NASHVILLE, Tenn. - -
Carter Whitt sank a game-winning shot as time expired to lift Belmont University men's basketball to a dramatic 99-97 victory in overtime over Illinois State Wednesday night from the Curb Event Center.
Whitt drove baseline, worked into the lane, spun, and made a 10-foot fadeaway from the right side of the lane to cap a wild final sequence and riveting game.
Moments earlier, Whitt secured a game-changing steal near midcourt as Illinois State attempted to work for the final shot of overtime.
Belmont and Illinois State produced some of the greatest shotmaking and inspired basketball in Curb Event Center history, as the teams combined on 47 assists and 29 3-point field goals.
As had been the case in his previous three games, Illinois State standout post player Chase Walker battled foul trouble and his minutes were limited in the first half.
Both teams found an offensive flow early on, as there were four ties and 11 lead changes midway through the first half.
Belmont got a huge boost from
Brody Peebles who scored seven straight points in a two-minute span to give the Bruins a 19-18 lead.
Consecutive 3-pointers from Caden Boser and Dalton Banks put Illinois State ahead, 29-24, with 8:14 left in the first half.
From there, Belmont made nine consecutive shots – including a pair of 3-pointers from
Isaiah Walker and
Tyler Lundblade – as the Bruins claimed a 43-34 advantage.
Peebles and Walker then combined on 11 straight Belmont points as the Bruins led 54-45 at halftime.
Belmont shot 60 percent (22-for-37) from the field in the opening 20 minutes – including 8-for-14 from 3-point distance.
Illinois State made nine first-half 3-point field goals.
Six players – Peebles, Walker and
Jonathan Pierre for Belmont, Johnny Kinziger, Boser, and Ty Pence for Illinois State – scored in double figures in the first half.
Belmont had 28 points in the paint in the opening 20 minutes.
Lundblade and Walker made 3-pointers within the first two minutes of the second half, as Belmont extended to a 62-49 lead with 16:57 remaining on a tough left-handed finish from
Drew Scharnowski.
Just when Belmont appeared poised to build a working margin, Illinois State responded with more timely passing, perimeter shooting and opportunistic defense.
A second-chance 3-pointer from Kinziger started the run, as Boser sank Illinois State's sixth shot from behind the arc during a five-minute span to give the visitors a 71-69 lead.
After two Pierre free throws, scores from Malachi Poindexter and Banks gave Illinois State a 76-71 lead with 10:05 left.
That's when
Isaiah Walker sparked Belmont on both ends; during a remarkable 90-second span, he filled the stat sheet with steals, blocked shots, assists and three baskets to put Belmont back on top, 79-78, with 7:17 remaining.
The offensive tempo slowed slightly down the stretch, as both teams worked through understandable mental and physical fatigue given the pace of the first 30-plus minutes.
Walker assisted
Sam Orme for a baseline slam to make the score 81-80 with 3:48 left.
After a Pierre steal, Whitt scored inside to increase the margin to three points.
Wolf regathered a loose ball and scored through two Belmont defenders to get Illinois State within one, 83-82, with 2:51 remaining.
After one Wolf free throw tied the score, Pierre made two free throws to give Belmont an 85-83 lead with under two minutes left.
The Bruins forced Banks into a traveling violation and had a chance to extend to a two-possession lead but had a shot rim off.
Chase Walker tied the score at 85 with 52 seconds left with a tough move inside.
Electing to go for a two-for-one, Belmont turned to Whitt who drove and missed a shot in the lane. His tip-in attempt also rimmed off, but Whitt gathered his own offensive rebound and found Lundblade for a 3-pointer with 31 seconds remaining to give Belmont an 88-85 lead.
On its next possession, Illinois State found Wolf who drove but had his shot blocked out of bounds by Pierre. Illinois State maintained possession as the ball deflected out of bounds.
From there, Chase Walker faced the basket mid post, drove, and found Banks for a long 3-pointer with 17 seconds left to tie the score at 88.
Belmont worked into the frontcourt with Whitt, who drove and found
Brigham Rogers cutting to the basket for a potential game-winning shot. Three Illinois State defenders would converge and foul Rogers in the act of shooting with 2.3 seconds remaining.
Rogers would miss both free throw attempts and the game would go to overtime.
In overtime, Belmont took the lead behind one Pierre free throw before Wolf banked a desperation, end-of-shot-clock 3-pointer to put Illinois State ahead 91-89.
Consecutive baskets from
Isaiah Walker and Pierre gave Belmont the advantage before Chase Walker tied the game at 93 with 1:39 left.
Following two Whitt free throws, Banks scored on a designed fake-dribble-handoff to tie the game at 95.
Whitt and Banks would then each miss field goal attempts, but Chase Walker scored an offensive rebound putback to give Illinois State a two-point lead with 34 seconds left.
Belmont turned to Pierre who drove on Walker and tipped home his own miss with 21 seconds left to tie the game once again.
The Bruins called timeout and extended pressure defense, which Illinois State handled well.
After Banks crossed the timeline, Whitt tipped the basketball free, and as he and Banks battled for the loose ball, it went out of bounds near midcourt.
Officials awarded Belmont possession and following a monitor review the call was upheld.
That set the stage for Whitt's game-winning shot.
It was excitement and jubilation for Belmont, as the student section erupted in celebration.
The game featured 13 ties and 21 lead changes.
Belmont shot 52 percent from the field and handed out 23 assists on 39 made field goals.
Belmont forced 19 turnovers and outscored Illinois State, 52-34, in the paint.
Walker led five Belmont players in double figures with a career-high 24 points, three rebounds and two steals.
Pierre had 19 points, nine rebounds, five assists and three steals.
Lundblade scored 15, while Peebles had 14.
Whitt contributed 10 points, a career-high eight rebounds, a season-high nine assists and three steals.
Boser led Illinois State (4-4, 0-1 MVC) with 17 points.
Belmont has won five straight and 20 of its last 23 conference openers.
Belmont (7-2, 1-0 MVC) returns to game action Saturday vs. Middle Tennessee.
Belmont University men's basketball has been a postseason fixture for the last two decades, including nine berths to the NCAA Tournament. The Bruins have won 20 conference championships since 2006 - third-most nationally over that span (behind Gonzaga and Kansas). Belmont has won 20 or more games in 14 consecutive seasons (alongside Gonzaga, Kansas, and Oregon) and 19 or more games in 19 consecutive seasons (alongside Gonzaga, Kansas, and San Diego State). Belmont is among select programs with two or more first-round selections in the NBA Draft over the last five years (Ben Sheppard, Dylan Windler). Belmont University men's basketball boasts an NCAA-leading 19 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 its existence. Belmont is the only NCAA Division I institution in America whose men's and women's basketball programs have won 20 or more games in nine consecutive seasons.
