Box Score KISSIMMEE, Fla. - - Belmont University men's basketball dropped a 63-61 decision to Dayton Sunday in the ESPN Events Invitational championship.
Following victories over conference favorites Drake and Iona, Belmont was seeking a Disney storybook ending to its memorable trip to Orlando.
However, in the land of faith, trust and a little bit of pixie dust, uncharacteristically cold perimeter shooting inhibited Belmont from finding an offensive rhythm.
Dayton got 10 first half points from transfer Kobe Elvis - who had played only three minutes in the previous two games - to lead 31-27 at halftime.
Two determined post scores from Nick Muszynski and a Ben Sheppard 3-pointer tied the score at 34 with 18:14 remaining.
However, behind two 3-pointers from Elijah Weaver, Dayton answered with an 8-0 run to take the lead.
Muszynski continued to produce inside to keep Belmont within reach, but balanced Dayton scoring maintained a working margin.
After Lynn Greer gave Dayton a 54-45 lead with 7:56 left, Belmont held Dayton scoreless for nearly four minutes.
Six more Muszynski points got Belmont within one, 54-53, with 4:38 remaining.
But following a Dayton miss, a loose ball rebound caromed to Toumani Camara, who ended the Dayton drought with a conventional 3-point play.
Camara would increase the margin to six before baskets from Muszynski and Sheppard got Belmont within 59-57 with one minute remaining.
Koby Brea would miss an off-balance shot on Dayton's next possession, but DaRon Holmes scored a putback basket to make the score 61-57 with 31 seconds left.
After one Muszynski free throw and two free throws from Malachi Smith, Grayson Murphy drove the length of the floor and scored to get Belmont within 63-60 with 10 seconds remaining.
Belmont would then foul Camara, who missed the front-end of a one-and-one from the free throw line.
And though Belmont secured the defensive rebound, Dayton had two fouls to give in the final 10 seconds.
A third foul was given on Murphy with four seconds left to deny Belmont an opportunity at a game-tying 3-pointer.
Or so Dayton thought.
Murphy would make the first free throw to get Belmont within two points.
He then intentionally missed the second free throw and Tate Pierson secured an offensive rebound for Belmont.
However, Pierson's pass outside to Sheppard for a potential game-winning 3-pointer was stolen by Malachi Smith and the horn sounded.
It was a tough result as Belmont came close to adding the ESPN Events Invitational championship to its DC Paradise Jam championship a year ago.
All told, Belmont shot 46 percent (25-of-55) from the field - but only 6-of-22 from 3-point distance.
Belmont was +14 points in the paint.
Muszynski led Belmont with a game-high 23 points, five rebounds and four assists. He averaged 24.3 points, 7.3 rebounds, 3.7 assists and 2.3 blocked shots per game on 67 percent shooting for the Thanksgiving weekend en route to ESPN Events Invitational All-Tournament Team honors.
Sheppard had 14.
Holmes led Dayton (4-3) with 11 points.
Belmont returns to game action Thursday, Dec. 2 vs. Lipscomb.
Belmont University men's basketball has earned postseason invitations 14 of the last 16 seasons, including nine berths to the NCAA Tournament. The Bruins have won 20 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 11 consecutive seasons (BYU, Gonzaga, Saint Mary's (CA), San Diego State, Wichita State). Belmont is one of only four NCAA Division I programs to win 19 or more games 16 consecutive seasons (Gonzaga, Kansas, San Diego State). Belmont University men's basketball boasts an NCAA-leading 18 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
