Men's Basketball Defeats George Mason on Day Two of Paradise Jam

ST. THOMAS, USVI - - Showcasing its championship pedigree and late-game determination, Belmont University men's basketball defeated Atlantic 10 Conference contender George Mason, 66-62, Saturday night in day two of the Paradise Jam from the University of the Virgin Islands.
 
Playing a fifth consecutive game without Keishawn Davidson and Frank Jakubicek, the Bruins dug deep and stayed together through adversity.
 
It was an inauspicious start for Belmont, as George Mason came out purposeful with 3-pointers from DeVon Cooper and Davonte Gaines sandwiched around a Josh Oduro jump hook to lead 8-0 less than two minutes in.
 
Following a timeout, the Bruins settled in, as consecutive baskets from Ben Sheppard and a Drew Friberg 3-pointer cut the margin to 10-7.
 
A determined drive from Michael Shanks got Belmont within 15-14.
 
However, moments later Sheppard would be whistled for his second foul and have to sit the final 10:03 of the first half.
 
Nevertheless, Belmont grew stronger, relying on its defense and the strong play of Ja'Kobi Gillespie to flip the script.
 
A Gillespie step back 3-pointer sparked the momentum shift, while the freshman's active hands defensively also fueled open court opportunities.
 
As Belmont held George Mason scoreless the final 7:38 of the half, a Gillespie twisting layin gave Belmont its first lead at 28-26 with 4:15 left in the half.
 
And while several clean looks rimmed out from there, an EJ Bellinger jump shot and more defensive stops gave Belmont a 30-26 lead at halftime.
 
While shooting only 39 percent in the opening 20 minutes, Belmont forced 10 George Mason turnovers and outscored the Patriots in the paint.
 
Gillespie had nine points and five steals in the first half.
 
A Gaines tip-slam would give George Mason a brief lead before Cade Tyson capped a 6-0 Belmont run with a baseline 3-pointer to make the score 38-33 with 15:45 remaining.
 
From there, the Patriots would receive a huge lift off the bench from Virginia Tech transfer Ginika Ojiako.
 
His rebounding and paint presence ignited a 14-2 George Mason run and gave the Patriots a 47-40 lead with 11:12 to go.
 
Tyson made consecutive baskets to stabilize the Bruins before a timely Sheppard 3-point got Belmont within 52-47.
 
Another Bellinger basket and a Friberg 3-pointer tied the score at 52 with 7:28 left.
 
Fittingly Tyson capped the huge 11-0 Belmont run with another strong move to give the Bruins a 55-52 advantage.
 
An Ojiako basket and another Cooper 3-pointer put George Mason back ahead, 57-55, with 3:56 left.
 
Belmont responded with consecutive plays from Sheppard, the latter of which proved to be a conventional 3-point play to give the Bruins a 60-59 lead.
 
After an exchange of defensive stops, Friberg found Sheppard on an inbounds play to increase the Belmont lead to three, 62-59, with 1:50 to go.
 
Though Sheppard was unable to complete the 3-point play, Belmont got consecutive defensive stops and earned free throws when a driving Gillespie was fouled by Devin Dinkins.
 
Gillespie made two free throws to extend the advantage to 64-59 with 49 seconds left.
 
That's when things got a little weird – and uncomfortable – for the Bruins.
 
After dodging two George Mason misses from 3-point distance, Gaines was deemed to have been fouled battling for the rebound.
 
However, he would miss the front-end of 1-and-1 free throws.
 
But it worked out for George Mason, as Oduro secured the offensive rebound and found Victor Bailey, Jr. for a deep, contested corner three to close the margin to two points.
 
Then on the subsequent Belmont inbounds pass, Sheppard was whistled for a player control foul trying to escape a George Mason double team.
 
Despite the jarring sequence and turn of events, Belmont responded well.
 
Cooper missed an off-balance drive and the Bruins secured a team rebound with 11 seconds left.
 
From there, Friberg found Gillespie who was fouled with nine seconds left.

Gillespie confidently made both ends of 1-and-1 free throws to increase the Belmont lead to four.
 
Belmont defended the final possession well and secured a hard-earned victory.
 
All told, Belmont shot 45 percent (25-for-56) from the field – including 52 percent in the second half.
 
Sheppard led three Bruins in double figures with a season-high 24 points.
 
Tyson had 14 points and four rebounds.
 
Gillespie has 13 points, six steals, four rebounds and zero turnovers in 35 minutes.
 
Cooper led George Mason (2-3) with 15 points.
 
Belmont (2-3) returns to game action Monday vs. Howard on the final day of the Paradise Jam. Tip-off is set for 2:15 p.m. CT.
 
NOTE: With his 24-point performance, Sheppard became the 22^nd member of Belmont's NCAA Division I era 1,000 point club. He has 1,013 career points…Gillespie's six steals is single-game high in the Missouri Valley Conference this season.

Belmont University men's basketball has earned postseason invitations 15 of the last 17 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 has won 20 or more games in 12 consecutive seasons (Gonzaga, Kansas, Oregon). Belmont is one of only five NCAA Division I programs outside the Power 5 to post Top 100 rankings 12 consecutive seasons (Gonzaga, Saint Mary's (CA), San Diego State, Wichita State). Belmont University men's basketball boasts an NCAA-leading 19 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