TUESDAY'S SCORES
Belmont 64, @Saint Louis 59
@Missouri 72,
Eastern Illinois 44
BELMONT 64, SAINT LOUIS 59
ST. LOUIS - Using its trademark championship courage and resolve, Belmont University men's basketball defeated Saint Louis, 64-59, Tuesday.
In a game replete with national implications, a fiercely contested 40 minutes was anticipated, and realized. After falling behind 18-3 to start the game, Belmont rode strong defense and a scoring burst from Will Richard to get within 32-26 at halftime.
Belmont (8-3) earned its first lead at 52-51 with 6:03 remaining on a Ben Sheppard free throw.
Grayson Murphy and Nick Muszynski combined on 16 of Belmont's final 17 points. Belmont also limited Saint Louis to two field goals the final 7:59 of the game. Murphy's steal and two free throws with three seconds left provided the final margin.
Belmont shot 57 percent from the field in the second half. Richard led three Bruins in double figures with 15 points. Murphy had 14 points, eight rebounds, nine assists and three steals. Muszynski 12 points, six rebounds and four blocked shots.
Gibson Jimerson led Saint Louis (7-3) with 21 points.
MISSOURI 72, EASTERN ILLINOIS 44
COLUMBIA, Mo. - Eastern Illinois men’s basketball went toe-to-toe with Southeastern Conference member Missouri in the early portion of the Tuesday night’s contest at Mizzou Arena.
EIU led 17-15 with 7:36 remaining in the first half before Mizzou answered with a 10-0 run to eventually pull away for a 72-44 win over EIU.
Jermaine Hamlin gave the Panthers the 17-15 lead with an early bucket as he was the lone EIU player in the game to reach double figures, finishing with ten.
DaJuan Gordon triggered the Tigers run with a quick transition basket as Mizzou scored 18 fast break points in the game. Gordon scored 14 points, one of four Tiger starters that finished in double figures.
The Gordon basket started a 10-0 run as Mizzou led 32-21 at the half. Rodolfo Bolis would end the Tigers run with a basket with 2:50 left in the first half.
In the second half EIU would trim the Mizzou lead to nine points on back-to-back baskets by Kejuan Clements and Hamlin. Hamlin’s bucket made it a 38-29 Tigers lead with 13:57 remaining in the game.
Missouri would give itself some breathing room with a 14-5 run over the next five minutes extending the lead to 54-36 with 8:30 left on a basket by Kobe Brown. Brown would finish with a double-double, 11 points, and 11 rebounds.
The Tigers finished shooting 62 percent in the second half with all 18 baskets coming on two-point baskets. Mizzou shot 51 percent for the game to improve to 5-4 on the season.
EIU fell to 2-8 on the year.