CLARKSVILLE, Tenn. - Belmont used a 14-0 late first-half run to break open a tight game and carried that momentum into the second half as Austin Peay State University fell, 78-65, Saturday night in Ohio Valley Conference basketball action played in Dave Aaron Arena.
In losing their eighth straight game, the Governors fall to 5-20 overall and 1-10 in the OVC. Coming off its first loss, Belmont improved to 20-5 overall and 11-1 in the OVC.
Leading 22-19 with 4:26 remaining the half, Belmont watched J.J. Mann scored the next 10 of the game's next 12 points-the other two coming from teammate Bandon Baker-before the Bruins completed the 14-0 run with two Kerron Johnson free throws. Meanwhile, the Governors aided the run by committing four turnovers during the stretch.
The Govs' Travis Betran scored on a layup with 14 seconds left in the half to slow the momentum as Belmont took a 36-21 halftime advantage.
Belmont ended the first half with six three pointers (16 attempts) and eight more in the final half prevented the Govs from mounting a comeback. In fact, Mann and Ian Clark, one of the strong favorites for OVC Player of the Year, combined for 11 of the Bruins' 14 three pointers. Mann finished with a game-high 26 points while Clark had 25 as the Bruins only double-figure scorers.
APSU also had just two players in double figures as Betran led the way with 22 points, nailing 7-of-11 shots. Chris Freeman came off the bench to added 10.
APSU finished the night 23 of 50 (46 percent) from the floor, just barely behind Belmont's (46.7 percent/28 of 60), but the Govs could manage just five three pointers compared to Belmont's 14 (of 34), 42 percent shooting.
-AP-
