A Win For the Ages - Men's Basketball Orchestrates Biggest Comeback in Program History to Defeat Drake

DES MOINES, Iowa - - Isaiah West found Sam Orme for a backdoor layin with 0.4 seconds left as Belmont University men's basketball defeated Drake, 78-76, Saturday from the Knapp Center.
 
It capped the largest comeback in Belmont's NCAA Division I era, as the Bruins trailed by 25 points, 53-28, with 17:19 left.
 
Belmont won its NCAA-best ninth game away from home this season.
 
Playing a third consecutive game without starting point guard Nic McClain, Belmont endured an indescribably poor start.
 
Drake scored the first 12 points of the game and led 19-4 eight minutes in on two Isaiah Carr free throws.
 
As Drake gained confidence from the scoring of Eli Shetlar and were energized from its supportive home crowd, Belmont labored during one of the most confounding first halves in recent memory.
 
After two Bez Jenkins free throws got Belmont within 22-14, Shetlar capped another 12-0 Drake run to make the score 34-14 with 4:17 remaining in the first half.
 
The box score late in the first half was nightmarish and beyond description – Belmont had twice as many turnovers as made field goals and Shetlar had individually outscored the Belmont team.
 
Strong scores from Drew Scharnowski and West, and a lift off the bench from Win Miller closed Belmont within 14 points.
 
But a Jalen Quinn steal and score enabled the Bulldogs to finish the half with the final five points and lead 44-25 at halftime.
 
Belmont – which entered play leading the nation in effective field goal percentage – shot 24 percent (8-for-34) from the field in the opening 20 minutes – including 2-for-20 from 3-point distance.
 
Meanwhile, Drake had five steals and 9 3-point field goals in the first half.
 
Shetlar led Drake with 20 first-half points.
 
Seeking a fresh start in the second half, Belmont's deficit only widened as two 3-pointers from Owen Larson – an accomplished player at South Dakota State who had made three 3-pointers on the season – made the score 50-25 with 19:08 left.
 
As the Drake crowd roared, Belmont simply hung together and tried to win each subsequent possession.
 
An Eoin Dillon basket and one Orme free throw was a start, but Shetlar responded with his seventh 3-pointer of the game to push the margin back to 25.
 
Five more quick points from Orme ushered a new mentality and promise on both ends; Belmont strung defensive stops together, valued the basketball and cut into the margin.
 
However, after another Dillon basket, Carr scored inside and Jaehshon Thomas made a deep 3-pointer to make the score 58-36 with 14:36 remaining.
 
Following the play, officials whistled Thomas for a class A technical foul and Tyler Lundblade made two free throws for Belmont.
 
The sequence sparked a remarkable 24-3 Belmont run over the next five-plus minutes.
 
Lundblade added two more 3-pointers in a 29-second span to get Belmont within 58-44.
 
Two more defensive stops and five more points from an ultra-confident Dillon got Belmont within 58-49 with 12:32 remaining – the closest Belmont had been since 22-14.
 
As murmurs and uneasiness within the Knapp Center grew, Belmont pushed on; limiting Drake to one field goal over a six-minute stretch.
 
3-pointers from Lundblade and Smiley, two West free throws, and a determined baseline 3-pointer from West made the score 61-60 with 8:55 left.
 
A Quinn 3-pointer extended the margin ack to four points, before a Scharnowski dunk got Belmont within 65-63 with 5:58 left.
 
Belmont had to navigate significant foul trouble to Orme and Jenkins, with West and Scharnowski leading an inspired defensive effort.
 
Andrew Alia missed a 3-point field goal attempt, but Shetlar would take advantage of an offensive rebound and make a deep 3-pointer to make the score 68-63 with 5:33 remaining.
 
Belmont put pressure on Drake's defense with outside shooting, paint touches, and attacking the rim.
 
A Scharnowski basket and three Belmont free throws tied the game with 3:55 left.
 
Larson and Dillon would exchange 3-pointers before Larson was awarded a continuation conventional 3-point play with 2:45 left that gave Drake a 74-71 advantage.
 
Free throws from Orme and West tied the game at 74 before Scharnowski stole the ball from Quinn with 1:51 left.
 
West would attack for early offense, finding Jenkins on the door step for a tough two inside and a 76-74 lead with 1:44 left – Belmont's first lead of the game.
 
Following another defensive stop with over one minute left, Belmont worked an offensive possession and turned to Dillon along the baseline.
 
The ball was tipped out of bounds and officials awarded possession to Drake with 44 seconds left.
 
On its next possession. Drake turned to Larson who drove the lane and made a contested jump shot from the mid-range with 17 seconds left to tie the score at 76.
 
With the shot clock off, Belmont worked into the frontcourt, listened to a play call from Coach Alexander, and turned to West.
 
West drove the left side of the lane, spun, and delivered an exquisite backdoor bounce pass to Orme, who received the pass and scored a reverse layin with his left hand with 0.4 seconds left.
 
As officials confirmed time left on the clock, West and the Belmont team were euphoric.
 
Belmont defended Drake's final play well and celebrated as the horn sounded.
 
All told, Belmont shot 55 percent (16-for-29) from the field in the second half – including 9-for-17 from 3-point distance.
 
Belmont forced 10 Drake turnovers in the second half.
 
For the game, Belmont outrebounded Drake, 43-33, and outscored Drake, 26-12, in points in the paint.
 
Drake made 17 3-point field goals.
 
Lundblade led four Belmont players in double figures with 15 points.
 
Dillon scored a career-high 14 points – all in the second half.
 
Orme has 12 points and five rebounds.
 
Scharnowski had his third double-double with 10 points, 10 rebounds, and three steals.
 
West had a season-high nine points, five rebounds, three assists, and five steals.
 
Shetlar led Drake (8-9, 2-4 MVC) with 26 points.
 
Belmont pulled off the rare feat of winning both legs of the Northern Iowa-Drake road trip.
 
Belmont (15-3, 5-2 MVC) returns to game action Tuesday vs. Valparaiso.
 
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.