Box Score CLARKSVILLE, Tenn. - - Behind a career-high 24 points from junior Caleb Hollander, Belmont University men's basketball defeated Austin Peay, 81-76, Thursday.
A national television audience was treated to a riveting game full of drama, intensity and shotmaking as both teams traded emotional haymakers for 40 minutes.
The teams combined to make nine consecutive shots to open the game - including four 3-pointers - as an electrifying display of outside shooting and inside finishing portended a high-scoring game.
After Belmont closed within 20-19 on a 3-pointer from junior Grayson Murphy (Franklin, Tenn.), Terry Taylor capped an 8-0 Austin Peay run to give the Governors a 28-19 lead nine minutes in.
Junior Nick Muszynski (Pickerington, Ohio) made his first five field goal attempts and Belmont got timely bench contributions from freshman JaCobi Wood (Cleveland, Tenn.) and Even Brauns (Iowa City, Iowa) to tie the score at 35.
Austin Peay led 40-39 at halftime.
Belmont shot 59 percent (16-of-27) from the field in the opening 20 minutes.
Five quick points from sophomore Ben Sheppard (Atlanta, Ga.) gave Belmont its first lead, 49-48, with 13:31 remaining.
A confident Wood 3-pointer increased the margin to 55-50.
Muszynski battled foul trouble midway through the second half and his presence was missed on both ends of the floor.
There would be 13 lead changes in the second half, with Hollander and Murphy exchanging courageous scores with Taylor and Carlos Paez.
A Mike Peake layin gave Austin Peay a 75-71 lead with 2:49 left.
Belmont responded, as a Murphy driving score and a Hollander 3-pointer pushed Belmont ahead, 76-75, with 1:53 remaining.
After one Jordyn Adams free throw tied the score at 76, Belmont worked its offensive possession and saw Murphy score an acrobatic, double-pump layin with 40 seconds left to give the Bruins a 78-76 lead.
Austin Peay then turned to Taylor, who missed a twisting leaner with 15 seconds to go. As his initial putback attempt rimmed off, the scramble for the proceeding loose ball rebound led to a lengthy monitor review to determine possession.
The Governors were awarded possession underneath their own basket with 13 seconds left and five seconds on the shot clock.
A well-designed inbounds play freed Alec Woodard for a layin attempt, but Muszynski was there to block his shot at the rim.
As the ball bounced around, Peake had a putback attempt rim off, with Hollander eventually securing the Belmont rebound with eight seconds remaining.
Hollander was quickly fouled, and he was sent to the free throw line.
After making a clutch front-end of the one-and-one to increase the Belmont lead to three points, Hollander's second free throw was a bit too strong.
However, Murphy snuck in for an enormous offensive rebound, and he would quickly be fouled with six seconds left.
His two free throws provided the final margin,
All told, Belmont shot 63 percent (32-of-51) from the field - including 67 percent in the second half.
Belmont outscored Austin Peay, 46-30, in points in the paint.
Hollander had 24 points and five rebounds while Murphy added his 12th career double-double with a season-high 19 points and 10 rebounds.
Musynski had 14.
Taylor led Austin Peay (8-6, 4-4 OVC) with 23 points.
Belmont has won 29 of its last 30 games and 23 consecutive conference games.
Belmont (17-1, 11-0 OVC) returns to game action Saturday at Murray State.
Belmont University men's basketball has earned postseason invitations 14 of the last 15 seasons, including nine berths to the NCAA Tournament. The Bruins have won 19 conference championships since 2006 - third-most nationally over that span (Gonzaga, Kansas). Belmont is one of only six NCAA Division I programs outside the Power 5 to post Top 100 rankings 10 consecutive seasons (BYU, Gonzaga, Saint Mary's (CA), San Diego State, Wichita State). Belmont is one of only six NCAA Division I programs to win 19 or more games 15 consecutive seasons (Duke, Gonzaga, Kansas, Michigan State, San Diego State). Belmont University men's basketball boasts an NCAA-leading 17 CoSIDA Academic All-America selections since 2001 and is the only NCAA Division I program to make the NCAA Academic Progress Rate (APR) Honor Roll every year of existence
