Davidson Leads Men's Basketball Past Chattanooga in Overtime

?? Big moves indeed ??#ItsBruinTime pic.twitter.com/XZCwdoyoiM

— Belmont Basketball (@BelmontMBB) December 19, 2022

?? Let's hear from ?@keisaucy2? and ?@CaseyAlexander_? after the BIG road win at Chattanooga #ItsBruinTime pic.twitter.com/z6uQ0KSbAa

— Belmont Basketball (@BelmontMBB) December 19, 2022

CHATTANOOGA, Tenn. - - Behind a heroic performance from Keishawn Davidson, Belmont University men's basketball defeated reigning Southern Conference champion Chattanooga, 83-79, in overtime Sunday.
 
Davidson scored 18 of his season-high 23 points after halftime, including 13 of Belmont's 15 points in overtime.
 
Belmont head coach Casey Alexander called a rare timeout two minutes into the game to reset and refocus the Bruins on both ends.
 
Early 3-pointers from Drew Friberg, Ben Sheppard, and Davidson gave Belmont a 9-7 lead.
 
A free flowing, offensive game was anticipated with two of the nation's top 3-point shooting teams.
 
But both teams showcased strong, disciplined and well-schooled defense.
 
Consecutive makes from Ja'Kobi Gillespie and Cade Tyson gave Belmont a 17-16 lead before Friberg provided Belmont's first two-point basket of the game.
 
Five more Tyson points capped a 9-0 run and increased the lead to 26-19 with 4:39 left in the first half.
 
After a paint basket from Michael Shanks, Chattanooga closed the half on a 9-2 run.
 
A Jamal Johnson 3-pointer gave the hosts a 31-30 lead at halftime.
 
Belmont forced nine first-half turnovers.
 
Tyson led the Bruins with eight points and four rebounds in the opening 20 minutes.
 
Belmont continued its active, spirited defense in the second half, as defensive stops led to high percentage shots.
 
Sheppard capped a 7-0 Belmont run and made the score 44-37 with 16:22 left.
 
The Bruins maintained a seven point lead on two more occasions and had opportunities to increase the lead before Chattanooga worked back behind the play of Jake Stephens.
 
Four Stephens points got the Mocs within 56-55 with 7:03 left.
 
Gillespie answered with a pullup jump shot and a clutch wing 3-pointer to push the Belmont lead back to four.
 
As the teams exchanged haymakers, Friberg made a 3-pointer to give the Bruins a 62-57 lead with 4:34 remaining.
 
A Stephens basket and consecutive 3-pointers from Dalvin White and Johnson lifted Chattanooga to a 65-62 lead with 2:21 remaining.
 
With offensive execution and shooting at a high level, both teams delivered under pressure.
 
Belmont responded with 3-pointers from Tyson and Friberg to lead 68-65 with 1:21 left.
 
On the next possession, Chattanooga ran a designed set for its 7-footer Stephens to shoot a 3-pointer. The graduate student made his fourth from distance to tie the game at 68 with 1:04 remaining.
 
Following a timeout, Belmont ran a trademark backdoor play for Sheppard for an apparent clear layin. But Stephens stretched to block the shot attempt at the rim.
 
On its next possession, Chattanooga looked for Stephens in the paint, but Davidson dug out an enormous steal with 24 seconds to go.
 
Belmont secured possession and worked for the final shot of regulation.
 
The Bruins freed Friberg in the far corner, but Chattanooga defended the action well and forced him to take a contested two-point shot.
 
It was partially blocked and before Frank Jakubicek gathered the loose ball and scored with under one second left, officials claimed the ball hit the under-side of the backboard and awarded possession to Chattanooga.
 
White missed a 60-footer at the buzzer and the game went to overtime.
 
That's where Davidson took control.
 
A driving Davidson basket opened overtime scoring before the Mocs took a 76-72 lead on another Stephens 3-pointer.
 
Davidson would reply with a clutch wing 3-pointer before a driving Jakubicek basket put the Bruins ahead, 77-76, with 1:51 remaining in overtime.
 
One Stephens free throw tied the score before Davidson drove through the entire defense to put Belmont back on top, 79-77, with 1:09 left in extra time.
 
Belmont then got a defensive stop with Tyson the biggest rebound of the game.
 
Davidson made four free throws in the final 13 seconds to secure the outcome.
 
All told, Belmont shot 44 percent from the field – including 4-for-5 from the field in overtime - and went 14-for-32 from 3-point distance.
 
The Bruins scored 17 points off 18 Chattanooga turnovers and gathered 14 steals.
 
Davidson led three Bruins in double figures with 23 points. He had four assists and two steals.
 
Tyson and Friberg each scored 17.
 
Stephens led Chattanooga (8-4) with 32 points.
 
Belmont (7-5, 1-1 MVC) returns to game action Wednesday vs. Samford.

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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