Box Score NASHVILLE, Tenn. - - Grayson Murphy's basket with 5.0 seconds remaining lifted Belmont University men's basketball to a 48-47 victory over Morehead State Thursday night from the Curb Event Center.
Nick Muszynski denied Jake Wolfe at the rim as the horn sounded to give Belmont a seventh consecutive victory.
In a meeting of the last two OVC Tournament Champions and programs entering with a combined conference record of 56-8 over the last two seasons, a fiercely-contested battle was anticipated, and realized.
Morehead State hit its first three shots of the game to take an early five-point lead.
After Belmont tied the score at 18 on a Will Richard basket, Morehead State rode the defense of Johni Broome and opportunistic 3-point shooting to lead 29-22 at halftime.
Belmont, which entered play eighth nationally in scoring offense and fourth in field goal percentage, shouldered an uncharacteristic first half, shooting 7-of-32 from the field and 2-of-13 from 3-point distance.
A Ben Sheppard dunk and a Nick Muszynski basket got Belmont within 29-26 with 18:37 remaining before consecutive 3-pointers from Tray Hollowell and Wolfe pushed the margin back to nine.
Muszynski would make a second 3-pointer but a Broome basket gave Morehead State a 39-29 lead with 14:50 remaining.
From there, the Bruins delivered a stretch of their most inspired defense and rebounding in recent program history; holding the visitors to two made field goals the final 14:49 of the game.
Six straight Richard points and a Tate Pierson 3-pointer trimmed the margin to three, 41-38, with 8:09 left.
But each time Belmont appeared poised to send the boisterous and supportive student section into a frenzy, a promising shot attempt would rim off.
Undettered, Belmont strung together defensive stops to push onward.
A tough Richard layin out of the under four media timeout got Belmont within one, 45-44, with 3:50 remaining.
After three more defensive stops, Muszynski delivered a hook shot in the paint to give Belmont a 46-45 lead with 2:11 left.
Belmont would then steal the ball from Broome and free Sheppard for a wing 3-pointer that rimmed off.
Broome would proceed to miss a high-percentage shot on a lob feed, but regather and earn two free throws with 1:05 left.
Broome made both free throws to give Morehead State a 47-46 lead.
Following a timeout and strong multiple-effort defensive plays from the visitors, Sheppard missed a contested shot in the paint with 40 seconds left.
Morehead State secured the defensive rebound and worked into the frontcourt.
Late in the possession, Wolfe attempted a pocket pass to Broome at the free throw line, which Murphy deflected.
Sheppard grabbed the loose ball and passed to Richard as the clock wound under 10 seconds.
Richard proceeded to find Murphy in the frontcourt, who attacked the lane against scrambling defense and sank a floating 8-foot shot in the lane with 4.9 seconds remaining to give the Bruins a 48-47 lead.
Following a timeout - in which officials placed 5.0 seconds on the clock - and needing to go the length of the court, Morehead State found Ta'lon Cooper on the bounce.
As Murphy and Pierson converged near midcourt, Cooper passed to Wolfe who drove the lane.
His twisting, off-balance shot attempt from the left side of the lane was contested by Muszynski as the horn sounded.
It was a historic win for Belmont, and a game replete with March and championship feel.
All told, Belmont shot a season-low 31 percent (18-of-59) from the field - including 4-of-24 from 3-point distance.
Belmont limited Morehead State to 32 percent shooting, and 5-of-24 from the field in the second half.
Richard led Belmont with 16 points and eight rebounds.
Muszynski had 14 points, six rebounds and two blocked shots.
Broome led Morehead State (19-7, 11-2 OVC) with 15 points.
Belmont improves to 78-5 all-time in OVC home games.
Belmont (21-5, 11-2 OVC) returns to game action Saturday at Southeast Missouri.
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 has won 20 or more games in 12 consecutive seasons (Gonzaga, Kansas, Oregon). 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 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
