BELMONT, N.C. – In another matchup with one of the teams near the top of the Conference Carolinas standings, the King University men's basketball team went toe-to-toe at Belmont Abbey College. The game was played within in six points with 23 ties and 15 lead changes as 40 minutes wasn't enough to decide a winner. The Tornado pulled ahead in the extra session, but the Crusaders scored nine of the final 14 points to escape with the 93-91 victory.
THE BASICS
FINAL: Belmont Abbey 93, King 91 (F/OT)
LOCATION: Wheeler Center; Belmont, N.C.
RECORDS: King 2-8, 1-7 Conference Carolinas; Belmont Abbey 9-2, 7-1 Conference Carolinas
HOW IT HAPPENED
First Half
- King used a 6-0 run early, capped by an MJ Foust layup to open up a 9-5 lead.
- Back-to-back triples from Belmont Abbey quickly vaulted the Crusaders into the lead before Brandon Lamberth evened the score with a basket.
- The Crusaders then held a slight advantage through the majority of the half as the score was tied nine times in the opening 20 minutes.
- The King deficit grew to 39-33 with four minutes remaining, but the Tornado closed the half on a run.
- King outscored the Crusaders 10-4 down the stretch, evening the score at the break.
- A pair of Connor Jordan Free throws pulled King within two before Jordan assisted on an Isaiah Curry layup in the final two seconds, knotting the score at 43 at the break.
Second Half
- Belmont Abbey took a lead before back-to-back triple from Jordan vaulted King back to a 53-51 lead with 13 minutes remaining.
- Belmont Abbey came back to took a lead, which they held through the middle of the half.
- The Tornado deficit grew to 69-63 with six minutes remaining before a Blake Atwood layup and Darron Howard three-point basket pulled King within one.
- A Foust free throw evened the tally at 69 with three minutes remaining before the teams traded blows.
- In the final two minutes, the lead changed hands four times, the final time was thanks to Isaiah Curry who made a layup and followed that with a steal and another layup. That flurry gave King a 78-75 lead with 47 seconds remaining.
- The teams traded free throws and King held an 82-79 lead when Sean Halloran connected from long range with six seconds left, evening the score at 82.
- King missed a shot at the buzzer as the contest went to overtime.
OVERTIME
- King gained the advantage early in the extra session on baskets from Curry and Brandon Lamberth that put the Tornado ahead 86-84.
- The Crusaders answered with four straight points to tilt the scale in favor of the home team.
- King came back and evened the score at 88 on a Foust layup and 90 following a pair of Lamberth free throws.
- However, the Crusaders converted a three-point play with 33 seconds remaining.
- The Tornado had a chance to even the score in the final seconds as they grabbed an offense rebound trailing 93-91.
- However, the Crusader defense forced a turnover to give Belmont Abbey the 93-91 victory.
INSIDE THE BOX SCORE
- Jordan led the Tornado with 19 points, five rebounds and six assists.
- JaMarquis Johnson also tallied 19 points.
- Foust and Lamberth added 13 points apiece with Lamberth grabbing six rebounds and Foust snaring five boards.
- Curry chipped in with 10 points and five rebounds.
FOR THE FOES
- Quest Aldridge led Belmont Abbey with 31 points, going 14-for-18 from the floor.
- Chandler Baker added 16 points while Prince Davies accounted for 13 points.
- LJ McCoy scored 12 points and Charles Solomon chipped in with 10 points and five rebounds.
BEYOND THE BOX SCORE
- Jordan set career-highs with 19 points and six assists. He also came within in of his career-high with five rebounds.
- Johnson scored his career-high wearing the scarlet and navy with 19 points.
UP NEXT
- The two teams meet again on Saturday in Bristol as tipoff is scheduled for 4:00 p.m.
