Men's Basketball Drops Heartbreaker at Murray State

MURRAY, Ky. - - Belmont University men's basketball dropped an 83-82 decision at Murray State Wednesday night.
 
Senior Ben Sheppard, who had another courageous performance with a season-high 35 points and nine rebounds, nearly won the game for Belmont in the final seconds but his full-speed teardrop in the lane rimmed off at the buzzer.
 
It was the latest epic game between Belmont and Murray State which has developed into one of the great rivalries in college basketball over the last decade.
 
Sheppard scored 11 points in the first four and a half minutes as Belmont took a five-point lead.
 
While the Bruins had an early offensive rhythm, Murray State gained confidence behind the play of Brian Moore and DJ Burns to work back into the game.
 
After one Derek Sabin free throw, Burns capped a 9-0 Murray State run to give the hosts a 24-20 lead with 9:57 left in the first half.
 
Following a Keishawn Davidson basket, scores from Rob Perry and Jamari Smith extended the margin to 10, 33-23.
 
Cade Tyson sparked a Belmont response with a flurry of clutch shooting, as a Sheppard driving basket got Belmont within 38-37.
 
Murray State, which had averaged five 3-point field goals per game on 30 percent shooting from behind the arc for the season, found the range in the first half, as long distance makes from Kenny White and JaCobi Wood gave the Racers a 49-43 halftime lead.
 
Belmont shot 48 percent (15-for-31) from the field in the opening 20 minutes – including 9-for-18 from 3-point distance.
 
Sheppard and Tyson combined for 29 first-half points.
 
Murray State scored the first six points of the second half, and following words of encouragement from head coach Casey Alexander during a timeout, Belmont responded.
 
Five straight Sheppard points got Belmont within 55-48 with 17:21 left.
 
After a Davidson driving basket and a Drew Friberg 3-pointer, the Bruins closed within 61-56 on a Sheppard conventional 3-point play.
 
Meanwhile, Belmont stabilized defensively and strung stops together.
 
A Tyson 3-pointer and a Friberg reverse layin tied the score at 61 with 11 minutes remaining.

Following one Perry free throw, Even Brauns slammed home a Davidson feed to give Belmont a 63-62 advantage – the Bruins' first lead since 20-17.
 
Tyson and Brauns scored inside before a Perry 3-pointer tied the score at 67 with 7:24 left.
 
Four more Sheppard points and a Brauns score off a Friberg assist gave Belmont a 73-69 lead with 5:52 left.
 
Belmont had momentum and confidence but Murray State made several big plays down the stretch.
 
Moore answered with two straight 3-pointers during an 11-2 run as Murray State regained an 80-75 lead with 3:18 remaining.
 
A Sheppard 3-pointer cut the margin to two points with 1:43 left.
 
After a White missed shot, Burns grabbed an offensive rebound with 1:12 remaining to give Murray State another possession.
 
Wood would score a driving basket late in the shot clock to give Murray State an 82-78 lead with 57 seconds left.
 
Following a timeout, Ja'Kobi Gillespie found Sheppard for a layin to cut the deficit in half with 37 seconds left.
 
After a near steal on the inbounds pass, Belmont fouled Wood with 22 seconds remaining.
 
Wood would miss the front end of a one-and-one and Michael Shanks secured the rebound for Belmont.
 
With a chance to tie or take the lead with a 3-pointer, Belmont turned to Gillespie, who drove the lane but missed a hanging, contested bank shot from the right side of the lane.
 
Wood would eventually be fouled with 15 seconds left.
 
He would make the first free throw but miss the second, again keeping it a one-possession game.
 
As Gillespie drove inside the 3-point line, Wood committed a foul with seven seconds left.
 
Gillespie calmly made both free throws to get Belmont within 83-82.
 
Belmont would extend full court pressure defense and foul White with under six seconds left.
 
White proceeded to miss the front end of his one-and-one free throws, giving Belmont a final chance to win the game.
 
Gillespie secured the defensive rebound and quickly passed upcourt to Sheppard, at full speed along the near sideline at midcourt.
 
Sheppard drove through several scrambling Murray State defenders and elevated in the lane for a leaning floater in the final seconds.
 
His shot was on line but was just short off the front rim as the horn sounded.
 
All told, Belmont shot 48 percent (29-for-61) from the field – including 13-for-27 from 3-point distance. Belmont scored 17 points off turnovers.
 
Sheppard led three Bruins in double figures with 35 points. Tyson had 18 points and five rebounds while Friberg scored 11.
 
Moore led Murray State (13-10, 8-5 MVC) with 25 points.
 
Belmont (16-8, 9-4 MVC) returns to game action Saturday vs. Illinois State.

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