Men's Basketball Drops Overtime Heartbreaker to Middle Tennessee

NASHVILLE, Tenn. - - In another heartstopping affair in the young season, Belmont University men's basketball dropped an 85-75 decision in overtime to Middle Tennessee Saturday from the Curb Event Center.
 
The result spoiled a truly courageous performance from senior Ben Sheppard, who scored a season-high 33 points – including a game-tying 3-pointer at the end of regulation.
 
Playing without starting center Even Brauns, Belmont got seven early points from Cade Tyson to build a 10-5 lead.
 
Belmont built the margin to five points two more times in the first 10 minutes, but each time the Bruins appeared poised to increase their lead, the visiting Blue Raiders showcased their remarkable shot-blocking ability.
 
Belmont had promising interior field goal attempts wiped away by Middle Tennessee recovery defense, most notably Teafale Lenard who recorded five blocked shots in the first half.
 
Sheppard had only two free throws in the first 17 minutes of the game, but consecutive 3-pointers late in the half kickstarted a Belmont offensive renascence.
 
Three Tyson free throws tied the score at 30 at halftime.
 
Belmont forced eight first-half turnovers and scored nine second-chance points in the opening 20 minutes.
 
Sheppard continued his remarkable form with four long-distance makes in the first five minutes of the second half as Belmont led 45-40.
 
DeAndre Dishman capped a 14-3 Middle Tennessee run as the Blue Raiders took a 54-48 lead with 9:50 left.
 
As Sheppard and Drew Friberg carried Belmont's offense from the arc, Middle Tennessee got bonus scoring to complement inside scores.
 
Two banked-in 3-pointers – the latter of which from reserve center Christian Fussell – extinguished strong Belmont defensive possessions and made the task harder for the Bruins.
 
After Sheppard tied the score at 58 and 61, Belmont was dealt another blow as Camryn Weston scored an opportunistic driving basket off a deflected outlet pass to put Middle Tennessee back ahead by two.
 
Following an exchange of scores, Sheppard skied for an determined finger roll to tie the score at 66 with 1:41 left.
 
Each team would earn defensive stops before Sheppard was fouled with 1:07 remaining.
 
Despite channeling his inner Stephen Curry from 3-point distance throughout the game, Sheppard was unable to find a similar comfort level from the free throw line.
 
Another trip of 1-for-2 free throws gave Belmont a 67-66 lead.
 
From there, Belmont withstood a flurry of interior shots and putback attempts before Friberg secured a significant defensive rebound with 34 seconds remaining.
 
Point guard Keishawn Davidson received the ball and elected to attack into the frontcourt.
 
He proceeded to find Tyson along the baseline, who pump faked and ultimately passed outside to Sheppard as both teams raced into the halfcourt.
 
Sheppard elected to shoot an open look – and potentially make his eighth consecutive 3-pointer on the game.
 
The shot rimmed out with 21 seconds left and Middle Tennessee secured the rebound.
 
Lenard then drove coast to coast and made an off-balance bank shot from the right side with 14 seconds left to give Middle Tennessee a 68-67 lead.
 
It was a difficult sequence to digest, but Belmont simply turned the page and played on.
 
Following a timeout, Belmont freed Tyson for an isolation drive along the left baseline.
 
Lenard held his ground and officials whistled Tyson for a player control foul with 3.6 seconds left.
 
Belmont then fouled Weston, who made two free throws with 2.9 seconds left to push the margin to three.
 
Reminiscent of its late-game heroics vs. Ohio in the season opener, Belmont once again dialed up a tremendous, two-play sequence.
 
First, Tyson rifled a baseball pass to Frank Jakubicek in the frontcourt as the Bruins called timeout with 0.3 seconds taken off the clock.
 
From there, Davidson found Sheppard, who spun and buried a dramatic, straight-on 3-pointer as the horn sounded to tie the score at 70 and send the game to overtime.
 
The student section and Curb Event Center crowd erupted in jubilation, as Belmont had new life and five more minutes of basketball.
 
Middle Tennessee regrouped and found success to open overtime.
 
A Dishman score and consecutive second chance baskets from Lenard gave the Blue Raiders the first six points of overtime.
 
This after Dishman denied Jakubicek at the rim on Belmont's opening offensive possession of the extra frame.
 
With 2:11 left in overtime, the game was stopped for a lengthy delay and officials' review.
 
Lenard fouled Tyson on a drive to the basket; however, after a monitor review, Tyson was whistled for a flagrant one foul at the start of his drive for using his off arm to gain an advantage.
 
The strange sequence not only fouled out both impactful players, but awarded Middle Tennessee two free throws and possession.
 
An Eli Lawrence jump shot made the score 82-73 with 1:52 left in overtime.
 
After strong second-half shooting, Belmont endured an uncharacteristic cold spell and went without a field goal until the final 17 seconds.
 
All told, Belmont went 15-for-33 from 3-point distance and grabbed 12 offensive rebounds.
 
Sheppard led three Bruins in double figures with 33 points.
 
Tyson and Friberg each scored 12.
 
Lenard led Middle Tennessee (7-3) with 20 points.
 
Belmont (6-5, 1-1 MVC) returns to game action Sunday, Dec. 18 at Chattanooga.