JSU men: Gamecocks fall to top-seeded Belmont in OVC semifinals

Mark Edwards, The Anniston Star, Ala.
·2 min read

Mar. 6—Jacksonville State's final OVC basketball game was a loss to league rival Belmont.

Playing in the OVC semifinals, fourth-seeded JSU fell behind early and never could catch up in a 72-69 loss to top-seeded Belmont, the league's regular-season champion.

The Gamecocks, who join the ASUN Conference next year, had sliced the lead to two at 41-39 with 13:35 to go on Jalen Finch's basket. Belmont then missed a 3-pointer, got the rebound, missed another 3-pointer, got the rebound again, and then got a 3-pointer by Tate Pierson.

That started an 11-2 run, and Belmont held control until JSU rallied in the closing minute.

Belmont led 71-63 with 1:39 to go, and JSU got six straight points on a basket by Finch, a basket by Darian Adams and a putback by Amanze Ngumezi to make it 71-69 with 14 seconds left.

Demaree King then fouled Pierson, who made the first free throw and missed the second. Kayne Henry got the rebound, and Adams got off a 3-pointer with three seconds left but it didn't go down.

Five to know

—JSU (18-9) lost all three meetings with Belmont (26-2) this season and the last five in a row. Before that, JSU won five straight.

—Ngumezi finished with 20 points off the bench. He also grabbed six rebounds. He played 20 minutes as center Brandon Huffman (two points, two rebounds) played only nine minutes and fouled out.

—Adams finished with 13 points on 4-of-17 shooting.

—Finch had 11 points as he played all 40 minutes. He added six rebounds and four assists. Henry had 10 points and a team-high 11 rebounds.

—Luke Smith had 24 points for Belmont, while Grayson Murphy added 14 points and 12 assists. Nick Muszynski had 13 points and 10 rebounds.

Senior Editor Mark Edwards: 256-235-3570. On Twitter: @MarkSportsStar.