Belmont beats Bama

[TexasTiger 12,829]

Trailed most of the game.

[mowegl 4]

They are from the Atlantic Sun right? Same as Garner-Webb, KSU, Mercer etc?

Weve got Mercer at home in a few weeks. Should be a good test. Not that George Washington and WVU wont be bigger ones before hand.

[JohnDeere 0]

UA Media Relations

TUSCALOOSA- The University of Alabama basketball team suffered its first loss of the season Monday night against defending Atlantic Sun Conference champions Belmont, falling 85-83 in game that came down to the wire.

The Tide trailed for much of the game, but back-to-back clutch 3-pointers from Mykal Riley tied the game at 83-83 with less than 20 seconds remaining. However, Belmont guard Justin Hare knocked down a contested jumper from the free-throw line with two seconds left to seal the victory for the Bruins.

“We got beat by a very good basketball team and a very well-coached team,” head coach Mark Gottfried said after the game. “What you can see is their experience, their veteran play, and the way that they didn’t get rattled. They are six games into their season, and they are a lot farther along than we are at this time.”

Junior forward Richard Hendrix had his way down low, putting together another huge night for the Tide. Hendrix scored 25 points and grabbed 10 rebounds for his third straight double-double to start the season.

“You have to give them credit,” Hendrix said. “They work like that every day. They practice and play that way. They executed. It is just on us now to find ourselves and bounce back. We have to put this one behind us.”

Other key contributors for Alabama included Riley, who finished with 15 points on five 3-pointers, and Alonzo Gee, who had 13 points to go with nine rebounds. Sophomore forward Demetrius Jemison also scored in double figures with 15 points.

Belmont held a 50-44 lead at the half due to some hot shooting from behind the arc. The Bruins connected on 8-18 three-pointers in the first half before cooling in the second, only hitting 3-13.

“It was our inability to guard, especially in the first half that hurt us,” Gottfried said. “We had a lot of small errors that added up to monumental things. Good teams take advantage of that. Good teams don’t let you survive. Experience was the difference in this game, and it showed tonight.”

Belmont was led by guards Alex Renfroe and Justin Hare who scored 15 points apiece including the game winner from Hare.

The Tide’s next test will come Friday, November 23, when the Southern Mississippi Golden Eagles visit Coleman Coliseum. Tip-off is scheduled for 7:00 CT.

[nimsjus 0]

The A-Sun has pulled off several upsets. That conference should be very competitive this year. Maybe they will give us a couple of those mid-major tourney teams that we love to pull for despite the fact that they just destroyed our brackets.

[AUesquire 1]

I was listening to Sporting News Radio the other night and the announcer was dogging North Carolina for being behind most of the night to Davidson. I was thinking, does this guy know a thing about basketball? Does he do any research at all before he opens his pie hole?

Just pull up Davidson and what they did last year and who they returned this year and tell me a team in the country they wouldn't take to the wire.

Parity is alive and well in college basketball and you better bring your A-game every night or the Belmonts of the world will slap you around.

[PChamp119 96]

Was Nick Saban coaching the basketball game too?

[saniflush 0]

How did I let this little nugget escape my attention?

Bump.