Box Score ATHENS, Ohio - - Belmont University men's basketball dropped a 92-80 decision at defending MAC tournament champion Ohio Tuesday.
The matchup featured two of the most successful and experienced returning teams in college basketball, and an entertaining, uptempo game was expected.
Belmont went 26-4 last season while Ohio returned virtually its entire team that reached the Round of 32 in the NCAA Tournament.
Ohio made five of its first six shots, including all four from 3-point distance, in building a 16-5 lead and energizing the partisan home crowd.
Belmont answered back with an 8-0 run, as Nick Muszynski, Ben Sheppard and Tate Pierson scored to get the Bruins within three.
More strong play from Sheppard and Frank Jakubicek set the stage for Belmont to take a 27-25 lead on a 3-pointer from Grayson Murphy.
While Ohio continued to respond from long distance, consecutive baskets from Will Richard and JaCobi Wood tied the score at 31 with 4:55 left in the half.
After Mark Sears gave Ohio a 41-33 lead, Belmont worked hard to close the half well.
A determined 3-point play from Sheppard and a forced turnover appeared to give Belmont an opportunity to tie or take the lead on the final possession.
However, a designed halfcourt play went out of bounds, enabling Ben Vander Plas to make a fadeaway, banked 30-footer at the buzzer to give Ohio at 44-39 halftime lead.
Belmont shot 50 percent (14-for-28) from the field in the opening 20 minutes.
A Jakubicek 3-pointer around five Sheppard points gave Belmont a 52-51 lead with 15:01 left.
The lead would seesaw back and forth before freshman Will Richard made two free throws to tie the score at 58 with 12:38 left.
From there, Ohio rode the play of Mark Sears and Jason Carter on a decisive 18-4 run.
Sears, who inherited starting point guard duties from Ohio and current Los Angeles Clippers guard Jason Preston, played a game reminiscent of his former teammate with perimeter shooting and skilled finishes in the paint.
A Ben Roderick 3-pointer made the score 76-62 with 6:11 remaining.
Belmont made one final push behind Murphy and spirited fullcourt defense, but the hosts had simply made too many outside shots.
Ohio made 16 3-point field goals, with seven different players making at least one; the 16 3-pointers represent the most ever by an opponent in Belmont's NCAA Division I era.
All told, Belmont shot 47 percent (26-for-60) from the field, handing out 20 assists on 28 made field goals.
Sheppard scored a career-high 25 points, while Muszynski had 18 points and six assists.
Murphy had eight points, 10 rebounds and seven assists.
Jakubicek had eight points and five rebounds.
Sears scored a career-high 27 points.
Belmont returns to game action Saturday, Nov. 13 vs. Evansville. Tip-off is set for 4 p.m. CT from the Curb Event Center.
