Box Score
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Box Score

NASHVILLE, Tenn. – Eastern Kentucky cut a 22-point second half deficit to five with less than two minutes to play, but couldn't complete the comeback bid in an 84-81 loss to Belmont on Saturday in Nashville.

Belmont (16-7, 7-1 OVC) took its largest lead of 22, 64-42, on a lay-up by Reece Chamberlain with 10:28 left in the game. The Colonels (14-7, 5-3 OVC) were down 21, 68-47, with 8:50 to go before going on a 23-8 run to get back in the game. Glenn Cosey's three-pointer capped the run and made it a six-point game with 2:18 on the clock.

Two free throws and a lay-up by Corey Walden with 1:25 left to play cut the deficit to five, 79-74. The Bruins went 3-for-4 at the free throw line to secure the victory.

Cosey led Eastern with 24 points. Walden finished with 19 points, going 12-for-12 at the free throw line. Eric Stutz had 14 points and 11 rebounds for his fourth career double-double.

J.J. Mann had a game-best 34 points on 10-for-17 shooting from the field for Belmont. He made 4-of-8 from behind the arc and grabbed eight rebounds. Craig Bradshaw added 21.

EKU scored the first seven points of the game, but Belmont scored the next 16. Cosey hit a three-pointer and a jumper to get the Colonels off to a 7-0 start. However, the Bruins scored the next 16. Belmont went up 26-13 on a basket by Mann.

A 10-2 run by Eastern closed the gap to five, 28-23, but the Bruins answered with a 19-4 run. A bucket by Bradshaw capped the run and put the home team in front by 20, 47-27. Belmont still led by 20, 50-30, at the break.

EKU shot just 37.5 percent in the first half while the Bruins made 56.7 percent of their shots.

A 9-2 run to start the second half allowed the Colonels to get within 13. Eric Stutz scored four of the nine.

The Colonels will play their next four games at home, beginning with Tennessee-Martin on Thursday. Tip-off at McBrayer Arena is scheduled for 7 p.m.

NOTES
Eastern Kentucky is ranked 22nd in the latest CollegeInsider.com Mid-Major Top 25. Belmont is 23rd in the same poll.

Since entering the OVC before last season, Belmont has not lost a conference game at home. The Bruins are now 21-3 in regular season OVC games.

When these two teams met nine days ago, Belmont entered the game shooting 50.6 percent from the field (best in the OVC) and averaging 80.6 points per game (2nd in the OVC). The Bruins were held to 63 points and 37.5 percent shooting.

Belmont entered the game first in the OVC in shooting (50 percent) and second in scoring (78.8).

EKU entered the game fourth in the nation in steals (190) and fifth with an average of 9.5 per game. The Colonels had just seven steals on Saturday.

Eastern has the second-best turnover margin in the nation (+7.0), but finished with only three fewer turnovers than Belmont tonight.