field in the opening 20 minutes - including 6-for-17 from three-point distance.
Moreover, the Bruins held Austin Peay All-OVC center Chris Horton to five first half points on 0-for-2 shooting.
Belmont got scores from Bradds, sophomore Amanze Egekeze (Lake in the Hills, Ill.) and senior Craig Bradshaw (Ridgetop, Tenn.) to open the second half, but Austin Peay worked into an offensive rhythm.
Behind Horton and Robinson, the Governors took a 65-62 lead with 11:38 left.
With Belmont missing reserve forward Mack Mercer (Plymouth, Ind.) and Bradshaw and Egekeze nursing fouls, freshman Kevin McClain (Jennings, Fla.) provided a huge lift off the bench.
His slam and baseline three-pointer gave Belmont a 70-67 lead with 9:54 remaining.
Bradds and Horton continued a back and forth affair, before seven Robinson points in a 76 second span gave the Governors an 81-78 lead with 4:33 left.
A layin from sophomore Austin Luke (Rowlett, Texas) and a conventional three-point play from Barnette put Belmont on top, 83-81, with 3:10 to go.
After scores from John Murry and Savage, two Bradds baskets gave Belmont an 87-86 edge with 1:08 left.
Following a long Robinson miss, Horton snagged an offensive rebound and turned it into a conventional three-point play with 46 seconds left to give the Governors an 89-87 lead.
Bradshaw would tie the game with a reverse layin with 35 seconds left in regulation, before Egekeze drew a charging foul with 5.1 seconds remaining to give the Bruins the final possession of regulation.
Needing to go the length of the floor, Belmont turned to Bradds, who expertly wove through the Governor defense like a point guard and elevated for a potential game-winning shot.
But the contested bank shot danced off the rim and the game went to overtime tied at 89.
Belmont got three defensive stops to open overtime and took a 92-89 lead on an Egekeze three-pointer.
And while Austin Peay would miss six of seven field goal attempts in the extra session, Horton, among the NCAA leaders in rebounding, kept plays alive for the Governors, drawing fouls and earning trips to the free throw line.
A 61 percent free throw shooter on the season, Horton went 14-for-16 from the charity stripe for the game, including 4-for-4 in overtime.
After another tough Bradds basket with 44 seconds left and a defensive stop down one point, Belmont set up a final possession to win the game.
From a baseline out of bounds, Austin Peay denied entry angles to Bradds, and after good Bruin passing, Luke rimmed out a baseline three-point attempt with three seconds left.
As teams battled for the rebound, an initial tip bounced off and Bradshaw then layed in the potential game-winner as the red light came on and the clock struck zero.
Officials originally counted the putback basket, but upon video review, waved off the basket, giving Austin Peay the victory.
All told, Belmont shot 57 percent (39-for-68) from the field - including 30-for-38 from two-point range. But the typically on-target Bruin three-point shooting was just 9-for-30 on the night, including 3-for-13 after halftime.
For Bradds, it was one of the most impressive individual performances in Belmont history, as he went 15-for-16 from the field for a game-high 32 points.
Bradshaw scored 18, while Egekeze added 17 points and seven rebounds.
Barnette scored 13 points with six assists.
Horton led Austin Peay (17-17) with 30 points.
Belmont (20-11) will learn of its postseason fate Sunday, March 13.
NOTES: Belmont entered play with an NCAA-best 22-3 record in conference tournament play since 2006 ... Belmont had a streak of five consecutive conference tournament championship game appearances (2011-15) and five consecutive victories in the conference tournament semifinal round snapped ... Belmont made a season-high 39 field goals, and 23 assists were one off a season-high ... Belmont outscored Austin Peay in the paint, 60-36 ... Austin Peay, a 66 percent free throw shooting team, went a season-best 25-for-29 from the free throw line.
