Men's Basketball Falls in Overtime at Indiana State

TERRE HAUTE, Ind. - - Belmont University men's basketball dropped an 81-80 decision in overtime at Indiana State Monday night from the Hulman Center.
 
Ian Scott made one free throw with 5.0 seconds left in overtime to give Indiana State a one-point lead.
 
Nic McClain drove the length of the floor in the final seconds, but his left-handed layin attempt at the buzzer rimmed off.
 
Playing without all-conference forward Sam Orme, Belmont used strong early defense and post production from Drew Scharnowski and Brigham Rogers to build an 18-10 lead.
 
After Enel St. Bermard got Indiana State within 30-28, Tyler Lundblade made an electrifying three consecutive 3-pointers in a 53-second span to increase the Belmont lead to 11, 39-28, with 1:54 left in the first half.
 
Belmont led 41-36 at halftime.
 
Belmont shot 52 percent (14-for-27) from the field in the opening 20 minutes – including 6-for-11 from 3-point distance.
 
Belmont forced nine first-half turnovers.
 
Lundblade led Belmont with 20 first-half points.
 
Another Lundblade 3-pointer opened second half scoring, before Indiana State used opportunistic play and 3-point shooting for a run of its own.
 
3-pointers from Jo Van Buggenhout and Ian Scott got Indiana State within 48-45 with 17:33 left.
 
Five minutes into the second half, Belmont got four straight open court opportunities from forced turnovers or defensive rebounds. But traditionally among the best teams in the nation in transition, Belmont committed four turnovers in those open court opportunities to halt momentum during a key stretch.
 
Eoin Dillon provided a strong spark off the bench for the Bruins, before a Camp Wagner 3-pointer gave Indiana State a 60-58 lead – its first lead since 3-2.
 
A Rogers tip-in basket tied the score at 60, but it proved to be Belmont's only field goal during an uncharacteristic nine-minute stretch in the second half.
 
A Derek Vorst dunk and one Scott free throw gave Indiana State a 69-63 lead with 1:32 left.
 
Dillon would respond with a straight-on 3-pointer to cut the deficit in half with 1:26 remaining.
 
A series of Indiana State missed free throws helped Belmont extend the game.
 
A McClain layin with 47 seconds left made the score 71-68.
 
On Indiana State's next possession, Xavier Hall would miss a 3-point attempt but Belmont would be whistled for a rebounding foul on St. Bernard with 19 seconds left.
 
St. Bernard would miss both free throws and McClain secured the rebound.
 
Belmont proceeded to advance the ball into the frontcourt and find Win Miller for a baseline 3-pointer with 12 seconds remaining to tie the score at 71.
 
Following a timeout, Belmont defended Indiana State's final possession of regulation well, tipping the ball away from Hall and Van Buggenhout's desperation 3-pointer missed – and was ruled after the horn.
 
Both teams labored to score in overtime,
 
An exchange of three Indiana State free throws and two Miller free throws made the score 74-73 in the final minute of overtime.
 
Scharnowski provided tremendous rim protection with blocked shots. But as was the case much of the game, Belmont simply could not gather loose balls after strong initial defense to finish possessions.
 
A second chance opportunity resulted in a Vorst dunk with 43 seconds left in overtime to give Indiana State a 76-73 lead.
 
After a Belmont turnover and two Hall free throws, Miller scored inside to get Belmont within 78-75 with 27 seconds left in overtime.
 
As Hall twice split a pair of free throws and McClain made two free throws with 21 seconds left, the Bruins once again had a one possession game in the final seconds.
 
This time Smiley found Dillon for a 3-pointer near the Belmont bench to tie the score at 80 with 14 seconds left in overtime.
 
On Indiana State's next possession, Scott was freed near the rim and McClain was whistled for a foul contesting a lob pass attempt with five seconds left.
 
Scott would make one free throw to give Indiana State the lead.
 
Following a timeout, Belmont passed the ball to McClain who attacked the lane but his left-handed shot attempt at the buzzer was contested by Scott and rimmed off.
 
All told, Belmont shot 44 percent (27-for-62) from the field – including 12 3-point field goals.
 
Lundblade led four Belmont players in double figures with a season-high 26 points.
 
Scharnowski had 14 points, seven rebounds, a career-high five blocked shots, two assists, and two steals.
 
Rogers had 12 points, four rebounds, and two assists.
 
Dillon had 11 points and a career-high seven rebounds.
 
Wagner led Indiana State (8-6, 1-2 MVC) with 17 points.
 
Belmont (12-2, 2-1 MVC) returns to game action Thursday vs. Bradley.
 
Belmont season tickets – which include the entire men's and women's basketball home schedule – are on sale now at belmontbruins.com/tickets. 
 
To become a Bruin Club member, contact Russell Grimm at (615) 460-5668 or russell.grimm@belmont.edu.
 
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 15 consecutive seasons (alongside Gonzaga, Kansas, and Oregon) and 19 or more games in 20 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 six 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 10 consecutive seasons.