Belmont 70, Murray State 68 (OT): Kerron Johnson sent the game into overtime with a jumper and nailed the game-winner with 1.2 seconds left to send the Bruins to a thrilling victory in the Ohio Valley Conference title game.
Johnson finished with 12 points and six assists while J.J. Mann scored a team-high 18 points to lead Belmont (26-6), which secured its 1,000th program victory.
Stacy Wilson scored a game-high 23 points while Isaiah Canaan tallied 22 points, 10 assists and nine rebounds for Murray State (21-10), which lost for the first time in its last six OVC title game appearances.
In the extra period, Wilson hit a jumper to score the final two of the Racers’ six points to take a 68-66 lead with 1:03 remaining. However, Johnson – a first-team all-OVC point guard – recovered from a nasty fall earlier in the overtime to hit a pair of free throws to knot the game at 68 and followed a turnover by Canaan on the next possession with a jumper just inside the lane.
The Racers and Bruins – in the first year in the OVC after leaving the Atlantic Sun Conference following last season – exchanged a number of double-digit runs throughout regulation. Belmont used two 13-0 surges and Murray State enjoyed a 16-2 spurt to lead by as many as 10 in the second half, but the Racers missed five of their final seven free throws in regulation and Johnson’s 10-foot fadeaway jumper with 10 seconds remaining sent the game into overtime.
GAME NOTEBOOK: Belmont has won each of its last six conference tournament appearances. … Canaan, a senior, posted his first double-double. … Murray State was denied its 1,500th program win.
Belmont | Murray St. | |
J.J. Mann 18 | Scoring | Stacy Wilson 23 |
Kerron Johnson 6 | Assists | Isaiah Canaan 10 |
J.J. Mann 7 | Rebounds | Isaiah Canaan 9 |
Kerron Johnson 4 | Free Throws Made | Isaiah Canaan 8 |
Kerron Johnson 3 | Steals | Ed Daniel 3 |
Reece Chamberlain 1 | Blocks | Ed Daniel 1 |
Team | Points | FG% | 3PM-3PA | FTM-FTA | Assists | Rebounds | Blocks | Steals | Turnovers |
Belmont | 70 | 49.1 | 4-19 | 10-14 | 15 | 20 | 2 | 10 | 14 |
Murray St. | 68 | 53.3 | 10-24 | 10-15 | 18 | 30 | 2 | 7 | 26 |